Showing posts with label Organize Children's Parties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Organize Children's Parties. Show all posts

Friday, January 19, 2018

Planning A Child's Party or Picnic

      Though not necessarily involving much expense, a children's party or picnic calls for more careful planning and diplomacy than is demanded in the case of a similar function for the grown-ups. And of course, every child should bring their favorite doll to such an occasion as well. These kinds of social events are perfectly suited to the instruction of young children in role play.
      So what shall we do with the brave little men and dear little maids who have arrived at the appointed hour? I will include a variety of articles here in the near future intended to encourage parents and teachers whose pleasure it is to include theatrical environments and games in their child/student's parties and picnics.
A table set for a child's party 100 years ago.
      We think nothing of systematic and elaborate preparations for our grown-up parties, and we should certainly take no less thought or time where the children are concerned, when planning a party in advance. When making out lists, keep  a carefully thought out program of games that will be interesting and appropriate to the ages and the number of children invited to your party.
      Properties, favors, and prizes should be systematically arranged beforehand, and stowed away out of sight, but easily accessible at the proper moment. The little host or hostess should be inspired to show an unselfish interest in the happiness of his or her little friends, and should receive them with the grown-up hostess.
      When the party day has arrived, and with it the children, there should be polite and cheerful greetings, and the tiny guests should settle themselves comfortably or uncomfortably, according to the nature of each. Then is the moment for the pianist to take her place and with lively airs charm away all constraint until enough children have arrived to begin playing a game. Six to eight is a good number, and if the hostess has an assistant this will be her opportunity to start the children playing. Ring games. Air Ball, or character games are suitable ones with which to begin, as the newcomers can enter into the frolic without disturbing the others. Music, wherever it can come in naturally, lends spirit and dash to the games.
      From drawing-room to library or nursery often makes an excellent change, especially where some paraphernalia is required and has to be prepared beforehand.
      There is usually a shy little girl or boy who hesitates to enter the game. By degrees the strangeness wears off ; self has been forgotten in the spirit of the play, and it is quite an easy step to draw the child into the game by tossing the ball or bean-bag temptingly near, or with an apparently careless word or question. Character parties are especially helpful in taking away self-consciousness. Playing "pretend " has in itself a fascination that few children can resist, and when a little girl finds herself actually a Queen of the Fairies by right of crown, wand, and wings, she assumes the manners and privileges of her station without an effort. A boy whose name has suddenly changed to Jack the Giant-killer will soon forget his troublesome hands and feet in his exalted position ; and he has scant notice for those who address him by the uninteresting name of Bobby. That name belongs back in the other world of kilts and curls for which he has no use at the present moment. The properties for these character parties are easily fashioned, and are sure to be a delight to the children who receive them.
      Story-telling should come after a romp. It is the prettiest moment of the party, when the children, with flushed faces, settle themselves in a group on the floor, and relax to the ever magic words of " Once upon a time‚" Interest is added if at an unexpected moment a child is called upon to tell what he supposes " happened then." Should his idea be a good one, as is almost certain to be the case, his suggestion can be taken for the cue, and the story continued, when another child may be called upon for a suggestion.
      Prizes and favors play an important part in the games, but should be made appropriate rather than elaborate. The child who wears around his neck a ribbon to which is attached a tiny bell is justly proud of his tinkling favor. It is to be won by rolling a ball so straight that the large dinner-bell, suspended from the chandelier and just above the floor, rings loud and true. And the boy or girl who pierces the center of the red-heart target, on St. Valentine's day, will appreciate the gift of the bow and arrow which helped to win the victory.
      That each may carry home some souvenir, a bon-bon favor should be found at each place on the supper-table ; and it will gladden the hearts of those who were not successful in winning prizes in the games.
      Let the menu be simple, that the joy of the occasion may not be marred later with misery and mustard plasters.
      The gift surprise is the last joy of all. A rose tree, gift ball, or one of the many new and charming devices for hiding a toy or game, which originated in the old-fashioned but ever popular Jack Horner pie, is the most suitable ending to a successful party.
      The watchful hostess need not plan for after-supper games. The pleasure in the gifts, and the comparing of trinkets and toys with one another, will fill up the time until the "good-byes" and "I've had a lovely time" are said. by Mary White.

Picnic Party Ideas.

How to Host A Mother Goose Party

Design a storybook Mother Goose Party. The table is decorated with paper cups, paper plates
 and a frosted delectable cake all in soft pastel shades of every color in the rainbow.
 Buff pink carnations, satin ribbons and helium filled balloons add polish and extra interest 
to the room. This playful party arrangement was first designed by Willie Mae Rogers and
 Dorothy B. Marsh.

