If you feel your house is too small to accommodate the number of children you are planning to invite, then booking a local hall is a sensible option. Choose carefully and try to find one that has a carpeted floor. Large, echoey halls with polished floors amplify even the tiniest of noises which makes it difficult to make yourself heard and keep the children under control.
When holding your party in a hall, be sure to make a thorough checklist of everything you will need to take with you for the party (Don't forget your music, prizes, matches or a lighter to light the birthday cake candles with!).
2. Give Us A Clue
Finding the party venue can be a real headache - especially in the dark! A bunch of balloons (not just one - it will pop!) tied to your gatepost will prove of help to your guests and the entertainer.
3. Badges
It is a good idea to provide each child with a sticky label badge bearing his or her name. People tend to respond better when they are addressed by name.
4.Presents
Have a box or bag ready to put all the presents in as the children arrive so they can be kept safe to open later. If the birthday child is opening presents during the party, try to make sure they are removed to a safe place afterwards. Over the years I have seen many new toys trampled underfoot in the excitement!
5. Early Activities
Please do not attempt to settle the chidren down as they arrive by allowing them to run riot in a room filled with balloons, streamers, toys, etc. Funnily enough, this usually only happens in halls! More parties are ruined (and more guests are injured) by this than by anything else. Many children find the noise of balloons bursting frightening and end having to be taken home because of the noise before the party has even begun. Use balloons as decoration only and save the squeakers for the party bags! Play a simple quiet game instead - see the GAMES page for some suggestions.
6.Food!
Food doesn't usually present a problem. If you are going with the traditional buffet-style party tea remember to serve it in two courses, with the biscuits, buns, jelly and ice-cream coming after the savoury items. If you put everything out on the table together many children will just go straight for the buns and ignore everything else! Drink cups with lids or juice boxes are a good idea to prevent spills. Parties can be kept even simpler by giving each child a box containing a variety of goodies. Just include as much food as you would expect your own child to eat in one meal. Don't forget to write names on the lids of the boxes so that the piece of birthday cake can be taken home in them afterwards. You can obtain special boxes for this purpose from party shops or for a cheaper option you can buy plain cake boxes from baker's shops for a few pence each. Another idea is to obtain Happy Meal™ boxes from your local McDonalds™. They can be bought without a meal and you still get the toy, which make nice gifts for your young guests.
7. Showtime!
IThe show is designed to be enjoyed by the whole family - adults and older children needn't leave the room or sit at the far end of the hall. Enjoy the show with your children and I promise that you will have a wonderful time! If parents don't wish to watch PLEASE NOTE that for obvious reasons, I do require that there be at least one adult present for the duration of the performance. (I would define an adult as someone who is over 18 - An older brother who is 10 and a bit tall for his age doesn't count!)
TODDLERS, should be kept in the care of their parents and for safety reasons should not be allowed to wander around my show tables.
NOTHING WHATSOEVER should be distributed to the chidren during the show unless arrangements have been made with me beforehand. Please don't pass round sweets or hand out squeakers as it can be a huge distraction!
Try to fill me in on any potential problems before the show starts. It is helpful to know if any of the chidren have allergies to rabbits or phobias of balloons or puppets. I can then make adjustments to my performance in advance.
If you have any special requests please contact me - would you like me to present your child with his or her own magic set or puppet at the end of the show? Would you like me to produce one of their birthday presents by magic? Are they a budding young magician or magicienne and would they like to perform one of their own tricks during the show? Just let me know!!
8. Birthday Cake!
Don't forget to light the candles and sing or you may not have time to cut the cake up and distribute it to party bags/boxes before the end of the party. The ideal time is at the end of the party tea or at the halfway mark, just before cakes and buns are served. Usually all the children want to blow the candles out together after the birthday child has done it so this involves repeating the process a few times!! If you are worried about the unsanitory nature of this 'spitting on the cake ceremony', try covering it with clingfilm and then sticking the candle holders through it. The children can blow to their hearts content and the cake will stay protected!
