| Party
Tips |
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Anna
and Bob are experts when it comes to party entertainment.
With over 20 years in the entertainment industry, Anna and Bob
have developed this helpful guide to assist you in planning for
your next event.
Their complete Party Tip Guide (below) includes a Party
TimeLine, how to handle the inevetable Party
Day, as well as Miss Annie's usefull Stress Free
Party Tips.
Anna and Bob believe that the time to celebrate life’s most
memorable events is during childhood, because children won’t
be children forever. |
| Party
TimeLine |
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6 to 4 weeks in advance:
• Set your party date by checking VIP schedules
• Consider a time frame that your child will not be too tired
to enjoy his/her party
• If your child is 3 or older get them as involved as possible
with planning this party, even putting invites in the mailbox. Talk
about themes.
• Book entertainment, location, caterer, flower or balloon
centerpieces
3
to 2 weeks
• Send out invitations
• Purchase themed paper supplies, decorations, and party
favors
1
Week in advance
• Confirm your guest list (calling those who did not RSVP
is perfectly acceptable)
• Enlist help (A teenage neighbor or relative could always
use some extra cash) to:
1. Assemble any decorations, party supplies and party favors.
2. (If your party is at home) To put away your child’s favorite
toys.
3. A sign for the child’s bedroom (and any other place)
to keep this personal space off limits and to keep a good watch
on the children.
• If you are not baking the cake, now is a good time to
order it
• Walk through activities, or any planned crafts to make
sure you have all supplies in a container near the planned activity
location
• Set up a music station with themed or relaxing music for
a light and fun atmosphere (This really helps to set a festive
atmosphere)
2 Days in advance
• Confirm entertainment, location etc.
• Check batteries for camcorders, cameras, etc. have extra
on hand for gifts that will need them. Have extra film if needed.
1
Day in advance
• Pick up the cake, party food, drinks and ice (don’t
forget candles)
• Double check party areas for child safety
• Prepare any food platters
• Set up craft and/ or activity environments- identify trash
receptacles
• Place cameras in a convenient location
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| Party
Time! |
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• Provide a nourishing breakfast for your family
• Place balloons or sign to indicate Party location i.e. balloons
on the mailbox
• Arrange decorations
• Have a carafe of coffee and/or hot tea water for any adults
who stay
• Set food out
• Take a lot of pictures. enlist help with this
• Remember this is your child’s day…Enjoy!!
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by
Miss Annie |
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| •
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Involve
birthday child as much as possible. This is their day! Before
all the hustle and bustle of the day, take a special time
out to remind them how special they are to you and how much
you love them. Talk about some host responsibilities i.e.:
Greeting guests, showing guests where to place gifts and personal
items, thanking guests for coming. Go over some polite responses
for gifts even duplicate or “wrong” gifts (Thanks
for thinking of me, that was so thoughtful etc.). |
| •
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Keep
your party time short (1-3 yr olds 1- 1 ½ hrs / 4yrs-up
2 hrs.) and guest list limited. Don’t forget to put
an ending time on the invitation. The younger the child the
shorter the party time should be, and a limited guest list. |
| •
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Mark
the party location with signs and/or balloons this helps any
invited entertainers as well. |
| •
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Offer
party food and cake at a seated area to keep children from
running around, where they could choke. |
| •
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Check out safe foods for toddlers. Keep in mind that certain
foods could be hazardous i.e. Nuts, hard candies, popcorn,
grapes, hot dog pieces. |
| •
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Any broken balloon pieces need to be discarded ASAP. |
| •
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If you are inviting entertainment, don’t surprise a
very young child with the entertainer at the door. Talk about
who is coming and make proper introductions, ask the entertainer
if they can get eye level and a safe distance if the child
is leery. |
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Enlist
teenagers or other parents to help with supervision. |
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Put
cake knife and lighters up after use |
| •
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Identify trash receptacles and bathrooms |
| •
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Party favor bags can cause stress (misplaced items etc)…Here
are some other ideas …. Large batons, Wands, Glittery
crowns, Wings, Sheriff’s badges, Hand puppets, Cowboy
hats, Cowboy scarves, Glow in the dark bracelets, Sunglasses,
Puzzles, Coloring books, Specialty straw cups, Instruments
i.e. Tambourines, Maracas, Cooking apron, Engineer’s
cap, Party favor ideas are only limited by your imagination.
If the party is coed have a few extra girl or boy options
since some children prefer the “other” option
but remind them that they only get one. Try to get a unisex
item to prevent complaining. Hand these out right prior to
guests leaving. Personalizing with glitter pens or black felt
marker on a file label helps to eliminate confusion. |
| •
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Refrain from offering noise makers |
| •
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Plan some quiet activity at a table with items ready i.e.
bookmarkers with stickers and washable markers. Candy necklaces
with licorice strings and colorful bowls of cereal with holes
will keep little hands busy. |
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When
it is time to leave, unplug any blow up toys (jump castle
etc.), turn music down, make it clear that the party is winding
down. Children need these clues. Parents will have an easier
time leaving with their children if the children understand
that the party is coming to an end. |
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Try
to relax and keep a calm demeanor…I emphasize “try”. |
Don’t
start planning next year’s party just yet |
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email
us
or
give us a call at
541-471-8011
541-660-5962
541-660-6249 |
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