Partypalooza's Free Children's Party Tips

Party Planning
Party Theme Ideas
Gifts & Gift Giving

INVITATIONS

~~~ For my daughter's 5th, birthday we bought a bag of colored balloons. On each balloon we wrote out all of the party information, sealed them in envelopes with some confetti and gave them out as invitations. My daughter was delighted and the parents of the children who received them thought they were very original.

~~~Invitations don't need to be bought or written by hand if you use e-mail! There are a variety of choices for electronic mail invitations, but you don't necessarily need a website service. You could simply send out an e-mail to your guests and allow them to RSVP via e-mail, too! It's a good idea to include other contact information though.
 
Using an e-mail address for RSVP’s is great because the guest can send respond whenever they have time or remember to do so. It doesn't matter if it's 1 a.m! 
 
If you use a personal e-mail, it’s a good idea to check with each invited guest to make sure they received your invitation. Sometimes e-mails get lost in cyber space. Letting the guest know that you received their RSVP keeps them from guessing whether their message got through or not.

~~~Invitations can set the tone for your party. A fun invitation that hints at the party theme can create anticipation!

Make your own invitations using card stock or blank greeting cards. Use stickers or stamps that match the party theme. Here are some ideas for invitation wording based on a theme:

• Pirate party:
  “Blackbeard has requested your presence as he seeks the buried treasure on Saturday…”
• Knights or Princesses party:
  “The King/Queen has summoned you to the castle for a feast of medieval proportions on March 12…”
• Sports parties of all kinds:
  "You've been drafted by the coach! Report to team training on …”
• Jewelry, Dress-up, Hair Care or Makeover party:
  “Our spa for a day has scheduled you for an appointment on Friday…”
• Penguin party:
  “Bundle up and join us on a trip to the Arctic on January…”
• Musical Fun or Hollywood movie party:
  “A star studded afternoon awaits you on Sunday…”
• Dinosaur or Caveman party:
  “Join us as we take a trip back in time to the age of the dinosaurs on Saturday, June…”
• Cowboy or Wild West party:
  “There's gonna be a showdown and y'all are invited to witness it on Saturday…”
   
  Finish the invitation with your own party details!

~~~ When you send out your invitations, be sure to include accurate directions to your house or party place so that guests will not have to call you for them. This will keep those day-of-the-party interruptions to a minimum.

~~~Cut a three-foot length of adding machine paper for each of these cool invitations.

Write out the party details, stretching them out from one end of the paper to the other, then choose one of these ideas:

• Wrap the paper around a pencil and use a ribbon tied around the roll to hold it.
• Accordion fold the paper so you can send your invitations in the mail.
• Glue one end of the paper to a wooden chopstick. When the glue dries, tightly roll the paper around the stick to make a paper yo-yo.
• Glue each end of the paper to a small twig. When the glue dries, roll each end of the paper around the sticks to make a mini scroll.

~~~ Make your invitation a puzzle! You can use oaktag cut to approximately 6" x 9" and write your invitation on it, then cut it into pieces, or, buy our Create-A-Puzzle to use (just let us know and instead of the crayons, we'll include a marker). Write the invitation, take apart the puzzle and mail the pieces to all the people invited! Be sure to include instructions to put the puzzle together to read the message.

~~~ Take a picture of the birthday child holding a sign that has the invitation written on it. Be sure the sign is legible in the picture. Make enough copies of the picture and mail it to everyone who is invited.
Make your own thank you note paper. Using rubber stamps or themed stickers that coordinate to the party theme, create a border on standard-sized paper. Use the space in the middle to write a thank you letter.

~~~Cards can be made by folding standard-sized paper into quarters. Use rubber stamps or themed stickers to decorate the front of the card too! Write your thank you message inside. Remember to include a special “made just for you” mark on the back of your card! Seal the letters and cards with coordinating stickers.

~~~Thank you notes are a must! Start your children in the habit of doing thank you notes from a young age and they will consider it a normal part of the party.
Carry your enthusiasm from the planning of the party all the way to the writing of the thank you notes. From age two, children can help. Let them draw a picture, even if it is just scribbles - then you write the thank you note!
Either use their drawing as writing paper or include the drawing in a card. By age three or four, children can “sign” their own name, even if it is just a couple of squiggles and lines.
Pre-school age children can dictate their thoughts until they are able to write or type their own notes. As children get older and the parties get bigger, it’s okay to spread the job out, but don’t wait too long!

~~~Print or write invitation on a half sheet of standard-paper. Roll it up and insert into a clean and dry soft drink or water bottle. Return the cap and deliver your invitation. This would be great as a message in a bottle for a pirate-themed party!
Print or write invitation on a half sheet of standard-sized paper. Roll it up and insert into an un-inflated balloon. Blow up the balloon. Tie it and attach to a drinking straw, then deliver your invitation. (Please be careful with balloon bits when popping the balloon!)
Buy plain chocolate bars and remove the outer, paper wrapper. Replace the wrapper with an equal-sized paper with the invitation details upon it, then deliver this tasty treat!
Paint the invitation details onto a large sea shell using acrylic paints and deliver. This would be ideal for a beach party or luau party!
Buy tiny disposable plastic containers and lids. Four ounce size would be good for these invitations. For each invitation, cut out one or two circles from a plastic milk jug, making sure that they will fit into the container. Write the invitation details on the plastic circles using a permanent marker; allow to air dry. Place circles into container along with a sprinkle of glitter, a drop or two of food coloring and water to fill. Secure lids on containers and deliver!

~~~Try to send out invitations about two weeks before the party, or a little earlier than that if you are having it at a party place where a head count is required. When it’s important to have a head count (you don't want to pay for more guests than you need to), include a date for guests to RSVP by. If you haven’t heard from someone, it’s perfectly okay to give them a call!

~~~Write out the details of the invitation in white crayon. Practice on scrap paper first. You can use store bought invitation cards or blank paper. When you send your invitation, include a dark, colored crayon along with instructions for the invitee to lightly color over the invitation to reveal the message. Use pen, pencil or marker to write your name and phone number so they can call if they color too hard over the invitation and can’t read the details. This would be good for an art party, crayon or colors party, or a mystery/detective party.
Make a backwards invitation! If you can, just write everything backwards. If not, write out the invitation with marker. Flip the page over and trace on the back, with marker again. Then lay a blank paper over top to trace the backwards writing. Write a little note, not backwards, telling your invitee to hold the invitation in front of a mirror to read the message in the reflection. Make copies or trace one for each invitee. Great to use for a mystery/detective party or a crazy backwards party.

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PARTY FUN AND GAMES

~~~Valentine's Day Celebration Game Ideas!

• How many hearts?: Fill a jar with heart-shaped candy and let guests guess how many hearts are in the jar. Winner gets the jar of candy!
• Stacking hearts: Stack conversation heart candies as high as you can!
• Bingo with heart: Play bingo, but use valentine's candies to mark the numbers!
• Tic-tac-toe is all about the X's and O's (love and kisses) but the game is even sweeter when you use candies to get three in a row!
• Be a matchmaker: Write a list of pairs that go together. For example, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Romeo and Juliet, Milk and Cookies, or Lois Lane and Superman, to name a few. Prompt the kids with one of the items and have them name the match!
• Mend a broken heart: Cut out a few hearts from card stock. Then cut each heart in half, making each broken heart slightly different. Hand each child a half heart and have them find the other half heart that matches, so they can mend their broken hearts!

And don't forget to treat the kids to some Valentine's Goody Bags!

~~~When the weather heats up, here's some great ways to cool off! Pools are helpful, but if you don't have a pool, you can still have some cooling, water fun!

~~~Warm weather means it's time to think of Summer Fun and games!

1. Water Balloon Bounce: Try to bounce a water balloon on a parachute or sheet without bursting it. Think that's too easy? Add another water balloon or two!
2. Water Balloon Hot Potato: Players stand in a circle far enough apart that they have to gently toss the water balloon to the next person instead of just handing it over. Toss the balloon around the circle from person to person until the balloon bursts! Whoever drops the balloon making it burst is out. Make it more challenging by having two balloons in play, one going clockwise the other counterclockwise!
3. Water Balloon Target Toss: Take turns throwing water balloons at a variety of targets. You can start with something large like a hula hoop and work your way down to a small bucket or even a bowl!
4. Sponge tag: Get hit with the soaking wet sponge and you're it!

~~~What is an ice breaker and why would you want to break the ice, anyway?

An ice breaker is an activity that allows a group of people to get to know each other a little. It's great to have some ice breakers at a birthday party since children will often invite friends from different groups. For example, your child may invite a favorite cousin, a few friends from school, and half the soccer team. By providing some ice breakers, each guest can feel welcome and included! They may learn that they have things in common besides knowing the birthday child.

• Play Who Am I? Tape an index card with the name of a famous person on each person's back. Each guest asks questions of the other guests to get clues as to the name on their own back. Since the goal is to mingle, guests can only ask each person one question.
• A circle game can be a good way to help guests get to know each other. Guests can introduce themselves, one by one around the circle for starters. Then toss a small, soft ball or stuffed toy randomly from person to person. Whoever has the ball or toy can answer a question about themselves, such as their favorite color or food! Remember to avoid very personal questions.
• A &Q More than just an question and answer session, A & Q is a wacky, fun game! Divide the group in two. One group will write answers. Each person writes an answer to an unknown question on a slip of paper. The other group will write the questions, with each person writing their own question on a slip of paper. (If there is an odd number of guests, you may want to have a few answers and questions prepared ahead of time to even it up.) Randomly select one person to read the question and another person to read the answer. The sillier the answers and questions, the better! Once the guests get the hang of the game they might want to play again and again!

These are just a few ice breaker ideas; you can find more by searching the Internet. Try searching "ice breaker games" (without the quotes).

~~~Aluminum foil isn't just for cooking! Try these fun ways to use foil at your next party:

• Turn a sheet of foil into a work of art! Crumple, bend and fold the foil into a sculpture. Clean up is easy, and in some areas the foil can even be recycled!
• Can you make it float? Fold and layer the foil into a boat and float it across a tub or pool! Increase the challenge by adding freight such as pennies. See how many pennies your boat will hold before it sinks!
• Press layered heavy duty foil over small objects with no sharp edges such as marbles, coins, or even the face of a doll. Remove the foil carefully from the object to maintain the shape.
• Add some shine to your gift giving by using aluminum foil as gift wrap!

~~~Have a "Phat Pay Hybrid" which means "Happy Birthday" anagram style! There are many ways that you can have fun with words at a birthday party. While there may be some children who could have a whole party filled with wordy fun, most kids will enjoy a few word games among the other party games you are playing.

Here are some word-filled games and activities that can be added to just about any birthday party:

• Birthday Anagrams Mix up the letters of some common birthday party words, like cupcake, invitation, birthday party, party hat, ice cream and the birthday child's name. Have party goers work at unscrambling the words!
• Sentence Scramble Write a sentence, placing each word on an index card. Hand out one card to each person and have them put the words in order. See if they can work together to unscramble the original sentence. They might even come up with a new one! A variation is to break the group into teams and give them a set of word cards to try to make the longest sentence that is grammatically correct!
• Secret Message Create a secret message to be decoded. Make it more fun by having the message tell the location of the birthday cake or the pinata!
• Dictionary Fun Before the party, prepare a list of words that the kids aren't likely to know. Copy the real definition and write two or three fake definitions, including some funny ones! At party time, have the kids guess which is the real definition.
• Word Searches and Crossword Puzzles can be a fun way to keep kids busy as guests are arriving.
• And lastly, Story Time! Read a book or have the kids make up a story, sentence by sentence or word by word. This is a nice, calm way to end a party, and it can keep kids busy as other guests are leaving!

~~~ Have an Fall Apple Party!

Make shrunken heads: Choose a large apple, peel the skin, and roll the apple in a shallow plate of lemon juice. Younger children can use play dough tools to scrape out the facial features. Older children may be able to use a paring knife or pointed vegetable peeler. You can also experiment with leaving some of the skin on. Once the face is carved, put apple in a cool dry location. Drying takes about two weeks depending on humidity levels. Shrunken heads are fun to make and make cool Halloween decorations.

Paint with apples: Cut apple in half from the top down. Dip in paint and stamp apple shapes. Cut apple in half the other way to create a different shape stamp with a star in the center. Try different size apples for a little variation. You could even use an apple stamp to decorate the front of the party invitation.

Johnny Appleseed relay race: Get a large poster map of the United States. If you can find small apple shape stickers, use those, otherwise look for some small dot stickers in red, green, and/or yellow. Outline the states where Johnny Appleseed planted seeds and seedlings. Set a time limit, depending on the age of the children, to locate and sticker as many states as they can. Taking turns, the children need to run over to the map a affix an “apple” to the state as the state’s name is called out.

Grow an apple tree in your house! Well, not a real apple tree, but a poster sized one. Sketch the trunk and branches of a tree and paint it brown. From red and green cardstock, cut out apple shapes and leaf shapes. Play this cooperative game like pin the tail on the donkey, except players will add the apples and leaves to the tree.

There are lots of yummy apple snacks to serve as well - apple cider, caramel and candy apples, applesauce, apple cake, apple pie, dried apples - use your imagination!

~~~They say that everything old is new again! Even a game or activity that has been around forever will be new to someone who has never done it before.

The old fashioned party games often need less preparation and supplies, saving you both time and money. In fact, you might find that you have many of the props already in your home!

Here are just a few game and activity suggestions:

• Clothes Pin Drop
• Musical Chairs
• Charades
• Tag
• Follow the Leader
• Duck, Duck, Goose
• Hot and Cold
• Hot Potato

If you're not sure of the rules after all these years, just Google 'em!

~~~When the gingerbread house kits are on sale after Christmas, consider buying some extra ones. The kits can be used to construct the houses for other winter holidays such as Valentine's Day or St. Patrick's Day! Just add the seasonal candies to make a gingerbread love shack or Leprechaun hideout. If the kit is dated out far enough you could even make an Easter bunny house!

Another way to construct a gingerbread house is to use graham crackers, which given their year round availability, would let you build a house for any occasion. Think Red, White, and Blue for patriotic holidays like Memorial Day or Fourth of July!

Gingerbread houses are great for birthdays too, so build a birthday house for the birthday boy or girl. How about a castle for a knights and princesses party? Get creative and make a pirate ship for a pirate party, a barn for a farm or horse party, a greenhouse for a garden party, or a circus tent for a carnival/big top party. The possibilities are endless!

~~~You don't have to be in high school to enjoy a musical party full of school spirit!

• Set up the karaoke machine and invite some friends to sing along. Create a stage where guests can put on a show and dance their hearts out!
• Watch your favorite musical movies.
• For a craft project, make team pennants.
• Decorate with lots of inflatable microphones and cell phones, cheerleader pom-poms, and team pennants .
• Party goodies can include toy cell phones, cell phone lip gloss, and make-up for the girls. Basketball Goody Bags are a perfect fit for the boys at the party!

~~~When summer's over, no need to store or toss all of those fun summer toys!

Water bomb soaker balls are great fun outside in the pool or sprinkler, but they're soft enough for gentle party games indoors. They also make fun bath toys!

Foam swim noodles can be used to make lines to separate teams or game areas.

Inflatable swim rings can be used indoors as a targets. Line up a bunch of them to use in a game of musical chairs in place of the chairs!

~~~Take-home crafts are a great way to entertain the kids at a party, but they also give guests something special to take home!

• If the craft needs time for glue or paint to dry, plan craft time early in the party.
• Have all of the items ready to go, so guests can get right to the project!
• Offer them a way to tote their craft home. Paper lunch bags, zip top plastic baggies, or small gift bags work well.

~~~Before you throw out that board game, card game, or puzzle that has missing pieces, think about putting them to good use at a game party! Party guests can create new games using the old game pieces and boards. Boards can be covered with paper, painted over, or reused as is.
 
Paper money, puzzle pieces and other game accessories can be used as decorations! Scatter puzzle pieces like confetti around the refreshment serving dishes. Glue game cards and paper money on goody bags, and decorate party invitations and thank you notes!
 
Have a game swap! Ask guests to bring their games with missing pieces or even games they don’t want anymore. You may be able to form a complete game to keep or donate to a community center or library.
 
And be sure to send your guests home with lots of fun Games goodies!

~~~PVC plumbing tubes can be used to create props for your party! They are relatively inexpensive, and they are durable.

You can build:

• a frame for a tabletop popcorn stand at a carnival party.
• a low bar for kids to army crawl under in an obstacle course.
• a stand to hang targets for a target tossing game.
• flag poles for decorations or a welcome banner.
• a frame for a curtain for puppet shows.
• marshmallow blasters.

PVC tubing can be found in a variety of sizes at home improvement stores. Some pieces may need to be special ordered, so start your plans early. The internet is a great source for PVC plans and for inspiration!

~~~Make a safe dart board for your next party!

You'll need the following items:

• a new pizza box
• fleece fabric
• adhesive-backed Velcro tape
• 5 ping pong balls.

Here's what to do:

1. Ask your neighborhood pizza place if you can have or buy an empty, large pizza box.
2. Attach the hook side of adhesive-backed Velcro tape to five ping pong balls. Make one strip go all the way around the ball, like the equator. Then add one small strip to each of the bare sides of the balls.
3. To make the dart board, cover the box lid with fleece fabric, wrapping the material around the sides of the box. To attach the fabric, hot glue it to the box. Use fabric with a colorful pattern so there are different targets for the players or use fabric paint to draw targets.
4. Lean the box up against a wall and play the game! Score the game according to the ages of the players (make it easier for little ones and harder for older ones).
5. When the game isn't being used, store the Velcro balls inside the box.

Fleece fabric comes in a seemingly endless supply of designs and patterns. You will probably find one that matches the theme of your party!

~~~Games with clothes pins

1. Classic clothes pin drop: Stand over a jar or bottle and drop in the clothes pins. See how many you get! Vary the difficulty by using jars with different size mouths or use different sizes of clothes pins.
2. Matching clothes pins: Paint wooden clothespins in an assortment of colors. Add a mini dot sticker or paint on a letter, number, or symbol in matching sets of two, three or four. Mix the clothes pins up in a basket and challenge the kids to match them in their sets!
3. Clothes pin relay: Divide into teams and give each child a spring-type clothes pin. Have them race to a bowl of popcorn, one by one, and pick up a piece of popcorn with their clothes pin. They run back with their piece of popcorn in their clothes pin and drop it into a cup! See who can fill their cup the quickest.
4. Clothes pin challenge: Use spring-type clothes pins as crayon, marker or paint brush holders. See if they can color in the lines with the added challenge!
5. Matching and sorting games: Hang a low clothesline. Let the kids rearrange, match or sort the items. Try hanging socks or mittens all mixed up and see how fast they can make pairs. Or give the kids a basket of colorful dishrags to sort and hang as fast as they can!

