|
| |
Cute Cat Names ... And How To Find Them
Cute cat names? Max is popular, Lady a favorite for queens. If you want your cat to have a more original name, you have to use your imagination. Or get some expert help. ‘Muffin. Kitty. Snowball. All stupid names that no self respecting cat would have - ...
How to Use Humor to Improve Your Relationships
Humor has long been considered one of the most effective tools to judge the quality of any relationship. If there is laughter present you can assume that the relationship is a healthy one. When the laughter ceases you can be quite certain that the ...
Play Free Games
Games, indoor or outdoor have great significance in our lives. Games are a perfect storehouse of entertainment. Kids as well as adults can refresh and uplift their spirits through the medium of playing or watching games. Games are perhaps the best means ...
|
|
|
|
| |
The easiest way to plan a great kids party is to start with a theme into which all the different party elements fit perfectly. Your most important input in deciding on the party theme should come from the party child.
Consider his or her interests and favorite things, such as sports, hobbies, cartoon characters, TV shows, books, animals, and so on. Kids love to be involved in the party planning - the anticipation is part of the fun!
Next, consider each of the party elements in relation to your chosen theme. These elements include invitations, decorations, cake, costumes, games, food, and favors. You don't have to use all of the elements, but once you get brainstorming you'll probably want to!
INVITATIONS:
Invitations can be homemade from your computer or fashioned by the party child. There are lots of internet sites which offer many themed designs at a reasonable cost, or you can even send invitations via email. Don't be afraid to try new ideas such as writing party details on a balloon, deflating it and mailing to guests.
DECORATIONS:
Decorations are easy if you stick with the basics. Balloon bunches and crepe paper streamers go a long way toward setting a festive party atmosphere. A handmade greeting sign on the front door welcomes guests to your party spot. A plastic tablecloth decorated with markers by the party child lends a personal touch, and his or her toys can double as party accents, if they fit with the party theme.
CAKE:
The party cake is an indispensable part of your celebration, but it needn't be from a fancy (and pricey) bakery. A simple rectangular cake adorned with a few of your child's small plastic toys makes a perfectly acceptable cake. Try grouping cupcakes on a platter with a candle in each to serve as a nontraditional cake.
Better still, let party guests frost and decorate their own cupcakes. How about making a birthday cookie or "pizza" by baking pre-made cookie dough in a pizza pan and frosting it? An internet search for "birthday cakes" will also provide you with many popular cake designs and ideas.
COSTUMES:
Costumes are a fun addition to your party plan, especially when guests get to become their own party-themed character. Make a habit of collecting hats, scarves, bandannas, sunglasses, fabric, and other clothing items that can be transformed into simple costumes. Yard sales and resale stores often yield used costumes, hats, ribbon, etc. at a fraction of their original cost.
Facepainting with a little acrylic paint mixed with liquid soap easily makes party guests into pirates, monsters, clowns, you name it.
/>
GAMES:
Competitive games are the best way to get all the guests engaged and excited. It's easy to take many traditional games and give them a clever twist to fit with your party theme. For example, "pin the tail on the donkey" becomes "pin the crown on the princess" for a princess party. "Freeze tag" becomes "frozen zombies" for a Halloween or monster party. "Hot potato" can be "pass the parrot" for a pirate party, and so on.
FOOD:
Kids party food should be simple, as guests are usually too excited to eat much anyway. Plan an easy entree such as pizza or finger sandwiches and provide various munchies such as cut-up vegetables and dip, grapes and apple slices. The cake and ice cream will provide enough sugar to keep kids happy.
If you want to get a little fancier, visit the many cooking websites for thousands of recipes to inspire you. Food can also be designed to fit with the party theme. For instance, chicken wings become "pteradactyl wings" for a dinosaur party, punch can be a "love potion" for a princess party, chicken tenders can be "golden nuggets" for a pirate party, you get the idea.
FAVORS:
Party favors extend the fun and fuzzy feeling kids get from partying! There's nothing like having "a little something" as a remembrance of a fun day. Goody bags are always popular; even though parents sometimes object to the candy and plastic toys, kids still love 'em!
Gift certificates to fast food restaurants are a hit too, as are books, glow necklaces, and simple personalized toys. "Make and take" party favors are the best as kids get to create and keep their own special parting gifts.
Creating a party theme is easy if you take it step by step and plan ahead. You may find that planning your child's party can be as fun as the party day itself!
Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a comprehensive resource for kids party ideas and complete party plans for many popular themes, including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.
If you have a web site related to kids, kids parties, or another related theme, you may reproduce this article on your site, provided it appears in its entirety, including this resource box and live clickable link to: Kids-Party-Paradise.com where great kids parties are "a piece of cake"!
Copyright 2004 Kids Party Paradise All Rights Reserved
affiliates@kids-party-paradise.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Turkey struggles to preserve childhood cartoonFox NewsToday, as he's eclipsed by more flamboyant cartoon characters, a few ardent fans are working industriously to revive this faded icon, who helped steer the early consciousness of many Turks who describe him wistfully as a cute, childhood companion.and more » |
|
Nick Galifianakis cartoons, the early yearsWashington PostArtist Nick Galifianakis has been illustrating Carolyn Hax's advice column in The Washington Post since it launched in 1997. Here , a look at his earliest work. Monument climb, baby heart transplant, robotic fish and more. Barn owls, pit bulls, ...and more » |
|
About that cartoon . . .Concord MonitorBy Felice Belman / Monitor editor I certainly didn't think state Republican Party officials would laugh out loud at Mike Marland's cartoon on yesterday's Opinion page. If you missed it, Marland drew House Speaker Bill O'Brien sporting a Hitler ...and more » |
|
Cartoons: A long way to goIBNLive.comThey no longer have to watch the boring and mediocre cartoons to kill time. Out of the wide array of sub-standard cartoons and kids' shows, only a handful are genuinely funny and worth watching. Cartoons, which are now finding their way through the ... |
|
