Halloween Colouring

Have a crafty Halloween with these spooktacular colouring in pages that are sure to keep your little ghouls occupied during the holidays.  Simply print and colour!

How to Grow your Own Massive Pumpkin:

To grow your own big pumpkins, you will need to follow these steps:

1. You wil need a piece of ground approximately 20 feet wide x 30 feel long;
2. Dig in approximately one and a half tonne of manure;
3. Use a good pumpkin see;
4. As the plant grows, bury the stem (vine) slightly to encourage roots along the whole length;
5. Give a good liquid feed once a week.  Try to avoid getting feed on the leaves as it can burn them;
6. Don't let the plants dry out or else next time you water them they may split;
7. Try to set a pumpkin 10-15 feet out from the planting point;
8. When the pumpkin is about a football size, the stem needs to be moved to stop the pumpkin breaking off;
9. for extra big pumpkins you will need a tunnel or greenhouse to continue growing them. 

Note - Have a look at www.bigpumpkins.com for more info.

Make sure when you've grown your big pumpkin that you bring it to the annual Virginia Pumpkin festival.  We'll be there this year selling our balloons and pumpkin goods, so please come and say hello!

www.thepartypeople.ie for all your Halloween needs.

 

Pumpkin Carving 101:

Whether the design is simple or complicated, all carved pumpkins start out the same way: by cutting the pumpkin open and hollowing it out.  Depending on how you want the finished pumpkin to look, cut off the top or bottom (or even the side). Draw a face or other design with a grease pencil (available at craft stores) or for a cleaner more uniform look, transfer a pattern from a template. 

The following steps provide instructions for making a basic jack-o'lantern, but can be adapted to suit all kinds of pumpkin-carving projects:

1. Using a keyhole saw, cut a hole in the top, bottom or side of your pumpkin;
2. Scoop out the flesh with a plaster scraper, fleshing tool or just a large metal spoon;
3. When you're ready to carve a design, use a template (or draw your own)
4. Tape template to the pumpkin.  Using an Awl or spike, poke holes around the design's outlines. 
5. Remove template; and
6. Using the holes as a guide, carve details with a minature saw.

Once your pumpkin has been carved, you now have to decide on the best way to light it up!
To illuminate a carved pumpkin, string lights are preferable to candles for most designs as they are the safest method.

1. Wrap a strand of 20 lights around a glass jar, and secure wires with tape; and
2. Cut a hole in the hollowed-out pumpkin for th ecord, and place jar inside.

Points to Note:

• Make sure you unplug the lights before leaving the house or going to sleep.
• If you're using a candle, make sure you place it in a glass or votive holder, and cut a hole in the back of the pumpkin for ventilation (or leave the top off).
• Battery operated candles are another good alternative.

Check out www.thepartypeople.ie for all your Halloween decorations!

Top 5 Halloween Songs for your party

Here are some ideas to get your party playlist going:

1. Monster Mash by Bobby Pickett;
2. Ballroom Blitz by Sweet;
3. Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr;
4. Thriller by Michael Jackson;
5. The Addams Family by Vic Mizzy.

Don't forget to check out www.thepartypeople.ie for all your Halloween needs.

Party Ideas - Party Games

Here are some great ideas for children’s party games to keep your kid's entertained:

Piñata

Whether you are hosting an adult or children’s indoor or outdoor party, the piñata party game is bound to be a highlight of the party. It’s a great fun party game. Normally, the traditional piñata game as described below is played as an outdoor party game. The exception is when the party area is a large garage, auditorium, or other indoor facility of appropriate size. If your party game area is limited to indoors, we suggest you look at our pull piñata range.


1. First, make sure you have everything needed to play the party game, such as a rope/string, a place from where you´re going to suspend the piñata (such as a tree branch, a basketball hoop, two adults holding ends of a rope with a piñata hanging in middle, etc.), pic n mix and/or favours (can include large confetti), a piñata buster stick and blindfolds for the participants.

2. Fill the piñata with the goodies before guests arrive at the party, so that they won´t know what surprises are inside.

3. Before the game commences, you may use the piñata as a festive centrepiece. When you’re ready to begin the party game, take the piñata and hang it from the designated place

4. Organize the players in a line, starting with the smallest one all the way to the tallest one. If the boy or girl is very young, they won´t require a blindfold. Traditionally, children over 3 years old are blindfolded, then spun around a few times, provided with the piñata buster stick and let loose to play the party game by hitting the piñata.

