Party Playground

Archive for October, 2011

Organization is important when planning for an outdoor party. You should have all the basics before getting started to keep the fun going throughout the event.

Some of the special occasions which call for outdoor parties include: Graduation parties, Weddings, Baby or bridal showers, Neighborhood block parties, Re-unions and Company picnics.

Suitable Locations

Outdoor parties can be held in various locations depending on the space and convenience. You should always have a plan-B incase the weather wrecks havoc on the d-day.

Outdoor parties can be held in:

• Your own front or backyard.

• At a parking lot

• At a park or playground

• At a lake or river

• At the beach

Outdoor Party Themes

A theme will provide focus and bring together all the aspects of the party. Some theme ideas for outdoor parties include:

• Mexican fiesta

• Hawaiian Luau

• Traditional barbecue

• Pirate theme for beach parties

• Garden theme for picnic parties

• Presidential themes for fourth of July parties

Food Safety and Storage

Safe food handling is an important aspect of outdoor parties. Place cooked food on clean plates. Avoid placing foods on plates that were used to transport meat or sea food. Perishable dishes should be eaten cleared during the function if there no cold storage facilities to store them.

Cold food should be stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below and hot foods need to be kept above 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Mayonnaise has high acid content from the lemon juice and vinegar that makes it. It does not contribute to food poisoning contrary to popular belief. It actually reduces bacterial growth in food. Foods such as eggs, potatoes and meat when combined with mayonnaise are what spoil quickly.

Take out meals should be consumed within three hour of purchase. Otherwise they should be chilled well before packing in coolers.

You should discard leftovers that have sat out for more than two hours. This is largely due to hygienic reasons.

Carry lots of water for the guests. Pour out a small amount of water from bottles before freezing to allow for expansion.

Night time Outdoor Parties

You can string tiny white lights in a few trees around the garden to create an enchanted look.

Use citronella candle pots or torches to make the party more special. These are both practical and beautiful. They keep away bugs with their distinct smell and also look great.

Steps and steep paths should be well illuminated to prevent mishaps from occurring.

Outdoor Party Tips

• Paper plates can be reinforced by taping down solid color plastic plates with double stick tape.

• Caution female guests not to wear spiky heels to an outdoor event.

• Make sure there is ample seating for ill or elderly guests. You can hire a small party tents to provide shade for those who need it.

• Always locate food stations, guest seating and reception lines in the shade. You can hire a canopy tent or marquees if necessary.

• Ensure you carry sunscreen and mosquito repellant spray.

Early planning is important for the success of the outdoor party.

Halloween party games should be fun for everyone. You should be able to enjoy them with your children and then play all over again with your spouse and some friends after the little goblins go to bed. The games presented here can be adjusted to work for all age groups. You may even find ways to use them for some intimate Halloween play with someone special.

Halloween Party Games – The Wink of Death

This is one of the most versatile Halloween party games you will find anywhere. It can be played with so many different sets of rules that you will find yourself making up your own once you get the hang of it. The idea is to designate one person as a “murderer” without anyone else knowing who was designated. Only the murderer knows who they are at the beginning of the game.

Everyone walks around or perhaps goes on with other activities at the party, keeping a lookout for the murderer. The murderer has to find opportunity to make eye contact with someone and wink at them without anyone else seeing them do it. The person who is winked at has to sit down (or fall down if you have some actors in the gang) because they are now dead.

The trick is for the murderer to get them all down without anyone else seeing them wink. They should do it while others are around or it becomes obvious they are the murderer, yet they can’t be seen by those other people or they will be exposed and the game is over. You can use other variations, such as changing the wink to a kiss on the cheek to make it even harder for adult Halloween parties.

Halloween Party Games – The Haunted Hunt

Scavenger hunts are great party ideas for children no matter what the holiday might be. Halloween is the perfect time for a hunt because others are out on the streets, costumes are dancing down the sidewalks, and the darkness of night takes on an eerie feel even if you are in your own backyard.

Take Halloween-related items and hide them around the yard. Make a list of everything that is hidden and send everyone out to find as many of the items as possible. You can do this before you go trick or treating so they can collect items in their candy bags or buckets without things falling out all over the yard.

This is one of the best Halloween party games to adapt for adult costume parties. You can hide gag gifts, Halloween related and not related, around the party scene. Put up a visible list of everything that is hidden in an obvious location and have everyone look for those items throughout the night.

As the items on the list are found, the finder runs up to the list and checks it off. Whoever finds the gift can keep it or you can allow trading and gambling amongst the party goes. The items used for a game like this will depend on the people coming to your party and the mood you are in!

This is also one of those Halloween party games that can be used for a private connection with someone special. Hide little things around the house and have them find them as they get the kids ready for trick or treat. Instruct them to bring all the items to the bedroom at the end of the night and only you will know what will be done with them!

Whenever one hears about a birthday party, so many things flash into mind like balloons, chocolates, candles…. The idea of arranging a birthday party creates a lot of anxiety for parents as there are many things to be considered. Proper planning for the party helps in making it successful. Here we are going to discuss the essential elements of a birthday function.

1) Set your budget: The first and foremost step is to decide on how much you are ready to spend for the party. Usually the first birthdays are celebrated lavishly when compared to other birthdays.

2) Guest List: Based on the first step, decide who all are going to be present in the celebration. Collect the phone numbers or addresses of the invitees. Do not forget your kids’ pals for the party as they are the ones who make your child happy. Plan for the necessary arrangements if the guests invited are from far away places.

3) Decide the venue: Select a venue for the birthday party that is within your budget and convenient to all your guests. Also it is preferable if it is near to your home as you can keep a watch on the arrangements on the day of the party.

4) Invitations: Select the invitation cards. They can be prepared with cute photos of the birthday kid on them in addition to good matter. These days e-invitations can also be made. You can also stick to calling the guests through phone or visiting their home to reduce the budget and have a personal touch to invitation.

5) Select the cake: Cake is the most essential part of the birthday party. If your kid is old enough, give him/her a chance to select it from the cake album at the bakery. You can later decide the weight of the cake needed depending on the number of guests.

6) Food : Finalize the items for the food that is to be served at the party. Do not forget to include the birthday kid’s favourite dish. After all it is his/her big day. Select the resources for serving the food. Arrange for paper plates, cups, disposable glasses, napkins, tissue papers etc.,

7) Entertainment show: Arrange for a program to entertain kids. A professional can be called for performing a magic show or ventriloquism. To reduce the budget, a pre-informed simple fancy dress competition can be arranged which creates a lot of curiosity among children for the party day.

8)Games at the party: Birthday party games are the heart of the party. Different games can be arranged depending upon the age of the invitee kids and the time available.

9) Give away gifts: These are the items which are distributed to children during party. They include birthday caps, chocolates, masks and bubble makers. They bring in the party mood and make the party colorful.

10) Return Gifts and Prizes for game winners: These gifts make the children remember your party for a long time.

11) Decoration: After deciding the venue, plan for the decoration. This includes balloons, candles, cartoon characters, color papers, and many more. You can leave the job of decorating to a professional. If there are many helpers around you, bring in your creativity and purchase all the necessary items in advance.

12) Photography and video arrangements: Let your child remember your effort for a long time. Make the birthday party memorable by storing it in an album and disc.

13) Music arrangement: Music is the life of any party. Do not forget the happy birthday song. Play the birthday kid’s favourite music.