Archive for March, 2017

My Top Five Fun Children’s Party Games

laurajane021

March 21st, 2017

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My Top Five Fun Children’s Party Games

Sick of musical statues and musical bumps? Need more inclusive party games that can be tailored to any children’s party theme? Simple but effective my top five fun children’s party games will keep both parents and children happy. They are easy to lead and inclusive for all. So if you are struggling to think up what to play in your party read on…

1 . Grandma’s footsteps

I love this game it allows all of the children to play with no one having to sit out if they loose. Simply have all of the children line up at one end of the room, you or the birthday child go to the other end of the room and they have to tip toe over to try and get the prize behind you. They will love it!

2. Pass the parcel – the sing along addition

This one I think is pretty self-explanatory. Choose a song that the children all know the words to and whilst they play pass the parcel hand out sweets for the loudest singers. All of the children can be involved with doing it this way and each have a chance to win some sweets.

3.Dance competition – again pretty self -explanatory

Children love to dance and if there is a prize involved brace yourselves to see some exceptional moves. I try to do at least three dance competitions in a party and award a pack of sweets to four children each time. Children will happily run around to music in a party however if you throw the word competition in there well things just got serious.

4.Picture Hunt

Pick something key from your theme and make lots of little pictures of it (I usually aim for around 25 – 28) and hide them around the room. Children love to hunt and find things and again this is another inclusive for all game that means no one is left out.

5. Relay Races

This game is for the more brave among you. Children love team games and relay races so anything along these lines you can combine with your theme for an awesome party game. I particularly love this for Superhero parties where they competitive side of the children really comes out! You can use anything for a relay (a wand for Harry Potter, a tiara for a princess or a sword for a pirate). You can even make it a dress up relay or a jumping relay, the possibilities are endless! But this game is not for the faint hearted as, for it to work well, you need to be just as competitive as the children. If you can maybe have yourself and another competitive parent as team captains, I mean what could go wrong?

If you have enjoyed this post check out my Youtube Channel “The Party Advice Lady” for more party advice and ideas!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEdNfOaFE4k&feature=youtu.be

What do you do when your child hates to lose?

laurajane021

March 14th, 2017

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What do you do when you child hates to lose? Winning and losing is an enevitable part of the party life and party games can be really hard for a child who hates to lose. They can be hard for adults who hate to lose – although drinking games, of course, can have much worse consequences.

From what I can remember I wasn’t great at losing. I wasn’t an outward crier much more of an internal “I must beat them next time no matter what” kind of child. My earliest memories are in fact of when I did not win in sport. I have always been extremely competetive and for this reason winning and losing have been paramount in my life (I played every sport I could). I may seem quite hard during parties when a child comes up to me crying because they haven’t won. Usually I open with “You will be okay” because this is the most important thing children have to learn. That they will be okay if they lose. So why are winning and losing such important skills to teach children? And how can you combat the upset if your child does lose?

The Importance of Winning

Everyone loves to win. Winning is a huge self-esteem boost for children and can develop a lot of their key attitudes, most prominantly a “I can do this” attitude. It gives them determination and motivation, they want to win and they want to suceed and this can carry through to life.

It also can build their strategic thinking and their ability to problem solve in order to win. (Just ask any strategic pass the parcel passer!). This means their thinking may become more lateral and creative. Winning gives a child pride in their actions and they want to repeat that feeling again this can begin to filter into other areas of their life too.

The Importance of losing

Children have to learn to lose. In life they will experience being unsuccessfull and teaching them from a young age to deal with these situations is extremely important. Losing, although hard, develops children’s empathy skills and emotional skills.

It can also build determination, they want to win next time and how can they achieve it? How can they work hard to meet that goal or win that game? If they want to win in a game but don’t, that is okay as they can try really hard next time, this is an important skill. It teaches children to deal with negative experience, that losing isn’t something to be feared but that it is part of life. Processing negative experiences can be difficult for adults so instilling these first emotional experiences into children can be of great benefit as they grow up.

What can I do if my child hates to lose?

