Archive for the ‘Party Tips & Advice’ Category

Wimbledon Themed Party

Monday, June 20th, 2011

kids_tennis

At this time of year the enthusiasm for tennis is high.  Everyone gets addicted to Wimbledon and all things tennis and all of our budding little Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams wannabes have nothing but tennis on their minds.  So if you are not a millionaire with your own tennis court and want to throw a wimbledon party for your child what do you do??

Invitations

Design the invite to look like an entry ticket. The perforations don’t have to be real, just draw them in.  Mention things  like Centre Court for the venue, dress code tennis whites etc.    On the day have a “turnstile” for entry (perhaps your side gate if you have one) and tear their “tickets” in half for authenticity.

The Party

Not many of us have a tennis court in our back garden but invest in a beach tennis set, they are pretty inexpensive.  If you can’t find one with a net, construct one out of a piece of clothes line or similar.  You only need something for them to aim over.  Use some strong white tape to set out simple boundaries for the court either on tarmac or grass, wherever you have the largest area.

Next you need a scoreboard.  Use a blackboard if you have one and if not use a large sheet of paper pinned to your shed or wall.  Play a round robin tournament so each child gets to play against everyone else and gets plenty of action.  When they are not involved in the match, let them take it in turns to be ball boys / girls, lines people or scorekeeper.  Best to have an adult as umpire.  Keep each match short, perhaps the best of three games.  Hold semi finals and a final and have some “trophies” and medals to give out.  You can give prizes for sportsmanship, best shot etc to make sure everyone gets a prize.

The Fare

You need to have lots of dainty sandwiches with the crusts cut off and of course strawberries and cream / ice cream!!!  Make up some diluted orange (it can be Robinsons to be authentic but unlikely anyone will notice) and chop lots of fresh summer fruits into it.  Get some plastic champagne glasses to serve.   For the cake, you can decorate a plain sponge cake to look like a tennis court with some food colouring and icing.

The Party Bags

A simple party bag could include a tennis ball, a headband or wristband and perhaps a medal for the tennis tournament!

And it’s game, set and party!

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Childrens Parties – Creating Your Very Own Party Page

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
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Rating: 7.8/10 (4 votes cast)

Top 10 Tips for Baby’s 1st Birthday – Part Two

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

Baby's Birthday Party Ideas6. Buckets of Toys!

Rather than leaving all of your children’s toys out for the babies and toddlers to play with, pile them into boxes and containers. Babies love emptying and refilling and this will probably prevent a little bit of argy bargy when two want the same thing as they will be too busy loading and unloading.

7. Cupcakes!

Try making an arrangement of cupcakes rather than one big birthday cake. You can pop a candle in the central cake and this can be put in front of your baby for the Happy Birthday song. If she decides to smear her fingers through the icing or hurl it to the floor then it is only that cake that is destroyed rather than the whole birthday cake!!

8. Jealousy!

If you have a toddler who has been a little fed up for the past year with this invasion of her life and having to share her parents’ attention then make sure she is made to feel a part of the occasion. Take her shopping and let her pick a toy that she would like to give the Baby for her birthday. Let her help to wrap it and even colour in a card. She could help with making rice crispie cakes for the big day too. And make a fuss of putting her in her best party clothes for the celebrations.

9. Keep it Simple!

Remember a First Birthday will only ever happen once. So don’t get worked up worrying about how clean and tidy the house is, how perfect the food is etc. The most important thing is that you savour the moment and treasure the memory – remember it will feel like only a few moments have passed and it will be her 21st Birthday Party (and a whole new set of problems go with that of course!).

10. And Finally….

Remember the camera / video camera!!! Maybe it’s just me but I never seem to have it all together on this front. Either the battery is run down or I haven’t got a disc for the video camera or else I just don’t know where I have put them!!! These are just the kind of pictures and footage that you might want to embarrass her at that 21st party……..