Balloons to Invite Them. Such fun for tiny misses aged four years and up! For each invitation, blow up 3 pastel-colored balloons. With India ink and paintbrush, print the party details on the balloons as shown on page 80. Let the balloons dry thoroughly; then deflate them. Tuck them in an envelope, and mail to the guest. What little girl could resist?
Mother Goose Land. Rainbow chains: They're so pretty draped in the windows and doorway of the party room, with clusters of balloons added to complete the fairyland setting! And they're so easy to make, the young hostess may wish to do them all herself before the party. Cut pastel construction paper into 6‚Ä≥ x strips. Staple the ends of the first strip together to form a circle. Put the second strip through the first circle; staple; continue until you have a chain of 3‚Ä≤ or more. 
Little Miss Muffet's Table. It's pink! Use a round 45″ table or a card table with folding tabletop over it to increase its size. Cover the table with a round pink cloth. At each place, arrange pastel colored paper plate, cup. and napkin—all green, all pink, all blue, all yellow, or other color—with white plastic fork and spoon.
  1.  Balloon place cards: Attach a balloon with ribbon to each child's chair back. (If balloons are filled with helium gas, they will float.) Then, with India ink and paintbrush, write on the balloon the name of the little girl who is to sit there.
  2. Rainbow surprise balls: On each plate at the table, place a Rainbow Surprise Ball to be opened after refreshments. You'll need: 15 or more tiny items dear to each little girl's heart, such as an odd-shaped balloon, powder puff, piece of doll furniture, water flowers, piece of wrapped candy, bottle of perfume, ball and jacks, magnet, tiny animal figure, etc. Also folds of crepe paper, in several colors that match your party color scheme; cut these, without unfolding, into 1 inch wide strips. To make each: Starting with a small wad of crepe-paper strips, wrap up the first favor, stretching the strips and turning the ball round and round as you wrap. When the first favor is completely covered, add another favor and continue wrapping, using strips of different colors as you work. When completed, each surprise ball will be the same size.
  3. Butterfly favors: One of these goes on each little guest's napkin; it has a bobby-pin back, so it can be worn in the hair. Lay a cardboard pattern of a butterfly on a double thickness of coarse crinoline. Trace around the pattern; then cut. With bright-colored poster paint, paint the butterfly; let it dry. Fold a colored pipe cleaner in half to resemble feelers. Insert it between the two thicknesses of crinoline. To form the body of the butterfly, with darning wool, stitch through the crinoline and over the feelers, going the full length of the butterfly. Next glue front and back pieces of crinoline together. Then paste on a few sequins, polka-dot-fashion; or dot butterfly wings with glue and top with glitter.
  4. Old-woman-in-a-shoe cake centerpiece: It's an enchanting cake! All details are given below.
Mother Goose Party Games.
  1. China dog and calico cat: This is noisy fun for early in the party. Mother collects the candy kisses and keeps score. Props: 1 paper bag marked "Kittens"; 1 paper bag marked "Doggies"; 25 or 30 candy kisses (hidden before the party). Action: Children are divided into 2 teams: China Doggies and Calico Kittens‚ with a bag for each team. At the signal, all start hunting for kisses. When one tiny miss finds n kiss, she mews or barks until Mother gets to her, picks up the kiss (children mustn't pick up the kisses themselves), and drops it into her team's paper bag. At the end of 10 minutes, the kisses are counted. Each member of the team with the most kisses selects a prize from the table. Then the remaining children each collect a prize. They can't lose!
  2. Mother goose playhouse: Have all the children recite or sing nursery rhymes, acting them out at the same time. For instance: Jack and Jill went up the hill (point finger upwards), To fetch a pail of water (pick up imaginary pail); Jack fell down (all fall down) and broke his crown (pat top of head ) And Jill came tumbling after (with hands, make tumbling motion).
  3.  Put-the-candles-on-the-cake: (a new version of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey)  Props: A large piece of white paper on which a birthday cake is drawn (to be tacked up before the game); a different colored crayon for each child; a blindfold. Action: Each child is blindfolded and asked to draw, with her crayon, 3 candles on the cake. The child who puts candles in the most appropriate place is the winner.