Here's a great way to decorate for your clothes pin extravaganza. String a clothesline across a room in the house, or the yard if you have an outside party; hang decorative items from clothes pins!

~~~Everyone knows that food brings people together at parties, and you can make that even more true when you invite your guests to play with their food!

Try some of these ideas at your next party:

• Mix up a bunch of edible clay for the kids to sculpt into works of art.
• Little ones will love to get their fingers messy and make art with a finger painting activity. Tint vanilla flavored pudding in a variety of colors to use as the "paint". Disposable plastic plates make the "canvas". Or go big and use a plastic covered table!
• Help guests get creative with cake or cupcake decorating or candy mosaics!
• Teens may enjoy a more complex activity such as a chef's challenge. Give each party guest the same set of foods to plate, and colorful additions such as sauces, finely diced vegetables, and some leafy greens. You can judge their work when they are all done, then dig in!

~~~Take a classic party game and make it your own! Simon Says is a fun, fast-paced game that kids love to play. Little party guests just enjoy the copycat aspect of the game, so you don't even need to make it competitive. Older children like to be the last man standing!
Here are some ideas for alternate ways to play Simon Says with a special theme:

• Zoo Keeper Says at a jungle animal or zoo animal party
• King or Queen Says at a knights party
• Fire Chief Says at a Dalmatian or fireman party
• Shark Says at an under sea party
• Sheriff Says at a wild west party
• Captain Says at a Pirate party
• Archaeologist Says at a dinosaur party
• Uncle Sam Says at a patriotic party

For any of these themes you can still do "touch your nose" and "close your eyes", but throw in some themed instructions too like: "Say Arrrr!", "Raise the flag", "Draw your sword" or "Dig for the treasure". The more theme specific instructions, the more fun the game!

~~~Here are some Pirate Party game ideas!

1. Hook the Loot: Guests wear a hook hand and try to pick up as many bead necklaces & jewels as they can with one swipe into the treasure box. Play individually or as teams!
2. Buried Treasure: Fill a kiddie pool with sand and hide gold coins, pirate figures, gems and jewelry, and other pirate trinkets. Find the treasure with a treasure map and clues.
   Instead of a piñata, have a treasure chest full of jewels, coins, and other goodies like bendable pirates, finger puppet pirates/swords/hooks, lollipops, skull and crossbones candy, gold nugget gum, pirate rings, and hi-bounce balls!
3. Doubloon toss: Use plastic gold coins to toss into pirate cups!
4. Bandana toss: See how long teams can keep their pirate bandana in the air!

~~~Kids love to play ban bag toss games! For your next party try making your own.

Foam core board makes an affordable back drop for a variety of target toss games. If you have more time and money you could build an A frame with plywood and hinges. Whichever you choose, you will need to determine how many holes you will need and the design for the game.
For an easier game, use one large hole. To increase the challenge, add a couple of smaller holes. The fun part is deciding on the design, and just about anything goes. A good idea is to match the design to the party theme.

Here are some ideas:

• Animals - Draw an animal and make the mouth the hole for the beanbags. Tell the kids they need to feed the animal. You could even use insects, lizards or snakes.
• Sports - Draw a basketball net with the hole as the hoop. Try to score a three pointer.

1. Make a baseball diamond with a hole at each base.
2. Draw a soccer goalie guarding the net. Cut a few holes around the goalie to toss the bean bags in.
3. Draw the field goal post and place the hole between the posts so players can get the field goal.

Keep the design simple and colorful so that it's easy to see where the holes are.

If you choose a generic design, you could even use the game at another party or event!

~~~A great FREE way to keep kids busy at a party is to offer some crafts - & these are all FREE! While you can buy craft kits, you can also offer the kids an assortment of crafting supplies to create their own project with things found around the house.

Yarn, buttons, paper clips, old puzzle and board game pieces, beads, key rings, worn or outgrown clothing, clothespins, broken crayons, to name a few.

Check your recycling bins too:
Soup cans, cereal boxes, newspaper, and plastic drink bottles can all be used creatively to make new things at your craft table!

~~~It can be challenging keeping kids busy over the summer. Even if they are going to day camp or you have a pool in your yard or a swim club membership, there will be times that you hear the cry of boredom!
So what's a parent to do? Think themes! Party themes are a great place to start. Many popular party themes can even become educational opportunities that will help kids keep their minds active!
Buy a variety of Goody Bags, find some fun free printable activities online that relate to each goody bag theme, make a list of some creative games and snacks, and you've got some boredom buster kits ready and waiting for a rainy day. It will be like throwing a mini party!

~~~Looking for something to keep the kids busy during a busy holiday season? Try some of these games:

• Twelve Days of Christmas circle game (or Eight Days of Hanukkah)
  A good game for teens or adults, this games relies on the ability to remember all the special gifts the players think up. Players sit in a circle. The first players says, "On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me a…" They need to name an item to finish the phrase. The next person to the right says, "On the second day of Christmas, my true love game to me two…. " They name an item to complete the phrase, then repeat the first day of Christmas phrase and item. The third person adds the third day of Christmas and another item, then repeats the second and first day phrases. This continues until participants reach the twelfth day of Christmas. This game would work best with a group of six to twelve people. For a little extra fun, have the players sing their lines! Adapt the game for Hanukkah by changing what each player says to reflect the eight days of Hanukkah.
• Play Pin the Nose on Rudolph or Decorate the Tree
  Pin the Nose on Rudolph is played just like pin the tail on the donkey, except you use a picture of a reindeer and have players place a red cut out circle for the nose.
  To "Decorate the Tree" make a picture of an evergreen tree and assorted paper cut out ornaments for players to place on the tree!
• Put those candy canes to good use!
  Using wrapped large candy canes, challenge players to pick up ornaments by their hooks and put them in a holiday bowl. Be sure to use sturdy, non-breakable ornaments; you wouldn't want to have broken ornaments! Kids will enjoy eating their candy canes after the game, too!
• Toss those Holiday cards
  But not in the trash! Take the holiday cards you receive and toss them into a laundry basket placed a few feet away.
• Do a holiday doodle challenge
  Grab a sheet of paper and a pencil, then close your eyes. Try to draw a symbol of the season like Santa, a wreath, the Menorah, a dreidel, a snowman, and more. It's fun to see what everyone draws with their eyes shut!

~~~On a budget? Here are four party games you can play with things you find around the house:

• Scavenger Hunt: Give the kids a list and let them find the stuff.  It doesn't matter what the stuff is, and it doesn't have to be related to the party theme. Just make a list of things you have around the house for the kids to find.
• Musical Chairs: …or musical rugs, or musical pieces of paper! The kids won’t care about the “chairs”! Musical chairs will still be fun whether there are chairs or not.  All you need is some music and something for the kids to lay claim to when the music stops! Instead of chairs you can use small rugs, construction paper, or even paper plates.
• Relay Race: Run from the start to the finish. You only need space for this one, but you can punch up the fun by challenging the racers a bit. See if they can do it while carrying something on a spoon or while balancing something on a finger or two.
• Quiet game: It sounds easy; just sit quietly. But when you have a room full of kids and someone is making funny faces, someone is going to crack up. The first one to make a squeak is out.

~~~Use party goods in fun & unusual ways:

Crepe paper … a fun and colorful way to add to the party mood.  But what else can you do with it?

• Tear it in bits and glue it on sturdy paper for a textured art project.
• Cut it into short strips and use it as gift bag filler.
• Wrap a gift by rolling it around the present, being sure to overlap layers.
• Tape long strips all over, from one end of a room to the other, creating a web-like obstacle.

Paper or plastic party cups can be used for more than just drinks.

• Play catch using the cups to catch the ball.
• Use the cups to portion out snack foods like popcorn or candy.
• Send guests home with a cupful of the candy they collected when the piñata burst.
• Sturdier reusable plastic cups are great for a game of cup stacking.

Tablecloths brighten up the party room, but when the party is over, that tablecloth can still be useful!

The thin vinyl tablecloths tend to tear easily. If you've managed to make it through the party without any tears, wipe it down before removing it from the table. Fold it compactly and stash it in your car to use for an unplanned picnic or to put under someone's muddy shoes.

If only a portion of the tablecloth is intact, cut off the torn section. The remaining piece can be used to wrap a gift or place it under a flower pot to protect the floor! 
 
What other ideas can you come up with?

~~~Use paint stirring sticks for something different at a handyman party, an arts and crafts party or just for fun:

• Tape a paint stirrer to the back of a paper plate to make a mask.
• Use as the handle of a fishing rod for a party fishing type game.
• Paint the flat sides of the stick two different colors. Flip the stick in place of a coin for a coin toss.
• Add paper cut out characters and have a puppet show.
• Let party goers decorate a stick with their name and custom design as a take home craft that can be hung in their room or on their door.
• Make a picture frame by gluing sticks together in a square. Overlap a couple of layers for more strength. Decorate with buttons, plastic gems, glitter, wrapping paper bits, paint and more

~~~Purchase a traditional beach ball or one with a less busy design. Using a permanent marker, write prompts onto open spaces on the ball. Some suggestions for prompts: last book read, favorite holiday, which reality show would you go on, best birthday party you had, etc. Fill the ball with similar questions.
 
For the ice breaker, have guests toss the ball to each other. Whichever prompt is closest to their right thumb is the one they need to answer. Then they toss it to another person. Continue playing until everyone has had a turn.
 
This ball can be put away after the party and used again. It can also be helpful if your party slumps. Just grab the ball and play again!

~~~Tweens and teens can have a great time playing board games! This is also an excellent way to host a boy/girl party and keep the focus on healthy, safe fun! There are many group games out on the market, and they vary from cooperative to competitive.
And, you don't have to go out and buy a bunch of games if you ask your party guests to bring their favorites!

~~~Fun By the Spoonful! Sure, the plastic spoon is a handy piece of plastic to take on a picnic, but it can be used for some party fun too!
 
Play the classic spoon race game where you race from start to finish holding an egg on a spoon. Variations: use plastic Easter eggs, cotton balls, marbles or small candies like Tootsie Rolls or Gummy bears.

See how many M & M's or jelly beans can you stack on a spoon.

See how far can you fling a puffed cheese ball with a plastic spoon.

See how fast can you transfer the contents of a container to another container with just one plastic spoon?
For indoor parties, you can use mini marshmallows, cotton balls, cereal, or small candies. For a messy outdoor game, have participants use their spoon to fill a cup of water from a bucket.

Make chocolate dipped spoons. Search for the recipe instructions using your favorite web searching site.

Make plastic spoon puppets. Draw a face on the bowl of the spoon. Use embellishments like yarn, mini pompoms, and fabric scraps to complete the creation.

~~~Have a custom-themed Bingo Party! Cut out pictures from magazines that relate to your theme or use your computer to print out some images!

Paste the image onto card stock and cut into playing cards, keeping a list of the images on the cards for the caller. You can use a size that works for the age of the partygoers.

Playing card size would be great for children 5 to 8, while smaller sizes could work for those 8 and up. Each player will be given nine cards, so be sure to make enough for everyone. No markers are needed for this game.

If a player has the card that is called they simply turn it over. When they have turned over the cards in the desired pattern they call bingo! You can play three across, three down, three diagonally, make a T, make an X, make a square, or cover the board!

Reshuffle the cards and deal again for added variation. Keep playing until the fun starts to die down, but before interest is totally lost.

~~~A Internet search for “toilet paper tube” + craft will turn up lots of creative and fun things to do with empty cardboard tubes! Some of the ideas can be used at a children's party. Try using tubes from toilet paper, paper towels and wrapping paper for a variety of sizes and sturdiness!

The tubes can be decorated in various ways to match the theme of the party! They can hold small candies and toys. Use one as a creative way to wrap a small gift or a gift of cash. Keep kids busy with crafts made using the cardboard tubes. Cut a tube into smaller rings which can be used as napkin holders. These rings can also hold a ping pong ball or other small ball, or even hard cooked eggs, for fun and games!

~~~Childhood obesity has been in the news, and the health of our children is certainly important. So what does that have to do with a child's birthday party?  You could turn it around and make a fun party theme - think Health and Fitness and focus on FUN!

Play action-packed games! You can incorporate sports into your party. Although many children play on sports teams, many do not. Those who play on teams will be able to lead the way for those who don't. The skilled and experienced players can teach and encourage the others. You can focus on a game of one particular sport or just practice some skills from a variety of sports.
 
Fitness is a broad term that includes all sorts of exercise, not just sports. Jumping rope, relay races, and dancing are all ways to get the kids up and moving!
 
Take the kids to a roller skating rink or gymnastics center, local park or you could have a pool party.
 
Don't stop the Health and Fitness fun at the games! Carry the theme onto the party food. Keep sodium, fat, and sugar intake to healthy limits. Serve foods pre-portioned to reasonable serving sizes to encourage good eating habits:

• Instead of sodas, serve icy cold water and 100% fruit juices.
• Instead of greasy chips, try pretzels and air popped popcorn.
• Instead of huge slabs of cake with a thick layer of sugary frosting, serve angel food cake with fruit topping and a dollop of whipped cream.
• Cupcakes are a good alternative because they limit the serving size.
• Trail mix can be a sweet and crunchy treat that satisfies hungry partygoers.

~~~Usually a scavenger hunt lists items to be found. In this fun variation, the teams don't know what will be on the list until after they have collected items.

Before the party starts, create a list of 10 items, varying the list from more common things to less common things that can be found at a local dollar or discount store. Place the list in an envelope and seal it without letting anyone else see it, especially the guest of honor.

Ask guests to arrive at the dollar or discount store for the party. If the store happens to be in a mall or shopping center, you can continue the party at the food court or at a nearby food place after the scavenger hunt. If not, you will have to transport the guests back to your house for the rest of the party.

When everyone arrives, divide them into teams of three or four people, and give each team a shopping cart. Each team is then instructed to select twelve items to place in their cart and to meet up after 15 or 20 minutes.

At the end of the shopping period, take out the scavenger hunt list. Whichever team has the most items on the list is declared the winner. As a prize you could allow each person to select something from their team's cart and buy it for them. Also, you should return the carts and take the un-purchased items back to their shelves so the store doesn't get upset at being left with a mess.

Here are some creative suggestions for the items on the scavenger hunt list:

• Something red.
• Something you put in your mouth.
• A food made with a vegetable.
• An item you wear.
• A product that is sold by the dozen.
• Something cold.
  
  Another variation that can be done at home requires guests to bring six things from home. When everyone arrives for the party, you read the list to see who has the most items on the list. This can be a great ice breaker activity!

~~~Birthday parties in the fall can have fun seasonal themes!

• Indian/Native American party-Think Columbus arriving in America and Thanksgiving.
• Thanksgiving costume party-Think Pilgrims, Native Americans and the first Thanksgiving.
• Harvest party - Think nature, leaves, and fall-harvested produce.
• Football party - Think pro football, local high school football, and cheerleading.
• Election day party - Think patriotism, mock election, and US presidents.
• Armed forces party - Think patriotism, Veteran's day parades, flags, and soldiers!
  
  Celebrate fall with a combination of some or all these great seasonal themes!

~~~ Progressive Pumpkin Games party theme

• Before the party starts scatter mini pumpkins and decorative gourds across the yard, one for each guest plus a few extras. If the weather doesn't cooperate, you could hide them indoors.
• Begin the party with an ice breaker like BINGO as guests arrive. Quick rounds of bingo can accommodate new arrivals. Make custom boards with fall theme pictures and use roasted pumpkin seeds for markers.
• When all the guests have arrived and interest in bingo has waned, lead the guests to the pumpkin patch for the harvest. Ask guests to place the pumpkins and gourds they pick into a box, basket or even a wagon to transport them to the next activity.
• Play the next stage like Hot Potato! While music plays, guests pass a mini pumpkin or decorative gourd. When the music stops, the child left holding the pumpkin is removed from the game. He or she leaves the room and goes to a craft area to decorate their pumpkin with paints, foam stickers, glue, glitter, googly eyes, and other crafty items. The game continues in the other room with new pumpkin decorators joining the craft area as they are left holding the pumpkin.
• When all the children have finished decorating their pumpkins, line them up for a pumpkin decorating contest. Award prizes like most creative, most colorful, cutest, scariest, funniest- one award for each pumpkin (no losers)!

Other pumpkin games:

1. Standing over a narrow mouth bottle, players drop pumpkin seeds attempting to get them in the bottle.
2. Open the top of a large pumpkin and hide small toys in the stringy, seedy insides. Players, if they aren't too squeamish, reach in the squishy goo in search of the toys. Small Halloween favors like plastic bugs and spiders would be perfect to use.
3. Using the same pumpkin from the above activity or even using another large pumpkin, scrape out the seeds and strings. Players can toss small objects with the pumpkin as the target.

~~~ Here's a great idea to keep the early birds busy until all the guests have arrived. Instead of buying expensive tablecloths, use butcher paper (or blank newsprint end rolls - newspapers can't use the last of their huge rolls & often sell them cheaply or give them away) to cover tables. Give each child a few crayons and let them color right on the tables!

~~~Most store bought birthday cards can be recycled with newspaper, cardboard, and white paper. But before you decide to add them to your recycling pile, here are some ways that you can get more use and fun out of the cards:

• Cut the front of the card into strips and make bookmarks.
• Make a puzzle by cutting the front panel of the card into puzzle pieces.
• A card with a large image, like a favorite television character, can become a lacing or sewing card! Glue the card closed. When the glue is dried, punch holes at least 1.5 inches apart around the outline of the image. Use an old shoe lace and let a toddler “sew” their card.
• Cards can be folded into Origami style boxes that can be used as gift boxes.
• Cut the cards horizontally, greeting side included, into long, thin strips and weave them into a panel. Using construction paper or a thicker strip of greeting card, add a frame border which will hold the weaving together. Use the woven panel as a picture frame, decoration or as a greeting card for another occasion.
• Use special shaped hole punches or cut out shapes and designs to make colorful additions to your scrap book projects.

~~~Bubble wrap can be used in some fun and creative ways! Try some of these ideas the next time a delivery comes wrapped in bubble wrap. Better yet, go buy a roll of the stuff and get popping!

The large bubble wrap sheets can be used as a dart game for older kids and adults. Play it carnival style and give each person five darts to pop three or four bubbles!

Take off your socks and shoes and walk across it. Try walking across the bubble wrap popping the fewest bubbles possible or just feel the cushion bubble wrap provides.

Cut the bubble wrap into small shapes and use them to paint with. Different size bubbles give you different patterns.

Pack small pieces of bubble wrap in a travel bag for long car rides. Bubble wrap can even be used in the dark since you can feel the bubbles that need to be popped.

Keep party guests busy until everyone arrives by covering a table in bubble wrap and letting them pop bubbles!

Party or group games:

• Give each person a sheet of wrap with approximately the same number of bubbles and see who can pop theirs the fastest.
• Divide into small groups. Give each group some packing tape or duck tape and equal amounts of bubble wrap. Challenge them to make a bubble wrap article of clothing, like a vest or pair of pants, for one of the group members. Play some music and do a bubble wrap fashion show when they're done.

