Host a Kids’ Get-Acquainted Party

For many, the beginning of the school year is a Season of New. Children become new school-agers, change schools, or start after-school activities such as tumbling class or Scouts. Teachers, parent volunteers and other kids’ group leaders are likewise greeted by new faces. Sometimes there’s a little anxiety. Always, you want to start out on the right foot. The Shindigz prescription: a get-acquainted party, naturally!

Choose a Theme with Fins or Four Legs
Chances are you’ll need a theme that appeals to both boys and girls, and there’s one great big intersection of boy and girl interests called Animals. Here are a few animal-based themes we think would work especially well for this purpose:

• Down on the Farm
• Big Game Safari Party
• Undersea Adventure

These animal themes are easy to decorate and accessorize. Create a barnyard with a big red 3D barn, classic red gingham table covers and a herd of inflatable cows; an undersea universe of deep blue seaweed and tropical fish balloons; or a green equatorial paradise with a jungle trees backdrop and wild animal standups.

You will similarly find that it’s easy to match piñatas, crafts, party wearables and other party favors to any of these animal themes.

If possible, try to have at least part of the party outdoors, or in another setting where the children can run around.

Young “Animals” Get Acquainted at Play
Children tend to get excited about being around other children, so the best strategy is to work off excess energy with lots of active play right at the start of the party.

Games can be old or new, theme-related or not, but you will want to choose types where nobody has to wait too long for their turns, and select team games for team-building and getting acquainted. Relays such as egg races, pass-the-orange, balloon sitting, and crab walk races make for classic, dependable fun; just be sure to mix up the teams between each game. Circle games using a play canopy and foam balls or animal beanbag toys engage all the children on the same team at once and encourage coordination and cooperative play.

Food tends not to be a huge focus for younger party guests, and what there is of it can be part of an activity, too. Children can decorate their own cupcakes or whip up small sundaes. Otherwise, a few nibbles are probably sufficient. Provide peanuts in the shell to a band of elephants, oats (granola) for a herd of horses, half bananas to marauding monkeys and so forth.

They will absolutely get mighty thirsty. Create theme-related personalized water bottle labels for “jungle juice” or “sea water” and tint bottle contents accordingly with food coloring.

When the level of activity begins winding down and the end of the get-acquainted party nears, pull out the craft projects and coloring books from Everything Elementary.

Get-Acquainted Fun Continues Afterward
If you do create a herd of inflatable cows or a school of plush fish as part of the party decorations, be sure to have enough on hand for each child to take one home. Party wearables such as animal print safari hats, shark tooth necklaces and farm animal masks are emblems of fun both during and after the party, and photos taken in front of large party decorations and during games can adorn a bulletin board or the beginnings of a group scrapbook.

ShindigZ Supplies Featured on “My Name Is Earl”

Fans of the hit NBC television show My Name is Earl (Thursdays, 8/7c) got a taste of how to throw a party with ShindigZ. The focus of the November 29th episode was planning a prison prom. Gobs of ShindigZ underwater prom and party items were used. The episode featured the characters going through ShindigZ.com and Stumps Prom & Party catalogs, choosing a party theme and then decorating for the actual event. Gossamer, seaweed, a Neptune cutout and a large seaweed arch were amongst the supplies and featured. Even the crown and scepter worn were from ShindigZ.

The show stars Jason Lee, Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressly, Eddie Steeples and Nadine Velazquez.

Hook Guests with Under the Sea Invitations

After selecting this Under the Sea theme for your party, choose a slogan to use in your invitations, and to use in tying in decorations and personalized favors for your enchanted Under the Sea theme.  Find the perfect slogan for your party by trying one of the following, or by thinking of one that suits your style.

• ”Under the Sea Adventure!”
• “Birthday Enchantment Under the Sea…Mermaids, Dolphins, and Brittany!”
• “Have a Whale of a Time at Jon’s Birthday!”
• “Take the Plunge!”

Invitations:

Choose one of the following invitations to let your guests know what a seaworthy time they will have at the party:

The Under the Sea Ensemble contains an invite that is perfect for this theme. Invite the kids to come dressed for some wet fun, weather permitting.