5. For safety´s sake, while a child is hitting the piñata during the game, all other children must be kept away from the hitter. Furthermore, the child should have completely ceased to hit the piñata before you allow the other children to go grab the goodies spilled on floor. This safety instruction is of utmost importance and cannot be emphasized enough.

6. Allow each child to hit the piñata at least a couple of times before you move on to the next child.

To make the piñata party game even more fun, the piñata must be swung up and down, and guests must be encouraged to misdirect the piñata hitter (if the piñata is down, tell the hitter the piñata is up, etc).

Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a wonderful hopping game that can be played on a bare patch of ground or on a floor indoors. There are hundreds of variations of the diagram that can be drawn. Use your favourite version to have children play.

Use chalk to draw a hopscotch pattern on the ground or use masking tape on a floor. Create a diagram with 8 sections and number them. Each player has a marker such as a stone, beanbag, bottle cap, shell, button, etc.

The first player stands behind the starting line to toss her or his marker in square 1. Hop over square 1 to square 2 and then continue hopping to square 8, turn around, and hop back again. Pause in square 2 to pick up the marker, hop in square 1, and out. Then continue by tossing the stone in square 2. All hopping is done on one foot unless the hopscotch design is such that two squares are side-by-side. Then two feet can be placed down with one in each square. A player must always hop over any square where a maker has been placed.

A player is out if the marker fails to land in the proper square, the hopper steps on a line, the hopper looses balance when bending over to pick up the marker and puts a second hand or foot down, the hopper goes into a square where a marker is, or if a player puts two feet down in a single box. The player puts the marker in the square where he or she will resume playing on the next turn, and the next player begins.

Mummy

You break into groups of 2. So if you have 10 children, you would have 5 groups. You buy 10 rolls of the cheapest toilet paper. You get the teammates facing each other and when you blow the whistle, they have to run across the room to their partner. Pick up the toilet paper and start making the "mummy" by rolling it around them and whoever finishes emptying their roll and covering their teammate the most wins. Then the sides are switched and you do it again. Take LOTS of pictures as it´s going on. It´s a funny one. If you feel bad about wasting the toilet paper-just pick it up and put it in a bag and have it next to your toilet for the next week or 5

 

The Family Coach

This is a very good old game, and is most amusing if you can find someone who is a good story-teller. The players sit in a circle and every one, except the story-teller, takes the name of some part of a coach or its equipments; for instance, door, step, wheels, reins, box seat, and so on. When all are ready, the story-teller begins a tale about an old coach and what happened to it, how it went on a journey, came to grief, was mended, and started off again. The story should be told fluently, but not too quickly. Every time any part of the coach is mentioned, the player who has taken that name must rise from his seat and then sit down again. Whenever “the coach” is mentioned, all the players, with the exception of the storyteller, must rise. Anyone who fails to keep these rules must pay a forfeit.

Blind Man’s Bluff

Before beginning to play, the middle of the room should be cleared, the chairs placed against the wall, and all toys and footstools put out of the way. The child having been selected who is to be “Blind Man” or “Buff,” is blindfolded. He is then asked the question, “How many horses has your father got?” The answer is “Three,” and to the question: “What colour are they?” he replies: “Black, white, and gray.” All the players then cry: “Turn round three times and catch whom you may.” Buff accordingly spins round and then the fun commences. He tries to catch the players, while they in their turn do their utmost to escape “Buff,” all the time making little sounds to attract him. This goes on until one of the players is caught, when Buff, without having the bandage removed from his eyes, has to guess the name of the person he has secured. If the guess is a correct one, the player who has been caught takes the part of “Buff,” and the former “Buff” joins the ranks of the players.

Simon Says

Seat yourselves in a circle and choose one of the company to be the leader, or Simon. His duty is to order all sorts of different things to be done, the funnier the better, which must be obeyed only when the order begins with “Simon says.” As, for instance, “Simon says: ‘Thumbs up!’” which, of course, all obey; then perhaps comes: “Thumbs down!” which should not be obeyed, because the order did not commence with “Simon says.” Each time this rule is forgotten a forfeit must be paid. “Hands over eyes,” “Stamp the right foot,” “Pull the left ear,” etc., are the kind of orders to be given.

What´s the time, Mr Wolf

This game is suitable for a group of children, aged 5+, and requires no preparation.
One player is chosen to be Mr Wolf. Mr Wolf then stands with his back to the others, who advance one step at a time towards him from a reasonable distance. At each step, one member of the advancing group shouts, .What’s the time, Mr Wolf? The wolf gives the time and the group takes another step forward. At a moment of his choosing Mr Wolf may, instead of giving the time, shout the reply .Dinner Time... He then turns round quickly and chase after the other players. The player who is caught becomes Mr Wolf.