Teach them how to! Play games at home and don’t let them win. Help them to process losing and have them look at what they could do next time in order to succeed. If they lose in a party and begin to cry, take them aside and speak to them about the importance of losing and how if they win everytime it will mean other children won’t get to be happy because they have won.

Show them how peers are dealing with losing in a game, that they are okay and “you can’t win everytime” attitude. Children will be okay when they lose, maybe not immidiately but I like to hope in the parties we encourage positivity out of losing, that there will always be a second, third, fourth chance to win. Something I think we all need to remember in life, never give up one day you will win that bag of Haribo!

For further reading on the importance of winning and losing follow this link:

https://novakdjokovicfoundation.org/winning-losing-important-children/

Do we love Disney for it’s live action remakes?

laurajane021

March 7th, 2017

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Do we love Disney for it’s live action remakes?

Do we love Disney for it’s live action remakes? Is a question I have been toying with. They started off small (in my opinion) with Alice in Wonderland (2010) (although I would argue 101 Dalmations was their original live action) and now have everyone waiting with bated breath for Beauty and the Beast which is set to hit cinema’s this month.

Am I excited for it? I’m honestly not sure. I enjoyed the live action Cinderella and although I wasn’t one hundred percent sold on the casting (or changing Cinderella’s final dress), Cate Blanchett ,I do feel, made a fantastic wicked step mother! However with Beauty and the Beast I am extremely unsure of what to expect from the film. In the trailers Emma Watson’s portrayle is looking to be quite different to the Belle that we know and love however I am trying to remain open minded as to what they have in store for us.

It does though continue to beg the question are we ready for all of the live action remakes?

What we love and always have loved about the princesses (and Disney in general) is that they are magical, atherial and I am sure many of you would agree we would still love Aladdin or Flynn Ryder to turn up at our door and rescue us…no…just me? Okay. However in 2013 something exciting happened, Disney created two sisters. Sisters that were so fierce they didn’t require men to rescue them, who consistantly portrayed themselves as independent and headstrong and I think two characters who maybe the most popular characters of all time. Was this a sign of a changing Disney?

Emma Watson, who will be portraying Belle, is a well known and vocal womans rights speaker and campaigner. Someone who pushes for female equality and in the media appears as an exceptionally head-strong, intelligent actress. Could this have influenced her being cast as Belle? Are Disney offering us, in this ever changing climate where diversity and equality are pushing to be at the helm of every campaign, an actress who will represent the changing Disney Princess? There is a definite element of reimagining that is happening with Disney and I wonder where it is going to go with the next fifteen (oh yes fifteen) live action remakes that will be happening.

I love the magic of the animation and the beauty that they have created through these. Part of me will struggle to see them brought to life. You do loose something when you do this – you loose an element of magic but are we gaining something so much bigger and better, a new style of princess and character that will encompass modern day and modern day perceptions much more than the animated films ever did.

I am all about the original Disney magic but I can’t help feeling there maybe more to this than meets the eye but to keep everyone on their toes here are the list of the next fifteen live action remakes proposed by Disney let me know what you think! .

15. The Lion King (Unless you have real lions and you have a singing Warthog I’m just not that interested)

14. Mulan – Now this I am excited for, a diverse cast (fingers crossed), an underrated movie that is all about defying the rules, girl power and standing up for what you believe – pass me the popcorn.

13. Aladdin – Disney have promised diversity in casting for this film which I hope they stick to – I think everyone is looking forward to seeing the live action rendition of “Whole new world”

12. The Jungle Book 2 – I fell asleep during the Christmas family viewing of the Jungle Book live action – this may have been the film – this may have been prosecco. It’s hard to say.

11.Maleficent 2 – This should be a good watch. Angelina Jolie was magnificent in the first one so we shall see what they have in store for us!

10. Marry Poppins Returns – Emily Blunt – sensational casting. I love Mary Poppins and this is a follow on as opposed to a remake where we join Michael and Jane Banks as adults with their children. Although is it really going to be the same with out Dick Van Dykes accent. That is for you to decide.