  4. Mother goose quiz: Children as well as adults love a quiz. Props: A good supply of questions. Action: The children are again divided into 2 teams: Kittens and Doggies. Teams sit. facing each other. Mother asks a question first of one side and then of the other. Sample questions might be: Where did Jack Horner sit? What did Little Miss Muffet sit on? Where did Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater put his wife? How many fiddlers did Old King Cole have? Who put the kettle on? What ran up the clock?
More little folks' games: Play each of the following games for just 5 minutes; then the children won't tire so easily.
Party Food: 
Humpty Dumpty Sandwiches:
  1.  For each sandwich, prepare a stuffed egg; put halves together.
  2.  Using white bread with crusts removed, make a 3-decker sandwich, with peanut butter, deviled ham, and apricot jam as fillings.
  3.  Cut sandwich in half. Place halves, end to end. on paper plate; top with Humpty Dumpty (the stuffed egg), using plastic straws to skewer him in place. Use 2 thin carrot sticks for legs, letting them extend over edge of sandwich.
  4. Now mix together red. blue, and yellow food colors to achieve a brown shade. With a new paintbrush, draw features on Humpty.
Old-Woman-in-a-Shoe Cake
Ingredients:
  • 2 pkg. yellow cake mix.
  • Party Cream (page 185) 1 pkg. fluffy white frosting mix.
  • Licorice candy.
  • Red cinnamon candy.
  • 2 or more pkg. thin 1" candy wafers.
Directions: The Cake Foundation: Bake cakes a day or so ahead: store, covered. Or bake them several days or weeks ahead; freezer-wrap; freeze. To make and bake cakes, proceed as follows:
  1. Start heating oven to 350" F. Grease well 10" x 5" x 3" loaf pan.
  2. Prepare 1 pkg. cake mix as label directs; turn into loaf pan. Bake about 55 min., or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
  3. Cool cake in pan on rack 10 min.; remove from pan; cool on rack.
  4. Make second cake loaf same way.
Shaping the Shoe Cake: The evening before the party, put cake together and decorate as below; then refrigerate or freeze overnight.
  1. Cut piece of heavy cardboard into 8-1/2" x 4-1/2" oblong; round off all 4 corners; cover with aluminum foil.
  2. From end of 1 loaf cake, cut 6" piece; reserve both pieces.
  3.  From other loaf cake, cut off both ends to make loaf 7" long.
  4. For toe part of shoe: With small mound of Party Cream, glue 6" cake piece, with its cut side facing in, to one end of cardboard.
  5.  For leg part of shoe: Glue 7" cake piece, standing up, with rounded side facing out, to other end of cardboard, so it's snug against cut side of first piece of cake.
  6. Now, with sharp paring knife, carefully round off and trim corners and edges of cake to resemble shoe.
  7. To prepare for peaked roof: On each side of 7" leg, 1" down from top, make upward cut to center top of cake; remove these 2 pieces of cake.
  8. For peaked roof: From reserved cake pieces, cut 2-1/2"-thick slices; trim each to 3-1/2" x 3-1/4". Glue each slice to one slant of leg so they meet in center. Hold slices in place with 2 pieces of plastic straw or with toothpicks.
Frosting Top and Sides of Shoe Cake:
  1. Now make up fluffy white frosting mix as label directs; tint pink with red food color; spread thin over entire shoe, to set crumbs.
  2.  Then generously frost shoe with rest of pink frosting, building up shape of shoe over instep and at toe.
  3. Cut 9 strips of licorice, each 1-1/2" x 1/4"; use to make lacings. Use red cinnamon candies for holes. Cut 2 strips of licorice, each 3" x 1/4", for ends of shoelaces. Place on cake as shown.
  4. To make shingles on roof: Starting at bottom of roof on each side, overlap candy wafers in overlapping rows, alternating colors as shown.
  5.  To about cup Party Cream, add 2 tablesp. cocoa; use in cake decorator with ribbon tube to make door, shutters, and sole around shoe.
  6. Using white Party Cream in cake decorator with rosette tube, outline door and windows; then make windowpanes and doorknob.
  7. Arrange short birthday taper candles on ridge of roof.
  8. The Yard for the Shoe Cake: Set shoe cake on white round board or cardboard, with ribbon around edge as shown; then place tiny rubber children here and there in yard.
  9. To cut cake, first slice toe part into 6 to 8 slices. Then cut off rest of cake just below roof (be careful of straws); remove. Slice this part of cake into 6 to 8 slices. Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