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Top 10 Tips for Baby’s 1st Birthday – Part One

Friday, January 14th, 2011
Over the last few weeks with my own daughter’s 1st Birthday Party looming, I have been gathering tips for this event.  I have put together what I think to be the Top 10!
1. Nap Time!
This really is the No. 1 rule!  Make sure you arrange the party around the time your child has her nap.  Do not attempt to rearrange her schedule to fit the party.  She will be cranky and by the end of it so will the rest of the family!
2. Danger – Babies on the Prowl!
If you are having other babies to the party, remember they are not all necessarily at the same stage of development as your child.  While your baby might still be crawling at one year another may be walking or vice versa.  These different stages pose a variety of household hazards.  Also while your baby is used to your house, it will be new territory for someone else’s child.   A good tip is to get down on the floor at the same level as a baby and spot the potential dangers from their perspective.
3. And then there are the grown-ups!
The adults visiting your house for the party do not necessarily know which doors need to be kept closed or how to work your particular stair gate properly or where it is safe to leave a drink or food.  Firstly their house is going to be different and secondly not everyone at your party may have children of their own.  People will generally appreciate if you just mention to them on arrival that this door stays closed and not to leave their glass on the coffee table etc.  It saves a lot of upset if it prevents a glass of red wine being spilt or a baby falling down the stairs because a gate isn’t closed properly.
4. Changing Stations!
If you can clear one room, perhaps a bedroom and reserve it for Mum’s to bring babies that need to be changed, fed or even to have a sleep away from the rest of the party then you will find a lot of Mother’s will be more relaxed knowing they have a little haven to go to.  Make sure you have some extra nappies, baby wipes and towels to hand in case they are needed.
5. Game Stations!
Should there be older children coming to the party, again it might be an idea to have a room with toys and games suitable for them.  Older children will get fed up listening to adults talking and watching babies playing so facilitating them will make for a much happier occasion!

1163242_cupcakesOver the last few weeks with my own daughter’s 1st Birthday Party looming, I have been gathering tips for this event.  I have put together what I think to be the Top 10!

1. Nap Time!

This really is the No. 1 rule!  Make sure you arrange the party around the time your child has her nap.  Do not attempt to rearrange her schedule to fit the party.  She will be cranky and by the end of it so will the rest of the family!

2. Danger – Babies on the Prowl!

If you are having other babies to the party, remember they are not all necessarily at the same stage of development as your child.  While your baby might still be crawling at one year another may be walking or vice versa.  These different stages pose a variety of household hazards.  Also while your baby is used to your house, it will be new territory for someone else’s child.   A good tip is to get down on the floor at the same level as a baby and spot the potential dangers from their perspective.

3. And then there are the grown-ups!

The adults visiting your house for the party do not necessarily know which doors need to be kept closed or how to work your particular stair gate properly or where it is safe to leave a drink or food.  Firstly their house is going to be different and secondly not everyone at your party may have children of their own.  People will generally appreciate if you just mention to them on arrival that this door stays closed and not to leave their glass on the coffee table etc.  It saves a lot of upset if it prevents a glass of red wine being spilt or a baby falling down the stairs because a gate isn’t closed properly.

4. Changing Stations!

If you can clear one room, perhaps a bedroom and reserve it for Mum’s to bring babies that need to be changed, fed or even to have a sleep away from the rest of the party then you will find a lot of Mother’s will be more relaxed knowing they have a little haven to go to.  Make sure you have some extra nappies, baby wipes and towels to hand in case they are needed.

5. Game Stations!

Should there be older children coming to the party, again it might be an idea to have a room with toys and games suitable for them.  Older children will get fed up listening to adults talking and watching babies playing so facilitating them will make for a much happier occasion!

Stay tuned for more next week!

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Halloween Party Decorations

Wednesday, October 27th, 2010

I just found this great video on YouTube that has given me some great ideas for our Halloween party. Now to get the kids involved in helping me make them all!

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Trick Or Treat For Temple Street

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

TS-Banner_sm

Trick or Treat for Temple Street is an annual fundraising campaign that takes place at Halloween every year in aid of the hospital.

This campaign is the only event on behalf of Temple Street where we rely solely on the help of volunteers for it’s success.

The event involves selling spooky merchandise for €2 on street and at various Shopping Centres.

Halloween Parties

You can also support Temple Street & have spooktacular fun by hosting your own Trick or Treat for Temple Street Halloween Party! To register for your Halloween Party Pack please click here.

Primary School Parties

We are inviting the staff and students from Primary Schools nationwide to take part in the Trick or Treat for Temple Street campaign by holding a Halloween party at school on Friday the 22nd October. Children can be asked to come to school in fancy dress and contribute a small amount, such as €2, to the Trick or Treat fundraising campaign. Halloween games such as Bobbing for Apples and prizes for the best fancy dress costume all add to the fun of the day!

