| Party games are always popular at kids' | | | | winners as girls - and try to make sure that |
| birthday parties, but often parents think | | | | they alternate - a girl winner followed by a |
| they are difficult to organize and are | | | | boy winner. |
| worried that the kids will not want to play. | | | | |
| | | | I find if there are two boy winners in a row, |
| Comparing the cost of a professional | | | | the girls complain that it is always the boys |
| entertainer with the cost of a few good | | | | who win. |
| prizes, and a little bit of know-how, and you | | | | |
| will quickly see how doing it yourself will | | | | 7 Get a friend to help you. It is much easier |
| save you money! | | | | with two or even three. And, once you've |
| | | | volunteered, finding helpers isn't hard. |
| 1 If you want the kids to play you must | | | | |
| provide good prizes. | | | | 8 Make sure the games are suitable for the |
| | | | venue and the age of the kids. A great game |
| I buy good quality plush toys in the sales | | | | is the Burst the Balloon game, where two |
| and I make sure the kids know these are the | | | | teams are given a balloon for each child. |
| prizes, and not the usual lollipops or a | | | | Each player, in turn, runs to the other end |
| chocolate bar. Most kids don't consider these | | | | of the room, puts the balloon on a chair, |
| as worth playing for. | | | | sits on it, and bursts it. Then they run back |
| | | | and tag the next player. |
| 2 Always give the best prize away last. Once | | | | |
| it has gone, the kids may stop playing. | | | | A good game, but only if the room is long |
| | | | enough, and the kids are old enough not to |
| 3 No-one is ever out in my games. | | | | cry when the balloons burst. |
| | | | |
| Even in games like Musical Bumps they all | | | | 9 It is usually best to start the party with |
| participate throughout. | | | | a few games. This means the early arrivals |
| | | | aren't sitting around bored, and any kids |
| This means they all always have a chance of | | | | turning up late don't miss the main event - |
| winning, and it eliminates the chances of | | | | quite often a magician. |
| those kids who are out causing trouble. | | | | |
| | | | 10 When the main event has finished his act, |
| 4 Team games are best when each team has a | | | | and the kids have been fed, you can finish |
| similar number of boys and girls; similar | | | | off with a game or two while the other |
| ages on each team; and an equal number of | | | | parents are arriving to collect their wards. |
| smaller kids on each side. In other words, as | | | | |
| evenly matched as possible. | | | | No need for big prizes here. Lollipops will |
| | | | do so kids being collected won't feel they |
| 5 Avoid boys versus girls, especially if | | | | are missing out too much. |
| there is more of one than another. If there | | | | |
| are eleven boys and only nine girls you can't | | | | A little pre-planning is usually all it takes |
| expect one of the boys to swap sides. | | | | to provide a well-run and exciting party. So, |
| | | | why don't you try it! |
| 6 Always ensure that there are as many boy | | | | |