Kid's Party Blog Comics

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Special Considerations Party Planning

Entertaining the Disabled

Whether you are a veteran of the Galactic Empire or an everyday earthling like myself there are people who are disabled, in one way or the other, in just about everyone’s circle of friends and acquaintances. In my own immediate family, I have one person who must use a wheelchair and another who is allergically challenged when it comes to peanuts.

Whenever I entertain with a party that involves either of those relatives, I know I must consider both of their special needs, and I’m okay with that. I realize that for many people, this is a very daunting proposition which they usually answer by simply not inviting their disabled friends and relatives, or simply by choosing not entertaining with a party at all. How completely sad is that?

It is very important to remember, in my opinion, that as you move through your daily life you understand the fact that disabled people are just like you and me when it comes to social gatherings and parties. While they have additional challenges in their lives, they still enjoy many of the same things you and I do, and a good party is no exception! I think it's important when you plan your party not to forget about those who are either temporarily disabled wearing a cast or forced to move around with crutches, or permanently disabled. You might be surprised at the smile generating power a party invitation can have on someone often overlooked by so many others because of a disability.

The first thing you can do when you're planning a party is to plan on inviting your disabled friends and family to the party. Don’t let their differences scare you away from having them to your home or event. However, you should also not be shy about asking these friends and relatives if there is anything you can do to help them navigate your chosen party venue, or if there are any dietary restrictions they have which you can plan ahead for. Simply asking these two questions, will make disabled friends and family feel appreciated and included in your plan. In addition, they will have respect for the fact that you asked the questions that many in their alliances don’t bother to.

The next thing you can do is to take a moment to view your home or other party location as other people will who attend your party. Try sitting down in a chair, or sitting on the floor, and have a good look around. Look at obstacles like clutter and see if it would be necessary for you to move some things out of the way for the party time. This is especially important in tighter spaces such as bathrooms and hallways. Look for tripping hazards like stairs and see if you can highlight them better to make sure that even your visually impaired granny can see them and be able to navigate them without falling.

If you would like to invite someone to your party with a more physical disability, ask them if there is someone they would like to bring along as their caregiver? Most people would be happy that you were considerate of the fact that they may need someone available to help them. Some people need help in places like the restroom and would prefer to have someone there they can feel more comfortable with.

If your invitee has never been to your home before, you can simply ask if they would like to come over before the event and the two of you can work on any accessibility issues together. This can be a great help and make both you and your guests feel as comfortable as possible.

One of the best things you can ever do when entertaining is to invite those around you with disabilities. Especially during the holiday season, people can be very lonely, and it only takes a nice gesture such as an invitation to a party to start to feel better about yourself and the world around you. If you feel uncomfortable about the person’s disability, then try talking to them about what challenges they face and what things you can do to make their stay nicer at your home. Through some simple communication, both you and your disabled friends and relatives can have some great party memories to share.

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Saturday, April 4, 2020

Little Princess Party

If you would like your little girl to feel like a princess for a day, why not throw her a princess party? This party is excellent for little girls aged pre-school through about fourth grade, depending upon the maturity of your child and their friends who will be in attendance.

A princess party is a perfect time where your child can enjoy being treated like royalty and for you to indulge her in her every wish, within reason of course. A princess party is one she is sure to treasure and remember for the rest of her life.
The first thing you will want to do before the party is to decide on the decorations, activities, and food that will compliment your princess party theme.

Take out a pen and a sheet of paper and start taking brainstorming ideas, go over your notes to decide which of your little princess party ideas meet your own home and specific needs. This will help you to create a shopping list for your party and a timeline to get everything accomplished.

As for décor, just about anything goes to decorate your castle, also known as your home. Using lots of pink and purple is always a good choice for a princess party. You can use pastel pink and purple streamers and balloons along with a matching tablecloth and napkins.

For a nice added touch you can use complementary colored plates and cups, and also tie your napkins with a nice fancy ribbon which is only fit for a princess and her castle. If you have pink or purple fabric on hand, you might want to cover your party room chairs with it and tie it into big bows at the back. If you do not have any fabric, check your local thrift stores for a sheet in the right color which you can cut up and use for the day.

For your princess party invitations, you will want to ask your guests to come dressed in their best outfits and ready to be pampered for the party. Or, simply let them come in their everyday clothing and add to their outfit when they arrive. You can purchase inexpensive feather boas which the girls can wear around their shoulders for the party and then take home afterward. Also, readily available are simple tulle skirts that can transform their outfit into one fit for a princess. A good idea is to have each guest in pink while the guest of honor is in purple or vice versa.

Once your guests arrive you can have them decorate their own princess cone party hats with such items as gems, confetti, and feathers which you have purchased from the local dollar or discount store for that purpose. Once their hats are decorated, then you can staple on streamers or ribbons to the top of the hat so that they flow out when the party guest move or twirl.