But remember Halloween is for big kids too!! If you and your work colleagues would also like to get involved why not register today to host your own party and receive a Trick or Treat Party Pack.

Trick or Treat for Temple Street Halloween Party Registration Form

For further information on how to get involved in our 2010 campaign please contact Michelle on Ph: 01 878 4344 or email Michelle.mcGoldrick@cuh.ie

High Res Jpeg

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Oxfam Ireland Pass The Present

Wednesday, October 13th, 2010

graphic_bubbles

To solve this dilemma, Oxfam Ireland has developed ‘Pass the Present’.

The idea is simple – as the parent of the birthday boy or girl who is having a party, you invite A FEW of your guests (or their parents!) to donate to Oxfam Ireland rather than buying your child a present. In return, Oxfam will send the birthday boy or girl a fantastic Puzzle Pack on behalf of those who made a donation.

Alternatively, if you are looking for an idea for a child’s birthday present, you don’t need to wait to be invited by the party-giver to make a donation, you might just want to go ahead and do it anyway!

All the funds raised through ‘Pass the Present’ go towards Oxfam’s long-term work with children and families in Africa.

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Mickey Mouse Theme Party

Monday, October 4th, 2010

Mickey

Mickey Mouse party theme ideas are perfect for a kids birthday party. He is one of those classic party themes that never goes out of style. Disney has created some of the most popular party theme characters in the world, and Mickey is right at the top of that list.

A Mickey Mouse party theme will add a festive touch for your little one’s birthday celebration and it’s a great way to host one of the best birthday partys your child has ever had. When you plan a great kid’s party theme it will also make memories that will last forever. Your child will always remember what a fun time you prepared for him or for her. And when it comes to a kids birthday party theme, among the most popular themes is that cute little Disney Mouse, Mickey. Regardless of your child’s age or where you live this cartoon mouse is one of the most recognized cartoon characters in the world. Here are some fun kids Mickey Mouse party ideas.

Mickey Mouse Party Decorations

Decorate the party venue with balloons in red, blue and yellow. Add a birthday banner that reads, “Welcome to the Mickey Mouse Birthday” and finish off the decorating with streamers. There are some really great wall decals with the Mouse on them and they are easy to apply…and to remove. You will find lots of party supplies with Mickey on them. So take your time when you are shopping for them. You don’t want to miss any of those choices. You can look at an online party supply store or go to your local neighborhood store to find your party decorations.

Mickey Mouse Party Menu

One of the best things about a kids birthday party is the many easy to prepare foods that children love to eat. Burgers, hot dogs, salads, sandwiches and fruit make up the ideal party menu. You can also find cakes with Mickey on them in bakeries. If you like to bake and decorate your own party cake, use a cake topper or an edible image with Mickey on it. Even the beginner cake decorator can get some big compliments using these easy cake decorating tools.

Kids Craft Kits and Party Games Add More Fun

To make the party the most fun ever for your party guests, let them become an honorary Mouseketeer for the day by handing out Mickey Mouse ears, they make a wonderful party favor. Add some color with some face paint to really thrill the kids. With these Mickey Mouse party theme ideas the party will be well on it’s way to being the best party of the year. Make sure to get some pictures of everyone in their mouse ears!

Party games are always a big hit at kids party. Mickey Says! Sound familiar? Turn the classic Simon Says into a Mickey themed game. Kids birthday party craft kits can also make a big hit at your party. Use some free printable coloring pages of Disney characters to complete the partys fun. You can print them right off your computer and they are free…what a bargain.

Mickey Mouse party themes and ideas will turn a regular kids birthday party into a real blast. Add some party decorating supplies to create a fun experience everyone will remember for a long time to come.

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Unique Decorating Ideas – Standees

Sunday, September 26th, 2010

Standees

Bring your party to life with these amazing life size cardboard cut outs of all your child’s favourite characters. Normally only to be found in cinema lobbies, these cardboard cut-outs are of excellent quality, are easily assembled and are the ideal focal point of any party and make a great gift for fans of:

  • Mickey & Miney Mouse
  • WWE Superstars John Cena & Triple H
  • Harry Potter
  • Hannah Montana
  • High School Musical
  • The Wizard Of Oz
  • Star Wars
  • Toy Story
  • Aladdin

…. & many more!