Hot Potato

This is a ball game for a group of players, aged 5 - 10.

Players stand in a circle, and one player is chosen to stand in the centre. A ball is then thrown from player to player, with the aim of keeping the ball away from the player in the middle. The player in the middle tries to intercept the ball and may win by touching it at any time, even if one of the other players is holding it, or it falls outside the circle. Whoever makes the mistake that allows the player in the middle to touch the ball then replaces the player in the middle of the circle. The game can continue until either all players have had a turn in the middle, or for a specified length of time. The winner may be the person who holds out the longest, or who did not make a mistake and go into the middle of the circle.

Musical Chairs

This game is suitable for a group of players, aged 5+ and requires chairs and something to play the music on.

Chairs are placed around the room in a big circle (or alternatively back to back in the centre of the room). There should be one chair fewer than the number of players.

The players stand in the middle of the circle and, when the music starts, all dance around (or dance around the chairs if they have been placed back to back). When the music stops, each player tries to sit on a seat. The player left without a seat is out. One chair is then removed and the music is restarted. The last person to stay in the game is the winner.

Musical Statues

This game is a quiet and fun alternative to Musical Chairs and is suitable for children aged 3+.

Players dance around the room to music. When the music stops, the players immediately stop dancing and stand as still as statues. Any player who is seen moving is out. The music is started again fairly quickly and play continues. Players who are out can help to spot moving statues. The last player to remain is the winner.

Pass the Parcel

Place a gift at the centre of the parcel. Use a small box if you want an even shape or to make it look larger than it is. Wrap as many layers as players, with some to spare in case more players turn up. The parcel should be large enough for at least a 5 minute game, so add more layers even when you have only a few players; it just means they get more turns. All the players should be seated comfortably and close enough to the person each side of them that they can pass the parcel quickly. Select the music-keeper. This person will be responsible for turning the music on and off. It should be someone who is able to keep an eye on the players and stop the music in a fair way that allows everyone a turn at unwrapping. It is a little tricky because the music-keeper must be able to both see the players but at the same time, players should not be able to see the movements of the music-keeper getting ready to stop the music. The music-keeper plays the music and stops it when least expected. The player holding the parcel unwraps a layer. If the parcel was midway in the air between exchanges, the parcel goes to the player it was being passed to. The music-keeper starts the music again. This continues until all the layers have been removed. Continue playing until the last layer is unwrapped. The player who unwraps the last layer keeps the item.

• Newspaper is the best thing to wrap in - it´s cheap and it is usually lying around the house. Brown paper is also good. If you want to be really fancy, use dollar store gift wrap as the paper is only going to be ripped without consideration. Tissue paper is not good because it is too fragile and will tear as the players pass it around.

• Wrap the first layer in one design of wrapping paper, and the next layer with a different colour or pattern.

• For young children (ages 3 - 10), always try to ensure that the music stops at least once for each child so that they each have a turn. This will ensure that they feel the game has been fair.

• Younger children will soon catch on to the fact that hanging onto the parcel might increase their chances of getting to unwrap a layer. Avoid this by explaining at the beginning that that is not allowed (and for very young children, you will need to keep explaining) and by encouraging them to move the parcel along with cries and cheers. If all else fails, simply refuse to allow that child to have more than one turn.

And remember, now that you've saved so much money on your party entertainment, you'll be able to splash out on balloons and decorations for www.thepartypeople.ie.  Don't forget about our free delivery to Bailieborough and Kingscourt towns!!

The Party People: Celebrating your Child's 1st birthday

The Party People: Celebrating your Child's 1st birthday: Whether you're planning an intimate gathering of friends and family or an all-out bash, your baby's first birthday celebration is bound to b...

Celebrating your Child's 1st birthday

Whether you're planning an intimate gathering of friends and family or an all-out bash, your baby's first birthday celebration is bound to be special — at least for you and the other adults and older kids in his/her life!

Yes, a first birthday party is really for parents and their guests. Your baby won't remember this party, and may even be overwhelmed by it. But that doesn't mean you can't all have fun. For party planning suggestions and tips on keeping your baby (and young visitors) comfortable, read on.