As an alternative, send a message in a bottle from under the sea!  Roll the invitation up, and tie it with a small piece of green (seaweed) curling ribbon or raffia.  Add the invite to an empty water bottle (label removed).  Add about 4 tablespoons of sand to each bottle, and a few small seashells.  One shell necklace can be cut apart, and will provide enough shells for about 10-12 invites.

Tell us about your Under the Sea party ideas and stories!

Create Ocean Enchantment with Under the Sea Decor

Under the waves, where fish swim and play, sea creatures are gathering…for a wondrous birthday!  We’ve gathered everything you need to decorate and celebrate in an enchanted world, under the sea.

Outdoor decorations:

Hang die cut green vines (seaweed), clear balloon bubble strands, and some Fish overhead in the area where the children will enter the party.

A Giant Octopus Stand-In will be waiting to wrap his arms around the little party guests!  This terrific decoration can be used for lots of photo opportunities and for party activities.

Attach a bouquet of helium filled balloons to a light post or mailbox so there will be no mistaking where the fun will be that day!

Indoor Decorations:

Start your decorating with an Under the Sea Ensemble. This ensemble contains balloons, streamers, curling ribbon, a centerpiece, a Dolphin Mylar balloon, and even a Whale piñata to match your theme.

A giant treasure chest is a delightful decoration that can be used as a gift drop box, and as a prop for a buried treasure party game.

Cover a wall with dark blue water gossamer, and add some undersea life for a truly magnificent under the ocean setting.  An Orca Whale, a Gray Whale, Silver Porpoises, or Seaweed from a Deep Blue Destiny set, and sparkling seahorses will transport children to a fantasy world that they won’t want to leave.

Tie huge bows with our dark blue water gossamer across the top of each chair back.  The bows can be cut to any length, and even look great with tails trailing on the floor.  Make bows to hang anywhere and everywhere…chairs, doorways, tree trunks, stair rails, deck posts, gift packages, or table-ends.  The gossamer also looks terrific as a table cover, puddle around the base of other decorations, or hanging from a doorframe.

Fill a room with an enchanting underwater scene using an Under the Sea Painted Mural.

Balloons can economically transform any room, backyard or park into a festive space in a matter of minutes by using some of the following ideas:

Use a helium tank to fill balloons.  Tie curling ribbon to balloons, and group them together. (Odd numbers look best: 3, 5, or 7) Place groupings of balloons around the party room.

Tie a bunch of helium filled balloons to the birthday child’s chair, or tie one to the back of each chair.

If you choose not to use helium, tie balloons to varying lengths of curling ribbon, and hang balloons from the ceiling, or from a light fixture over the party table.

Streamers offer an economical way to splash lots of color around the site of the party.  Create a fun and colorful effect by draping blue and red streamers from the center of the ceiling to the walls on each side of the room, or between trees if the party is being held outdoors.  The streamers can be twisted after they are anchored to a ceiling wall or table for a more dimensional look.  Two different colored streamers can be placed back to back and twisted for a unique look.  They also look terrific hanging from doorframes or cascading vertically down walls.

Iridescent curtains provide an economical way to add dazzle to a doorway or food area.  The shimmer will look like ripples of sunlight reflecting under the water.

Table Decorations:

Setting a table with the party ware, including the tablecloth, cups, plates, napkins, and cutlery is the fastest way to create a focal point in a room.  Start by setting your table with all the goodies in an Under the Sea Ensemble, creating a place setting at the table for each guest.

Add one or a few of the following touches to personalize your table:

Cover the food table with a white or blue fishnet.

Create a centerpiece using a bunch of helium filled balloons tied with curling ribbon.  Attach them to a foil balloon weight.

Display your birthday cake in the center of the table…the kids will love the close up view!

Order personalized napkins and have them imprinted with your party slogan.  Select a metallic or foil imprint.  The napkins will serve several purposes…great decorating in disguise and a treasured memento for the birthday child’s scrapbook.

Add other personalized items, such as a stadium cup to each place setting to let the birthday child know just how special he or she is.  These items will stir fond memories of the “best birthday ever” for many years to come.