These Standees are available now from Amazon starting from just €35. To view the full range of Standees, simple click here

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Cowboy Theme Birthday Party

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Cowboy Theme Party

If your little girl or boy loves playing cowboys or is a big fan of Woody and the gang from toy story, then a cowboy and cowgirl theme party could be the perfect option come borthday time!

Suprisingly easy to organise, their are plenty of food, games and ideas for your cowboy party that won’t break the bank!

Goody Bags

Be a little creative and you will find out that your gift bags will leave all your little cowbys and cowgirls smiling. Small plastic cowboys and horses can be purchased quite cheaply and make a great addition to the traditional giftbag trinkets such as sweets and any other small inexpensive toys.

Instead of using fancy paper bags for your goody bags, buy some inexpensive kid’s cowboy hats and fill them with the take home goodies. As an alternative to cowboys hats you can use bandanas and wrap up the goodies in it before tying a knot at the top.

Games

Horseshoe Game

A cowboy or cowgirl themed birthday party wouldn’t be a party without a game of horseshoes. Plastic horseshoe sets can be purchased quite cheaply from your local euro store or online and are safe for both indoor and outdoor play. If possible, purchase horseshoes in 2 different colours and divide your guests into 2 teams. On your whistle, both teams must throw at the same time with the winners being the highest scorers.

Five Second Gold Digger

Fill a bucket or large sack with dried beans and place some coins or toys in amongst the beans. Each guest now has 5 seconds to dig for their prize while blindfolded.

The 2 Step Cattle Drive

An outdoors game, cattle drive is great fun to play. Dedicate one area of the garden as a cattle pen line all of the kids up in rows of 4 at the opposite end of the garden. Between your guests and the cattle pen, tie or tape some balloons to the ground at various points. One of the guests is then blindfolded, spun around 3 teams and must now guide his cattle (the other guests) into the cattle pen using commands such as two steps left, two steps right, two steps forward trying to burst the balloons along the way.

Cowboy Food Ideas

Real cowboys and cowgirls cook all of their food outdoors so depending on the weather, a barbecue can be a great idea. Mini burgers, chicken and hot dogs are always big hits!

Cowboy Theme Birthday Cake Ideas

Make an ordinary 9 x 13 inch cake a very special birthday cake with a cowboy theme. You don’t have to be a professional cake decorator to create a cake kids will love. Simply top a frosted cake with a miniature plastic cowboy hat, and surround the hat with miniature plastic horses, cattle, and of course, cowboys. Optionally you can fill the brim of the hat with Jelly Belly jellybeans. The toys will serve as impressive cake decorations, and the kids can munch on the jelly beans while waiting for the cake. Your little cowboy will enjoy the cake decorations that double as bonus gifts after their cowboy theme birthday party is over.

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Little Girls Birthday Parties On A Budget

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

girls party

With even more harsh financial cuts recently anounced by our wonderful Finance Minister, birthday party budgets are sure to be sacrificed by many parents . However that doesn’t mean that we have to skimp on birthday party fun!

The following are some quick hints and ideas for some birthday partu activites for a girls birthday party that will really help you stretch your budget.

First pick a location that is free. This could be your home, someone elses home or a local park. Most euro stores sell party decorations and favours, party balloons and party bags for a fraction of the cost of the party supply stores.

Make your own sundaes, cupcakes, mini pizzas and sandwichs and purchase party size bags of sugary treats from the euro store. Once emptied into a bowls nobody can tell the difference! Everyone likes to play the chef so allow the kids to create their own treats and decorate their own cupcakes!

For even more fun, turn this into a game and allow everyone to taste each other’s creations.

Movie theme night.

The girls can watch a favorite movie that they already own or you could rent a couple.You can make up games for after the movie like a trivia quiz and let the girls inner actress come out and have them act out their favorite scenes. Menu items can include popcorn, jellies and fizzy drinks just like at the cinema, but much less costly.

Spa & Beauty party.

Everyone likes to be pampered. The girls can give each other facials, manicures and pedicures. You can serve sparkling water in plastic champaign glasses (these can be found at the dollar store or a craft store in the wedding favors section) and fancy finger foods like chocolate dipped fruit that can be made ahead of time by cutting up fruit and dipping it in chocolate melted in the microwave.

Fashion Parade.

Make sure you have a camera for this one. Girls can bring over make-up and dress up clothes from home and switch them with others. Girls love to do each others make-up, and create outfits.