A fun game to play is “Princess May I?” which is a version of the old traditional game “Mother May I?” Have the guest of honor be the princess and allow her to play the role of the mother in the more traditional game. Once your craft project and game are done, then it is time to seat your princess on her own thrown to enjoy a nice tea party. The best foods to serve are sandwiches cut into hearts or stars with cookie cutters.

The beverage of choice could be a pink lemonade served in either fancy plastic glasses or in teacups. Your cake design can be either a princess, or a castle, both options are fairly easy to make, or they can be purchased. If your local stores carry piñatas, you can fill one with candy such as gold chocolate coins, ring lollypops, and candy necklaces to help round out the party theme and give the girls something fun to do. They can take home the candy from the piñata in their very own princess goodie bags.

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Sunday, March 15, 2020

Planning a Preschool Birthday Party

Usually, around the time that children get to be in preschool, they discover that there is a whole new world of birthday parties out there which can be just for them. It usually starts with one child having a party and inviting her entire class. From there the party invitations start to come in by the droves for the rest of the preschool year. When it's your child’s turn, there is no need to panic; you can plan a fantastic preschool party even on a low budget or without a lot of time commitment on your part.

The best way to start to plan your preschooler’s party is to ask them what kind of party they want to have? This is important because he may want, or not want, a party similar to the one which they have attended. By asking them what they want, you are on your way to being able to start your planning. You don't need to be fearful that if you ask what your child wants that she will tell you they want expensive options; most children have pretty simple wants such as a specific theme or color scheme they desire.

The next decision you need to make is the location of the birthday party. For young children, who are prone to being messy, you might want to have their party at a local fast-food restaurant or similar venue. This can have the effect of the kids having some fun, and you not having a large mess to clean up after the party has finished. Another good option, if the weather in your area permits, is a local park.

If you dread the idea of spending hours with a pack of preschoolers on your weekend, you might choose to have the party in the evening or for just an hour or two on a Saturday afternoon. Preschoolers can only have a limited amount of fun before they become stressed out and start whining and crying. You can use this to your advantage by planning a relatively short but fun party.

If you plan to have more than a couple other children at the party you will need other adults to help you. Because preschoolers need lots of help and attention, you should have an adult for every three or four children in attendance. This will be a great help when children need help using the bathroom and other things as the party goes along.

When you are distributing invitations to your partiers, it is very important to remember that if you will be sending them to preschool to be passed out, you must invite each child in the class. To do otherwise is prohibited by most schools and just simply rude as well. Nothing is more hurtful than a group of preschoolers all taunting another child for not being invited to a party.

On the day of the party, you will want to have as much for your partiers to do as possible. While you do not want to overwhelm the children, it is important to keep them busy and occupied the entire time they are there with you. This will keep them out of trouble and having fun.

It is very important that you insist on good manners from your birthday party guests as well as your own birthday boy or girl. Everyone should use the words “please” and “thank you” as well as being courteous to others. In addition, you should go over how your child will handle opening presents and what is, and is not, appropriate to say to other people about gifts.

For more party planning ideas see some of the party planning choices offered on my Pinterest boards.

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Your Party Timeline

One of the best things that you can do when you are planning a party or event of any size is to have a written party timeline and a master shopping list. By creating a good solid timeline and a comprehensive list for shopping, you can ensure that your party goes off without any unexpected hitches. The following is a list of seven tips professional party planners use to get you on the right track in planning your shopping list and timeline:

Tip 1, Whether you are party planning for children, adults, or a wedding or a simple birthday celebration and whatever the size of your event, you must have a master shopping list as well as a good timeline. With a pen and paper decide on how long things will take you to do and start filling in your timeline. While you are going through the process, is the time to start a shopping list as well.

Tip 2, Before you can start to build your timeline and shopping list, first you must decide on where your party or event will be held and how many people you will be inviting. If you will be using an event location like a restaurant, you need to secure your space before moving along to do anything else.

Peanuts | Snoopy & Friends Winter Scarf Paper Placemat
by peanuts

Tip 3, Once you have secured your location for your party, that's when to start your shopping lists. To start building your timeline think about the things you will need to do before the party, such as send out your invitations. If you will be having them custom printed you will need to allow extra time for the printing before you can mail them out to your guests.

Tip 4, Once you have your date and location secured, and you have ordered your invitations, if necessary, then it is time to think about what you will be doing at your party, what type of food and drinks will be on the menu, and how long you want the party to last. Dedicate a single sheet of paper just to your party day and list everything you will need to do, in order, by time. For example, preparing food before guests arrive would be at the top of the sheet of paper, while giving out party favors may be at the absolute bottom.