Please remember that popped and un-popped bubble wrap can pose a suffocation risk, so don't give it to young children and always supervise bubble wrap play.

~~~Save money and keep clutter under control with a birthday swap! Before the party gather gently used toys and books to swap. Invite guests to bring a gently used toy or book in lieu of something new for the birthday child. When it's time for guests to leave let them select a gift to take home. You can donate any leftover "gifts" to a homeless shelter or community center.

~~~For Toddlers Only! Keep the guest list short. One or two other toddlers will be plenty of stimulation for the birthday child. Unless you are offering babysitting to close friends, ask the parent to stay. Many parents will have an older sibling that they need to bring, too. If so, plan to offer a special activity that they can engage in such as a craft table.

An alternative to a kiddie party is to invite immediate family and grandparents! Your toddler will still be able to have all the party fun like special plates, decorations and games, so they probably won't even notice a difference.

A two or three year old child still engages in side by side play more than cooperative play, so plan games and activities accordingly. Select simple games like tossing a bean bag at a target and follow-the-leader.

One hour to an hour-and-a-half is plenty of time for a toddler birthday party!

~~~Kids Party Game Ideas with office supplies - Common office supplies make great props for kids party games!

• Dot stickers: Use different colored stickers for each team. Stick them all around the party area and give each team the task of finding all of the stickers of their assigned color.
• Post-it notes: Play capture the sticky note. Divide the group into two teams. For each team select a colored post-it note pad. Place a few post-it notes on the back of each team member; use less per person with a large group. Teams need to carefully capture the sticky notes from the other team.
• Building challenge: Give each person a selection of office supplies to be used to build a waste paper launcher. Include items such as rubber bands, various sized paper clips and binder clips, scotch tape, manila folders, and more. Set up a waste basket and a supply of crumbled paper to test the launchers.
• Find a paper clip in haystack: Before the party, gather some shredded paper, enough to fill a small box. Hide a colorful paper clip among the shreds of paper. Take turns hiding and finding the paper clip.
  
  Use paper clips, magnets and unsharpened pencils to make a fun fishing game.
  
  Give out goodies such as mini note pads, pens, pencils, pencil toppers, and stickers.

~~~ Target Toss Games are great for children's parties! They can be adapted to the theme of the party by using different objects. They can also be increased in difficulty for older children. Try some of these suggestions or mix and match them for your own twist on an old game!

• Toss Frisbees through a hanging hula hoop.
• Toss small toys like mini animals or hedge balls into a bowl or bucket.
• Toss mini parachutists onto a bulls-eye or into a Frisbee.
• Fly paper airplanes through a hanging inflatable swim ring.
  
  Team toss idea:
  Divide into teams of two. Give each team three or four inflatable swim rings- already inflated. One player stands with both arms outstretched to their sides. The other player will toss the swim rings trying to hang them on his teammates’ arms. Be the first to hang all the rings.

~~~ Popcorn is a healthful treat to eat, and it can be fun too!
Try some different toppings for your freshly popped popcorn:

• Garlic salt
• Parmesan cheese
• Seasoned salt
• Brown sugar and cinnamon
• Powdered cheddar cheese
  
  Have a popcorn relay race: You will need two popcorn “hoppers” for each team and plenty of popcorn!
  To make each hopper, take a 16 ounce disposable plastic cup and punch a hole in the bottom. Insert a thick rubber band into the hole, and slide a paper clip onto the rubber band to hold it in place. Pull the rubber band down from outside the cup bottom to attach hopper to the players shoe. Wearing a hopper on each foot, team members take turns transporting popcorn from the start to the finish line, where they dump it into a large bowl or a box. You can see who fills their bowl first or play for a set amount of time.
  
  Make a popcorn mosaic: Draw a design on a sturdy piece of paper or thin cardboard. Spread tacky glue, one section at a time, and attach un-popped popcorn kernels of various colors to fill in the design. Allow plenty of time for project to dry. If you are doing this at a party, plan this activity at the start of the party so that the it can dry some before guests depart.

~~~ Get a little more use our of those plastic Easter eggs with these fun games that can be played anytime of year!

• Scrambled Egg Obstacle Course
  Designate each color of egg as a different action for the obstacle course. Place eggs in a bag so that players cant see them. Decide how many tasks each player will need to do and have them pick the same number of eggs. Lay the eggs five to ten feet apart (closer for younger players; further for older players). Players begin at the first egg and do the appropriate action moving towards the next egg. Upon reaching the next egg, the player performs the action associated with that color of egg and so on until they have done the last action. Some ideas for actions: hop on one foot, do the army crawl, roll, walk backwards, cartwheel and run. Players can play side by side with their own set of eggs or individually. A variation is to place slips of paper in the eggs to let the player know what action to do. They can pick their eggs, then arrange them in the same way described above. Beginning with the first egg, “hatch” it open and do what's shown on the paper slip. Move to the next egg and do the same, continuing until all eggs are hatched and actions completed.
• Silent Simon Says
  Designate each color of egg as a different action. Once players have had an opportunity to remember the action for each color begin the game. “Simon” picks an egg, one at a time, and holds it up for all the players to see. The players then do the correct action associated with that color egg. If a player forgets which action to do or does the wrong one, he is out of the game for that round. The game continues until one player is left. The winner becomes the Simon for the next round. To increase difficulty, Simon can select eggs quicker as fewer players remain in the game. Some ideas for the actions: touch your nose, stand on one foot, lay down, flap like a chicken, moo like a cow. You could even choose actions related to the party theme.
• All Cracked up Race
  Give players cracked open plastic eggs and challenge them to put them back together as quick as they can. Younger children will do better with fewer eggs, one of each color, while older children may enjoy the challenge of many eggs including some of the same color. This activity could also be used in obstacle course.
• Matching game
  This game can make use of plastic eggs that are missing their other half. Gather sets of items that can fit in one half of the egg. For example, dice, marbles, small toys, game pawns, beads, etc. Using just one half of the eggs, conceal one of each item under an egg half. Take turns lifting two egg halves trying to find the matching pairs. Tip: use all rounded halves or all pointed halves to make it harder.
• More Leftover Egg Fun!
  The eggs can also be used to make prize distribution less competitive. In each egg place a slip of paper with a number as a point value. After each game allow the winner to select an egg first, then let all the other players select an egg. At the end, players crack open their eggs and add up their points. Points can be redeemed for prizes. If offering one prize per child, points can be used to determine the order in which players pick their prize. Regardless of who wins the games each player has the same opportunity to earn points for prizes.

~~~ Kids have a lot of fun making their own party hats. It is a great activity to do when all the kids have arrived and it is time to settle down a bit. Get plain party hats and lots of stickers and markers and let the kids create!!! It is especially great when you can't find hats that go with your particular theme.~~~ Have a supply of paper plates (true paper ones, not plastic), ice cream sticks, glue and markers or crayons. The kids can makes masks with them, decorating the plates with the crayons and gluing on the ice cream stick as a handle.

~~~Many little kids love to wear paper party hats. Sure you can buy them at the store, but if you let guests make their own, the hats do double-duty as both a fun activity and something fun to wear.

For the youngest kids keep it simple. Prepare the hats ahead of time and offer easy-to-do additions like stickers. Older kids can create their own hat forms then decorate them in their own unique style.

When planning the decorations, keep in mind that kids are going to want to wear their hats as soon as possible, so use markers instead of paint for instance and glue sticks instead of liquid glue. If there are party hat additions that need to dry or set, you can do the activity when guests are arriving both to keep them busy and to allow the hats time to dry.

The hat forms can be made with card stock, poster board, newspaper, and even paper plates. The internet is full of ideas; all you need to do is find them!

~~~Family Reunion Parties! Many families hold reunions in the warmer weather, but don't let that stop you. The time to start thinking about planning one is now!

December is often a time when we visit with relatives that we haven't seen in a while. Take advantage of these face-to-face visits to plant the seed of thought for a summer reunion.

Then, over the slower winter months allow those seeds to sprout. By the time the spring comes, anticipation will be building and plans can be finalized!

~~~ Here are some fun uses for bandanas beyond their use as head wear or blindfolds.

• Learn to juggle! Because of their light weight and shape, they float when tossed, making them easier to toss and catch than balls. They're a great way to work your way up to real Juggling Balls!
• Have a catch! For younger children, a bandana is a great size and shape to grab for ease in catching.
• Team toss! Challenge a team of two to have a catch with a bandana without dropping it. Then increase the difficulty and have them use two bandanas at once. You could even see if they can keep more going!
• Circle game! Have group stand in a circle far enough apart that fingers are touching. Give every other person a bandana. Toss the bandanas from one person to the next, slowly at first then speeding up, trying not to drop them.
• Mystery object! Place an object under a bandana. See if the child can guess what the object is based on the shape.

~~~ Piñatas are always a big hit at birthday parties! Many store-bought piñatas open when partygoers tug ribbons, which works well for younger kids. Older kids would usually rather hit the piñata with a stick.

A homemade piñata can be made with an empty cardboard carton from a 12-pack of soft drinks. Tie a string through the box to use for hanging it. Decorate the box according to the theme, then fill with goodies and tape shut. Add colorful streamers for added flair.

A piñata made this way can take a beating, hopefully allowing all the partygoers a chance to give it a whack!

~~~Break out the ducks for a Rubber Ducky party!
Crack open the fun with a poultry party!
Or feature a variety of feathered friends at a bird party!

~~~ If you're having an outdoor party, beach balls make a great activity. Blow them up in advance and when the kids need to release a little energy, toss a bunch of beach balls in the yard. They'll have a ball (pun intended!) throwing the balls to each other.

~~~ Here's a fun version of Hot Potato. Buy small gifts, enough for each child at the party. Make them all the same, preferable something they'll be able to play with when the game is done. Take all the gifts and wrap them together in a sheet of wrapping paper. Then, take the entire package and wrap it in another piece of wrapping paper. Do this several times. Put all the children in a circle and give the package to one of them. Turn on the music and have them start passing the package around the circle. When the music stops (parent can control the music) the child with the package unwraps the first layer of wrapping paper. Continue until the last layer of wrapping paper is gone and the gifts all tumble out. Each child gets one gift. A good gift to use is small bottles of bubbles and then the children get to go outside and use their bubbles.

~~~There are lots of ways the internet can help to keep kids busy on a budget. Check out the websites of your children's favorite television characters for party ideas. You can usually find full color printables, coloring pages, paper crafts, game ideas and more!

Save money by printing these at home instead of buying expensive decorations at party stores!

~~~ Have an activity available for as the children arrive. It could be a simple as a tablecloth for them to color on. As soon as the children arrive, direct them to the activity. It will give them something to do rather than stand around shuffling their feet waiting for the other children. It also serves as a good ice-breaker. They're involved in the activity and don't have to look directly at the other children, they'll talk in a more natural way while they warm up to one another. This is especially good at a party where the children don't all know each other.

~~~ For a fun activity that doesn't cost anything, have the kids stand in a group and play some music. Tell them when the music stops they have to freeze. We all know that game, but here's a twist. Each time, tell them to freeze in a different pose. One time, tell them to freeze so they look like an animal. Another time have them freeze like they're swimming or flying. Some other ideas are: astronaut floating in space, a monkey climbing a tree, a clown at the circus, a tightrope walker, etc. Use your imagination and everyone will have lots of fun. This is a great game to involve the other parents; ask them for suggestions for the freeze position.

~~~ It's no fun to lose and you don't want unhappy children at your party. If you play a competetive game, give prizes to everyone, not just the winner. You could give a slightly larger prize to the winner. As the children get "out", give them each a prize. Make it something they can play with immediately so that they can play with their prize while the other children are still enjoying the game.

~~~ Buy enough of the same item to have one for each child at the party. Wrap each one in different wrapping paper and hide them around the room, yard or house. Give each child a piece of each wrapping paper and have them search for "their" prize. They have to find the item that has wrapping paper that matches what they're holding. They'll have great fun!

~~~ If you live in a snowy area and your child has a winter birthday, plan a Snowman-Building Party. Make your invitations out of circles cut out of white construction paper (be sure to tell them to dress appropriately). Buy top hats, carrots, charcoal, big black buttons and fabric for snowman scarves. The children can work in teams or individually to make snowmen. After they're done, bring them all in for hot chocolate and cookies. Take a picture of each child by their snowman and send it with the thank you notes. You can also have an indoor activity of building snowmen using construction paper. They'll have great fun!

~~~We like to play musical chairs but we don't like how competive it can be for younger kids. Instead we leave all the chairs in and have the kids go around the circle in different steps like skipping, hopping, crawling, animal walks, etc. When the music stops everyone gets a chair and there are no sad kids. We like to fill a pillowcase with dress up clothes and inexpensive jewelry. The kids pass it around in a circle and when the music stops that person pulls out something and puts it on. It is unpredictable and fun and everyone has a great time!

~~~Fair weather beckons us outdoors, and what better way to enjoy it than with some friends? If your child has a winter birthday and never gets to have a swim party, this can be a nice change.

Invite some friends over for a beach blast, and have some warm weather fun. You don't even need a pool!

• Water squirters and sprinklers can provide some cooling, water fun!
• Fill a small kiddie pool with sand or use a sandbox as the beach.
• Bury small toys in the sand for a treasure hunt. Provide each child with their own shovel and pail. Write their names on their pails so they can take them home with their goodies in tow!
• Blow up plenty of beach balls and other inflatable toys to have lying around!

Think Fun in the Sun!

~~~This game is a great ice-breaker to help get the party going when party guests arrive. When guests don’t already know each other, try this game to learn each other’s names and a little bit about each other:
Sit in a circle. Give one guest a beach ball. Choose the guest of honor, or the oldest or youngest. This person says their name and one thing about themselves. To keep the game going, suggest a topic or two for the thing each guest shares about themselves.
Suggestions: favorite color, band, book, food, last place they went on vacation, city where they were born, etc. Then they toss the ball to someone else. That person repeats the first person’s name and piece of information, says their own name and one thing about themselves, and tosses the ball to another person. The third person repeats the information about the first and second people and adds their own information before tossing the ball to next person. Repeat this process until each guest has said their name and one thing about themselves. The longer the game goes on, the longer the list of names and information gets.
This is a non-competitive game so don’t worry if someone makes a mistake. If someone is stuck, have someone who isn’t playing offer a clue.

~~~Beach in a bottle

Materials needed:

• sand
• clean and dry 20 0z. sized soft drink containers with labels removed
• caps for containers
• small sea shells
• a funnel.

Using the funnel, fill bottle one-third full with sand. Add a few shells then close tightly. These can also be made in two liter sized bottles. Use beach in a bottle to decorate for your party. They make festive center pieces or weights for helium balloons.

~~~Target Squirting - Have party guests do target shooting with water squirters. Using a permanent marker, draw a target on colored construction paper. Aim and squirt! Reload and use a new piece of paper for another guest.

Beachgoer Relay Race - Gather two of each item: mesh beach bag, sunglasses or swim goggles, sun visor or straw beach hat, flower lei, inflatable swim ring, wild print Hawaiian shirt in a large enough size for any guest to wear. Pack the beach bags with one of each item. Divide party guests into two teams. Mark a starting line and a finish line at least 15 feet apart. Teams line up single file at the starting line with the first person holding the filled beach bag. When both teams are ready, the game begins! The first person carries the bag to the finish line, unpacks the contents and puts on all of the items in the bag. They run back to the starting line, take off the items, repack the bag and hand it to the next person in line. Repeat the process until all players have had a turn. This game is so much fun, be sure to allow time to play it more than once!

Rolling Bowling Beach Ball - Inflate six inflatable swim rings and one beach ball. Lay rings in three rows making a triangle: one row with three rings, the next with two rings and the last with one ring. Standing back, with the row of three rings nearest to the player, roll the beach ball and try to get it to settle onto one of the rings. If it lands on the single ring, furthest away, award ten points. If it lands on one of the two rings in the middle row, award five points. If it lands on one of the three rings in the first row, award two points. Each player gets two turns. Tally up the score whenever! Move further away for increased challenge.

~~~Plan enough activities to keep the kids busy and to have extra activities just in case. It’s better to have more things planned than you will actually need. If a game or activity just isn’t working for the group, choose something else. Sometimes a game or activity takes less time than expected.

Try to have activities with varying activity levels. For the end of the party when you want everyone to quiet down in preparation for leaving, plan a calm activity.

~~~When hosting a party with a group of children of varying ages, keep in mind the following tips:

Plan activities that can be done independently. A table with some craft items like glue sticks, foam shapes, yarn and pipe cleaners will allow children some unstructured creativity and something to do if they opt out of a game. Other independent activities: a scavenger hunt, bowling, ring toss, bean bag toss.

Many games can be enjoyed by children of all ages. Plan to have a few of these games so that the whole group can play together. Look for games that foster cooperation.

For skill-based games or more competitive games, you can divide the guests into groups by age and/or ability.

Stress the fun not the competition.

~~~A

craft can be a great activity during a children's party. You can make the craft do double duty when you make a food craft. It will keep the children busy and serve as a snack or take home gift.

Some food craft suggestions:

• Make your own pizza: Crust can be pre-made mini pizza shells, pocket less pita bread or raw pizza dough from the bakery or freezer section of many grocery stores. Allow children to ladle on some tomato sauce and sprinkle on some shredded cheese. Offer other toppings such as mushrooms, sweet peppers, pepperoni and broccoli. Encourage them to make funny pizza faces. Bake and enjoy! If you use raw dough, have a little extra so the partygoers can roll some bread sticks while they wait for their pizza to cook. Roll the dough into shape then coat with spray on oil and top with grated parmesan cheese, oregano, garlic powder or other seasoning mix.
• Cereal necklaces : Thread frosted fruit ring type cereal onto a necklace sized piece of elastic. Tie and wear. Also works with less sugary toasted oats cereal rings. These are fun to wear but it’s hard to resist taking a nibble here and there. If you want to send these home with the children, place their finished masterpieces into their goody bags for the end of the party.
• Fruit kabobs: Cube assorted fruits such as apples, grapes, watermelon, cantaloupe, and pineapple. Let the children carefully slide their favorite fruits onto bamboo skewers or popsicle sticks. Serve with yogurt for dipping. Or mix equal part softened cream cheese and marshmallow creme for a sweet dip.
• Fresh baked cookies: Prepare some cookie dough that can be rolled and cut with various shaped cookie cutters. There a so many cookie cutter shapes out there you could probably find some that match the theme of the party. Let children help roll out and cut the cookies. Older children may be able to help carefully place the cookie sheets in the oven and help keep track of baking times. For younger children just let them place the cookies onto a cool cookie sheet and have an adult place them in the oven. Decorating the cookies can be lots of fun, too. The cookies can either be eaten as a party snack or sent home with the kids to enjoy later.

