talkmagic.co.uk

Just wondering whether anyone that does childrens party's includes games or is it all magic?

I've arranged games for kiddiwinks in the past and it's very exhausting! If there's room, include some running about ones (Form lines, give balloon to first in line, they pass it over their heads to the person behind and the last in the line runs to the front to start all over again. First team to get all their players back wins), some sitting down ones (Pass the Parcel) some daft ones (Eating ring donuts hanging from strings - without using hands) and it's usually a good idea to get the parents to do one of these themselves - the kids love to see Mum with sugar and donut crumbs all over her face!

There's lots of books available to suggest suitable and wonderfully unsuitable games, and most can be adapted for use at adults' parties where everyone has had far too much to drink!

I was more wondering how well the mix worked, whether in doing some of the games as you've suggested Mandrake ie running around ones, that you risked losing control etc.

It's just not a topic I've seen discussed here and one that I for one think is interesting

Physical games involving running around have to be controlled in case somebody gets hurt so the type of game is important - team versus team rather than everyone running around at random. I usually asked the Moms/Dads to keep an eye on the different teams to make sure the children were as safe as possible.

You also have to make sure that the different age groups are fairly distributed and, as it's all a bit if fun, I always made sure everyone who took part got a prize - even it was only a dip in the sweetie bag. The Moms/Dads usually had a dip as well!

are my pet subject.

ok up untill saturday last week i was doing kids parties, ok i was doing the disco as well so i had full control but the routines are the same.
pin the clown's nose on the clown works well then there are the intereactive dances, simon says, heads shoulders nees and toes, wheels on the bus, conga, and hokey cokey.
thease tracks can be found on the kids cds in the early learning centres shops also at hmv or any cd ordering outlet.
ask for kids dance party album 3cd set.

you should do thease games before your show to waer them down a bit and make them more inclined to wach your show, also if you do your show after they have fead then your on to a winner.

you should do these games before your show to ware them down a bit and make them more inclined to watch your show, also if you do your show after they have fed then your on to a winner.

Very good point.

Ok so how about games in a house rather than a hired hall, obviously space means nothing too wild, and of course possible damage to ornaments etc.

you should do thease games before your show to waer them down a bit and make them more inclined to wach your show, also if you do your show after they have fead then your on to a winner.

In my experience, doing the show AFTER they have eaten, or AFTER they play games is dicing with what often becomes an unsettled audience.

For one, lots of the party food they eat is full of E numbers & additives that turn some of the sweetest most angelic darlings into Demons from Hell. Pumped full of these additives some children through NO fault of their own become disruptive/restless etc.

Whenever Possible I always suggest to the party host, be it mum or dad that it is better to do the show first.

this serves several purposes for me:

A) I can perform my Hour long show to the desired time of exactly one hour and not have to cut it short because the party food took too long to eat meaning there is only 20 minutes left on the time they have hired the hall for

B) The kiddies are still sizing me up but during the show they are often reluctant to try to be disruptive because unlike there Parents, they have no idea how I might react to them misbehaving.

C) While they are eating their party food, straight after I have finished my show, I am able to clear up & re-set all of my magic, plus put it away properly ready for my next performance without much interuption or feelings of being rushed compared to if I have to pack away all of my magic right at the end of the show when the parents turn up to collect their kiddies & the caretaker wants to kick me out so he can lock the hall.

D) During the party games they get to run off all the E numbers & food additives pumped into their tiny little hearts and do this freely and encouraged to do so without them ruining my show, but equally adding to their own enjoyment of the party.

E) Because they sat in awe throughout my pacey highly visual humerous & entertaining show, they have formed a mutual respect for me, so, when one or two of them overstep the boundary slightly with their behaviour, they respect my request for them to kerb any such kind of disruptive behaviour.


In my personal opinion based on my experience as a professional entertainer, do your magic show before the party games & food. The final result will be 100 times more positive for you and your guests.

Ok, ideas for some games, which can be used in a house, in a hall and are good to get the kids settled.

Say that you are going to play a game to be able to touch the roof, you try to touch the roof with your fingers, but its WAY to high. So you take a balloon, blow it up and slowly start to raise it up, if you think that it will touch the roof, hold it so that it wont. Then take another balloon and tie it to the previous balloon, repeat the above and keep doing it untill you have about 4 or 5 balloons.

Its a great little game, which doesnt involve the kids running riot, but they can shout to encourage you to touch the roof!

This will use about 10 minutes of your set (my set its about 45 minutes)

One of the most loved party games I do is the Limbo.

Get a set of limbo poles made up, turn up the music & get them all in single file to limbo through the poles... keep this up till the last kiddie has been through on the lowest notch.

Its very simple & a real winner - the kiddies often want to do it at the end before they go home too!

You could always do "Simon Says"

All the best,
Dan Turcotte
August 11, 2004 - 10:51 AM EST

I have this on cd along with.
head shoulders nees and toes.
can can.
okey cokey.
no laugh race.
and others so I'm pretty well covered.

as I do the disco as well as the magic i can chop and change as i need.

ps pupet man's probably been doing parties far longer than me iv'e only been doing it five years so he's probably right.

Sounds like the Black Lace 'Party, Party' CD!
(Agadoo rules, folks - altogether now, AAAAH GAAAA DO DO DO PUSH PINEAPPLE SHAKE A TREE!!)

Sorry, I'l behave now - honest.

yes i have thoughs songs as well its a special dj compilation with disco songs sung by the tweenies like five six seven eight and jump, boogie woogie etc.
its a real stomuch churner but the kids like it, I'm talking young kids here not twelvies going on twenties, ive got real music for them.

If you are interested in adding games to you parties you should check out "The Magic Party" volumes 1 and 2 by Mark Leveridge http://www.markleveridge.co.uk/display.htm these are excellent books which cover everything from how to get booked to games and routines. The games are all non eliminating (bar one) which works really well as none of the children get bored while waiting for the next game. The routines are pretty good as well - some using items from his shop others using items you will have in your cupboards.

The other book i have is Profit at the Party by David Hallett - i bought this off ebay so can't place a link - which is packed full of games and other things.

If you want to add extra value to your shows / be a bit different - i really think this is the way to go

Cliff

Yeah I have them both and his matching DVD, some very good info in there, must admit a few of the games seem to be scraping the barrel. Still it's well worth buying if children's parties are your thing.