Tip 5 In addition to your timeline for the day of the party, you will also want to formulate a timeline for the two weeks or so leading up to the event. Here you will need to block out time for cleaning, shopping, decorating, etc…

Tip 6, As you do each of the steps above, you will start to develop a good timeline and a great shopping and supplies list of things that you will need. This will be a great help to you and can even help you to remember to pick up things that you might otherwise have forgotten. In addition, you will also start to see if there will be any conflicts in your timeline where you might need to move a few things around or enlist the help of others.

Tip 7, Once you have your lists generated then it is time to stick to them and make sure everything gets done. If you are finding that you have more work to do than time to do it in, it is perfectly acceptable to ask other people to help you with various parts of the event. In fact, most people you will find would be happy to help you.

If you will be hosting a party or event, the best thing you can possibly do for yourself is to follow these tips, and if you're like me (not a first-time party giver) then don't be afraid to add lots of ideas of your own, and develop yourself a good timeline and master shopping list. By writing things down, you will much more clearly see what you need to do and what you will have time to do yourself.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Surprise Party Planning Tips

I can remember only one time being treated to a surprise birthday party and unlike other birthday parties given for me over the years, I can still remember every detail. Back then I lived my life as a musician so when my band members all suggested I accompany them to a party at a fan/friend's house I agreed to go along. Looking back now I knew it was my birthday, (at least I think I did) but somehow I never caught on to what my bandmates had in store for me until I was suddenly showered with the calls of "Surprise!"

I'm sure the shocked look on my face and my sudden lack of words told all of the smiling faces around me that I was genuinely surprised. Feeling congratulation slaps on the back mixed with words like "happy birthday," and "we got you this time! I remember feeling a little embarrassed, that I didn't have a clue, and it made me feel good to know that a group of R&B musicians, who as we traveled the country had accused me of being nothing all business and Zero-Party. Somehow the fact that this same group of guys would conspire to give me a surprise birthday party made me smile.

Ever since then, I have come to appreciate that particular birthday, even more, when I think about the planning that was put into it. My band members hiding that secret until the actual day of the event. I would later find out that the party was actually our friend and fan's idea, and that they were able to contact and enlist the entire band to go along with their surprise which left me feeling very grateful for a fantastic group of friends and fellow musicians. Thinking about that experience is what made me want to share these few tips with those thinking about planning a surprise party.

When it comes to planning a surprise party planning can be done that will result in a fun and enjoyable gathering for all of the people involved. Especially if you and your co-conspirators can keep up the charade until the party happens you'll end up with one very surprised and happy guest of honor.

Even though the secret of your surprise party lays with all of the people who will be in attendance, there are some simple things that you can do, as the party planner and host, to help ensure the best possible outcome. Here are some tips to get you started on the road to planning a surprise party that your friends and relatives will be sharing on Facebook.

First, find out from your guest of honor, or even better from their significant other, what their schedule is like within the time frame you are considering for the surprise party. Use this valuable information to set the date for your surprise party.

Next, enlist the help of someone who can devise a fictitious activity for the guest of honor to partake in on the day of the party. Keep in mind, the closer to your home this activity is, the easier it is for your helper to “find the need to stop in at your home for a moment” the day of the party.

Install a cloak of secrecy when extending your invitations to all of your invited guests. Make your invitations carry instructions so that each of your guests understands that the party is a surprise and should be kept that way. Ask them to please not share the information with your guest of honor or anyone else who might mention your surprise party plan.

Come up with a planned event that everyone who may run into your guest of honor can use it as a diversion if they need to. However, if your guests don’t think they can “lie” to the guest of honor with a straight face, suggest that they avoid them for the time leading up to the party, whenever possible and practical.

Recommend that all of your invited guests arrive at least thirty minutes before you expect your guest of honor to arrive. If your guest of honor generally arrives early to events, then you might want to ask your invited guests to come a bit earlier, just to be safe. If possible, ask your guests to park down the street and out of sight. The only caveat to this is if the guest of honor believes they are attending another event at your home on that day. If this is the case then it won’t really matter much where people choose to park.

When you have done all of the other things suggested, then the only thing you can really do is pray and hold your breath that no one will slip-up and tell your guest of honor about your planned surprise party.

Planning a surprise party can be a lot of fun. If you take the time to build some diversions into your plan, you are able to help those who might be asked questions by the guest of honor. This will ensure that they are not caught off-guard and without a good, solid, quick answer to give to any questions that they may be asked.

In my only experience with a surprise party, I was caught totally and completely off guard. Knowing all the things I know now about setting up and giving a party I realize and appreciate the effort that went into the secret operation that brought a big smile to my face, and the faces of all those around me. Doing the things listed above will lead to a wonderful surprise party.

Best of luck!