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DECORATING

~~~ Rent a helium tank and buy a package of balloons. Blow them up before the party and decorate your house and/or yard with lots of balloons. It makes a very festive look.

~~~Use colorful streamers to help set the tone for your next party. Streamers are an inexpensive way to add a lot of color to your party area, plus they go up quickly!
Hang green streamers as vines at a jungle party.
Gold or yellow streamers can become the bars of an animal cage. Toss a bunch of plush stuffed toys behind the bars.
Blue and green streamers look like waves for an under sea party. Hang some straight down in doorways and make waves by hanging some in a wave pattern from the ceiling.
Blue and white streamers hanging around can give the feel of clouds and sky

Tissue paper, like streamers, can be used decorate. It can be folded and cut to make decorative additions-think paper snowflakes, but not just six pointed shapes! In Mexico it is called papel picado, and it is also a paper craft in Japan and China.

If you are worried about the color running from the streamers or tissue, try to find the non-bleeding type. Use painter’s tape to hang the streamers to minimize or maybe even eliminate damage from adhesive.

~~~Fabric stores sell lots of great kid-friendly prints that can be used to make a custom tablecloth that matches the theme of your party! Buy enough fabric to cover the table or tables that you will use at the party. Buy the same quantity of clear vinyl. Lay fabric over the table then cover with the vinyl.
You don't need to finish the edges of the fabric, just cut any loose ends. When the party is over you have a colorful piece of fabric that can be turned into pillows, curtains, or even sleep wear, depending on the material!

~~~Use a piece of clear vinyl (available at many fabric stores) over a party table or even your kitchen table. Decorate it by placing items under the vinyl - greeting cards, drawings, placemats, confetti, photographs - the possibilities are endless!
At a Card Party, you can spread out a deck of cards under the vinyl.
For everyday, laminated seasonal placemats (usually inexpensive), can create a changing look for your table. Decorative, fabric tablecloths stay cleaner, and even inexpensive plastic tablecloths get a longer life when placed under the vinyl. Make a collage using pictures cut from magazines.
If you are celebrating a milestone birthday, use copies of photographs that span the person’s life. For the holiday season, place holiday greeting cards under the vinyl - your holiday guests will have fun recognizing the cards they've sent!

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FOOD AND DRINK

~~~When hosting parties be sure to keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. Limit the time that foods sit out at room temperature to less than two hours. In hot weather, make it no more than one hour.
Remember bacteria grows best between 40 and 140 degrees, so keep foods out of that temperature zone.

Serve foods in small quantities. Instead of refilling however, replace the whole serving dish with a fresh one filled with fresh food to avoid contaminating the new food with the old.

~~~ Buy assorted juice boxes and put them in ice-filled coolers. The kids will love them and you won't have to worry about pouring drinks!! You won't even have to buy cups! (This is also great for kids who don't drink soda, and the kids who do won't miss it!!)

~~~Fill flat-bottomed ice cream cones with a store-bought party mix (or make your own). Served in an edible, easy-to-hold container, kids will love this special treat! Fill just before the party, especially on humid days, as these cones will soften when left out.

Here’s an easy-to-make snack mix recipe that even little ones can help with!

In a shallow cookie sheet, dump equal parts of unsalted mini pretzels, Cheerios, Kix, and Apple Jacks (use generics if you like). Stir and level mixture in the pan. Lightly coat with cooking spray then immediately sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and sugar mixture. Toss until evenly coated. Repeat until desired amount of snack mix is made. Let sit uncovered until the spray has been absorbed, then store in an air-tight container until party time.

~~~It's a good idea to let your guests know if you will be serving a meal or not. Statements on the invitations such as: “Join us for cake and ice cream” or “Join us for lunch” can be helpful.

Oftentimes parties at roller skating rinks and sports centers include pizza or hot dogs even if the party isn’t held at a common mealtime. Some people start sleepover parties after dinner hour, but opt to serve pizza or other foods for the long night.

By letting your guests know what to expect, you can avoid having hungry partygoers or wasted food!

~~~Snacks and goodies are often a big part of a party. Parties can be an excuse to let children eat large quantities of sugar-loaded foods. But party food can be fun without all of the sugar. Here are some tips for a winning party recipe:
Limit candy to the goody bags or opt for no candy goody bags. If you have a pinata, try filling it with small toys instead of candy.
Serve iced tea and lemonade which can be made with less sugar than carbonated beverages. Don’t underestimate the appeal of iced water with tasty slices of citrus fruits floating in it!
A variety of cut up fruits and vegetables with a few dips can be a colorful and tasty offering. Cubed cheese and deli meats are fun to eat with toothpicks. Presenting almost any food in a fun and creative way will appeal to children!
Of course, a birthday party isn't a birthday party without the traditional cake and ice cream! You can still limit portions by offering cupcakes and ice cream cups from the grocery store, but don't skip this important part of the party!

~~~When hosting a party where you will serve drinks in disposable cups, write each guest's name on a cup before the party. This will help guests keep track of their own beverages and reduce the waste of half-filled, abandoned cups. For teen and adult guests you could leave a permanent marker near the stack of cups so they can label their own cup. Younger guests may like to add some stickers to their cup to personalize it.
Money saving tip:
Disposable cups may cost more than reusable cups, but you save a little by not buying the more costly single serve beverages.

~~~Be creative when serving drinks and snacks at a party. You can tie in the party theme to the serving containers. Try these fun ideas:

Fill a top hat with pretzels, chips, popcorn or crackers. Great for a Magic party!

At your next Under the Sea or Fun in the Sun party, use beach pails and other sand molds to serve goldfish crackers, sea creature shaped cookies, or other snacks. Plastic toy boats in varying sizes could hold candy treats like Swedish fish or gummy sharks. An inflatable pool filled with ice can keep drinks cold.

Gross Out your guests when you serve them cake from a new, unused cat litter box and scoop it with a new litter scooper! Bake the cake as usual then place in lined litter box for serving.

Dig in to snacks served in plastic toy dump trucks or tractors. Larger toy vehicles can be filled with ice for beverages.

Cut a hole in the side of a cleaned, one gallon or half gallon plastic milk jug and fill with animal crackers at a Farm Animals party.

Little guests will get a kick out of snacks served from new, unused pet food bowls at your next Dalmatians, puppies or kittens party.

Flower pots of plastic or clay would be great at a flower or Butterfly party. Dirt cake made from chocolate pudding with crushed chocolate cookie topping can be served in lined, mini flower pots for individual servings or in a larger pot to be scooped out for guests.

An inflatable swim ring can support a bowl of goodies at a pool party.

Just about any kind of hat can be used to serve party snacks, though stiff ones work best. To balance a hat or helmet that isn't flat-topped, rest it on a bag of dried beans or uncooked rice.

Be sure to wash all serving items before using and line with parchment, wax paper or aluminum foil to protect foods.

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TRAVEL TIPS

~~~Planning ahead is the key to making a long trip a success. Just as you plan your travel route and choose a destination, be prepared with ideas to keep kids busy and happy.

Custom packets can be made ahead with stickers, coloring pages and puzzles printed from online sources, blank pages for creative doodles, lined paper for journaling the trip, an outline map of the state or states you are visiting to track the journey, and more. While most kids like crayons, if you are going somewhere hot, colored pencils are a better choice for older kids. If you have to take crayons consider keeping them in your cooler to prevent messy meltdowns.

New toys always hold a child’s attention, so purchase a few new, small toys and wrap them as a little surprise to give out along the way. If you plan to travel at night, take along some glow in the dark items, small flashlights, and glow necklaces as a special surprise for the kids.

~~~Keeping kids busy on the road to grandmother's house can be as easy as taking paper and pencils and a few game ideas!  More than just tic-tac-toe, there are a bunch of games that can be played on paper. It's easy to pass the "game board" back and forth for a two player game when it's a mini memo pad!

Here are some other games that you can play on paper:

• Battleship: Each players draws a 10 x 10 block grid with coordinates and adds their ships. Played just like the real game, except you mark your hits and misses with a pencil instead of a peg!
• Dots and squares: Take turns connecting dots on a grid. Draw the fourth side of the square and you've captured it! The person with the most captured squares at the end is the winner. This game can be played with two to four players.
• Connect four: Draw a 6 x 8 block grid. Players take turns placing their mark in the lowest spot on the column of their choice. First person to get four in a row wins!
• Hangman:  One player tries to guess the other players' word, one letter at a time.
• Pictionary: One player thinks of a word and draws it. The other players try to guess what the word is based on the drawing!

Need more ideas? Do an internet search for paper and pencil games!

~~~When you are on a road trip with kids, it's likely there will be a mess in the car. By taking a few steps before your trip, you can try to keep the mess under control.

• Keep stuff in its place! Give each child a container to stash all their stuff to keep busy on the road. Plastic shoe boxes work well as do shoebox-sized photo storage boxes. Make sure the child can get the lid on and off easily by themselves.
• Avoid meltdowns in a rainbow of colors! Don't take crayons in the car unless you don't mind melted wax on the rug or seats. Instead take small colored pencils or mini washable markers.
• Brown bag it! When snack time rolls around, hand it out in a brown paper bag. This gives the kids a place to toss their trash when they are done. To get ready for the trip, the kids can even help decorate the paper bags and pack the snacks.
• Have a rest stop car wash! When you take a break, break out the cleaning supplies. Collect trash and toss it out. Gather all the toys and busy items and repack them in their boxes. Wipe down hard surfaces in the car with disposable wet wipes. Use kid safe wipes if the kids are helping out.

~~~Here's an answer to the age-old question “Are we there yet?”

To help your young passengers keep track of how long a road trip is, try one of these ideas:

• “Tickets” Give child a ticket to represent each half hour or hour of the trip, depending on the length of your journey. As each time increment passes, they give up a ticket. You can use preprinted tickets or make your own.
• “Stickers” If you have a child who would rather receive than give, try stickers. Make a grid with the same amount of quadrants as the number of hours or half hours that the trip will take. At the end of each time block, give the child a sticker to place on the grid.
• “Paper chain” Make a paper chain with each loop representing a period of time. As the time passes, tear of a loop. This is also a helpful method of counting down to an important day, such as a holiday, birthday, or day to leave on vacation.

~~~Eating out while traveling can be a large chunk of your travel budget. Here are a couple of tips to save money and eat healthfully.
When starting your trip take along a loaf of bread or some bagels, some cold cuts and a jar of peanut butter in your cooler. These foods will satisfy most travelers for lunch. Take juice boxes and small bottles of water too! Pack some ready-to-eat cut fruit and veggies to balance the meal or to use for healthful snacks.
To save time and money, find a grocery store for dinner. Most large grocery stores have lots of ready-to-eat foods for sale in or near their deli department. Some have hot foods and salad bars, too. Grab fresh cut fruit and vegetables from the produce section and your meal is complete. You can eat “out” for far less this way.
While you’re in the food store, stock up on your bottled water- store brands are usually the best buy- and grab a bag of ice for your cooler. You will be back on the road sooner, and your body will be fueled with more healthful food than you can get at most fast food restaurants!

~~~For keeping kids busy on the road, in the hotel, and at the campground keep in mind party games and crafts! The same kinds of things that work at parties, can direct kids energy on vacation, especially when the weather is rainy or uncooperative.

The next time you host a kids party, if you have an extra goody bag, extra prize, or left over craft supplies put them away for vacation! You could even order a couple extra just for this purpose.

The kids might enjoy the reminder of their last party!

~~~A number of national food chains have birthday clubs for kids. Some offer free meals, some offer coupons.

Most require that you sign your child up at least thirty days prior to their birthday, so don't wait! Do an Internet search for “kids birthday club” and get started.

You'll even find that some chains offer birthday freebies for adults, too!

~~~How much longer? Are we there yet? These are two questions that kids can't help asking on a trip! To help young children have a better understanding of how much longer until you get to your destination, try one of these helpful hints:

Give the child a mini book of “tickets” that they can tear off and turn in at regular intervals, maybe every half hour. They can see the progress of the trip by the smaller stack of tickets!

Give the child a chart and at regular intervals, offer a sticker to fill in the chart. The closer you get, the fuller the chart!

~~~Try this fun activity to keep your children busy and help them not feel homesick. Purchase a mini photo album, one that holds 4 x 6 pictures would work well. Cut images from magazines and newspapers . The kids can help do this part of the project.
Using a digital camera so you can print the pictures at home, take some pictures of things around your house such as the backyard, the house itself, each member of the family, a favorite toy, the refrigerator with all the magnets or kid’s art, the family pet, and anything else your child will recognize and feel connected to.
Print the pictures on regular paper with about ten images per page, then cut them out. Or print them onto label or sticker paper. Cut pieces of card stock down to size to fit the pages of the mini album you purchased.
Make collages on the cardstock using the pictures from home mixed in with the magazine and newspaper clippings. On the back of the card, write a list of some items that can be found hidden in the collage.
It’s lots of fun trying to find all the items and it’s a nice surprise for the kids when they find things from home!

~~~Having fun snacks on hand reduces the number of food stops and the amount of money spent on your trip.
Make individual baggies of snacks and snack mix to take on your trip! Filling the bags with assorted healthful snacks makes a great family activity for trip preparation. Make a set of sweet snack baggies with foods such as raisins, peanuts, Teddy Grahams and lightly sweetened cereals. Make a set of salty or savory snack baggies with foods such as pretzels, bagels crisps, and salted nuts. Keep in mind your children's age to choose safe foods.
Single-serving sized fruit cups and apple sauce cups also make handy and healthy snacks.
A special snack that you wouldn't usually give your child can be wrapped and given as a gift for good behavior on the road!

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PARTY THEME IDEAS

~~~ Selecting the theme for a party can be fun and exciting. Keep in mind the age of the birthday child and the guests. While popular movies and television show characters are a great choice for young children, older children may want something that expresses their own style and interests. Except for the youngest children, let the child help to select the theme.

~~~Instead of having a field trip party to a museum, transform your home into a museum! Depending on your child's interests, you could do an art, history or science museum theme.

Here are some great ideas to start you off:

~~~Have a Robot party!!

~~~A puppy/dog theme party is great for a mixed age party with boys and girls! Try some of these canine party ideas:

~~~If the weather outside is frightful, plan for an indoor picnic to cheer things up! Throw a table cloth or blanket on the floor and pack up a basket full of goodies.

Decorate with paper flowers cut from colorful construction paper into your favorite spring and summer blossoms. Make a big smiley face sun and hang it up! Suspend puffs of polyester fiber fill as clouds.

Invite some unusual picnic guests like plastic ants and insects!

Turn up the heat in the house and wear summer clothes.

Play card games and board games right on the floor.

Lie back and “cloud” watch!

The more you do to set the scene, the more fun an indoor picnic can be!

~~~Save time and money by holding a birthday party with a theme you've done before! You put the effort into planning a great theme party, so why not put that effort to more good use! Depending on your child, you might have to change up a couple of things like add a new game or craft, but the hard work is already done.

While some children may not want a repeat party theme, others may embrace the idea enthusiastically. If you have more than one child, you can throw the same party for each child.

Of course repeating a party them will only work if you remember what you did the first time around. So, take notes and keep a list of your resources when you plan any party. You never know when the information may come in handy!

~~~When you picture a birthday party from many years ago, you might envision all the kids wearing their cardboard cone hats. Those classics are still available, and they come in just about any theme you might like. But sometimes you can think outside the cone and offer your party guests some fun hats to wear and take home!

• At a Wild West party or Horse theme party, lasso some cowboy hats!
  If you are going medieval with princesses and knights, then tiaras, crowns and shiny silver knight hats/helmets are in order!
• Alien invasion coming your way? Headboppers will help you fit right in!
• Celebrating military style? Camouflage bandannas and army helmets are just the thing to wear!
• Planning a luau or beach party? Stock up on flower leis!
• Sombreros are the perfect hat for your next fiesta!
• Say hooray for the red, white, and blue by wearing an Uncle Sam hat at a patriotic party or 4th of July picnic!

So for your next party, use your head and you'll be wearing the party fun!

~~~Set the scene with some glittery snowflakes! You might not be able to guarantee the real thing outside, but you can make lots of paper snowflakes and sprinkle them with glitter for an icy effect. For a big splurge have an ice sculpture or fake snow!

Here are some other party theme ideas related to wintry, snowy fun:

• Arctic Explorer
• Penguins
• Frosty the Snowman
• Snow Angels
• Winter wonderland

If you live in a cold climate, think about taking the kids snow tubing, sledding, or ice skating!

Games Suggestions:

• Cut out two or three of each shape snowflake and have guests try to match the sets while working as a team!
• Buy a bunch of mittens/gloves or have everyone toss their mittens/gloves in a pile. Mix them up then see how fast they can find all the pairs!
• Play pin the carrot on frosty instead of pin the tail on the donkey!
• Play musical snowflakes instead of musical chairs!

Food and goodies:

• Make snow ball cupcakes! Frost any flavor cupcake with white frosting and top with shredded coconut or white sprinkles.
• Scoop vanilla ice cream into balls before the party and let them freeze up, so you can serve a snow ball along side the cake!
• Use mittens instead of a bag to hand out goodies!

~~~Have a Wild West Party! Set up a saloon with card games, like poker and black jack, and mugs of root beer!

Give each guest a cowboy hat, western print bandanna and sheriffs badge. Hang wanted posters as decorations!

A fun party activity would be to let each child make their own wanted poster to take home.

Decorate with inflatable cactus, hay bales, rubber snakes, inflatable horses and fake handcuffs!

Fun and games:

• Older kids might like to try their hand with a lasso.
• Play horseshoes.
• Pan for "gold" using sand sifting toys and a sand box. Hide gold coins and other trinkets before the party.
• Have a show down with water squirters.

Food ideas:

• Beef jerky
• Pork and beans
• Biscuits
• Chili.

Make a horseshoe or sheriff's badge shaped cake!

And don't forget the other goodies like horse stickers, cowboy tattoos, cowboy figures, pencils and notepads! Also, check out our Old West Goody Bags!

~~~Have a Monsters & Aliens theme party! Give each guest a silly monster name. Better yet, invite them to wear their best alien or monster disguise! Decorate with alien inflatables for an outer space atmosphere.

~~~Ring in the New Year with a theme party!

Selecting a party theme can ramp up the excitement of the evening! When you have a theme, you can plan games, crafts, music, food and even costumes to make a fun celebration that is kid-friendly.

There are many themes that work well for a party with children in attendance, and here are a few:

• Knights and Princesses Party: Youngsters can dress as brave knights and fairy tale princes while the adults can be characters from a more mature book or movie! Monty Pythons and the Holy Grail comes to mind.
• High School Musical Party: The kids can go all out for a their favorite High School Musical while the adults can get into Grease or West Side Story!
• Music Theme Party: Everyone has a favorite type of music or musician. With a music party, even people with different musical taste will find things in common!

