Party ideas for children

The successful party will have four things: upbeat environments, welcome ice breakers, memory makers, and a good closing.

PARTY ENVIRONMENT IS IMPORTANT: The games, food, and fun activities you have planned may fail if the atmosphere is not welcoming. Good decoration that are centered around a certain theme are a party must. Use bright colors and upbeat music to set the stage for an energetic party. Soft lighting and many twinkling light will make for a slightly calmer event. Decorations, lighting, and music will help to make your party special.

DON’T FORGET THE ICEBREAKERS: No one likes to walk into a group of people and feel out of place. Put the children at ease as soon as thy arrive by planning an event that will help with introductions and that will draw them into the celebration. Some events might include:

Scavenger hunts for names

Partner puzzles

Find a friend interviews

MAKE YOUR PARTIES MEMORABLE: Simple touches included in your party preparations can be what makes the event memorable for you quests. A fun idea might be to string Christmas lights at a party in the spring. Have it al a fun place such as a school yard. Make party favors fun. How about having the kids decorate a rock for a paper weight? Maybe a candle in a can could be made to help decorate your table. Don’t forget to take plenty of pictures. If you have a Polaroid camera you could let the children decorate with poster board frames. Let them bring them home to share their experience with their families.

Good party favors don’t just happen, the are made. All it really takes is organization, creativity, and a little bit of work.

Party closures put the finishing touches on your party, and the ending memories. A good closing will summarize your party theme, give the kids something to bring home, and give them a lasting reminder of your special time together.

PARTY PLANNING GUIDE

Theme:

Date:

Place:

Time:

Number of children expected:

Helper:____________________________________ Phone:__________________________________

Helper:____________________________________ Phone:__________________________________

Helper:____________________________________ Phone:__________________________________

Guest List:

_________________________________________ Phone_________________________________ Reply______

SHOPPER’S CHECK LIST

Invitations:

*Envelopes

*Stamps

*

*

*

Decorations

*Crepe Paper

*Balloons

*Poster Board

*Markers

*Construction Paper

*Tissue Paper

*

*

*

Games and Activities

*Poster Board

*Markers and Pencils

*Construction Paper

*Scissors, tape, string

*Paper

*CD’s or cassettes

*Player

*

*

*

Food and Juices or soft rinks

*

*

*

Party Favors

*

*

*

Paper Products

*Paper plates

*Paper cups

*Napkins

*Table coverings

*Plastic spoons and forks

*Trash bags

Other

*camera and film

*

*

PARTY COUNTDOWN

TWO WEEKS:

confirm reservations (if the is one)

check camera to make sure works

send out invitations

get together items for crafts and other activities

construct decorations

ONE WEEK:

check to see who has answered your invitation

finish making games and decorations

purchase your paper goods

touch base with your helpers

TWO DAYS:

purchase food

line up your music

HOURS TO GO:

decorate

set up games

prepare foods

last minute checks

***ALWAYS EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED AND HAVE FUN ANYWAY!!***

HULA-BALOO

This is a party that we had for our children at church last summer. We roasted a small pig and we had a great time. We have at least one of these a week for our children and we invite the neighborhood as well. This gives the children a chance to meet others and to learn how to get along in a group. When we are finished with play, we get together and work on homework. If there is a child who has a special need for more help with school, we will set them up on a tutoring program.

Party Preparations

Make photocopies of a pineapple onto stiff paper, then color and cut out the patterns. Fill out the party information. If you want to you can put some colorful silk flowers in the envelope along with the invitations.

Make palm trees to "plant" around your party area. Twist brown paper grocery sacks into tree trunks, then tape them to the walls to create 5-foot-tall trees. Tear large palm leaves from green construction paper, then tape the leaves to the tree trunks that you have placed on the walls. Be sure that some of the leaves drape over the trunks. Then to make it extra special place a few real pineapples around the trees.

String fishing net or yarn from the ceiling. Toss balloons and fish in the nets. You may want to decorate some of your balloons by taping on construction paper fins and using black magic marker to make faces. You can then give the balloons away to children as they leave.

Tape bright colored paper and silk flowers around the room.

Add blue crepe paper waves along the edge of the food table, walls, and even the door to the room if you have one. You can set a fan una the table to give the waves a ripple effect.

