I had a lady call me up yesterday asking for my information and prices etc. It was for a children’s birthday party in Brisbane in July. It was her daughter’s first party at home – she was going to be 4 years old. The lady needed help in finding the best birthday party for her daughter. Naturally I told her that my show would be perfect for her daughter’s party – because It’s true. However, she wanted more information than that. For example, where she could by a my little pony birthday cake and how much bouncy castles were and did I know of any good face painters in Brisbane. I knew of some great face AND hair painters (where they spray your hair different colours and put feathers in it etc) However I didn’t know about the price for bouncy castles.
Bouncy castles are great!! Kids love Them!! The problem is what do the children do after 30 mins – 45 mins of bouncing on a bouncy castle? If you don’t have an entertainer you will have to be that entertainer – as well as take the photos – as well as make tea for the adults – as well as play pas the parcel – as well as show everyone where the toilet is – as well as find the plasters for the little boy who has cut his knee on the path…
I think you can see where I am going…
Bouncy castles are brilliant – as well as face painters – however they are not enough…They cannot entertain large groups of children (10+ kids) at a children’s birthday party. Unless you have a big family of adults ready to roll up their sleeves and entertain the children then it is going to be one stressful day.
The poor face painter has enough to do making the children at the party sit still for 10 minutes while paint is being applied.
Also there is parent etiquette:
Say there is a little boy/girl running around like mad – hitting children or not doing what they are told – are you going to feel comfortable enough to go up to that child and tell them to behave when their own mother/father is standing right there?- Doing squat about their own child’s behaviour? – you should and don’t feel guilty about it either! Children need to be told or it will escalate.
I am lucky – As an entertainer it is my responsibility to make sure the children are behaving - I don't mind the parents disagreeing with their child being corrected - That is my job!
I mainly do this through entertaining them – If they are entertained they don’t go around misbehaving- simple….BUT sometimes you get a child who obviously has had a few issues and just simply will not behave. I am no worries about correcting the children. I have to as a school teacher – you do it quickly and firmly and then leave it and smile at them when they are being good.
If you are doing the party games yourself (as my parents do when they choose the silver show) you need to make sure that you are comfortable with you correcting the children if they are misbehaving.
Some tips:
Bend down to them
Say quietly and in a low voice whilst looking at them in the eye– “don’t do that please. You will ruin the…. (or whatever they are doing)
Say “ Do you understand”
Make sure they look at you and say or nod yes
Stand up and go straight back into happy mummy/ daddy!!
I personally would appreciate someone else having that responsibility and not having any awkward feelings toward the parent …who must be OBLIVIOUS to the fact that their child is running riot around the house!! ☺