Encourage your guests to come in costume and play the part for even more fun!

Here are some great ideas that you can use regardless of your theme:

• Make a time capsule to be opened at a future New Year's celebration.
• Create homemade or puchased noisemakers like shakers and clappers.
• Step outside to wish the world a Happy New Year at midnight wearing glow necklaces and bracelets!

~~~Sometimes a sleepover party just won't work. For instance, younger children may not be comfortable sleeping away from home or schedules may be too busy.

Host an un-sleepover party and pack it with all the fun things that you would do at a regular slumber party! Invite guests to come in their PJ's and bring a sleeping bag and pillow! Start the party by rolling out the sleeping bags for popcorn and a movie. If it's not dark outside, cover the windows to block out the light.

Serve breakfast! A pancake breakfast is lots of fun. Offer guests various toppings such as whipped butter, warmed syrup, honey, fresh fruit, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and sprinkles.

And don't forget the pillow fight!

~~~Bring on the fun with a party that can't decide if it's hot or cold!

Decorate with snowmen, snowflakes, icicle lights and blue and white streamers for the icy side. Use battery operated candles, red and orange streamers and flame print inflatable goodies for the hot side.

Play hot potato! Or how about cold potato! Players sit in a circle like hot potato but instead of passing around just one item they pass many items, one less than the number of players. When the music stops the person without an item in their hand is eliminated. Keep going until there is just one person left.

Play the classic game of finding a hidden object and telling the seeker whether they are getting warmer or following a cold trail.

Go ice skating then warm up with hot chocolate!

Serve spicy chili and soups, ice cream or snow cones! Don't forget the icy cool mints and hot cinnamon candies, too. Frost some cupcakes in an icy blue and others in fiery red.

Think summer sun and frosty fun all wrapped up into one!

~~~Three Thrify Thoughts!

1. Cans of soup or vegetables can be wrapped in colorful paper and used as balloon weights! Use wrapping paper, construction paper, or plain copy paper that is decorated by hand. Theme-related stickers can be added for some color and visual interest!
2. Use empty glass jars from foods such as pickles and jellies to make centerpieces! Soak the jar in water to loosen the label then wash the jar. Fill the jars with colored sand, decorative rocks and pebbles or even a variety of dried beans. Add ribbon around the mouth of the jar for an additional touch of color. When your party is over, recycle the glass jars!
3. Reusable plastic picnic ware is usually inexpensive enough that you could buy a few sets just for party use. Discount stores often sell these items in the spring, and they are usually available in a wide variety of colors. Though using plastic plates and cups may require a little more cleanup, you will save money over the long run especially if you have just a few children's parties a year.
   Running these items through the dishwasher repeatedly can cause them to look worn, but if you set these aside just for parties they will last longer. Additionally, some plastic ware is only safe to wash in the top rack of your dishwasher, so check the labels

~~~A party theme of stripes or dots is a versatile choice! They can be elegant yet, playful and colorful or monochromatic. And they work well for young and old alike!

DOTS:
Turn solid color invitations into custom designs by adding dots.
Use bingo markers to decorate streamers.
Create your own polka dot tablecloth by adding round price stickers to a solid colored vinyl or plastic table cover.
Make cupcakes as dots or do a large cake decorated with dots of round candies or colored frosting. 

STRIPES:
Add stripes to a solid color invitation to get the theme started. 
The good old stars and stripes comes to mind first, but don't just stop there. You can do stripes of any color!
Alternate strips of streamers to create a striped pattern on walls.
Use decorating gel to draw some stripes across the cake or cupcakes.
A striped bed sheet can be used as a tablecloth.
 
With a Dots or Stripes theme, you can play party games of any sort!

~~~Take advantage of the season when planning a birthday party! Each season brings with it a set of holidays and celebrations, and the stores are filled with great party supplies! Then when the holiday or season is drawing to a close, stores will mark down all their remaining stock. This is a great time to stock up for next year on plates, napkins, and decorations!

Your October born child may not want a Halloween theme party every year of their childhood, but chances are they will enjoy it at least once

~~~This party idea is all backwards and can be loads of fun!

Start with backwards invitations! You can write the invitation backwards so that it needs to be read in a mirror or you could do the card in reverse, opening from the left and read from right to left and bottom to top. Another idea is to send a Thank You note for the invitation. Invite your guests to come dressed backwards.
 
When guests arrive say, “Good-bye, hope you had a good time.” Many people serve cake and ice cream late in the party, but for this party you can serve it first thing! Make upside down cupcakes by inverting the frosted cupcake on individual plates. Serve with a fork!
 
Decorate upside down with balloons hanging from the ceiling!

Games

• Backward bean bag toss: Take turns throwing the bean bags backward toward the target.
• Pin the donkey on the tail: Same old classic game in reverse.
• Guessing game: Guests guess how many items are in a jar. Use marbles, beans, candy, or other small objects. The person furthest from the correct answer wins, just don't tell them that's the secret until you announce the winner.
• Mother May I: Players have to ask the opposite of what they want. For example, “Mother, may I take three baby steps backwards?”  The answer should be the opposite too. “Yes, you may” should mean “No." and “No you may not” should mean “Yes."

When guests leave say, “Hello, welcome to my party.”
 
Finally, if you sent Thank You notes as invitations, you could send invitations as the thank you notes!

~~~If you are planning a party and you are short on time, you may not be able to run around to a lot of stores trying to find all the right supplies.

A “mixed up” or “clashing” party theme is great for an occasion like that because you don't have to worry about one particular color or cartoon character. Matching tablecloths-who needs them? Just buy whatever!

Be sure to scan the clearance items for some money saving buys. The more variety the better!
 
For some added fun, invite guests to come in their best mixed up or clashing clothes and make it a costume party!

~~~Have a really messy party! - When guests arrive hand out protective eye wear. Dollar stores often have these in their home improvement section. The children can take these home after the party.

Make colloid putty to play with. This putty will have properties of both a solid and a liquid. Before the party, pour cornstarch into freezer baggies. When it's time to make the putty, just add cold water and knead. One cup of cornstarch will absorb about 2/3 cup of water depending on weather conditions. Try picking up the mixture and it flows through your fingers. Poke it and it feels solid! Allow the kids to play with the substance and discover how the putty reacts. This is not edible. If possible, do this activity outdoors. When the mess dries simply sweep it up!

Vinegar and baking soda can make for some fun scientific discovery! Buy a gallon of distilled white vinegar and a few pounds of baking soda. Also set out a funnel, a clean 16-20 ounce beverage bottle, a clean 2 liter beverage bottle, and some balloons. Let guests add baking soda to the containers then add vinegar for a bubbly reaction. Using different quantities will yield different results. Balloons can be inflated by the reaction. Use caution because you don’t want this to explode in anyone's face!

Another fun and messy activity is to create a fountain by placing Mentos candy into Diet Coke. Search the Internet for videos to watch and to find tips and instructions for this explosively fun activity!

Serve bubbling root beer floats to add to the theme.

Pop Rocks candy makes a great prize or goody bag addition.

Don’t forget to thank guests by telling them you had a BLAST when they came to the party!

~~~Sow the seeds of FUN with a "Farmer For A Day" party! Do an Internet search for “wooden berry boxes” to find a seller of those farm market and roadside stand produce boxes. Kids can paint them. Serve snacks in them. Send home fun goodies like barn yard animal toys and a pack of seeds in a basket!

Take a hay ride if you can or visit a "pick your own" farm!

• Be A Piggy:
  Have a pie eating contest, but keep in mind that some kids like them, others don't. You can call it a “Be a Piggy” game if you'd like whether you make it a contest or not. Players should eat without using their hands!
• Farm Obstacle course:
  Roll an ear of corn
  Push a wheelbarrow
  Rake hay into a haystack
  Dress like a farmer with overalls and straw hat provided
• Old MacDonald Says:
  Play this game just like Simon Says but throw in some Farm theme actions.
  Here are some ideas to get you started:

Old MacDonald Says…
Start the tractor
Plant some seeds
Pick an apple
Moo like a cow
Sing Old MacDonald had a farm

~~~If you are looking for a new party idea, consider doing a field trip party!

Ask a local ice cream shop, the bakery section at the grocery store, or even the local newspaper for an educational tour. Many times these tours are free.
If you are lucky enough to have a park nearby, guests could head over to the park for refreshments, presents, and goody bags that relate to the tour.

~~~Since everyday of the year is someone's birthday, why not have a party just for the fun of it and celebrate? No need for gifts or thank you notes, just lots of good fun, food and friends! No one person is the center of attention because everyone is. No need for a fancy themed cake from the bakery. You can make it a potluck and share the workload.
 
Play old fashioned party games like spoon races, sack races, pin the tail on the donkey, penny toss games, and Mother May I. 
 
You might even want to sing the “Unbirthday Song” from Alice in Wonderland! As the Mad Hatter points out, you only get one birthday a year, but there are 364 unbirthdays to celebrate!

~~~Have BIG fun at a SMALL Party!

• Send teeny tiny invitations!
• Serve snacks such as mini M&Ms, baby Goldfish crackers, tiny cupcakes sprinkled with mini sized baking chips, baby carrots, and other bite-sized goodies. Use the smallest party plates, cups and utensils, too. It doesn't have to be practical to be fun!
• Tiny crafts can be fun. Let partygoers create miniature self portraits, decorate doll house objects, and make itty bitty sculptures.
  
  Try some shrunken party games, too!
• Challenge guests to use a really small set of chopsticks, which are really toothpicks, to perform a task such as picking up grains of rice to fill a small bowl or using the chopsticks to carry an object to a particular destination.
• Do a downsized obstacle course where participants take baby steps, ride a tricycle, roll a marble around an object, crawl though a really small door, and other small tasks.

And, don't forget to think small when selecting game prizes, piñata fillers and goody bag items. Think small and this party theme will be a big hit!

~~~Throwing a Buccaneer's Bash? Invite your guests to a swashbuckling celebration with a treasure map invitation. Use brown kraft paper or paper grocery sacks to make a treasure map. You can dye the paper with tea or coffee for a more authentic look!

• Pirate Fun and Games:
  Instead of a piñata, have a treasure chest full of jewels, coins, and other goodies like bendable pirates, parachutists, pirate finger puppets, swords, hooks, pirate gold nugget gum, ring pops, pirate rings, and hi-bounce balls. For added fun, have party guests follow clues on a treasure map to locate the treasure chest!
• Doubloon Toss: Use plastic gold coins and have party guests toss them into pirate cups.
• Pop the Cannonball: Blow up a bunch of small black balloons and scatter them on the floor of a room. Players work together to stomp all the balloons. Make it more challenging by banning the use of feet or hands to pop the balloons!
• Hook the Loot: Guests wear a hook hand and try to pick up as many bead necklaces as they can with one swipe into the treasure chest. Play individually or as teams.
• Buried Treasure: Fill a kiddie pool with sand and hide gold coins, pirate figures, gems and jewelry, and other pirate trinkets.
• Food and Beverages: Serve pirate favorites like root beer and ginger ale, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, some citrus fruits to ward off the scurvy, chocolate coins, and Jello jigglers cut into gem shapes!

~~~ Food and parties go hand in hand, so try a cooking party! There are lots of great children’s cook books available at libraries and book stores. Choose recipes that are appropriate in difficulty for the age of the partygoers.

Buy some inexpensive aprons for the kids to wear. If you buy the plain ones, the kids can decorate them with fabric paint. Ask guests to come dressed in suitable clothes for cooking.

Serve snacks in cooking gear like muffin pans, measuring cups, and even paper chef hats!

When the food is nearly ready, seat the guests. Set the table with coloring placemats and crayons. You could even print menus.

Print recipe cards for the foods prepared at the party and use them as the thank you notes.

~~~To a young child every birthday is a milestone, but there are a few birthdays that sometimes get special treatment: first birthdays, reaching the double-digit age, reaching the teen years, and sweet sixteen to name a few.

On these special occasions, you may be so busy with the planning and keeping the party going that you don't get to enjoy yourself. Do as much ahead of time as possible.

If you are having a really big party, you could have a pre-party gathering of a few friends and relatives to help decorate and prepare food. Asking one person to be the designated photographer means one less thing for you to do.

Most importantly, make sure you sit down and take a break from all the work. Make sure yo enjoy the fruits of your own hard work; before you know it, the party will be over!

~~~ Some ages lend themselves well to an age-related theme! Play with these numbers:

• It takes “2”- Serve everything in sets of two. Hang balloons and other decorations in sets of two.
• Lucky “7”- Decorate with horse shoes, play games of chance/luck, make good luck charms.
  
• Crazy “8”- Play 8 ball billiards and crazy dress up relay, do crazy tricks/jokes, give out silly string and magic 8 balls, do crazy things like eat cake UNDER the table.
• Decade party for a 10 year old- Celebrate a decade from the past! There are lots of great ideas out there for the 30’s, 50’s, 60’s and even the 80’s!

~~~ Have an Ice Cream Party & make homemade ice cream! Try making a single serving using plastic bags or double the recipe to make more using coffee cans. Combine 1⁄2 cup of milk, 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract, and 1 1⁄2 tbs. sugar in a pint size freezer baggie and seal securely. Place ice cubes and some rock salt into a gallon size freezer baggie. Place the smaller bag inside the larger one and seal. Shake the baggies until the milk mixture thickens to desired texture. If doubling and using coffee cans, use a small can in place of the smaller baggie and a larger can in place of the larger baggie. Roll the can instead of shaking it. You may want to handle the baggies or cans with gloves or a towel because they can get quite cold. Tip: use small bowls to make the sundaes as kids often take more than they will eat.

Have an ice cream topper bar with lots of fun toppings like crushed cookies, brownie bits, fresh fruit and baking chips in addition to the usual toppings like caramel, cherries, sprinkles and whipped cream.

Play Mother May I… Ice Cream style! For this variation, players ask, “Pretty please with a cherry on top?” when they request giant steps or baby steps, etc. If “Mother” says yes, players must balance an inflated red balloon or small sponge ball on their head while moving forward. If the balloon falls off they have to move back to where they started and wait for their next turn.

Play Pin the Ice Cream on the Cone. Everyone can be a winner with this game. Make a giant cone from poster board. Cut out scoops of ice cream from various colored sheets of craft foam. Blindfolded players take a scoop and try to get it on the cone.

Challenge party guests to scoop some sloppy sundaes! Make a big bowl of instant mashed potatoes using only hot water to reconstitute the potato flakes. Allow them to cool in the fridge until party time. Buy some inexpensive plastic ice cream scoopers, enough for each player. Players will need to run over to the bowl of potatoes, scoop some potatoes, and race back to their bowl. Once they have the “ice cream” they need to add some toppings. Distribute some bowls of toppings around the yard. Players race to find two toppings and add them to their sundaes. Each player should be given a list of the toppings they need to find. Suggestions for toppings: shredded tissue paper strips for sprinkles, hole punch some circles of construction paper to represent M&Ms, dirt for crushed cookies, a whole unshelled peanut for nuts, or shaving cream for whipped cream. You could even go for totally gross with some not so sweet toppings like fake worms, rubber dog poop, or plastic bugs. Just don't let anyone sample the sloppy sundaes!

Give each guest a flat-bottomed ice cream cone and challenge them to stuff cotton balls in without breaking the cone. See who can fit the most in.

Other ideas:
Bake cupcakes in flat bottomed ice cream cones and frost to look like a soft-serve ice cream. You could also use brownie mix in place of cake mix for a different twist. For more fun at the party, try our Ice Cream Bubble Necklaces or Ice Cream Memo Pads!

Flat bottomed ice cream cones can also hold little snacks!

~~~Turn up the tunes and host a musical party! You could tie in a favorite recording artist to the theme or just feature musical fun of all kinds!
 
Old 45s target games: Hunt for some old 45s in the attic or at yard sales. Dusty, scratchy ones are perfect for this game; don't use mint condition collector items! Out doors, take turns tossing them Frisbee-style through a hoop. Indoors, lay them on the floor in a triangle pattern, then take turns rolling ping pong balls onto the triangle. Score points for getting a ping pong ball to stop on the center circle of the 45.

Cut out yellow stars and write guests names in glitter glue. Hang the stars all around the party area. Everyone will have fun finding their star! Make one big star for the birthday child and hang it on the front door. A closet door can be labeled a “dressing room” for the star of the day!

Use curling ribbon to hang blank CD’s all around the party area! Using blue painter’s tape, decorate a wall with CD’s, shiny side facing out.

Musical marching band game: This game is played like musical chairs except kids hold an instrument until the music stops. Then they put their instrument down and march around until the music starts again! When the music starts they pick up the nearest instrument. Inflatable Musical Instruments are perfect for this game!

Make a stage area where guests can rock out! Have a CD player with a selection of age appropriate music. Add lots of inflatable instruments and microphones.

Let the kids make their own backstage passes with card stock and lanyards. Partypalooza also has Musical Fun Goody Bags that you could hand out at the end of your shindig. Make this year the year of your own American Idol!

~~~Have an idea about surprising your little one? A surprise party can sound like a great idea, but it's not suitable for every birthday child. Many children enjoy having a say in party plans such as the theme, the guest list and foods served.

If you're sure your child won’t mind being left out of the planning then the biggest concern is keeping it a secret.


The best way to keep the child from suspecting something is to plan the party around their regular routine. For instance, if they take Karate every Saturday for two hours, you could plan to have guests arrive while the guest of honor is at Karate. Or if swim lessons are every Friday afternoon, you could make arrangements to have the party at the pool following the lesson.

Party supplies can be left at a friend's house and brought with when the guests arrive.

Young children who are invited to the party might let the secret out. Let their parents know that the party should be a surprise. The guest's own parent will know best how much to tell their child. Sometimes guests should be kept in the dark, too.

Timing is important. Allow half an hour for guests to arrive before the guest of honor. Be sure to have an activity planned for this time so the guests aren't bored waiting. One idea is to have the guests work on the decorations!

~~~Sports theme parties are great to encourage young children to get out and play! You could pick a specific sport like soccer or baseball, or just do a general sports theme.

Try some of these ideas:
Send party invitations that look like sports trading cards. You could also have a craft activity where guests can make their own trading cards. When guests arrive take a digital picture. Print it out on your computer while the guests are busy doing something else. Preprint some blank cards so they can fill in their personal stats!

Decorate with banners in the colors of a favorite team, team pennants, rubber bases, balls of all sorts, and other sports equipment. If you have a big enough yard, you could paint some lines to make a field. Use Sports Inflatables to decorate and get Sports game prizes to give out too!

Serve stadium treats like warm soft pretzels, popcorn in fun paper boxes, and hot dogs.

Get out and play the sport! Don't make it a competitive game, though. It isn't little league - it's a party!