How To Host a Pirate Party


Treasure-Map Invitations
       There’s hardly a lad whose heart doesn’t beat fast at the very thought of pirates and buried treasure. So for the invitation to this party, for boys of 7 years or more, cut a 12″ x 4″ piece of yellow construction or wrapping paper. Fold it in half.
       On the outside of the invitation, write the young host’s name and address, etc.: “Captain Bob Foster’s Birthday Party, 120 Valley Avenue, Blue Mountain, California, Friday, October 14th, 1955.”
       On the inside, at the left, draw a compass rose and map of Treasure Island; the dotted line leads to X, where the rhyme begins (see above).
       On the inside, at the right, write the rhyme; at the bottom, print the secret password and prick it at intervals with a pin. Add instructions on how to read it.

The Pirate’s Den
      Shipshape fittings: Place a sturdy box on each side of the doorway leading into the party room. Nail a broad 4′ plank across the top of them. Then hang a curtain or sheet in the doorway so it just touches the plank. Pirates must use the plank to enter the room.
       Cut out lots of pennants from bright-colored cotton yard goods. Staple them to a heavy cord; then string them in the party room, here and there or from high to low points.
       In the wall light fixtures, use red and green bulbs to simulate the port and starboard lights of a ship.
       Cut cardboard to fit over each window; paint it black; cut a circle from the center of each to resemble portholes; tape to windows.

Captain Morgan’s Table
It’s a swashbuckling setup: Use a picnic table with benches. Cover the table with a black cloth made of yard goods. Set the table with red paper napkins (a red rubber hatchet holds down each napkin) and red-handled picnic-type forks and knives. For plates, collect the metal-type plates on which frozen dinners come; with enamel paint, paint each white; when it’s dry, paint on a black Jolly Roger (skull-and-crossbones) insignia. Complete the setting with white china mugs (dollar-store variety).

Jolly Roger place cards: From thin white cardboard, cut 7″ x 3-1/2″ place cards. Fold in half; on each, outline Jolly Roger insignia, with top of insignia at fold. Cut out around top of insignia, as shown. Write name of pirate on each—Captain Kidd, Jean Lafitte, Captain Morgan, Long John Silver, Ben Gunn, etc.

Pirate-Garb Favors: Each young pirate receives a pirate hat (with white Jolly Roger insignia on it), an eye patch, and mustache, all made of black construction paper. The hat and patch are held on with hat elastic. A rubber dagger from the dime store and a red crepe-paper sash, cut from folds of crepe paper, complete the attire.

Galleon Centerpiece: Buy an 18″ black sailboat; remove cloth sails. Insert 3 wooden dowels of different lengths into holes in deck as shown. Make sails from stiff white paper; paint Jolly Roger insignia on one. Paste sails onto dowels as shown; with cord, attach 4 jib sails to bow of boat.
       Pile some rocks at far end of table; to these, secure the ship, letting it heel. Scatter colored pebbles about. To the masts, paste white and black pirate flags as shown. Station rubber pirate figures, in various poses, on deck and in tiny crow’s-nest (use a paper cup). Place a cork float at either end of the ship; into each, insert a large red candle.

Have a retro pirate party for your little buccaneer this year.
Seafaring Food
Twin Treasure Sandwich Chests
Pirate Treasure (Raw Relishes)
Ship Ahoy Ice Cream
Jolly Roger Cake – Cold Milk

Twin Treasure Sandwich Chests
2 loaves unsliced bread
Lettuce
Raw relishes
Sandwich fillings of tuna, deviled ham, etc
Chocolate “gold” coins
  1. With long sharp knife, cut off 1/2″ slice from top of day-old loaf of bread, cutting almost but not all the way through and leaving hinge along long side.
  2. Now, starting 1/4″ in from edge of crust and letting knife extend down to 1/4″ from bottom, cut all around inside of loaf.
  3. Then insert knife into outside of long side of loaf, 1/4″ up from bottom crust and in from end, so that blade extends across width of loaf to within 1/4″ of crust on opposite side. Then saw across length of loaf to within of other end, so block of bread is completely loosened. Now lift out block.
  4. Slice block of bread; then make it into sandwiches with tasty fillings of tuna, deviled ham, etc. Arrange sandwiches in chest, tucking lettuce here and there. Garnish chest with carrot curls, radish roses, celery sticks, and ripe olives (resembling jewels) ; add “gold” coins of sweet chocolate.
  5. For second chest, repeat above.