9. Hometime
Parents usually start arriving about 15 minutes before the end of the party. Have the party bags ready and named so they can be handed to each child as they leave. Take care to remember to include any prizes that the children won in games or for helping with the magic show.
Party Games
Some Old Favourites Revisited!
GOOD LUCK IF YOU ARE ORGANISING A DO IT YOURSELF PARTY! - BUT HERE ARE SOME GAMES TO KEEP THE CHILDREN ENTERTAINED!
Elimination games like 'Pass the Parcel', 'Musical Chairs' and 'Dead Fishes' have been perennial favourites at parties for decades. A lot of people advise that this kind of game should not be played as children dislike being 'out'. Personally, I believe that there is nothing wrong with this kind of game. It is true that some children are bad losers but games where everybody wins can get a little tedious!! Try selecting an area of the room and place a sign there with the word 'JAIL' on it. The children usually find this amusing and for some reason don't mind being 'out' if they have to go to jail! Below are some updated and simplified versions of classic games. I would choose just one or two of these per party as they are a little similar in nature.
1.Pass the Parcel (Streamlined Version)
The main problems with the traditional game is that wrapping the parcel is a tedious affair, children are too slow removing the layers and it tends to go on a bit too long. The answer - eliminate all these problems!
PREPARATION
Choose a prize and cover it with just ONE LAYER of paper. Write out some forfeits on pieces of card. They should be along the lines of 'Stand on one leg with your eyes closed for 10 seconds', 'Sing a nursery rhyme', etc. You will also need a lucky dip of prizes i.e. a box or bag filled with inexpensive toys (try looking in your local pound shop for these)
HOW TO PLAY
Sit the children in a circle - to do this get them all to hold hands in a ring and then sit down. Place the lucky dip in the centre of the circle.
The parcel is handed to one of the children and passed round to music as normal. When the music stops, instead of removing a layer of paper, the person holding the parcel chooses a forfeit card and has to do whatever it says. If they complete the forfeit successfully they get to choose a prize from the lucky dip.
Play can continue for as long as you wish and then you simply announce that it is the last round and whoever ends up with the parcel gets to unwrap it and keep the prize. For younger children, eliminate the forfeits if you wish.
2. Musical Islands
Musical chairs is a great game for large halls, but in our own homes, few of us have the room or the number of chairs to play it! Try this version instead:
PREPARATION
Cut out a paper circle for each child attending the party.
HOW TO PLAY
The 'islands' are scattered around the floor and the children dance around until the music stops. Then they must stand on an island as quickly as they can. Remove one island after each round. The last child left is the winner.
3. Dead Lions
Similar to Dead Fishes but with a bit more action.
PREPARATION
None.
HOW TO PLAY
The children dance around until the music stops. Then they lie on the floor and stay as till as they can for a count of 10. Anyone who laughs or moves during the count is out. Children who are out may join in by attempting to make the others laugh, but they must not touch them. The last child left is the winner.
4. Corners
A game of chance (or skill for older children)
PREPARATION
This works best in a large room or hall. In each of the four corners place a large sign marking them as RED, YELLOW, GREEN or BLUE. You will also need four cards which are blank on one side and each have one of the four colours on the reverse.
HOW TO PLAY
The children dance to music in the centre of the room. When the music stops, everyone chooses a corner and runs into it. One of the cards is chosen at random and held up. Everyone standing in that corner is out. This is repeated until after a few rounds there are 4 or less children still in the game. From then on only 1 person is allowed to occupy each corner. The last person left is the winner.
For older children this can be turned into a game of skill by using multiple choice questions. Copy these off junior trivial pursuit or similar games. All the children stand in the centre of the room as the question and the four answers are read out. They then run into the corner that represents their choice of answer. You could even add a little bit of Chris Tarrent-esque tension to the proceedings by asking if its their final answer and giving them a chance to switch corners. The people standing in the correct answer corner stay in, everyone else is Eliminated. Proceed until there is only one winner left.