You could also send the kids home with some of our ready-to-hand-out Sports Goody Bags! We've got Soccer, Football, Basketball, Baseball or Mixed Sports.

~~~You've just hosted a fabulously fun party with lots of great food, and your guests are getting ready to head home. Bags of snacks remain unopened, you still have some bottles of soda, and there are way more hot dogs than you can eat. What do you do with all the leftovers so they don't go to waste? Here are some suggestions:
Sealed packages of food can be taken to a local food pantry.

Send opened or prepared food items home with guests.

Share with an elderly neighbor.

Some foods can be frozen and eaten later. For example, freeze leftover soda and juice in ice cube trays or popsicle trays to make ice pops.

~~~Many themes are appropriate for parties with boys and girls in attendance, but others seem to appeal to just boys or just girls. If your child has his heart set on a party theme, try to adapt it to suit all partygoers. Here are some examples:

• Princesses are very popular for little girls, and Knights and Princesses go hand in hand. Don't forget frogs for those "princes-to-be"!
• A butterfly party will be more appealing to boys if you include all sorts of bugs and insects.
• Cast a spell for fun at a Witches and Wizards party. Some Magic stuff may work here too!
• A pirate party could be a Pirate and Treasure party with fun, play jewels.
• A bug party could become a Dirt and Flowers party!

~~~Host an outdoor movie party! There aren't too many drive-in theaters around anymore, but don't let that stop you from enjoying outdoor movie fun!

Invitations: Create movie ticket style invitations using clipart on a computer. You can name the theater after the guest of honor or host family. “Show time” is the party time!

When guests arrive offer them toy money or vouchers that can be used to buy concessions. Theater size candy bars, popcorn and beverages can be sold to guests. You can buy paper popcorn bags or cartons to serve the popcorn. Some rental companies even have popcorn machines and supplies available.

Decorations: Movie posters, clapperboards, director's chairs and movie memorabilia. Make a homemade marquee with white Christmas lights strung around a foam core board that names the feature film.

The movie: There are a few options for an outdoor movie. If you are lucky enough to have a drive-in theater nearby, enlist the help of a couple of other parents with vans and take a trek to the theater. Another option is outdoor movies which are often scheduled in local parks. If you check parks in your area at the beginning of the summer, you can have your choice of films. Take a cooler and snacks, blankets and chairs, and bug repellent to the park. Finally, if you have a little more money to spend and just a little technical know-how, you can rent a projector to use with your DVD player for an outdoor theater! This option also gives you more control over the feature film. No matter what your choice, be sure to consider what to do in the event of rain.

Goody bag suggestions: Anything related to the theme of the feature film, movie star sunglasses, single serve microwave popcorn; use your imagination!

~~~Color Theme Parties are a great idea for mixed age parties and for parties including both boys and girls. You could build the whole party around a single color or just colors in general.

Make a cute crayon decoration using a clean soup can and some crayons. Clean and dry a 10 3/4-ounce sized soup can. Safety tip: the pop top type works best since there is no sharp metal to deal with. Stand crayons up around the outside of the can. Tie a colorful piece of curling ribbon around the crayons to hold them onto the can. You may want to tie two pieces, one near the top and one near the bottom to secure the crayons better. For a more permanent project, hot glue the crayons to the can. This colorful decoration can be use to hold pencils or paintbrushes, or ... even crayons! Guests could even make their own to take home!

Serve cupcakes baked in colorful cake-type ice cream cones. Frost with plain chocolate or vanilla frosting. Offer an assortment of colorful toppings like rainbow sprinkles and mini M&Ms for guests to decorate their own cupcakes. Other food suggestions: Rainbow sherbet, cut fruit arranged in the colors of the rainbow, colorful fruit ring cereal.

Make rainbow ice cubes. Purchase or make assorted color fruit flavored beverages. Begin by pouring a layer of red liquid into a 5 ounce paper cup. Freeze liquid, then add a layer of orange liquid and allow to freeze. Continue adding the colorful liquids and freeze. On party day, peel paper cup away from the rainbow ice cubes and float them in a bowl of punch.

Fun color activities: Lay out a large piece of canvas or sheets of brown craft paper and lots of crayons for drawing, Coloring Mugs and Create-a-puzzle activities.

Older children might like to have their hair colored with colorful hair spray. Be sure to check with parents first!

Fill a jar with lots of crayons and challenge guests to guess how many crayons are in the jar. Let the winner take home the jar!

~~~Plastic sacks from the grocery store can be used in many ways at birthday parties. Finding ways to reuse items helps the environment and saves money!

As long as the grocery sack is free from contaminants like raw meat juices, the sacks should be clean enough for party fun! Try some of these ideas, or use your imagination to come up with some ideas of your own. Remember to use caution with young children and plastic bags.

Take two clean, dry sacks which are free of holes. Holding one handle, wave a sack to fill it with air. Quickly tie the handles to trap in the air. Place the “inflated” sack inside another. Fill the second one with air and tie. This homemade ball can be used to play various games:

• Give each person a sack ball and challenge them to bat it around without letting it fall to the ground. This activity can also be played with teams.
• Use ball in place of a hacky sack ball.
• Play volley ball with one.
  
• Using only plastic sacks and tape, have guests design an article of clothing, such as a shirt or hat.
  
• Wad up a sack and paint with it. Wrapping and scrunching the bag in various ways will produce different paint effects.
  
• Place various items in a sack one at a time. Allow guests to feel the item and guess what it is.
  
  When the party is over, unsoiled bags can still be recycled!

~~~No Snow, No Problem! Whether you live in a warm climate or the weather just isn't cooperating for a Snowy party, you can still have some cool fun! Try these cool ideas:

• Cut paper snowflakes.
• Spray snow on your windows.
• Buy some polyester fiber fill from the craft store to make snowballs and have a snowball fight. Polyester fiber fill is soft and safe to throw around.
• Make cotton ball snow men. Dip cotton ball in glue and stick to page. Cut eyes, nose, scarf and more out of construction paper and glue on.
• Serve snow cones.
• Fill goody bags with penguins, snow men, and cool minty candies. You could even use a mitten to hold the goodies.
• Dump a big pile of gloves and mittens on the floor and see how fast the group can match them up.
• Make homemade snow globes.

~~~Set up a Wilderness Camp in your yard! Pitch tents around a “campfire” which can be a low grill or an outdoor fireplace. Roast hot dogs over the grill, serve GORP (Good Ol' Raisins & Peanuts), and be sure to have S’mores for dessert. Sing traditional songs around the campfire, like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” of course! Do a nature scavenger hunt. Flash light tag can be played after dark. See who can roll up their sleeping bag the fastest!

If you live in a dark area, do some stargazing. July and August bring some meteor showers that are neat to watch.

Make sure you have back up plans in case of bad weather. This party can be fun even if guests don't spend the night. Start early if you aren't having a sleepover.

Give guests mini flashlights, toy binoculars, light up toys, and glowing objects to enhance their fun!

~~~More Camping Tips! Fill dollar store flashlights with tattoos, stickers, small wrapped candies, and other little goodies & toys for guests.

Make a campfire cake: Frost a sheet cake or layer cake with chocolate frosting or tinted vanilla frosting. Arrange chocolate covered pretzel logs like wood for the fire. Cut flame shapes out of red, orange and yellow fruit leather. Just before serving, surround the “fire” with toasted marshmallows as stones. Place mini marshmallows on thin pretzel sticks and prop them on the stones.

Serve food in aluminum pie pans.

If you are camping in, play an outdoor nature CD and stick glow stickers to the ceiling.

~~~Have a Rubber Ducky or Bubble Bath Party!

Indoor fun:

• Decorate with lots of white balloons to look like bubbles, rubber ducks and other bath time toys. Use bath towels as table cloths.
• Do a craft with wash cloths or sponges.
• Stick the bubble in the tub. Draw a tub and a ducky on poster board. Have guests add the bubbles to the tub just like pin the tail on the donkey. Everyone is a winner!
• Play Ducky, Ducky, Goose.
• Buy a roll of bubble wrap and let guests have fun popping the bubbles.

Outdoor fun:

• Play pass the slippery soap. Wet a bar of soap for each team. Challenge them to pass it from person to person to the end of the line and back again.
• Fill a baby pool with lots of bubbles and rubber ducks. Lets guests fish for rubber ducks in the bubbles. See who gets the most ducks or mark the bottom of the ducks to match for prizes. Give each guest some goggles to protect their eyes from flying bubbles.
• Fill a large bucket with soap solution and blow lots of bubbles.
• Give out bubbles, rubber ducks, magic wash cloths (the kind that come compressed and expand when they get wet), and a bar of soap.

~~~A Penguin Party theme is great as a birthday party theme but also works well to help shake the winter blahs. The popularity of movies such as March of the Penguins, Happy Feet and even Madagascar means that there are lots of choices out there for party goods. Cute party plates do not make a great party, but great decorations, fun food ideas, and entertaining games do!

• Food to serve:
  Igloo cake: Bake your cake in a bowl. When it's cool, invert the bowl and release the cake. Decorate with vanilla frosting and shredded coconut or mini marshmallows!
  Fish sticks and fish shaped crackers and pretzels, and snow cones all add to the theme.
• Games and activities:
• Penguin Escape: Have party guests help to find the escaped penguins. Before the party hide paper cut-out penguins or Inflatable Penguins. This is a cooperative game with no losers!
• Penguin Egg Relay: Walk like a penguin with an “egg” on your feet. Pass the egg from one person to the next. Divide into teams for a little competition, or for a cooperative version of the game, have the group move the egg from a starting point to a finishing point taking turns!
• Penguin Says: Play this game like Simon Says except have the players waddle and flap like penguins!
• Feed the Penguin: Draw a penguin with an open mouth onto a piece of poster board or foam core board. Cut out the mouth area. Players can toss “fish” bean bags into the penguins mouth!
• Snowball Fight: Use polyester fiber fill from the sewing section of the craft store to make snow balls that are soft and fun to toss around!
• Decorations:
  Decorate with blue and white streamers, ice cubes (made from painted or paper covered card board boxes), paper snowflakes, and cotton balls as mini snowballs! You can create an igloo using a large appliance box. Don't forget the Inflatable Penguins and Penguin Beach Balls!

~~~America Recycles Day is in November. Throw a recycling birthday party!

• Make something useful with items that were destined for the trash or recycling bin.
• Visit a local recycling center with party guests. Some recycling centers have special events to celebrate America Recycles Day, but if not most will give educational tours.
• Invite each guest to bring a toy they no longer use. Deliver the collected items to a charity or organization that will give the toys new life.
• Use only items you already have around the house for the party. For example, don't buy paper party products that will just be thrown away. You could use leftover paper products from a previous party regardless of the theme. Use the same philosophy for party games.
  Send invitations made on recycled paper, or send paperless e-mail invitations.
• Recycling Game: Set up a couple of bins for the different types of recyclable items, like cans, paper, and plastic, plus one for non-recyclables. Then dump some recyclable items in a pile. Working together, partygoers sort the pile into the proper bins. Please use caution when selecting materials. Don't use tin cans as they have sharp metal edges; instead use aluminum soda cans. Don't use any container that had toxic chemicals; food containers would be best.

~~~This Movie Star Theme works great for tweens and teens, especially for a sleep over:
Send “movie ticket” party invitations. At the library or book store, find some books containing some simple skits. Make enough script copies for each guest. Also, have handy some props and costume items that can be used. When the guests arrive, distribute scripts. Do a couple of rehearsals, then a final performance. Video tape the show to watch later in the party. If you have particularly dramatic party attendees, let them improvise a scene or two! They could also recreate a scene from a favorite movie. Camera shy individuals can do hair and make-up duties, or run the camera. Be sure to have popcorn to munch on and enjoy the show!

~~~Balloons make festive party decorations, but they can be used in other ways to add to the party fun!

• Write words or draw designs on balloons before blowing them up and decorating.
• Play Balloon Says - Write things to do on small slips of paper and insert one in a balloon before inflating it.
  Scatter the balloons around a room. Guests take turns stomping on a balloon and following the instructions in the balloon.
• Balloon ice breaker game - Before the party, write the names of each guest on a piece small slip of paper. Insert in balloons before inflating. When guests have arrived, they each stomp a balloon then find the person whose name is on the slip of paper.
• Place a small candy into a balloon before inflating it. Make enough balloons for each party guest. Have guest attempt to pop their balloon in a creative way, for example without using their hands or feet. They get a candy treat for their success!
  
  And remember, balloons are not appropriate for younger children.

~~~Warm weather is the perfect time to have an arts and crafts party. The kids can get messy outdoors instead of inside! Cover a picnic table with a vinyl tablecloth or oilcloth and break out the paints, brushes, sponges, paint rollers, modeling clay, glue, paper, glitter, etc.

You can supply each partygoer with an oversized plain white T-shirt (inexpensive ones can be purchased at craft stores). The T-shirt will not only protect their own clothing from messes, they can keep it as a summer cover up or night shirt!

Hang a white sheet over the fence so the artists can paint a mural.

At a separate table, set up unfrosted cupcakes, pots of colored frosting, tubes of gel icing, and some colorful candies for a "create a masterpiece cupcake" activity.

Sidewalk chalk, mini pads of paper, and glittery glue and other crafts supplies make great party favors!

~~~Have a Patriotic Party for the 4th of July or Memorial Day! Invite guests to wear red, white and blue! You could have some Uncle Sam style hats for guests to wear. Decorate with lots of red, white, and blue items like streamers, balloons, and lots of mini flags.

Play traditional games such as three legged races, balloon toss, horse shoes, baseball, marbles, tug-of-war, croquet, badminton, bobbing for apples and sack races. Hold watermelon seed spitting contests and pie eating contests.

Serve All-American foods like hot dogs and hamburgers, potato salad, corn on the cob, iced tea and lemonade, popcorn, and watermelon. Try serving snacks in inverted flying disks, lined with a paper plates. Old fashioned blue enamelware plates, cups and bowls would add to the theme. Keep drinks cold in a galvanized tub.

Backyard fireworks can add a little excitement (check your city ordinances or check with the Police Dept), but keep safety in mind. A safer option is to head to a local fireworks display.

Treat your guests to some red, white, and blue refreshment!
1. Fill some ice cube trays with red and blue colored fruit flavored drinks and freeze. Pour seltzer over the colorful cubes.
2. Freeze a couple blueberries in each ice cube. Freeze cleaned and quartered strawberries.

Float the fruity ice cubes and frozen berries in a pitcher or bowl of lemonade.

Get some face paint to paint American flags or stars & stripes on guests’ cheeks. No one in your family is artistic? Get some patriotic tattoos, glitter patriotic tattoos or fireworks tattoos.

Games to play:
The Game of Graces is a fun and simple colonial game where players use sticks to toss hoops to each other.

Crazy croquet: Play this alternate version of croquet using the standard mallets and balls, but replace each hoop with two mini American flags set just far enough apart for the ball to pass through.

Torch relay: Players carry a “tablet” and “torch” like the Statue of Liberty. Race back and forth without dropping the items then pass them to the next team member. Any book can serve as the tablet. For the torch, turn a small orange sports cone upside down and balance a ball on the open end. Don't forget to hold the torch up high just like Lady Liberty!

~~~Red, White and Blue themed goodies

This stuff goes great with an Army Theme Party!
Try these games:

• “Sergeant Says” played just like Simon Says.
• Pin the Stars on the Flag. Using poster board and construction paper, make a US Flag without the stars. Silver stars like teachers use can be “pinned” on.
• Do a Boot Camp Obstacle Course. Use inflatable swim rings for a tire walk. Make a simple, low box frame with PVC from the hardware store to army crawl under. Walk across a balance beam made with a 2x6. If you have a swing set or a tree swing have the participants swing across a water obstacle. Run around American Flags stuck in the ground.
• Play Hot Potato with an army guy action figure.
  
  An army tank cake can be made with a rectangular sheet cake, topped with a smaller round layer cake and chocolate-covered round cookies for the treads and a chocolate-covered pretzel rod for the gun.
  
  Hold grenade target practice with water balloons.
  
  Cut dog tags from a milk carton. Make a hole with a hole punch and hang them from a USA Flag Lanyard.

~~~Looking for some new ideas for a children's birthday party? Select a country as the theme! Decorate with that country's flag. Serve ethnic foods! Play games that are played there! Follow some of their birthday traditions. It could be fun and educational.

Check out some of the different ways birthdays are celebrated around the world:

• Russian children get a birthday pie instead of cake.
• The Vietnamese do not celebrate individual dates of birth; instead everyone adds a year to their age at Tet, the start of their new year.
• The 3rd, 5th, and 7th birthdays are considered lucky in Japan.
• In Italy and Brazil, children's earlobes are tugged, once for each year of age.

~~~If you are planning a birthday party for January or February, try a Chinese New Year Party! Chinese New Year is on January 29 in 2006, but the celebration lasts fifteen days. 2006 is the year of the Dog.
You can find out what your child's sign is on the Chinese Zodiac and use that animal in your decorations and games. The children can make Chinese lanterns. You can serve Chinese foods and play Chinese jump rope games or Chinese Checkers. Offer guests Chinese Saying tattoos to wear during the party and noisemakers to ring in the New Year. Party favor suggestions: toy money, in even denominations for luck, because Chinese children will receive Lai See, which are gifts of money for New Years Day; get travel size Chinese Checkers, chinese yo yo, chopsticks, chinese jump ropes, dog or other animal shaped toys, paper fans and Chinese finger traps. Gung Hay Fat Choy!

~~~Host a Funny Money Party (with Funny Money Goody Bags) and try these fun ideas!

Penny toss: Played a variety of ways, a penny toss is always fun. Try tossing pennies into a bowl, cup or basket. Draw a bulls eye target on paper and let players take turn tossing coins aiming for the center spot.

Piggy bank cake: Bake a round cake and some cupcakes and frost one light gray and the rest pink. Arrange three of the pink cupcakes next to the round cake to make a head and two legs. Place the gray cup cake at the top like a coin being dropped into the piggy bank. Add a candy eye using a brown M&M or a Hershey's kiss pressed upside down into the frosting. A curly tail can be made using red shoelace licorice or a strip of curled fruit leather. Add a mouth and a dollar sign made of black shoelace licorice or gel frosting.

Have a coin stacking contest using a bunch of pennies.

Mix coins into a bowl of cooked pasta or rice pudding and let the kids take turns finding as many coins as they can in a given amount of time.

Put each partygoers face on a dollar bill. Before the party day, find a printable dollar bill online and print enough for each partygoer plus a some extras just in case. Also, take a test shot of your child to determine the best size image to print so you don't have to figure it out at the party. Take a picture of each child with your digital camera. Print them on plain paper and cut out the faces. Let the kids paste their own face on the bill.

Decorate a pizza to look like a coin using olives, peppers, pepperoni, mushrooms and other pizza toppings.

Check out all of our money-themed goodies!

~~~Have a Beach theme party and think

Fun in the Sun!