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Some of my Sweeter Memories

These days there is a lot of posts about how to eat healthier, losing weight and getting in shape. I'm not trying to knock these articles and posts, but sometimes when you're doing the party planning it’s fun to think back to when you were a kid.

Remember all the games you used to play? Board games like Monopoly, Life, and Scrabble? From my childhood days, I can even remember playing Tag, hide n’ seek and pin the tail on the donkey.

There seemed to always be running around, riding bikes, skating, rolling down grassy hills. Anyway, I hope you can see where I'm going with all this, let’s have a little fun. What I remember best about my birthday, and my sibling's birthdays is the candy!

What was your favorite candy when you were a kid? Some of mine were Licorice, Chocolate, and good old Laffy Taffy?

I remember the delight of the days I was old enough to go to the store to buy candy without my parent's supervision. No mom there to tell me I couldn’t have what I could afford to buy. Lemon heads were always one of my favorites.

I'll admit that my younger brothers and I no doubt spent way too much of our allowances on candy, but it was SO much fun! We’d hide it so that our mother wouldn’t find it, and call it our midnight snack making sure to throw the wrappers straight into the trash after eating the candy. My mother laughed about that to me once a couple years ago, my brothers and I could not believe that she had known of our candy hiding secret, but she did. We all laugh about it now but the candy had been eaten after all; she couldn’t undo that, so what did it matter if she knew then?

Halloween was, of course, the best. As we got older we got to be the kids that went around the neighborhood later than just about anyone else, so the people who didn’t want to have leftover candy would just dump their excess on us. No worries back then about poison.

Another funny memory is that just like the squirrels that used to frequent our neighborhood hiding food for the wintertime my brothers and I were always trying to find the best places to hide each individual piece. Of course, that meant that every here and there we’d find a piece that had clearly been hidden for a year or more... yuck! When our house was destroyed we move a few times before settling into a new house my parents had built. I can't help but smile thinking about the people who moved into the houses we had once lived in when they came across pieces of candy we had hidden as kids.

Despite my best resolutions these days, I still love candy. Cinnamon candies are my main weakness now, but I know how to be pretty good about it, buying a small quantity once in a while so that I get the taste without the feeling of OD-ing (Over Dosing) on Cinnamon candies. But then come those days when I have to get into my old favorites, Lemon heads still feel good on a sore throat.

Yes, it does pay to eat healthily. But everything in moderation, and that includes moderation. Sometimes you just have to revisit a few old memories in your party planning. When my own kids were still small it seemed like everything candy-wise was a gummy this or a sour that, and while I was able to migrate my taste buds somewhat to the more contemporary candy flavors nothing can match my favorite candies from the time I spent as a kid.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Monster Party

Custom Retro Monster Postcard
by My_Favorite_Things

Party with Monsters at your very own monster party! And feed them some of the best monster food in the world, chocolate party favors! All monsters love chocolate, in America alone, Monsters (both large and small) eat 10-12 pounds of chocolate every year. You will also see that, as you near the end of this post, consuming that much chocolate is really not all that bad for the human body. So take it from a big chocolate-eating-monster (me) chocolate can make the perfect party favor.

Chocolate is considered a food that promotes relaxation and because of the cocoa mixed into it has a calming effect; something I could appreciate when planning a birthday party for my own hyper-active little chocolate-eating-monsters when they were small. Chocolate calms the nerves and can help you feel good, and celebrated, even when your name isn't on the birthday cake. Some consider chocolate a sinful indulgence but not me, chocolate is all about tasting good to me. Chocolate, at a fun party setting, should be enjoyed especially as a party favor guilty feelings.

Party favors are small gifts the host gives each guest to show their appreciation. It's a great way to say “thank you for being here.” In my opinion, chocolate is the most popular party favor ever.

Chocolate party favors can be further enhanced with personalization. Customized chocolates enable you to communicate a message to your guests. For example, if you are celebrating a birthday party you can include a message such as “Happy Birthday Joe.” You can have a date, the place of the party, or any other message printed on the chocolate wrapper.

Your personalized wrapper on your chocolate party favor can serve as a pleasant reminder and keepsake of a really nice birthday party, that add a little personal appeal in the form of a milk chocolate party favor.

Chocolate not only tastes great, but it may be good for your health to some. Research shows that chocolate may help your body use insulin more efficiently and lower your blood pressure. Chocolate includes essential minerals, such as magnesium and potassium. Vitamins B1, B2, D, and E are found in chocolate. Chocolate also includes antioxidants that can help protect against cancer and premature aging.

The history of chocolate dates back to the Maya civilization, and we still can’t live without it. According to recent surveys, chocolate is America's favorite party flavor with over 50% of adults favoring chocolate to other party flavors. Chocolate party favors are a great way to add to your party enjoyment, and to my surprise, with moderation, chocolate can even be part of a healthy diet.