Games

Lively Leis: Before the party you will need to buy bright colored silk flowers and pull them form their stems. You will need five blossoms and a 20-inch length of fishing line for each child. As the children arrive, greet them with an "aloha," and had them each a length of fishing line and five silk flowers. Have the children trade their flowers with others as they introduce themselves. When everyone has traded a fowler with each of the other children, have them help each other tie the ends of their fishing lines together to create leis to wear.

Jimbo Limbo: Before the party, wrap blue crepe paper around a broom handle. Play a cassette tape of Hawaiian music during this game. Choose two children to hold the ends of the broom handle. Have the rest of the children line up on one side of the handle. Explain that each time they limbo under the stick without touching it they should yell out "jimbo" When the kids touch the stick it would be nice to let them try again. See how low you can go before everyone misses.

Seashell Sculpting: Before the party, you should buy a bag of seashells from a craft or hobby store. Cover a table with some newspaper and then set the seashell out. You will need some craft glue for this project. Let the children pick out their favorite shells and then glue them together to create a sculpture. You can glue magnetic strips to the back so that they can use them for refrigerator magnets or they can be used for paperweights if they are to big.

Treats to Eat

As I said earlier, we roasted a pig for our main coarse. We had rolls and pineapple to go with.

Island Cookies: Set out marshmallow creme, blue decorative sprinkles, plastic knives, chocolate kisses, and a plate of rice crispy treats. Have the kids spread a tin layer of marshmallow creme on their crispy treat, then sprinkle blue ocean waves on top. Add chocolate kiss islands in the center.

Maui Powie Punch: Mix fruit pinch and lemon-lime soda in a large bowl. Add a large scoop of pineapple sherbet to the punch. For an extra touch, float a couple of silk flowers in the punch bowl. But those tiny paper party umbrellas to add to each one of the children's cups.

Give this party a try if you are looking for something fun and different to do in the summer. It is sure to be a hit with everyone that you invite.

The Instant Party is always fun to try and is so easy to do. You will not need any invitations to this party because the theme is spontaneity. You can get your items in advance. (I will post an example of a shopping list at the end of the party preperation ideas.)

Get all of the party items first. After the children have arrived tell them you are going to celebrate that fact that you are all just here together. You will then split the children up into three groups.

Group one will be the Interior Decorator and they will be in charge of decorating for your party. Group two will be the games group and they will be in charge of the afternoons activities. And last but not least, group three will be the treat team and they will be in charge of making sure that you get some wonderful snacks.

Give each team about 20 minutes to prepare. They will use the items that you have already purchased.

When they are finished it will be time to PARTY!

Gather kids at the end of your party. Tell the children how happy you are that they could all work together to make your party so much fun.

SHOPPING LIST

crepe paper

confetti

balloons

playground ball

bean bags

empty milk cartons

cupcakes\raisins

apple juice

The final party that I would like to talk about is called the Ark-in-the Park Carnival. You can use this at almost any event. It takes a little more time to prepare (about one month) as you will have to build all of your booths.

For this event you will want to make your invitations in the shape of animals. Then as for other parties you will put your information on them. It might be fun to use some animal stickers or get some animal shaped erasers to go with your invitations.

Now you will have to seek out the help of your friends. You will need them to help you to construct an ark. If it is warn out and you are able to hold the event outdoors you can put up a small fence and have the children bring their pets and have a petting zoo. (Make sure that the pets that are going to be brought are used to being around several people/strangers.)

Make large patterns of animal to be put in the windows of your ark.

Ask people to dress up as members of Noah's family and be walking about throughout your party.

Game Booths:

Catch-a-critter

For this game booth you will need a small child's fishing pole or you can construct one from a stick and some fishing line.

To make the booth, you will have to make some more of those animal patterns that by now you have become so good at. Make two of every kind of animal. After you have made the animal you will need to cover it with some clear adhesive paper. Add a paper clip to each animal.

Put a magnet on the end of you fishing pole. This will be your lure.

Cover the font and sides of a table with a tablecloth and send the children out to fish for animals.

Another fun booth for you to have would be a face painting booth. See how many different animal faces that you can come up with. They have special paints that you use to paint on children's faces.

Of course, a craft booth and a treats to sell booth are essential at any one of these events. We have even had booths where children can decorate some already made cookies and bring them home when they are finished. Cake walks or cookie walks are also a big hit.

I hope that you have learned something about what it takes to put on a great party, one the children will be talking about for a long time to come. Try out some of the ideas that were given. You are sure to have as much fun as your child. I know I do.