• Fill a small kiddy pool with ice and cold drinks instead of using a cooler.
• Brightly colored beach towels make great table covers.
• Dump a couple of bags of sand onto a small tarp or in a small kiddy pool and let guests dig in with some fun sand toys.
• Life preservers and inflatable swim rings are great for target games. Hang one from a tree limb and try to toss juggling balls through the hole. Or arrange three rings in a line, each one a little further than the one before for targets.
• Do sand art!
• Do you have a pile of shells the kids had to bring home from the beach? Clean them up and set out some poster paints, glue and glitter for a take home craft.
• Take surfing snapshots of your guests. Lay a surf board on a blue tarp and hang a sky blue sheet behind the surf board. Invite your guests to strike their best surfer pose and snap away.

~~~Costume Parties are fun any time of year! Invite guests to come dressed up according to your theme.

Having an Old West party? Guests can dress as cowboys and sheriffs!
Throwing a far Out in Space party? Inspire creativity when you ask guests to come as out-of-this-world alien creatures!
Is there a Pirate party in your future? Ask guests to wear pirate garb!
Hosting a Music party? Let guests come as their favorite pop star or singer!

~~~Serve these fun Bug-Themed foods at your next Buggin' Out party:

• "Dirt cups": chocolate pudding with Oreo crumbs and lots of gummy worms.
  or
  "Chocolate Cake: Frost a chocolate cake then top with Oreo crumbs and gummy worms.
• "Butterfly nectar punch": use brightly colored fruit flavored beverage or fruit juice combination. Serve with straws so guests can drink like a butterfly.
• "Fruit insects": Let guests arrange cubed and balled pieces of fruit into buggy critters. Attach fruit with peanut butter, or connect pieces with toothpicks and wooden skewers. Be careful using toothpicks and skewers with young children.
  

Creepy, crawly games and fun:

• Bug races: Crawl, hop and fly like a bug in this crazy relay race. Teams alternate crawling like a bug, hopping like a cricket, and flapping wings like a lady bug to the finish line.
• Bug-Making: Make bugs with air drying clay, pipe cleaners and googly eyes. Play pin the spider on the web.
• Bug Safari: Go on a bug safari in the backyard! Crawl around with mini magnifying glasses and observe the insects in the grass.
• Make a giant caterpillar: Line guests up one in front of the other. Have guests place their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them then walk around trying to stay connected.

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GIFTS & GIFT GIVING

~~~If you decide to open presents at the party, make a gift and giver list. To avoid confusion and embarrassment over not knowing who gave what gift, record or have a helper record the gift and the giver. Be ready ahead of time with paper, pen and no other task that needs your attention. Encourage the birthday child to take their time to give each gift appropriate attention and to give the gift-giver a verbal “thank you” immediately. Use the list of gifts and givers as a checklist when writing Thank You cards or notes in the next couple of days after the party.

~~~Here are five cool gift-buying tips:

1. Ask what the birthday child wants for their birthday. Always a good place to start ...
2. Ask the parent what the child wants for his/her birthday. Even if you've asked the child, the parent will likely offer some additional information, such as they don't have room for another Lego set or the child has really been wanting to visit a particular museum.
3. Think Green … as in money! Cash or gift cards can be great one-size-fits-all or last minute gift.
4. Think Green … as in the environment! Search the Internet for “green gift giving.” You will find tips for environmentally friendly products and gift ideas.
5. Obtain a gift receipt with your purchase.  Many retailers have these now.  It makes returns easier for the recipient. If you include it with the gift, it eliminates the awkward feelings when the parent has to ask the gift giver for a receipt to return or exchange the gift.

~~~If your child is having a birthday party, and you just can't figure out where you are going to put another toy or game, check out these alternatives to the usual gift frenzy!
 
For gift-givers who ask for suggestions, you could mention a favorite magazine, museum, or special program that your child would enjoy. If the cost is too much for one person, perhaps a few family members or friends could team up! Gifts like magazine subscriptions and museum tickets or memberships are great because they can create a memory that will last a lifetime. 
 
Asking guests to bring canned goods for a food pantry or gently used coats for a homeless shelter is another way a guest can feel generous without spending a lot of money or buying another toy. Other ideas for charitable collections: local animal shelters often need used bedding and towels, in addition to pet toys and food; new and gently used books are welcomed by schools, especially in low income neighborhoods.
 
If your child receives duplicate gifts, consider donating them to a women's shelter or community center. 
 
When you invite guests tell them you'd like their presence not presents. Though some may say it is rude to mention anything about gifts on an invitation, by doing it in this manner you let guests know that the party and the gift of their time is what the birthday child values.

~~~Create a one-of-a-kind keepsake to celebrate your child's birthday! Use your home computer printer and special iron-on paper to add a design or words to the a shirt or decorate the shirt with fabric paint. Add the special touches to a solid colored t-shirt to best display your artwork!
 
The birthday child can wear the shirt to their birthday party and to school on their special day!

~~~The idea of "regifting" can be controversial to some. By considering some of the pros and cons of regifting you can decide whether it is right for you and your circumstance.

Pros:

1. Makes good use of a gift that you cannot or will not use. Would you rather have an unwanted item sitting in your closet taking up space or given to someone else who could use and appreciate its value?
2. Keeps perfectly good items out of the landfills.
3. Allows you to give a gift and save money in doing so.

Cons:

1. The original giver may learn that you regifted and there could be hurt feelings.
2. If you haven't kept track of who gave you the gift, you could regift it back to the original giver.

Tips for regifting:

• Don’t regift anything that is personalized. If you receive a monogrammed set of towels and you already have tons of monogrammed towels, send the extras to an animal shelter, a homeless shelter, or for a drive to benefit the victims of a natural disaster instead.

• Anything that was handmade and personal shouldn't be regifted so you don't hurt the feelings of the gift giver.

• Don’t regift back to the original giver!

• Ideally, gifts should be or appear new and unused. It's best not to just go through your house wrapping items unless there is an heirloom value to the item. A treasured family heirloom falls into a different category of gifts.

• Consider the recipient and try to make the gift appropriate for them. If you are just passing junk then they are likely to not want the gift either.

• Unusual or unique gifts are harder to regift, so you may want to consider another way of handling those types of items.

• Finally, if you are having any doubts about regifting a particular item or regifting to a particular recipient it's probably best to avoid regifting at that time.

~~~If you've decided to give a gift card instead of a gift, you might want to come up with a creative way to present it. Sure, they usually come with a cute little envelope that fits the gift card just right, but who says you can't do something special?

If the store allows you to pick any balance for the card, buy them in $5 increments. This is a good way to go especially for kids who often see more as better!

Buy a deck of cards and slide the gift card into the box. The recipient will not only open the gift-wrapped package of cards but they will need to open the deck of cards to find the real gift!

Buy a photo ID holder necklace and insert the gift card in the ID part.

Frame it! Photo frames of all sorts would be a great way to present one or more gift cards. Use a single frame for just one card and a collage frame for multiple cards. You could also find one of the decorative photo holders with clips to use.

Dollar stores are a great place to pick up all sorts of containers with lids, coffee mugs, and unusual items that could be used to present a gift card without spending a lot of money.

~~~Wrapping paper just gets tossed aside and winds up in landfills. You can help the environment by choosing other ways to “wrap” a gift.

1. Consider a gift that needs no wrapping like a trip to a museum or a show at the theater. The gift of time is another gift that doesn't take up space and needs no wrap.
2. Reusable containers make great gift wrap. Food canisters, photo boxes, cookie tins and storage containers work great to wrap gifts. If the container is see through and you want to conceal the gift a bit better, line the container with newspaper.
3. Empty boxes from cereal and other foods can be used, too. Just be sure that there isn't any food on the box. And let your recipient know that they should open the box to see what is really inside. You don't want them to think you bought them Cheerios!
4. A small game, a book, or other small gift can be wrapped up inside a T-shirt. Tie a ribbon or even a piece of scrap fabric around the package to hold it all together. Socks and mittens could wrap a piece of jewelry. Towels and pillow cases can be used to wrap larger gifts.
5. Air popped popcorn is a good natural packaging material when you gift needs a little cushioning.
6. If you are handy with a needle you could sew and customize a gift bag that can be reused. The recipient can use it around the house or to wrap a gift for someone else.
   
   The possibilities are endless, so use your imagination!

~~~When hosting a children’s birthday party, consider requesting that guests bring charitable donations instead of gifts. Let the birthday child choose a charity or organization to receive the donations. Local food pantries, homeless shelters, and some places of worship will take non-perishable foods. Animal shelters are often in need of pet supplies. Outgrown outerwear can be shared with social services agencies.

Call ahead to be sure your donation can be accepted or to see if there is a wish list. When inviting guests, note on the invitation that you will be collecting donations in lieu of gifts. Let them know your plans for the donation.

For example: Abigail is collecting pet products at her birthday party in lieu of gifts. She will be taking the pet supplies to the county animal shelter. Here is the shelter’s wish list: dry cat food, dog toys, old towels and blankets, bleach and newspaper.

Be sure to take a photo of the birthday child with the guests and their donated goods. And don’t forget to send a thank you note to let the guests know how much you appreciate that they attended the party and brought along some things to help others.

~~~Don't throw out that pile of crumbled wrapping paper! Even if it's torn, it can be used again. You'll save money and help the environment a bit!

Use your home paper shredder to create colorful packing filler for use in gift bags or when shipping items (for safety reasons, please don't let children do the shredding).

Larger pieces of gift wrap can be cut square and folded for future use. If you plan ahead, you can carefully unwrap gifts and have more reusable pieces.

~~~Give the gift of time! Some ideas: offer to take the child to a cultural arts event, such as a children's play; give the child a ticket to a local amusement park or museum and tell them that you will be taking them with you and/or your family; teach them a skill you possess, like knitting or photography; record yourself reading a favorite children's book as a special audio book made just for them. Present the gift as a certificate that explains what it is. Make it colorful and tell them how much you look forward to spending time together. Toys can break and become forgotten, but memories will last & last!

~~~Be a good guest! Remember your party etiquette when you or your child are a guest at a children's birthday party.

If an RSVP is requested, do so as soon as possible.

Arrive on time and leave on time.
Take the phone number of the host in case you face a delay, such as getting lost on your way to the party. Be quick & concise on the phone - your host is busy!
Only take guests specifically named on the invitation; don‘t assume siblings are invited.
If you stay with your child at a party, don't expect the host to entertain you. Do offer to help with a game or with serving cake!

~~~It’s time to wrap the gift and the party is in an hour, but you don’t have a fancy gift bag, wrapping paper or time to shop for some. So what do you do?

Grab some newspapers from the recycling pile. The daily comics pages or the color Sunday comics are great to use to wrap a gift. Lay out the comics face down and overlap a few layers of other newsprint pages on top. Then wrap as usual, except depending upon the size of the gift, you may need to tape a few places where separate pages meet.

Brown paper grocery sacks can be cut open and used to wrap gifts. If they are printed on the outside, use the inside of the bag as the outside of the wrap. If you are lucky enough to have a plain brown sack transform it into a gift bag. The plain brown paper can be decorated with stickers, markers, ribbon, colored paper cutouts and more. Smaller gifts can be placed in lunch sacks which can also be decorated!

~~~Seven screaming seven-year olds shoving gifts at your seven-year old son or daughter sounds like no fun for anyone. Gift opening at a party goes a lot smoother when you have a plan about when and how the gifts are opened.

Timing the opening of gifts:
Opening the gifts later in the party may help prevent the new toy or game from being opened and used, or worse, having pieces lost. If you decide to open gifts early on, have a place where the opened gifts can be placed for safekeeping. Have in mind ahead of time the plan for when children start asking, “When are we opening the gifts?” If you choose not to open gifts at all, you may want to remove them from the party area once all of the guests have arrived, and be sure to have the birthday child know the plan ahead of time to avoid a melt down.

How to decide whose gift is first and next:
Every child seems to want the guest of honor to open their gift first, and letting the birthday child select may cause tension among guests. Head off this situation with a game.

• Have children sit in a circle. Spin a bottle or bowling pin in the middle of the circle. Whomever the bottle points to gets to have their gift opened.
• Play a variation of hot potato. Wrap a small box with gift wrap for the children to pass. The child left holding the box when the music stops gets to have their gift opened.
• Line the guests up smallest to tallest, or vice versa and open gifts in order.
• Alphabetize the names of the guests and open gifts in ABC order.
• See whose birthday is coming up next and go in order of birth dates.
• Try to keep the guests involved in the gift opening even after their gift has been opened, but expect younger children to lose interest. Have a quiet activity nearby to entertain those children.

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KIDS PARTY BEHAVIOR ISSUES

~~~Seeing how your child behaves at parties at home can give you some insight into how they behave when attending parties at other homes. This can be helpful particularly if your child is approaching or has reached the age when they are dropped off for parties. Pointing out good guest behavior in other children can help them learn to be a good guest, too!

~~~ Give out your goody bags as the children actually leave the party, not before (unless you are using the Goody Bag stuff as part of the party). Why?

1. If you get different goody bags for different children, they won't see what the others got and want that one

2. If they open the bag in your living room before they leave, invariably something is going to get lost underneath your couch and crying will ensue. Also, any little packaging within the goody bag will now be all over your floor and you have more to clean up

3. Opening it up in the car extends the party a little bit and the parents will appreciate that. Leaving a party is hard for some children, so this makes it a little easier for them.

4. It also gives the birthday child practice at good manners by offering the goody bag and thanking the guest for attending the party. Having guests' names on the goody bags also makes this gesture more personal.

~~~A baby's first birthday party is thrown in honor of the child, but the baby isn't really aware of the festivities. The second birthday is more for your child's entertainment. Sure he still won't really remember it, but that's no reason not to make it fun and special! Planning for a toddler party is very different than planning an older child's birthday fun.
A toddler's attention span is short, therefore simple games like target toss or follow the leader work well with toddlers. Competitive games are not recommended.
Limit party time to about an hour and a half to avoid over stimulation and melt downs.
The ability to follow directions varies widely among those in the toddler age group, so opt for single step directions for activities or games.
No matter how well you plan, there's bound to be nap time issues with the guest of honor or party guests. Try scheduling the party during a time most likely not to be nap time, but don't be surprised if you wind up with a sleepy guest or birthday child.
Children this age engage in parallel play more than cooperative play. Keep that in mind when planning activities.
Lastly, save the gifts for after the party is over. If you have an activity to involve the birthday child when guests are arriving, you can collect the gifts and put them in another room away from the party area before they even see the packages. Opening the gifts after the party will allow the child to explore each gift before opening another. You can also stretch the process over a few days.

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BIRTHDAY & KIDS PARTY PLANNING

~~~A Birthday Party Q & A:

Q. How much money should I spend on my child's birthday party?
A. There is no one right answer. Determine how much you have to spend on the party, then make your plans accordingly. The party's success doesn't depend as much on money as it does on having a good plan. Remember a birthday party isn't a contest to see who can spend the most!
Q. Do I have to serve cake?
A. No. While cake is a traditional party food, there is no reason you have to have cake. If you are looking for baked goods to put the candles in, try donuts, pie or brownies.
Q. When should I start planning for the party?
A. Begin planning about 4 to 6 weeks before the party, sooner if you are hiring an entertainer or renting a party venue.
Q. Do I need a theme?
A. While a theme for the party isn't required, it becomes a starting point for planning and it really helps pull the party together!

~~~You've probably heard the saying that “one man's trash is another man's treasure”. Well you can bring that concept to birthday party planning.

Organize a swap of birthday supplies! You might have some leftover pirate goodies and a cups from a butterfly party while one of your friends might have just the perfect birthday banner for an upcoming birthday party.

Don't forget to have your friends bring their best party ideas to swap, too!

Make the swap a yearly or even twice a year event so people will know to hang on to their left over party goods.

Make it a party in and of itself - ask each guest to bring a dish to share!

~~~When your child is very young, the birthday celebration is not about his or her friends; it's about family and family friends. As the years pass, you may still want to include extended family in the celebration, but now there are the child's friends to include too. It can be a dilemma.

Should you have one huge party and invite them all at once? Should you just have the child's friends at the party? There is no one right answer. Your child will probably let you know what they want, and your budget will determine whether that works.

Some families have a cake night on or near the child's birthday. They invite a few close family members just for cake and to sing Happy Birthday. You can save the big celebration with all the bells and whistles for the kiddie crowd. But if holding one big party works for your budget and you have the space, why not?

Circumstances change each year. Just because you threw a huge party one year doesn't mean you have to every year after. Remember, family and friends are both important parts of your child's life so it's nice to find a way to nurture those relationships. Birthdays are a great way to do that!

~~~Keep an old shoe box as a “Birthday Box” someplace handy to pull out when it’s time to plan the next birthday party. In it you can store a basic party planning checklist. Each time you have a party you can adjust the list for what works best for you. Other items to keep in the birthday box: extra party supplies such as balloons, streamers, candles, unused party hats or party blowers from the last party. You can buy sale or clearance supplies in advance and have a place to keep them until you need them. You can also keep a list of resources such as kid’s party books to borrow from the library, great places to buy the snacks, or web resources for goods and ideas.

~~~Make it a birthday season instead of just a birth "day"!

• Stretch out the celebration by spacing birthday activities around the actual birth date.
• Try a special family dinner or lunch on the child's actual birthday.
• Plan to have the party the weekend before or the weekend after. If the birthday falls on a weekend, you can still plan something special to do on the other weekend day.
• If your child receives gift cards or cash, save it for a few days before spending and it will be like party day all over again.
• Finish up the birthday season with a special Thank You note writing day.

~~~Here are some ways that you can get a little more out of your party budget.

• Go generic! Pick a more general theme, princesses instead of Snow White for example, since licensed goods usually cost more. If your birthday child must have a specific character, choose just one or two items, such as a cake topper or cake plates that have the character. Buy the rest of the party goods in the general theme. Store brand juice, chips and pretzels will get eaten up just the same as buying major brand name products.
• Invest some extra time in planning games and activities that make use of things you already own. The time you'll spend researching will reduce the money you'll spend.
• Start planning well in advance of the party. That way you can keep your eye out for good buys. Wait until the party is just a few weeks away before involving a younger child in the planning. That way they won't get too impatient waiting for the big day.
• Limit your guest list.

~~~For children with food allergies, birthday party goodies can be difficult to handle. Since it's no fun to be singled out you can ask the host if you can bring a snack item, enough for everyone, that meets your child's dietary needs.

If you're hosting a birthday party and a guest indicates that they have food allergies, try to make sure that there is something that they can eat. It could be the difference between the guest attending the party or staying home.

~~~Cover your party tables with wrapping paper for easy clean-up. When the party is over just unwrap the table, roll the paper up and toss the mess in the trash!
Look for solid color wrapping paper on clearance year round or buy some that matches the party theme.
The solid color paper can be embellished with stickers as a party activity. Kids can even do coloring pages and gluing crafts right on the table without worrying about making a mess!

~~~Rather than stuffing unused party supplies like theme plates, cups and decorations in a cupboard where they may be forgotten, consider taking them to a local community center! Many times, community centers run on tight budgets, so some special, colorful items could really create smiles.

Unused goods could also be advertised on the Internet for free on Freecycle or Craigslist, which could be very helpful for a needy someone looking to provide a particular theme party for their child.

~~~No matter how many games and activities you have planned for your party, it's always a good idea to have some back-up plans. If you have some tried and true favorites ready to go, you'll avoid bored kids or a rut in the fun. The best back-up ideas are those which require very little or no advance preparation or props.
Here are some "Plan B" activities to add to your party plans:

• Story Time: For the youngest children, you could grab a book off your shelf at home to read to them! For older children you can involve them in the story. Give them the first line in a story, then let them take turns adding a sentence each. You can keep the story going as long as the kids are entertained!
• Balloon Float: If you're like many people, you'll have some balloons at your party. In a pinch you can use your hanging balloon decorations to play this fun game! Gather all the party guests and let them work together to keep a balloon afloat. Make it more challenging by limiting which body parts they can use to bop the balloon!
• Whisper Down the Lane or Telephone: This game goes by many names, but no matter what you call it, it's great fun at a party! Players line up close enough to whisper, but not so close that everyone else can hear what they're saying. The first person whispers a phrase to the next in line. That person whispers the message on to the next person and so on down the line until the message reaches the last player.

Besides not needing advance preparation, the above suggestions are cooperative games, so you don't even need extra prizes!

~~~When you invite guests to your party, you can expect that they won't all arrive at the same time. It's helpful to have some activities available for the early arrivals! Here are some ideas for activities that allow guests to join in when they arrive:

• Tattoos
• Coloring pages
• A non-competitive scavenger hunt
• Stickers
• Coloring Mugs
• Color-a-plush toys
• An assortment of crafty stuff.

~~~If you are celebrating the birthday of a toddler, you can make an investment in some party goods that can be used for a few years and save your wallet in years to come!

Instead of renting inflatable bounce houses each year, you can buy one. Cotton candy machines and popcorn machines can also be rented, but if you buy your own you can use them again and again!

The same thing goes for folding chairs, tables, and tents. Of course you have to store the items when they are not in use, but it could save you money in the long run!

~~~If you are looking for some activities for teens to do at a party, try the following search terms in your favorite Internet search engine:

• “teambuilding game” or “team building game” -Team building games aren't just for corporate events. They are great for teens because they provide more of a challenge in addition to the opportunity to work together for a common goal. Also, try “cooperative games”.
• “scout activities” -Scouts will often have lots of ideas for fun activities.
• “camp activities” -Lots of great ideas can be found by searching for camp activities. Summer camps need to keep kids busy, and there are many resources out there.

~~~While you are trying to keep your party budget affordable, your child decides that he wants to take eight friends to the movie theater to see the next summer blockbuster or that she wants to have all 25 kids in the class come over for pizza and fun.

How do you balance what your child wants and what you can afford? Compromise comes to mind. Would your child enjoy buying a DVD release of a movie and having a showing, complete with buttery popcorn, at home? Would your child be willing to chip in some of their allowance or birthday money to help offset the cost if they still want to do the big party? Working together you can find a plan that makes everyone happy.

~~~Trade or barter your talents with a friend! For instance, if you're great at making fun and creative kids party cakes, but fall flat in the crafts area, get your crafty friend to help plan your party crafts in exchange for an amazing cake for his or her next shindig!

~~~Save money with a two-for-one! Do you know another child in the neighborhood that shares your child's birth month? Chances are they may also share many of the same friends, so you could do a combined party and save on the cost!

~~~Family traditions can strengthen the ties between family members and even between different generations. Birthdays are a great opportunity to create or continue family traditions and to recognize that each of us is special and unique!

Consider some of the ways other families celebrate birthdays:

• Birthday Morning: Sing a rousing round of Happy Birthday to start the birthday child's day and eat Birthday cake for breakfast!
• Birthday Dinner: The birthday child gets to pick the dinner menu the night of their birthday.
• A letter to your child: Each year write a special letter to your child, whether they can read or not. Keep the letters in a special place, adding a new one each year.
• Birthday Interview: Each year conduct an interview with your child on paper or on video. Ask the same questions each year, such as ‘What is the best thing you did in the last year?’ or “What is your favorite hobby?”
• A special item: Perhaps its a hat that the birthday child wears each year to his party or birthday teddy that always joins the fun. The item stays the same as your child grows and changes, so it can be a measuring stick of sorts.
  
  Family traditions can be inspired by cultural traditions. For example, you need not be Russian to enjoy a birthday PIE!
  
  Don't think its too late to start a new tradition just because you didn't start with the first birthday. An older child might even enjoy helping to create a birthday tradition of their own!

~~~Spring is the perfect time to plant flowers, clean up the yard, and enjoy the outdoors before it gets too hot. Take advantage of spring fever and invite some friends for a party! It need not be fancy; a potluck works great to spread out the expense and effort of the party. So dust off the lawn chairs, set our some fresh flowers, add some fun inflatables and you've got a party!

~~~Party on a budget - decide what is most important at your party before you start shopping. For instance, did you see a great idea for a fancy cake in a magazine? Are you hoping to create a really fun party for the kids? Do you really need to invite thirty kids? Once you've thought about your priorities, you can move on to the planning.

Setting the scene: Fancy decorations are nice, but a few streamers and balloons create a festive feel without putting much of a dent in your budget. Your child may have his heart set on a party featuring his favorite cartoon character, but buying all the theme products like paper plates, invitations and centerpieces can really add up. Instead buy the solid color items or plain old paper products from a discount store.

The food: Planning your party between mealtimes can also help you save since you can serve cake, ice cream, and beverages instead of a whole meal. A reasonably-sized guest list can also keep the food bill in check.

The fun: Most younger kids really enjoy the old classics like musical chairs and pin the tail on the donkey simply because they haven't already played these games much in their lives. Older kids look for a little more challenge and variety in their entertainment, but there are lots of great ideas out there that use very few props or make use of things you probably already have lying around the house. Do an Internet search for “camp games” and you'll find many ideas.

If you make a list before you start to shop, you can stick to your budget at little easier. So, whether you're heading out to the local party store or discount store or surfing online for the party goods, think before you spend.

~~~If you wait until the last minute to shop you may wind up spending more money than you planned. Start your shopping early so that you can compare prices and avoid making expensive substitutions if the product you are looking for is out of stock.

If you haven't got all of your RSVPs & you're concerned about having to order too much, be sure to check out our Partypalooza's Pre-Order option to help smooth your party planning!

I~~~Instead of buying fancy candle holders, try some fun edible candle holders with regular birthday candles. You could stick each candle into a large marshmallow or in the center of a lifesaver or into a miniature candy bar like a Peppermint Patty or a Reese's cup. Arrange the candles and candle holders on the cake ahead of time. You don't want to keep eager kids waiting while you decorate the cake.

For something different, roll out sugar cookie dough to create holders that relate to the party theme. Before baking the cookies, push a candle into the cookie dough to make a hole for the candle. Use one candle to make all the holes and discard it when you are done to keep from contaminating the cake with the raw cookie dough.

Arrange the candles to form shapes like the age of the birthday child.

~~~It pays to plan ahead if you have pets in your house and are hosting a party.

Many young children are intimidated by dogs, and dogs can be excitable with crowds of energetic children. If possible, keep your party guests and dogs in separate areas of the house or yard.

Cats are less of an issue than dogs, since it’s easier for a cat to hide or get away from children. Be sure to keep an eye out for a child who may try to corner and grab your pet.

Small caged animals and birds are fun for children, but young children may try to poke their fingers into the cages or try to take the animal out, so be sure to provide ground rules and supervision if the cages can’t be moved to a secure location.

While you can’t very well move a fish tank, care should be taken to keep little fingers from splashing.

Finally, consider moving pet food and water out of the party area. It’s no fun to find half the fish food floating in the tank, kibbles in the dog’s water, or cat food spilled all over in the middle of your party!

~~~Here's a tip to help you keep track of the RSVPs for your upcoming party. Write or print out a list of the invited guests and keep it by the phone with a pen or pencil.

As you receive calls you can check off who's coming and who's not! You can also keep track of who you haven't heard from as the respond-by date comes.

~~~Younger children, about age six and under, need structure during a party. Plan to move from one activity to the next with little down time. Put away toys that may distract from the focus of the party since little ones are easily attracted to toys, especially those of other children.

There is always a child that chooses not to participate in a game. If this happens, offer to have them be a helper for the game so they can still be included. Sometimes they are unsure about participating in a game simply because they don’t know what to expect. Once they see how the game is played they may be more willing to join in.

Because of shorter attention spans, select games, activities and crafts that don’t involve a lot of instruction.

~~~If you are hosting a party and inviting guests who have never been to your house before, be sure to provide or offer directions. If you don’t include directions or a map with the invitation, a good time to address this issue is when they RSVP.
There is nothing wrong with asking if they need directions. This will also help to avoid extra calls the day of the party.
Lastly, tie a bunch of balloons outside your house or use some other party theme decoration to let guests know which house is yours!

~~~SLEEPOVER PARTIES are an all-time favorite of kids, but parents don't always feel the same way. There are lots of things to challenges that you won't encounter with a regular children's party.
While the generally accepted rule of thumb for number of guests to invite to a party is one per year of age, this doesn't apply to a sleepover. Try to limit the guest list to half the age of the birthday child. Your child may have difficulty narrowing the guest list down, but the party will be more enjoyable for all. He or she may even choose a non-sleepover so that the guest list isn't limited.
To avoid hurt feelings, don't do a combination party where only some guests are invited to spend the night.

It's a good idea to have some extra, new toothbrushes on hand if you are hosting a sleepover party. Someone is likely to forget to pack their own. Inexpensive, multiple packs of toothbrushes can be found at discount and dollar stores. You could even include the new toothbrush in the goody bag!

You'll find that having extra toothbrushes also comes in handy when you have unexpected overnight guests!

~~~Discount stores are always moving seasonal merchandise in and out of their stores. After each holiday, merchandise can sometimes be bought at a great discount!

Look for solid colored party goods like plates and cups. These items can be used at parties throughout the year.

Many times you will also find candles and food related gift packs. These items can be used to make a gift basket!

For example, if you buy a Halloween tin filled with a small package of candy kisses, you can save the tin for another use and take the candy for the gift basket.

Being resourceful with clearance items can save you some money! Be sure to check out Partypalooza's closeout page!

~~~POTLUCK PARTY GUIDELINES: When taking food to a potluck party, consider taking the food in a container that you don't need returned.
There are many reusable, disposable containers on the market now, and a step above them is a dollar store dish or container. You could even add a note or sticker to the bottom of the dish stating to the host that the container does not need to be returned. For example: “This dish belongs to YOU!”
This gesture makes it easier on the host when guests are leaving and after the party!

~~~How long should a kid's party be? For most children's parties two to three hours is just the right amount of time. For children five and under plan for the two hour party. For five to ten year olds three hours usually works well. As children get older you can add time to the party. Especially for those twelve and up, allow plenty of time to hang out!

~~~Have a teen party that's fun for all:

• Set rules but be flexible.
• Provide music and food, but don't hover the whole time.
• Offer a "pick up by" time or a time when all guests need to depart instead of a set “end” to the party. Once guests have left though, don't let them return to the party.
• Finger food is easier to handle; no need to carry plates full of food.
• Have plenty of places to sit, even a pile of pillows that can be thrown and used on the floor.
• Insist that your teenager help with the clean up after the party. Offer to let one or two close friends sleep over so they can help with the clean up the next morning.

~~~If you are hosting a graduation party where young children will be guests, be sure to have some plans to keep them occupied. If you don't, they will find their own entertainment and that could cause trouble, like messes and breakage. Set up a special area with some self-explanatory arts and crafts projects. Add some simple games that the kids can play on their own, such as a bean bag toss and tot-sized basketball. Plenty of inflatable toys like beach balls, musical instruments, and more will provide safe fun. You could even select an assortment of goodie bags full of fun stuff to help occupy them. Have a kids snack table and a cooler with some small juice boxes and water bottles

~~~For children about eight and older, free play time is a good idea in between some games and activities. Keep the party guests in a specific area so that you can collect them when it’s time for the next activity. Set out some games or items that the children may use during free play time, and put away things that you don’t want used or played with. Providing some crafting materials can also be helpful.

Some people like to end the party with free play time so that as parents pick up their children, they aren’t dragging them away from a planned group activity.

~~~One of the best things you can do to keep the party budget low is to plan ahead. Every year you know you will be hosting your child’s party and you know in what month you will hold the party. You can wait for items to go on sale and buy them in advance.

Items such as plates, napkins, and decorations can be the less expensive solid colored items in colors that compliment the theme. If your child must have the themed party goods, select just one or two products to mix in with the solid colored goods. Home made decorations can be made from colorful construction paper.

Many food and beverage items can also be bought in advance, just check for use by dates and storage recommendations. Keeping the fare simple also reduces costs. Most children are happy with traditional cupcakes and ice cream.

The final budget friendly tip is to hold the party at your home. You will save a lot of money. And you don’t need to worry about doing a lot of cleaning, the other children won’t notice and they will probably wind up leaving some mess behind anyway. If you put in a little time and effort to find some fun games and activities the kids will have a great time and the focus will be on the birthday child and their special day.

~~~Your child's first birthday party is a special occasion! Since your child won’t remember it, he or she will appreciate plenty of pictures of the event, including the special family members and friends that attend. This is a great time to start a birthday memory book. It need not be fancy and elaborate. A simple photo album with a few pictures of each birthday can become a treasured keepsake.

Try these easy and meaningful additions to the memory book:

• Trace your child's hand each year or make a hand print with finger paints.
• Write a few of your child's favorite things such as favorite toy, book or place to visit.
• Make a collage out of the front panels of the birthday cards your child receives.

~~~December birthdays can be tough. Many businesses hold their holiday parties on the weekends before Christmas. Family and friends often choose to have their holiday parties then too. All the holiday shopping, the seasonal weather changes and just running around so much can make us more susceptible to colds and flu. Friends and family may be going away for the holidays. So how could you squeeze in the planning and party for a December birthday?

These tips could help make a December birthday special and still manageable:

Plan early and hold the party in November or early December. Send out invitations a little earlier than you might at other times of the year.

Try having a “half” birthday celebration in June or hold off on the party until January.

Have a special dinner the day of the child's birthday and let the child pick their favorite food. Break out the candles and sing Happy Birthday. Save cards and gifts from out-of-town friends and relatives to open that day. Do what you can to make the day special so they won’t feel disappointed about not having a birthday party yet.

When their birthday party arrives, they will get a second round of birthday fun!

~~~Let your party guests help to decorate! When they arrive have a table or an area set up with items to make decorations: paper strips and tape to make a colorful paper chain, birthday or themed coloring pages and crayons to make birthday posters to hang, Balloon Party Pals to hang, and streamers (look for the kind with non-bleeding colors) to toss about.

Let guests hang their decorations using painter's tape, which is available at most discount retailers and home improvement stores. This special tape is safe to use on most surfaces so it is great for children to use.
You may want to supervise when the hanging starts in case there are surfaces that you wish to be off-limits.

~~~When writing birthday party invitations, note whether parents are invited or encouraged to stay with their children. It’s a good idea to have parents stay with children that are under five years old.

For parents who stay, be sure to offer them a snack and drink, but don’t feel obligated to entertain them. It is a child’s party after all. But, you may be able to have them lend you a hand with handing out cake or taking pictures.

~~~When younger children are being dropped off for a party, make sure you have a phone number of where to reach the parent in case something unexpected happens. Even if the child says they have Mom or Dad’s cell phone number memorized, it’s a good idea for you to have it on paper and confirmed with the parent.

~~~A handy party accessory is blue painter’s tape!  This tape really comes in handy for many things because it safely peels away from most surfaces.

Use blue tape:

• to hang party decorations

• to mark a start and/or finish line on the floor

• to create a game board on a floor

• to tape down a Twister game mat

• to label drink cups

• to mark off limits areas of the house and more!

~~~Offering prizes or declaring winners can be a tough decision to make. If you decide to offer prizes it would be good to find a way for all party attendees to receive a prize. One way to handle this is to have a “one prize per child rule.” You could also offer a small prize for each child after each game, with the winner choosing or being given their prize first.

Some people like to offer only goody bags at the end and not offer prizes individually. This way everyone goes home with the same thing.

Either way, place the emphasis on fun!

~~~If you're holding your party at home, make sure you have plenty of trash cans for guests to use. Clean up is easier if there are trash cans close by. Avoid overflowing trash from plates, cups, and gift wrap or mid-party trash duty by having extra trash cans available. A large empty box can become an extra trash can when you line it with a trash bag.

~~~A child's birthday party can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. Simple parties can be as good as or better than elaborate and complicated ones!
This principle also applies to gifts, decorations, refreshments and entertainment for children's birthday parties.
If you're short on time, this is an excellent opportunity to put this to the test! And remember, Partypalooza has pre-made, ready-to-hand-out Goody Bags in a variety of themes to help you out!

~~~The holiday party season often brings occasions where there are more adults than children. It can be a challenge to keep the youngest guests happy when the focus is on the adults. As a party host you can plan to have an area that is safe and kid friendly. Easy to do crafts are a great idea, as are games! You could also hire a teenager to keep the kids in occupied. Try to offer some kid-friendly foods - hungry kids do not make good guests!

It can also be a challenge when you and your child or children are invited to a party where there will be few children. You could check with the host to see if it would be okay to bring along some games or activities for your child so you can enjoy the party. The host may already have some plans, but if not at least you'll know. You could take along a mix of things that can be done by an individual and also some things that require more participants. Avoid messy and excessively noisy activities, though. A kid-friendly snack is a good idea, too. Most importantly, remind your children to respect the rules of the house so you all will be invited back!

Game and activity ideas:

• Travel size games
• Playing cards
• Note pads and pencils for tic-tac-toe or hangman
• Stickers
• Holiday theme craft kits and inflatables
• Puzzles

Check out our selection of games, puzzles, travel toys and holiday goodies!

~~~Halloween Party Ideas

Here are a few ideas for hosting a Halloween party.

Apple bobbing is a traditional activity that kids still love to do.

Lots of spider webs give the party area a haunted house feel.

Lab jar specimen decorations are easily made by filling mason jars with colored water and growing body parts.
Open house Halloween parties work great for Halloween night. Guests can arrive before or after trick-or-treating, and they’ll already be in costume!
Whether your party falls on Halloween or not, encourage guests to come in costume.

Eerie music and strobe lights add to the atmosphere, especially at an evening party.

Enjoy yourself at the party. By planning ahead and being prepared you can have time to relax and enjoy.
Need some more ideas for Halloween? - Check out our Halloween Games page!

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