Ship Ahoy Ice Cream
  1. Make small square paper sails—2 for each ship. Insert narrow candy stick into each.
  2. Quickly halve each very firm pint of brick ice cream into 2 lengthwise oblongs; cut corners from front end of each oblong to form bow of ship.
  3. Into each oblong, insert 2 candy-stick sails: then press 2 or 3 small round candies with holes in the center into each side for portholes.
Jolly Roger Cake
  1. Fill and frost 2 9″ cake layers with 1 batch seven-minute frosting, or 1 pkg. fluffy white frosting mix, prepared as label directs.
  2. Make Cocoa Party Cream this way: To 1/2 recipe Party Cream (page 185), add 2 Tablesp. cocoa.
  3. Draw 9″ circle on piece of cardboard. In circle, sketch Jolly Roger insignia. Cut out insignia; lay on center top of frosted cake; then sift cocoa from tea strainer over entire top surface of cake. Carefully lift off insignia.
  4. Using Cocoa Party Cream in cake decorator with plain tube, write “happy birthday, Captain Bob” around side of cake.
Buccaneer Games
PIRATE GOLD: As guests arrive, each gives the secret password, then draws a name tag bearing one of the pirate names on the Jolly Roger Place Cards (page 74). Each guest pins on his name tag and receives a bag of chocolate “gold” coins or marbles. Anyone failing to call a guest by his pirate name during the party forfeits a “gold” coin.

WALK THE PLANK: Lay a plank flat on the floor; at the end of it, place a small tub of water. As soon as each guest has assumed his pirate name, give him a trial run and let him walk the plank, then jump over the tub of water with ease.
       Now blindfold the victim; while he is being blindfolded, the water is quietly removed. It is very comical for the guests who have already gone through the ordeal to watch each one cautiously edge his way out on the plank, then jump wildly into the air, momentarily expecting to land with a splash.

PIRATE HIDEOUT: The child who is Captain Kidd for the afternoon hides while the others slowly count to 25. Then all scatter and hunt for Captain Kidd in his pirate’s den. As soon as one player finds the Captain, he doesn’t say a word but hides right along with him. And so it goes until all have found Captain Kidd. The first one to discover the Captain’s hideout becomes the next person to hide.

TREASURE HUNT: Before the party, the young host fills a treasure chest with chocolate “gold” coins and hides a silver fifty-cent piece at the bottom.
       For each pirate, the host prints, on torn pieces of brown paper, a different set of 3 clues, each giving directions on how to find the next clue; then he prints a fourth clue, which is the same for all. He puts all the first clues into a bag, hides the rest as directed, and finally hides the treasure chest itself in the “West.” Here’s a sample set of clues: 
  1. Yo ho ho and a pirate ship, In the piano bench you’ll find a slip.
  2. Look alive, man, or you’ll walk the plank. It’s hidden beneath the piggy bank.
  3. Look under the rug; step lively will ya, You’ve been double-crossed by Long John Silver.
  4. And now, young man, go West, go West, The treasure’s in the treasure chest. At the party, each pirate draws his first clue from the bag. It leads him to the next, etc., and finally to the treasure.
  5. The winner must turn in all 4 clues. His prize is the fifty-cent piece. All share the “gold.”
More Craft Ideas for Pirate Parties:

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Bake a Pink Elephant Circus Cake

Ella Elephant's easy to make (Of course, you must use Angel Flake.) Her trunk is long for peanut scooping, Her ears are big and always drooping!  The pink elephant circus cake design was published by General Foods Corporation in 1959.
  1. Start with two cooled 9-inch round cakes made from the recipe below. Cut a ring 11/2 inches wide from one layer. Cut out a third of the ring for her trunk.
  2. Divide remaining piece of ring into four equal parts. Place uncut layer on a tray for the body. Use small circle for Ella's head. Add legs and a happy trunk.
  3. Spread a fluffy pink frosting over cake and sprinkle Baker's Angle Flake coconut generously over the elephant. Use a big chocolate cookie for her ear . . . a gumdrop for the eye and a twist of licorice for the tail.
Ingredients:
2.5 cups cake flour
2 tsps baking powder
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄2 cup plus
2 tbsp butter
1 1/3 cups Redpath Granulated Sugar
3 tbsps frozen Pink Lemonade
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup milk

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 8" round pans and line bottoms with parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter in mixer until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, scraping as needed. Add concentrate, zest and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time. Beat until smooth. On low alternate adding dry ingredients and milk (start and finish with dry ingredients). Bake cakes about 25mins, until toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Pink Lemonade Frosting
500g Redpath Icing Sugar
2 cups shortening (can mix 1⁄2 butter, 1⁄2 shortening if you like)
1⁄4 cup Pink Lemonade Concentrate
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp meringue powder

Directions: Water as needed. Whip shortening (and butter, if using). Slowly begin adding icing sugar. Alternate between icing sugar and concentrate to keep frosting light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add water if needed for spreading consistency.

More Ideas for Circus Party Fun: