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So you’ve chosen a party date, booked the venue, and sent out the invites, what next?

Feb 2nd

Posted by Rocking Rascals in Party foods

Children in a Primary Education School in Paris
Image via Wikipedia

The idea of entertaining a room full of little rascals may seem daunting at first, but with a little planning you’ll find the time simply flies by. Here is a simple checklist for your party plan.

  1. Break the ice
    A simple energetic game is a great ice breaker. It encourages kids to join in and play together, even less confident children who may be a bit shy at first.  Strike a pose is a good one as it uses music (always a great ice breaker), dancing and everyone’s a winner too.
  2. Celebrate
    Draw all your little guests together, welcome them, introduce yourself and your helpers, and then lead them all in a cheer for the birthday boy or girl. Right from the beginning, it is so important the birthday girl or boy feels it is there special day.
  3. Create
    One great advantage of a theme is that it provides your event with an obvious beginning, middle and end, and the beginning can be very creative. This could involve making things, like pirate hats for example, or getting dressed up a fashion divas, princesses and rock stars.

  4. Energise
    Two or three highly energetic party games will be about enough to keep the room buzzing if you are planning a party of 2 hours. Need a few ideas, read How to choose the best children’s party games

  5. Feed and water
    If you want to serve a small meal, keep the offerings simple. Familiar snacks like sausage rolls, cupcakes, fruit skewers, fairy bread or sandwiches always go down well. Be aware of any food allergies – it’s best to avoid anything with nuts (including peanut butter sandwiches) because so many children are allergic to them.

    If the parents are staying for the party, make up some tasty treats (dips are easy and delicious) for them too.

  6. Cool down
    It’s best not to encourage kids to be too energetic after they’ve eaten so think of something less energetic than a game. Again your theme could help you here.  We often finish off with a simple dance routine or a fashion show.
  7. Release
    And before you know it, it’s the end of the party and parents are ready to collect their happy, fed and exhausted children.
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How to choose the best children’s party games

Feb 2nd

Posted by Rocking Rascals in Party planning tips

Trying to bite a donut
Image by Mundoo via Flickr

What can you remember most about your birthday parties when a child? The balloons? Streamers? Matching plates? Most likely the greatest hit was the prepared games and activities. So many of the most successful games are simply and easy to include in your party plan. Here are 6 ways to make sure you choose the best.

  1. Ask your child
    What would they like to play at their party. If they think it’s a fun game, their friends probably will too.

  2. Consider space and age
    Trying to get younger children to take part in games with structured rules and outcomes is often like herding cats – exhausting and ultimately unrewarding. In these cases, leave it simple. Older children like games with a challenge and a clear outcome.
  3. Be Flexible.
    If you sense that a party game is not going well, let it go and move on to the next activity. Or, make a quick adaptation to an existing game.
  4. Indoors or Out?
    If your party games are dependent on the weather…be prepared to take the party indoors if necessary.
  5. Be Prepared.
    Have all games set up and ready to go before the party. Make sure you understand how the games is played.
  6. Everyone is a Winner.
    Parties are a time to have fun, which means all guests should go home smiling. Try to reward all players just for participating. Stickers are a great way to do this, and kind to the teeth too.
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Children’s party games for princesses, fashion divas and rocking stars

Feb 2nd

Posted by Rocking Rascals in Party planning tips

Crosswalk signal feature showing a female pict...
Image via Wikipedia

Strike a pose

This simple game is similar to musical chairs – except that you don’t need chairs. Kids always enjoy it, and with the added pizzazz of it being on an imaginary catwalk, it becomes really exciting.

Everyone dances around to the music until you stop the song. They must then strike a pose in whatever dancing position they are in. Anybody caught moving is out.

Start the music again fairly quickly and keep repeating until you have a winner. The non-players can pretend to be fashion photographers and help you to spot any movements

Treasure Hunt

Hide a small item of treasure – it could be gold coins, a crown, or some other object that suits your theme, in one of your party rooms, or in a section of the garden. Make sure the kids know what they are looking for.

Then have your little guests come into the room and search for the item. As they get closer call out “Warmer, warmer” until you get to “Hot!”. As they get further away you call out “Cooler, cooler” until you get to “Cold”.

The first person to find item then gets to go and hide it for the next round, or if it is an item of clothing, like a crown, wear it for the rest of the party.


Disco lights – a version of traffic lights

You will need disco light for this one. Or alternatively, cut our a red circle, green circle and a yellow circle. Now get some music playing. Ask the children to start rocking. Every few minutes, stop the lights or hold up a coloured card and shout:

“Stop, the lights are red!”, “Slow down – the lights are Yellow” or “Get dancing, the lights are green”.

If the lights are red, the children must stand absolutely still. If they are yellow, they must slowly and on green they can dance normally.

Any others ….

Looking for other ideas:

The BBC’s Guide to Party Games we enjoyed as kids
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A765920

Netmums collection of Party Games

http://www.netmums.com/parties/Party_Games.251/

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Is your child ready to rock? And other fabulous kid’s party themes.

Feb 2nd

Posted by Rocking Rascals in Party planning tips

Air guitar
Image via Wikipedia

Can you remember your first disco? I was 7 and my dad took me to the Golf Hotel in Ireland. Dancing with my Dad and my friends was just electric. Can you remember dancing to C’mon on Eileen by Dexy Midnight Runners too? Such memories often inspire me when planning birthday parties.

One of my most successful party themes is Fashion Rocks, a highly energetic, jam-packed party where children dance, sing and get dressed up in the shimmering outfits so that they feel like little princesses and rock stars. There are lots of party games and at the end, our little guests perform a cat walk show.

Fashion Rocks is often chosen by birthday girls. For birthday boys, we have Rocking Rebels, and as well as shimmering outfits we provide ultra-cool bandanas, shades and inflatable guitars (can you just imagine the air guitar moves?!)

Of course, children can be the harshest of critics so I was delighted the other day when one of my mums came back to me and said, “The kids were still talking about it at Nursery today”. Comments like that make me realise, I’ve just got the greatest job!

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