Shirley's party advice part 3 - in which Shirley may make a guest appearance

[stealthsquiggle]

We appear to have filled another thread

Was about to suggest pass the parcel and musical statues but I see Stealth has beaten me to it

Ds is just 5 so we've been to a lot of 5th birthday parties recently and they both seem to be staples.

Biscuit decorating has gone down very well with all ages groups at parties I've done in the past. My tips are:-
Make sure you have plenty (2-3 each min)
Have lots of sprinkles/sweeties to decorate with,
Make powdered icing sugar up on bowls (make different colours if you like) and provide spoons for spreading as it's much, much easier and less frustrating than the tubes
and
Give everyone a paper plate to decorate on with their name written on the edge - it means you will easily be able to tell who's biscuit is who's so that any non eaten ones can go home (wrapped in cling film) with their creator and really helps keep the sprinkle overspill in one place and off the floor which helps with clearing up afterwards.

If you've got a theme, finding biscuit cutters to match is easily done on ebay.

it's worth checking what games your own DC know, as that's a good measure of what their friends know. For example, both mine knew stuck in the mud and duck duck goose, but had no idea about some others which I would have considered more obvious.

Yes definitely to PtheP, DD has insisted on that already. I was just thinking that and bumps/statues and something I will call 'dress and dance' when you call out the name of a clothing item and they have to put it on (or take it off when you say it again) whilst still dancing - really simple things like hats, scarves, stretchy bracelets.
Blathers, yes agree with all that, I have done cookery at school with 3x30 of them so I think I can cope at home! Famous last words of course (tries to ignore image of the state of the floor at school.....).
Just don't want to run out of things to do and am trying to stop myself buying up the whole Baker Ross catalogue in bid to prevent this.

Ah, my tips possibly a bit redundant then

LOL at not buying the whole catalogue. I tend to acquire things over several months in the run up to a party and then shock myself as to how much I have

OK so other games - do we have a theme at all? Dressing up races where they pile stuff on to an adult/older child in relay race style are popular, as is general silly dancing with animal impressions (as typically led by obnoxious overbearing "clown" entertainer)

..and a colouring table for non-joiner-inners, too.

Yes egg and spoon relays could work well with those big plastic spoons and eggs. So I am doing ptp, musical bumps, pin the tail on the diplodocus, relays, craft...if you've got a 2hour party then when do you do food, half an hour before the end or soone?

about 45 mins before the end and plan some fairly unstructured rioting-type games for after tea to send them home well hyped up suitably worn out.

I might do a piñata after tea maybe? That wastes lots of time especially as they are small and parents have to do it...

Blathers, goodness, no, not at all. I just meant I'm comfortable with that bit, much more so than the jolly hockey sticks, get everyone playing a game, lets have loads of fun type persona that may be required for more active things.

Hello again everyone, sorry to jump back in again about DS's 4th birthday pirate party. Now some stuff is out of the way I've been able to get back to planning the party and I wondered if you could tell me what you think...

Arrival - straight to a craft table to decorate a booty bag - basic pirate bag (with names on) with some stickers, self-adhesive jewels etc.

Once everyone has arrived and done that give them a pirate spy glass and a pirate card to go off and find the matching pair (sort of a treasure hunt as it's hard to do a real treasure hunt in an empty hall)- gold dubloon for the booty bag when they find it.

Followed by musical islands - when people get eliminated another prize/dubloon for their booty bag and take a turn at pin the patch on the pirate or similar.

Pass the treasure chest (pass the parcel) but get to choose a prize from the treasure chest

Sleeping pirates

Lunch - pirate themed for the kids, some snacks and drinks for grown ups.

Birthday cake

Pirate Pete (pirate story with a couple of key words that they have to do a pirate action for) - have a fab helper who's a brilliant storyteller for young children. While they're all occupied take the opportunity to put cake and a couple of bits in the pirate bag.

Also, have the craft table set up with colouring sheets throughout, hopefully a helper to do some very basic pirate face painting, balloons.

Finish off with walk the plank (if I can organise a plank) or maybe a piñata (how much stuff do I need for a piñata? DS hasn't been to a party with one before, do they just take turns to bash the piñata and then a free for all when it's bust?)

Any thoughts? Do I need more or less? Thinking around 1 1/2 hours.

Wow scottish that all sounds brilliant, craft activity would be good whilst they are waiting for face painting too so that sounds good.

No idea how much to put in a pinata, watching the responses to that with interest. And yes how do you stop some urchin from taking all the sweets once its burst?

It all sounds fab Scottish. Can I come

While in Hobby craft (yes again!) yesterday, I spotted an egg shaped cookie cutter in their clearance bit. I bought it as obviously, you never know when you might need an egg shaped cutter :) but when I went to put it in the box with the others, I realised just how many cutters I now have! I think I might need some sort of intervention

Just the one box, Blathers? Nothing to worry about there, then

I am not a huge fan of pinatas, personally, probably because I can never work out how to do it and because my DC would go all soppy about hitting anything cute. Having said that, the DC went to a kids club on holiday in Mexico, and they did it "properly" - pinata was dangling on a rope with a man on the other end - kids were given bags, took turns (smallest to largest), took turns again, were told to smack the hell out of it, eventually had to have some help, and then scrambled for the loot. They all seemed to come away happy and I couldn't see any "fixing" going on - but maybe it might be best to have some stuff in reserve in case some child comes away with nothing?

It's a big box though Stealth. I might count how many cutters...

93!

Still tempted to buy another 7 just to round it up

Thanks all. I got most of the ideas on here or through links on here! I will ponder some more on the pinata. Do you think 1 1/2 hours is enough time for everything? We've got the hall booked for 2 hours with quarter hour either side for set up clear up, but I'd like to give myself plenty of time to set up. Last year people were arriving quite promptly and making small talk while I was trying to rush around.

Blathers - if you're handy at face painting you'd be very welcome!

I know I have more than that but I am not counting them or DH might make me rationalise them

My box of cutters seems quite poor in comparison I think. I shall have to count them and buy some more. I probably need some pirate shaped ones I think...

I did notice I had 5 christmas trees, 5 stars and at least 3 holly leaves, 3 teddies and 3 elephants But they're all different sizes or shapes so I need them all.

I don't have pirate ones - but I do have a parrot and a skull so I think I could wing it

pirate cookie cutters

you know you want need to...

I need this one first :)

that's on my birthday list too

Ooh, I think my party shopping list needs updated! I definitely need to take the approach of buying things over the year. I totted up the cost of some pirate themed table wear and decorations etc and it soon adds up. Thank heavens for ebay though.

The thing about cookie cutters though, I have no idea how you go about decorating themed cookie cutters. Say for example these flower cookies - what icing do you use for the base flower shape? And what's the best way to add detail?

It's on mine too. Just over a fortnight to my birthday as well