Check out all of our Theme Partysupplies for more ideas! Get daily ideas by becoming a Shindigz Fan on Facebook!

Fishy Fun for an Under the Sea Party

Engage the kids in some fun with the activities that follow:

A bubble machine will entertain kids for hours as they race around popping underwater bubbles!

A Giant Octopus Standee or Giant Shark Standee are the ultimate Under the Sea party props. Take the time to have each child pose alone, and with the birthday child for pictures inside the standee.  The priceless photos can then be mailed to each guest with a thank you note at a later date.

The Octopus or Shark can also be used for two other party activities:

-Gather a couple of beanbags, or fill some uninflated balloons with rice. Use the Standee for a beanbag toss game.

-Prior to the party, fill 4-5 water bubble balloons for each child. Have mom, dad, or another good sport peek out of the opening, and then let the water fly!

Listen to squeals of delight when the kids are running old-fashioned three-tentacle (or legged) races, and crab races.  For the crab races, have the kids raise themselves up from a sitting position on their hands and knees, so that their backs are facing the ground.  The kids can also play Crab “Soccer” using an inflated balloon as a soccer ball.  If you really want to make a big splash, give all the little winners a real goldfish in a plastic fish bowl!

The kids will have a whale of a time with the shark piñata and we’ve yet to find a child who doesn’t want to grab some goodies from one at a party!

“Buried Treasure” – Blindfold the children one at a time, then let them dig deep into a giant treasure chest filled with goodies.

“Clam dig” – Use a sand box, large tub or you can even fill our giant treasure chest with sand, and bury small toy treasures for the kids to dig up.  Fill and bury some sea shell nut cups with wrapped candy.  Add some mini sea creatures for an authentic Under the Sea surprise!

Create a deep sea fishing pond, using lots of toy treats for the catch of the day.

Get caught up in a wave of fun as the kids make a craft that they can display with pride.  A tropical fish sun-catcher set, fish favor bags, or starfish pin craft kits are all sea-worthy!

Run a Deep Sea Relay, using two sets of over-sized flippers, goggles and filled-to-the-brim (with water) beach pails.  Divide the kids into two teams, and have the first in line put on the flippers and goggles.  Each person must run to a designated line…with the water filled bucket.  Each team member then runs the same course after being tagged.  Offer two prizes for this game.  One for the winning team, and one for the team with the most water left in the bucket!

Wrap a box of individually packaged Goldfish snacks (one for each child) with newspaper or butcher paper. Continue wrapping layer upon layer around the package, so that the kids can unwrap it one sheet at a time.  After you have added approximately 12-15 layers, wrap the final layer with real birthday paper and a fancy bow.  Gather the kids in a circle, play some music, and tell the kids that when the music stops, whoever is holding the package gets to unwrap the package (be specific that they may only open one layer.)  Continue playing the game until the final layer is removed.  The winner gets to give each person a package of Goldfish…so everyone wins!

If you are holding your party at a time when the weather is beautiful and balmy, request in the invitation that guests wear a bathing suit, and let the water fly! Have a water balloon fight, play water-hose limbo, or just let the kids have free time to play in the sprinkler.

Check out all of our Theme Party Supplies for more ideas!

Sunken Treasure for Under the Sea Party Favors

Create Under the Sea favor packs by selecting a favor box or bag from our assortment and filling it with favors. We suggest a beach pail set filled with sunglasses, water guns, a kite, floral leis, and sea creature beanies.  Don’t feel that you need to save all the favors to pass out at the end of the party.  Use different components in your decorating and for party activities.

Kids will fall hook line and sinker for shell necklaces and nautical hats.

Stock up on lots of little goodies for a “Treasure Box Hunt” and “Clam Dig.” Let the kids haul home a King Triton size treasure trove!

Have personalized bubbles imprinted with your party slogan…a wonderful touch for any birthday party!

Create memories that will last long after the party ends by giving personalized favors.  We offer fluted stadium cups, acrylic frames and much more…all personalized with your child’s slogan and name.

Glow items and fiber optic wands are a universal favorite of landlubbers!