9. Snow White – She is probably my least favourite princess (if I had to have one) so I can’t say I will extremely excited for this one – just please Disney don’t cast Kristen Stewart!

8.Rose Red – an alternate Grimm Brothers story about the sister of Snow white. I have no direct background about this film so I look forward to what it has in store !

7.The Little Mermaid – Say it isn’t true Disney please. Don’t fix wasn’t isn’t broken.

6.Peter Pan – This could be quite an interesting one as when I was little for years I only thought there was a live action version. We didn’t have the Disney version we have the musical version staring Mary Martin as Peter Pan (if you have never seen it defintely watch it). There was also the 2003 Live action version and then of course the ever loved “Hook” so how they take this on could make for an interesting watch! Also rumour has it there will be a live action Tink too with Reese Witherspoon tipped to play Tink (I LOVE REESE WITHERSPOON and FYI her real names Laura #justsayin)

5.Cruella – Oh yes she is getting her own movie. Guess who is rumoured to be up for the title role? Go on guess? You’ll never get it! Only EMMA STONE! I love her and believe in her as an actress so if this is true I can’t wait to see what she does!

4. Dumbo – Erm…I can only imagine a lot of CGI will be in use here. It is being directed by Tim Burton so I can imagine will take on quite a dark angle and may star Jonny Depp and Helen Boham -Carter. I mean they are not tipped to star in it but…

3.Winnie the Pooh – Now don’t expect a giant CGI bear and his piglet friends to go off on an adventure together. This film is said to be along the lines of “Hook” where we meet a grown up Christopher Robin who has to help his bear friend to save all of his other friends who are in trouble.

2.Oliver and Company – Unfortunately for all of you cat lovers out there they aren’t making a live action version of this film. However they are making a live – musical version of Oliver! TV ready this will be along the same lines of Grease live and Hairspray!

1.James and the Giant peach – It will always be hard to top Matilda so lets see what they can do here!

For further details about all of the above remakes and films go to Screen rant

Siblings at Birthday Parties

laurajane021

March 1st, 2017

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Siblings at Birthday Parties is always going to be a challenge and a difficult (sometimes awkward subject) to broach. Well let me start by saying I am one of four children with two years between each of us. When we were growing up I remember saying to my mum “Mum we don’t get invited to a lot of weddings or parties”, It is only now as an adult that I understand the reasons behind (or what I like to think are the reasons behind) the lack of invitations.

Parties are stressful events, there is the venue to sort, the invitations, the food, the entertainment, party bags, cake – I could go on, but what is even more stressful is if you design all of the above for a certain number and then someone turns up with three extra from their house all ready to join in.

Here are my top five tips to avoid the awkwardness of siblings and the birthday party.

Siblings at Birthday Parties

Tip One

Be clear on the invitations – ensure you state that you have a set number you have to adhere to for the party and don’t be afraid to put “only” or “just class friends” or even “no siblings”. If you are concerned about this you can always put an option of “If you brothers or sisters will be present please do bring them a snack and they are welcome to join us at the party table”. Also check with your entertainment companies policy on additional children- we for instance cater for 30 in each package so are always more than happy to include siblings if we are under 30 children.

Tip Two

People will not be offended if siblings aren’t invited they will have their own parties and parents are probably glad of the break sometimes – so don’t feel guilty. Also don’t worry about providing party bags for siblings unless they are invited.

Tip Three

If they are close friends or family friends make the invite out to all of them, state everyone who you would like to invite to the party, that way confusion can be avoided.

Tip Four

Keep party numbers smaller. Parents are less likely to bring additional children if there are under 20 children invited however over 20 children people don’t tend to think it matters as much.

Tip Five

If there are little siblings there (under two’s) make a separate area in the party room or a seperate table space for these little ones to keep them separate from the big ones – state this on the invitation along with “If you wish to bring toys along”. This way parents can bring snacks and toys for very little ones without you having to include them in the party numbers.

Always remember to not feel guilty and likewise if you are a parent with lots of little ones, like my mum, make it clear to the party parent that you don’t expect them to be invited and that it is no problem!

Archive for March, 2017