TEAMS
As the children arrive at the party, sort them into 2 to 4 teams. Draw up a scoreboard and award points for games won. You could also add and subtact points for good and bad behaviour! For some of the following games, choose one or two representatives from each team to play while the other's cheer them on. For very small parties (10 children or less), they could also be played by individuals.
4. Blow Out The Candle (best for ages 7 and up)
This can be more hilarious for the spectators than the players!
PREPARATION
You will need a candle in a suitable holder or candlestick, a blindfold and a stop watch.
HOW TO PLAY
A member of each team is selected to play. An adult lights the candle. One at a time the players are blindfolded and instructed to try and blow the candle out from a safe distance. Their team is allowed to shout out directions to them. Each attempt is timed. The fastest player wins the game for their team.
NOTE - This game must be well supervised by an ADULT, for obvious reasons.
5. Balloon Race
Fast and furious game - but make sure none of the children are afraid of bursting balloons!
PREPARATION
You will need a lilo pump for each team. These are the inexpensive type with a large bulb on one end and a tube with a nozzle on the end. You will also need a chair for each player and some balloons.
HOW TO PLAY
The pumps are placed on the chairs. Balloons are attatched to each of the pumps and the players must bounce up and down with their bottom on the pumps until their balloon bursts. The first one to burst their balloon wins for their team.
Alternatively each team can line up behind their chair and everyone gets a go in turn. The first team to finish bursting all their balloons wins.
6. Wind The Bobbin Up
Another great game that will get the kids cheering on their team mates!
PREPARATION
You will need several pieces of dowel rod, about 10 inches in length. To the centre each of these you attatch a coloured ribbon, several feet in length. You will need one of these for each player. It is usually best if a small weight is attatched to the other end of the ribbon.
HOW TO PLAY
Each player is given a rod and they hold them horizontally with the ribbon stretched out in front. They must rotate the rod betwwen their hands until they have reeled in the entire length of ribbon. First to finish wins.
Themed Parties
| Themed parties can be great fun for children. It is important to choose a theme that most of the children will be familiar with. Disney Characters and movies, Superheroes and Villains, Star Wars and anything similarly popular is ideal. As an example of how to organise a themed party I have chosen a subject that ties in well with MAGIC. |
HAVE A HARRY POTTER™ PARTY!
1. Invitations
Look in any party shop or newsagents and you will find Harry Potter invitations. You can also create your own with programs like Harry Potter Print Studio. Be sure to tell all your invited guests to dress as witches and wizards!
2. Decorations
Dig out those Halloween decorations. If you can obtain them, make some pumpkin lanterns or use turnips if pumpkins are not available. Designate an area of the room as a 'Broomstick Park' and put up a sign. Make a scoreboard to keep track of 'house points'. Have fun and use your imagination!
3. The Sorting Hat
Obtain a witches hat and into this place coloured stickers to represent the four houses - Red for Griffindor, Blue for Ravenclaw, Yellow for Hufflepuff and Green for Slitherin. Make sure there is one for each child invited and the correct number of each to make the teams relatively even. As children arrive they reach into the hat and pull out a sticker. Write their name on it and stick it onto their clothing. This way the children are sorted at random into 4 teams or 'houses'. Throughout the party award house points for good behaviour and each time a team member wins a game.You can even deduct points for naughty behaviour if you wish! At the end of the party there should be an extra prize for each member of the house with the most points.
4. Games
This is easy! - Make a version of 'pin the tail on the donkey' called 'pin the beak on hedwig, play corners (see the GAMES page) and use harry potter trivia questions. Make a piñata in the shape of a giant snitch and let the chidren take turns as beaters, trying to break it and release the sweets. Let the children hunt for chocolate frogs, etc. etc.
5. A Real Wizard
It goes without saying that a real magician i.e. ME is an essential!!
6. Prizes
Theme the prizes too - give out bags of 'every flavour beans' (jelly beans), chocolate frogs, Cheap magic tricks (If you have trouble obtaining these contact me and I can help).
7. Music
Use the harry potter film sountracks to help create atmosphere and to accompany any games during the party.
The above shows how easy it is to give your child a unique experience
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