Tips for organising a party

Party tips
How long should the party be?
The guests
The entertainer
Fees
Value for money
Who's who?
Great party games 

PARTY TIPS
Organizing a party can be very stressful, the following tips will help you avoid the normal pitfalls.
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HOW LONG?
Keep the party to a maximum of 2 hours, that's more than enough for most kids.
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THE GUESTS
Don't invite more children than you can handle, aim for a maximum of 25--30 children if the parties in a hall, at home 15 is more than enough. Avoid wide age ranges if possible. If you are doing something for the younger children the older ones will get bored and vice-versa. From JBs point of view – the more kids the better !
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THE ENTERTAINER

If you're going to hire an entertainer for your party, phone and book him early, good entertainers like JB the Clown get booked up well in advance. If you've never used an entertainer before your Golden Pages is a good place to start. Better still ask your friends.
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FEES

I haven't put any examples here as entertainers fees vary from dirt cheap to very expensive, very expensive doesn't necessarily mean the best, and as for dirt cheap, ask yourself, "why does he have to charge so little to get work?" Find out what you're getting for your money, ask him/her to go through the timetable for the party, Do the kids get balloon models? What does he do whilst they eat? Will my kids really enjoy the day? Most of JBs business comes through word of mouth. Never feel shy about asking for a recent reference – that is a real litmus test!
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VALUE FOR MONEY
Ask your entertainer to arrive 15 – 20 minutes after the “start” time for your party. This way most of the kids will be in place, and you won’t have to suffer interruptions for the entertainment.

Check with the entertainer to make sure you both understand the timetable, so you can sequence eating, birthday cakes and so forth efficiently.
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WHO'S WHO?
It's a good idea to put name stickers on the children so that both you and the entertainer know who they are. The party is much easier to handle if everyone's name is known.
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THE VENUE
Show your guests where you are, secure colourful balloons outside the venue to aid lost parents and the entertainer. Balloons REALLY help clowns find your location much easier.
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THE GAMES
Keep the games simple, try to avoid elimination games, and arrange for any prizes won to be put safely to one side till home time. Believe me it saves a lot of tears.
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FOOD AND DRINK
Keep the food simple, and don't get carried away, JB has seen many a table still topped up with leftover food at home time.
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THE ENTERTAINMENT

If you've hired an entertainer like JB the Clown you want a good show, The following tips will ensure that the entertainer can give his best performance:

  •      		 Try to have a position kept free for the entertainer that allows him to present to the children comfortably. Preferably everyone sitting in front of the "stage"
  •      		 Try not to place him/her with their backs against a large window - as it can be harder for the kids to see him .
  •      		 If - like JB - your entertainer spends time at the end of his show creating balloon sculptures, try to integrate this into party food time. This takes pressure of everybody.
  •      		 Typically, your entertainer will be appreciative of any assistance you can give with child "taming" should it be required.
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    DISTRACTION
    It works in everyone's interest if the kids are left to enjoy the entertainment with as little interruption as possible. This also gives the parent lots of time to organise presents, food and so forth. Once one or two party tikes start skipping off for loo breaks or whatever, the whole show can easily unravel.
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    TODDLERS
    Toddlers are lots of fun, but are not great at understanding the nature of a party. It is best to "try" and keep them out of harms way during the show.
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    PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEO

    Most Entertainers have no objections to your taking photo's or videos of the show; after all it's your child's birthday. But think about the Entertainer before proceeding, don't distract the audience from the performance, and avoid the Performance area.
    Magicians especially will not be impressed if you start wandering behind them during the show. Talk to the Entertainer before the show and he will indicate the best Photo opportunities, and where he doesn't wish you to stand. JB loves videos and photos !
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    GREAT PARTY GAMES
    At my parties, after we have had lots of fun doing magic, and just before we start creating cool balloon sculptures, we play lots of different games. These games do not require JB to be there. They are great fun anytime. Here are some of them for you to try at home – or if you are also a children’s entertainer. I guarantee there is lots and lots of laughter hidden in these !
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    SPAIN AND SPAGETTI

    This is a real fun game where everyone gets to start and you gradually work down to a winner. Despite the fact that it is an elimination game, if it is worked well, everyone gets a fair go.
    Place a long rope, or tape, or anything that will act as a line marker down the center of a room or garden. The line needs to be as long as the number of people you are starting with. Stand everyone in a single line (Birthday Child in front of course!) to the left of the “rope”.

    Explain that the left is SPAIN and the right is SPAGHETTI. When you call either one, get the kids to jump over to the appropriate side. By delaying your SPA….IN or SPA….GHETTI you can have lots of fun with the kids. Give everyone lots of time to get used to the commands at the start. When you start to whittle down, anyone who steps over the line gets the boot.
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    BLIND COTTON SPINNING (JB has lots of fun with this game at parties)

    BLIND COTTON SPINNING (JB has lots of fun with this game at parties)
    For this game you will need two medium sized bowls, lots of cotton balls (enough to fill one of the bowls to the brim), a wooden spoon and a blindfold – or scarf that can act as a blindfold.
    Place both bowls on a table. Fill one up with the cotton balls- making sure that they have been decompressed and are not stuck together. Place the other one a few feet from the first bowl.

    Choose a volunteer from the party (this can be done with as many volunteers as you have time for). Give them the wooden spoon and explain that you want them to scoop as many balls as possible from bowl A to bowl B before the audience counts to 10. Place the blindfold on the volunteer and get the audience to count slowly to 10. You will be surprised how difficult this is (not the counting- the game silly)– and so much fun !
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    TOPF SCHLAGEN
    This game is very popular in Germany. You need some sweets (lollies or such like) a tin pot, a wooden spoon and a blindfold. Blindfold the lucky volunteer. Put the prize under the pot and place it somewhere in the room, within relatively easy reach of your volunteer. Give a couple of spins to the victim. Then all the other kids can shout “hot” or “cold” depending on how close the victim is moving to the pot. The volunteer keeps tapping the floor with the spoon until the pot is hit!
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    BALLOON GAMES (with 260 Modeling balloons available from Party stores like www.aceonestoppartyshop.com)
    1. Throwing for distance: Have the players stand behind a line. On the count of three (3) have the players throw their balloons, the one the goes the longest distance is the winner.
    2. Throwing for accuracy: Place an object away from the players (placement of the object depends on the players ability). Have the players stand behind a line and then on the count of three (3)have them throw their balloon at the object. The one who comes closest to the object wins.
    3. Throwing through an object (1): Place a Hula-hoop or some kind of object that you can throw a ball through. Place the object away from the players (placement of the object depends on the players ability). Have the players try to throw their balloon through the object. The one that makes it through the object continues to play. The object gets placed further away. Repeat this until one (1) player is left.
    4. Throwing through an object (2): Give the players five (5) to seven (7) balloons each. Then have them throw their balloons one at a time through the object (placement of the object depends on the players ability). Count how many of their balloons went through the object the one that had the most balloons go through the object is the winner.
    5. Longest float: Give a balloon to each player. Count to three (3) and have the players throw their balloon up in the air, the last balloon to touch the ground wins. (If there are a lot of players break them up into groups and have the winners of each group play against each other to see who wins) The balloon at no time once it leaves the players hand should be touched.
    6. Tug of war: Have two (2) players each one holding on to one end of a balloon, at the count of three (3) pull as hard as they can until the balloon breaks. The winner can be either the one the shortest piece of the balloon or the one with the longest piece of the balloon.
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