After they are all made over there could be a fashion show where they each get a chance to walk the runway (this could be a hallway). Food is usually a second thought when they are working on their creations so just putting out some snack foods like bowls of chips and fruit is usually enough.

Whatever theme you choose be prepared for the chaos of screaming girls and have plenty of help for the after party clean-up.

If you have any other great tips for girls parties on a budget we’d love to hear from you!

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Soccer Stars Theme Parties

Friday, September 3rd, 2010
For all of you with soccer mad kids in the house I’m sure you already know that the Premier League football season is back in full swing. And if you have a birthday party to plan over the coming weeks, why not take advantage of your child’s first love by holding a soccer themes party. It’s fun, easy to organise and wont cost you an exorbitant transfer fee!
The Decorations
Decorating for a kids soccer party couldn’t be easier! Using scarves and some home made banners you can easily create that stadium effect in your home or garden. To add that extra touch to proceedings, why not purchase some large silver paper and cut out your very own Premier League and European Cup trophy.
You can find some inspiration and models to work from here: http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/wml/exhibitions/onlyagame/graphics/cup.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.artinliverpool.com/blog/2008/12/liverpool-museums-european-cup-competition/&usg=__rfG4yiUM_B07DL2yMYfeH70cAY0=&h=256&w=360&sz=17&hl=en&start=36&zoom=1&tbnid=zC_hnE8PT_YsSM:&tbnh=161&tbnw=213&prev=/images%3Fq%3Deuropean%2Bcup%2Btrophy%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1C1GGLS_enIE352IE352%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D685%26tbs%3Disch:10,1400&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=832&vpy=226&dur=4281&hovh=189&hovw=266&tx=44&ty=85&ei=iaiATK73CsK5jAed0KlM&oei=faiATIv6G4We4QaPwq3TCw&esq=3&page=3&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:16,s:36&biw=1280&bih=685 & here: http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.talkfootball.co.uk/images/719b21/23_premier-league-trophy.png%3F1187105304&imgrefurl=http://www.talkfootball.co.uk/guides/football_major_comps.html&usg=__Z0aQZQPidvaNePuBR6t5hBVsIEQ=&h=333&w=234&sz=9&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=ksJ0aznIKOb2hM:&tbnh=175&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpremier%2Bleague%2Btrophy%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1C1GGLS_enIE352IE352%26biw%3D1280%26bih%3D685%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=634&vpy=98&dur=4290&hovh=266&hovw=187&tx=92&ty=95&ei=XKiATNyPO4mB4QayyoHTCw&oei=XKiATNyPO4mB4QayyoHTCw&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0
The Games
As well as the obvious game of football there are many other traditional party games that you can give a unique soccer twist to.
Penalty Shoot Out Comp
Line the kids up into two teams and set up a goal at one end of the garden (away from all windows!) using anything from jumpers to 2 broom handles placed into the ground. The goal of this game is to be the first team to score twenty penalties…. with no goal keeper in goal!
Sounds easy? Not quite!
When each penalty taker approaches the penalty spot they must be blind folded and spun around three times just to make things more difficult!
Pin The Tail
Bad weather ruining your chances of playing games outdoors? Then this variation on the classic children’s party game is sure to help bring your party to life. Cut the ball from a poster of your child’s favourite player and let all the party guests take turns trying to pin the ball in the right place.
The Road To Wembley
The Road To Wembley is a popular participation game played by Sky Sport’s Soccer Am TV show which can be easily adapted for your soccer theme party. Place a bin at the end of your garden or if possible, hang a tyre from a tree. The players line up in 2 teams at the opposite end of the garden and must try and kick the ball into the bin or through the tyre. The winners are the team that get the most balls into the target within 90 seconds. For more fun, bring multiple footballs and watch the craziness happen!
The Treats & Prizes
Whilst the half time orange slices are definitely a must, we all know that the kids have come expecting sweet treats! Football themes cakes are readily available and football team themed cakes are available in some Tesco bakeries. Another treat can double as your prizes for the games – chocolate medals!
A soccer theme party is sure to be a hit with all your soccer mad guests. Just remember to always have an indoor plan B just in case the rain makes an appearance.
Oh…. an mind those windows!
Soccer Theme Parties For Kids

Soccer Theme Parties For Kids

For all of you with soccer mad kids in the house I’m sure you already know that the Premier League football season is back in full swing. And if you have a birthday party to plan over the coming weeks, why not take advantage of your child’s first love by holding a soccer themes party. It’s fun, easy to organise and wont cost you an exorbitant transfer fee!