Who to invite:

Your 1-year-old may be fearful of strangers, and make strange in new places. Despite liking other babies, he/she might not understand how to play with them yet. He/she will enjoy individual attention and likes to make you laugh. These factors often convince parents to opt for an intimate, low-budget family party or small gathering of relatives, close friends, fellow parents, and neighbours.

But no matter how many guests you have, keep in mind that your 1-year-old will want a lot of your undiluted attention. This is especially true if he/she's feeling overstimulated by a large crowd of well-wishers.

How much to spend?

The amount you spend is up to you, and depends on what kind of party you want to have for your child. Keep in mind that food is the main thing that drives costs up, followed by decorations and the cake. Don't feel pressured to spend more than you can afford — small is beautiful at this age!

Choosing a time

Your baby will probably still be taking a morning and afternoon nap when his/her first birthday rolls around. If so, it's best to plan your party around nap times if possible. Once one child starts crying, they all might! You may want to keep the party brief — an hour or so is probably long enough at this age.

Choosing a place

Home is usually the easiest place to host a first birthday party, and it's where your baby will feel most secure. But if your home is too small for the number of guests you want to invite, consider a local community centre, a kids' museum, a restaurant (you may want to go with a kids'-themed place or a fast-food restaurant with a play space), a relative's house, or, if the weather is nice, a park or zoo.

Choosing a theme

Party themes aren't important to your 1-year-old or his/her baby guests. You might want to aim for a colour-coordinated look, or pick matching plates and napkins with a favourite cartoon character, but it's more for the benefit of the keepsake photos than your baby at this stage.  Check out www.thepartypeople.ie for fun 1st birthday balloons and decorations.  Below is an example of the lovely "Hugs & Stitches" 1st birthday balloons that we currently stock:

Food

Keep food simple — a lot of it will probably end up on the floor anyway!

Finger foods work well for both babies and adults, and eating them won't interrupt play or socializing. Some babies may have quite a few teeth and be able to bite into food; others may still be toothless, so cater to both extremes. Tiny sandwiches with cheese spread (you can cut them into shapes), cubes of mild cheese, cut-up fruit, pasta spirals, and mini yogurts are good options. You can also try animal crackers or graham crackers broken into small pieces.

Your small guests will probably eat very little, so aim for a variety of tastes, textures, and colours rather than quantity. (Get more finger food ideas here.) And avoid serving nuts, hard sweets, popcorn, raisins, marshmallows, and other foods that may present a choking hazard to little ones.

As for beverages, it's a good idea to have water, milk, and diluted fruit juices around for the kids and soft drinks for the adults.

Don't forget a wonderful birthday cake. Homemade treats are special, but supermarkets have a great variety available, or try a bakery. You may need to order the cake or cakes in advance. And don't let your baby get too close to the candle as he/she'll want to grab it, not blow on it.

 Games and activities

Loud bangs from party poppers and bursting balloons may frighten your baby, and discarded poppers and balloons are a serious choking hazard until age 3. Why not have some musical fun, such as dancing with your baby, or a nursery rhyme tape on in the background? He/she'll also enjoy peek-a-boo games and finding toys hidden in a box or under a cloth. And, of course, he/she'll enjoy helping you open presents (although the wrapping paper will be far more fun than the gift!).

Goody bags

Goody bags aren't really necessary at this age, and the usual treats like sweets and balloons can be dangerous for the babies at your party. If you want to give a going-away present to your little guests, opt for something safe to chew on.

Birthday presents

By now your baby will appreciate toys that make noise or light up, or both, so activity centres are a good choice. It's never too early to read, and textured board books are great fun for your tactile baby. A push-along toy to aid walking skills may be a hit, and new bath toys are always welcome. You may want to consider a big, lasting present, such as a baby swing for outdoors or a rocking horse. And if you already have loads of toys, your baby won't object if some people buy her clothes!

General tips

·         Have somewhere clean, handy, and well-equipped for nappy changing.

·         Breastfeeding mothers may appreciate somewhere quiet and private to feed their baby.

·         It's crawling, walking, and climbing time — safety gates and other childproofing devices are essential.

·         Hide away precious ornaments and breakables.

·         Keep pets well out of the way (for their own protection!).

·         Keep a watchful eye on the party area for hazards, such as forks and small swallowable objects, and clear them away quickly.

·         Babies will play alongside each other, so keep a variety of toys available within a large, safe floor space.

·         Relax — let your baby and her guests set the pace.

·         Make sure you have a willing volunteer to take plenty of photos and video. You may be too busy, and you don't want to miss those shots of your baby digging into her first birthday cake!