The Decorations

Decorating for a kids soccer party couldn’t be easier! Using scarves and some home made banners you can easily create that stadium effect in your home or garden. To add that extra touch to proceedings, why not purchase some large silver paper and cut out your very own Premier League and European Cup trophy.

You can find some inspiration and models to work from here & here

The Games

As well as the obvious game of football there are many other traditional party games that you can give a unique soccer twist to.

Penalty Shoot Out Comp

Line the kids up into two teams and set up a goal at one end of the garden (away from all windows!) using anything from jumpers to 2 broom handles placed into the ground. The goal of this game is to be the first team to score twenty penalties…. with no goal keeper in goal!

Sounds easy? Not quite!

When each penalty taker approaches the penalty spot they must be blind folded and spun around three times just to make things more difficult!

Pin The Tail

Bad weather ruining your chances of playing games outdoors? Then this variation on the classic children’s party game is sure to help bring your party to life. Cut the ball from a poster of your child’s favourite player and let all the party guests take turns trying to pin the ball in the right place.

The Road To Wembley

The Road To Wembley is a popular participation game played by Sky Sport’s Soccer Am TV show which can be easily adapted for your soccer theme party. Place a bin at the end of your garden or if possible, hang a tyre from a tree. The players line up in 2 teams at the opposite end of the garden and must try and kick the ball into the bin or through the tyre. The winners are the team that get the most balls into the target within 90 seconds. For more fun, bring multiple footballs and watch the craziness happen!

The Treats & Prizes

Whilst the half time orange slices are definitely a must, we all know that the kids have come expecting sweet treats! Football themes cakes are readily available and football team themed cakes are available in some Tesco bakeries. Another treat can double as your prizes for the games – chocolate medals!

A soccer theme party is sure to be a hit with all your soccer mad guests. Just remember to always have an indoor plan B just in case the rain makes an appearance.

Oh…. an mind those windows!

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Rating: 10.0/10 (2 votes cast)

Party Treats – Chocolate Marshmallow Yummies

Monday, August 30th, 2010

images

Ingredients:

150g good quality plain chocolate

75g butter

75g golden syrup

65g chopped sponge fingers

65g chopped glacé cherries

125g mini marshmallows

Method:

1.  Line a 20cm (8 inch) round tin with cling film.

2.  Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup.   Cool slightly and stir in the sponge fingers, cherries and 100g of the mini marshmallows.

3.  Spoon the mixture into the round tin.  Chop the remaining 25g of marshmallows in half and sprinkle over the top.

4.  Chill for 4 hours until firm.  Lift out of the tin and peel off the cling film.  Cut into desired slabs.

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Rating: 9.0/10 (6 votes cast)

Party Treats – Frosted Banana Bars

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

frosted banana

Makes approx. 16

Ingredients

175g butter

175g caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

250g self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large bananas, peeled and mashed

Frosting:

50g butter

25g cocoa powder

250g icing sugar, sifted

1-2 tablespoons milk

Hundreds and thousands to decorate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to Gas 4, 180C, 350F and line an 18 x 28 cm roasting tin with greaseproof paper.

2.  Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy.  Gradually add in alternate spoonfuls of beaten egg and flour until all added and mixture is smooth.  Add the baking powder and mashed bananas and mix thoroughly.

3.  Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 25-30 mins until well risen and golden.  Leave to cool in the tin.

4.  For the frosting.  Heat the butter in a small pan.  Stir in the cocoa powder and gently cook for one minute.  Remove pan from heat and stir in the icing sugar.  Return to heat and stir gently adding enough milk to make a smooth, spreadable icing.

5.  Pour the icing over the cake and smooth with a palette knife.  Sprinkle over the hundreds and thousands and leave to cool and set.  Remove from tin, peel off the paper and cut into bars.

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Rating: 9.6/10 (5 votes cast)

Party Games – Memory and Detective Games

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

magnifying glass over a blue finger print

These games are most suitable for children aged 7 and over and can be played with any size party.  They give a twist on traditional party games and make older kids feel a bit more grown-up.

Line Up.

Split the group in half.  Line one half up in front of the other for 30 secs and then take them away.  One person in the line up needs then to have a small change made eg: removal of a watch or addition of a hair clip.  The line up are then brought back in and the other children have 30 secs to identify the accused, ie the person who has been altered.  They need to write down the name and the difference and hand over their paper with their own names on also.  Repeat the process with the second half of the children and this time try to change something totally different so as not to give the first group an advantage.  The people with the right answers are the winners.

Spot the Difference.

Bring the children into a room at the start of the party and let them have a look around.  Whilst they are playing other games, change things in the room around a bit, eg: swap lamps around, remove an ornament, turn the tv on etc.  A little while later let them all enter the room again with pen and paper and tell them how many differences there are.  First person to complete the differences correctly wins.

The Generation Game.

Anyone else remember the conveyor belt on this TV show??  There was always a cuddly toy!! Well this is your very own version.  On a tray put 20 items, these can be household goods, food etc or a mixture of things.  Put the tray on the kitchen table for 30 seconds, take it away and first person to write down the 20 items correctly wins.

Sh sh shoes!

As the children arrive give them a name sticker to place on the bottom of their shoes.  During the latter half of the party have them all remove their shoes and throw them in a basket or box.  Pull them out randomly and have the children write down who they think the shoes belong to.  Line the shoes up in the order in which you take them out so that you can correctly identify the memory master!

Audio Skills!

Put together a tape of just a snippet of current chart songs one after the other.  Line up the CD covers or some id for each song and get the children to write down the correct order in which they heard the songs.

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Rating: 10.0/10 (1 vote cast)

Party Favourites from the Past …. Butterfly Cakes.

Friday, August 27th, 2010

Butterfly Cakes

These were one of my favourites as a child though they seem to be a forgotten little gem of a party cake these days …. so lets revive the Butterfly Cake!!

Ingredients:

5oz unsalted butter or margarine, softened

5oz caster sugar

6oz self-raising flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To decorate:

Fresh cream, whipped or canned spray cream

Raspberry or Strawberry jam

Icing sugar

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to Gas 4, 180C, 350F and place 12 paper cases in a bun tray.

2.  Put all the ingredients (except the decoration ingredients) in a mixing bowl and beat with hand-held electric whisk for 1 – 2 mins until texture is light and creamy.  Divide the mixture into the 12 paper cases.

3.  Bake for 18-20 mins until risen and firm to touch.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

4.  When cooled completely, use a small sharp knife to cut out a deep disc shape from the centre of each cake.  Spread a layer of jam in the hollow and top with the whipped cream.

5.  Cut each of the scooped out pieces in half and place on top of the cream at a 45 degree angle so they resemble butterfly wings.  Finally, lightly sift a small amount of icing sugar over the whole batch.

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Rating: 6.6/10 (5 votes cast)

Practical Party Bag Fillers

Thursday, August 26th, 2010

party bags

It can be hard to get the balance right with a party bag.  You want the children to love it but you don’t want the parents to see it as more junk coming into the house, so here’s a few practical ideas…

  1. Small packs of crayons and colouring pencils.  These are always handy to keep children occupied.  Try coupling them with a homemade colouring book made from internet print outs for a relatively inexpensive party bag.
  2. School essentials – a pencil, sharpener, rubber or notebook for example.
  3. Bath time fun – novelty sponges, rubber ducks or little soaps.
  4. Useful stickers – rather than sheets of novelty stickers, why not give them alphabet stickers that could be used to name their belongings?
  5. Colourful socks,  gloves, sunglasses or sunhats!
  6. A plastic beaker, decorative straw or theme plate.  These can all be bought very cheaply and remember if you are bulk buying, ask if you might get a discount.
  7. Craft goodies such as card making kits.  You need only buy a few packs and divide the contents between the party goers.
  8. Instead of packing the bag with sweets, crisps and chocolate why not make your own sweet treats and put one in each bag.  Watch out for recipes here for frosted banana bars and chocolate marshmallow wedges……
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Rating: 7.3/10 (3 votes cast)

Practical Party Bags

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

bcParty Bags! My daughter got a party bag recently containing a pair of socks!

It was such a practical idea – you know kids always get the same junk in party bags which inevitably ends up in the bin.

She loves to wear Amy’s Party Socks now so she got a kick out of it too!!

By Sarah O’Connor

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Rating: 6.5/10 (17 votes cast)

Mickey Mouse Theme Party

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Laura Kehoe For my Daughters 2nd Birthday, we pulled out all the stops. We had a Mickey Mouse themed party… her favourite cartoon. We painted an outside wall with a picture of Mickey Mouse and look whos 2. Almost a year on and my daughter still loves that pic. I ordered a mickey mouse piñata, party bags, mickey and minnie rice paper circles (which I will explain in a minute how I used them) napkins, paper plates and paper cups on ebay and they arrived just in time, I also made her a special cake shaped like the mickey mouse clubhouse, to see it follow the link http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?pid=30832106&id=1556482888 I made a large sheet sponge cake as the base ie the garden and covered it in green icing I then made a small cola chocolate bun and covered it in red icing and moulded it in a semi circle shape and it became the body of the clubhouse. I got black icing and moulded it in a circle for the head and placed it on top of the body and covered 2 lolipops in dark chocolate for the ears of the clubhouse, I then made the rest of the clubhouse ie the leg and glove balloon out of icing and topped it all off with mickey, Minnie, goofy and Donald figures which I bought in a local toy store.
As for the rice paper I got some flat based cones and placed 2marshmallows in each then placed them in microwave for a minute or until the marshmallow rose to top then removed them and allowed to cool, I then melted some chocolate and put a spoonful in bun cases and placed the cones open side down on the bun cases and allowed chocolate to set, once set I peeled off the cases and stuck the rice paper on top of each prefect way to personalise a childs party or continue a theme.

bcFor my Daughters 2nd Birthday, we pulled out all the stops. We had a Mickey Mouse themed party… her favourite cartoon.

We painted an outside wall with a picture of Mickey Mouse and look whos 2. Almost a year on and my daughter still loves that pic. I ordered a mickey mouse piñata, party bags, mickey and minnie rice paper circles (which I will explain in a minute how I used them) napkins, paper plates and paper cups on ebay and they arrived just in time, I also made her a special cake shaped like the mickey mouse clubhouse, to see it click:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/photo.php?pid=30832106&id=1556482888

I made a large sheet sponge cake as the base ie the garden and covered it in green icing I then made a small cola chocolate bun and covered it in red icing and moulded it in a semi circle shape and it became the body of the clubhouse.

I got black icing and moulded it in a circle for the head and placed it on top of the body and covered 2 lolipops in dark chocolate for the ears of the clubhouse, I then made the rest of the clubhouse ie the leg and glove balloon out of icing and topped it all off with mickey, Minnie, goofy and Donald figures which I bought in a local toy store.

As for the rice paper I got some flat based cones and placed 2marshmallows in each then placed them in microwave for a minute or until the marshmallow rose to top then removed them and allowed to cool, I then melted some chocolate and put a spoonful in bun cases and placed the cones open side down on the bun cases and allowed chocolate to set, once set I peeled off the cases and stuck the rice paper on top of each prefect way to personalise a childs party or continue a theme.

By Laura Kehoe

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Rating: 9.8/10 (355 votes cast)

Tip for a party: Have as much fun as possible.

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Tip for a party: have as much fun as possible.
As adults we sometimes forget how much fun it is to be a child. For your childs birthday, invite as many children as possible. Don’t be hung up worrying about Mess or too much noise. If this is the worst thing that can happen then so be.If the children have smiles on their faces that’s the main thing. Also make sure you get in and involved.We sometimes forget that children are happy doing the smallest thing so get up on that bouncy castle and bounce away, have fun and laugh along with your children. Remember, before we know it they will be grown up and you will miss the simple times of blowing out the candles on the lobsided cake they tried to help you make or jumping on the bouncy castle with them.

bcAs adults we sometimes forget how much fun it is to be a child.

For your childs birthday, invite as many children as possible. Don’t be hung up worrying about Mess or too much noise. If this is the worst thing that can happen then so be.

If the children have smiles on their faces that’s the main thing. Also make sure you get in and involved.We sometimes forget that children are happy doing the smallest thing so get up on that bouncy castle and bounce away, have fun and laugh along with your children.

Remember, before we know it they will be grown up and you will miss the simple times of blowing out the candles on the lobsided cake they tried to help you make or jumping on the bouncy castle with them.

By Siobhan Carrie

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Rating: 7.6/10 (21 votes cast)