Birthday
Party Guide 2013
The ‘One-Year-Club’ Initiation PAGE
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Party Favours PAGE
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Hassle Free Birthdays PAGE
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WELCOME
In this issue: 4
Party Planning Pet Peeves
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Party Games for Preschoolers
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Welcome...
The One-Year-Club Initiation
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Unique Birthday Invitations
Happy Birthday from the Okanagan4Kids family to yours!
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Tips for taking the perfect picture
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Party Favours
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Party Planning: From one mom to another
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Hassle Free Birthdays
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The Best Birthday Party Apps
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Best Birthday Books
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Party Foods with a Healthy Balance
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Awesome Gift Ideas
We are so happy to be turning 4 in a few months. Over the past few years we have been receiving feedback from our parent community that they would love to have a birthday resource that they could refer to when planning their child’s birthday party. We know all too well how exciting (and overwhelming) planning a child’s party can be. Our birthday party guide is full if inspiration for party favors, food and fun! We also have a link to our birthday party providers if you need some ideas on where to hold your child’s next birthday party. Of course, this guide would not be possible without the support of local businesses, so if you see something you like be sure to let them know you found it on Okanagan4Kids.com. Happy Birthday! n
Jen & Sue www.okanagan4kids.com
Cover Photo courtesy of Sharla Pike Photography www.sharlapike.com Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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PARTY PET PEEVES
Party Planning Pet Peeves... We all go to so much effort to plan a fantastic birthday party for our little ones. We asked the community what their biggest birthday party planning pet peeve was and this is what they had to say:
❝ Kids 5 and under should not be dropped off. It’s a party, not free babysitting. ❞ - Kasey
❝ Give away bags filled with dollar store cheap plastic items made in china and candy. ❞ - Chantal
❝ People who do not RSVP. ❞ – Jennifer
❝ Parties that are more about
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trying to impress other parents than about letting kids have fun and celebrate. ❞ – Charmaine
❝ I hate goodie bags! ❞ – Jessie
❝ Parents who don’t understand
250.212.2844
that when you say the party ends at 4:00 that means you are there by 4:00 to pick them up! Not half an hour later! ❞ – Katrina
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Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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PARTY GAMES
Party Games for Preschoolers Imagine a room full of four-year-olds, after they’ve had cake, juice and other snacks. If frantic chaos is exciting to you, this type of scene is right up your alley! If you prefer your chaos to be somewhat ‘orderly’, read on for some party game suggestions. Indoor Games Pin the ____ on the _______. This game is fully customizable. For a Halloween style birthday party, it could be ‘pin the stem on the pumpkin’ or ‘pin the boo on the ghost’. For a jungle theme, there’s ‘pin the tail on the monkey’ or ‘pin the trunk on the elephant’. Create a game to match the theme of your child’s party! Simple! Musical chairs is always a favourite standby when holding a child’s party indoors. If having someone left out at the end is something that bothers you, why not make the rule that the person left standing at the end of the game gets to choose the next song? Indoor bowling is always an option. If you have a small hallway in your home, create a mini ‘bowling alley’. Using a small soft ball, children as young as two can enjoy trying to knock the ‘pins’ down. Don’t have any
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bowling pins? Save your empty 4litre milk jugs, rinse them out and draw silly faces on them! Even a soft ball can knock empty milk jugs down! This game creates an opportunity for preschoolers to be successful and will help reinforce turn-taking and the chance to cheer for their friends! Outdoor Games Spring/Summer - as the weather warms, games held outside involving water play are always popular. Here are a few:
• • • • •
Target practice with mini water balloons Hide and seek Scavenger hunt 3-legged race Ring toss
Fall/Winter – colder weather means bundling up but not necessarily omitting the opportunity to play games outside! Spray bottles with a
water and food colouring mixture is a great creative play idea – colour the snow! What about ‘create your own snow creature’? There could be prizes for scariest, most creative, funniest or biggest snow creature. Ensure lots of props are available – old scarves, twigs, buttons, toques, wooden spoons, yarn; even the spray bottles with coloured water could be utilized! Birthday parties can be wildly successful, with a little planning. Begin gathering items, such as prizes, props and decorations at least a month prior to the party, to lower your stress level. Serve finger foods, such as vegetable sticks, cubed fruit and small sandwiches, even serving cupcakes instead of cake. These are all tips to create a less stressful and super fun birthday party! n Jodi Quibell is a writer, mother and Early Childhood Educator. Check out her blog at: www.apparentwisdom.com
Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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BABY'S FIRST BIRTHDAY
The ‘OneYear-Club’ Initiation Birthdays mean different things to different families but at the end of the day it’s a day to make someone feel special. In the case of your first child’s initiation into the ‘one-year-club’ it is a day to acknowledge that moment you met this person you already knew. It’s a nod to a year of diapers, sleepless nights, popping teeth, testing foods, new adventures and this little emergent likeness of yourself that your family and friends have made space for in their hearts and lives. Lots of new moms, myself included, get lost in the colourful Pinteresting world of unique, photo-ready, clever ways to teach, dress, play, feed and celebrate your children. There is something for everyone, but not everything needs to be added to your repertoire of hosting and parenting skills. Themed birthdays included. If you want a themed birthday, go for it crafty mama. If you want to have a Jack and the Beanstalk theme with giant handmade invitations and a two-foot cake made with marshmallow clouds, do it. Do it, without flipping when your three-year old knocks over the tower of golden eggs. Or huffing when your husband is late setting up the giant bouncy castle. Or worrying that there isn’t enough food, serving dishes, or the bunting is crooked. We want the best for our children. We want to see their hands flail in the air with big eyes and a smile that they can’t contain. This little squealing giggle is the moment for which we drudge through crap and tantrums and tears. But our passion for
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constructing this moment shouldn’t cost the peace of our day. I am here to say one thing. Do what you want, as long as it is fun. The value of motherhood walks hand in hand with her passions. Yet there is also something significant in finding the joy in simplicity. Sometimes it is a gift we give to our families is keeping things simple. So maybe you are the kind of mom who can embrace the Simple Birthday. A dad taking credit for the meal because he BBQed the burgers though you and your sister made a table of sides. Some tasty cute cupcakes that were supposed to look like cookie monster. So your talented friend showed up with a big bird cake that you plunk a single candle into. A room full of your family and friends who were invited by text message ready to belt out an off-key Happy Birthday ballad that may make your child cry. And some playful tots on sugar highs tossing balloons and getting dirty in the sandbox adorned with yellow streamers. Take lots of pictures and recognize that gummy wide smile happened regardless of the décor and food choices. For me, I stuck with simple. I know that a themed birthday would be a runaway train for me. Every detail would have to be perfect and I would likely short circuit if it wasn’t. Sure, there will be themed birthdays in my kid’s future, but while they are still babies I will take advantage
Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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BABY'S FIRST BIRTHDAY
of their inability to vocalize a laundry list of party-requirements. In this time I hope I can show them that there are lots of ways to make someone feel special, loved and worthy of celebration in simple and fun ways. Besides, I’m pretty sure by the time they are teens a photo-shop app will be invented that will ‘Pinterest’ all our birthday photos into a variety of desired theme.
Some ideas to keep your baby’s first birthday simple: 1 Pick one thing. Something that echoes your child’s interests that you will take and make special for them. Whether it be a signature dish; Elmo paper plates; a train cake; a Dora piñata or a chair decorated with airplanes. One year olds aren’t too hard to impress and that is your audience for the day. 2 Have balloons. It’s a simple coloured latex orb, but it is the signal to children everywhere that a party is happening. Easy, cheap and they force you to clean your floors once they all start popping. 3 Birthday co-op. If you don’t have close family and friends to help with things, enlist your mom friends to share the lode. You all have birthdays for your tiny tots so help each other out with different tasks on your list like icing cakes, making a side dish, picking up the case of twisted tea. 4 Get the siblings on board. Keep them busy with doing something special for their brother or sister. It can be making a card, reading books to them or letting them play with a favourite toy. It marks the day as notable to the kids and teaches them that some gifts don’t need to be bought. 5 Don’t toil the whole time. A hostess that never sits to enjoy her company is one who misses out on the party. Have someone else take pictures, leave the dishes in the sink and toss the balloon around some. n Shawna is a Stay at Home Mom to a two-year old son and a oneyear old daughter living in small town Okanagan-Similkameen. She writes openly about things like her mom fails, kale chips, making out on the Roxy dance floor (with her husband), small town DIYs and other nerdy shenanigans. Find her at Dovetail Blog (www.dovetailblog.com) or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ DoveTailBlog).
www.okanagan4kids.com
Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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PARENT/TEACHER RELATIONSHIPS
Let our birthday party team help plan and organize your child’s next birthday party.
kelowna.ca/recreation
SUMMER READING
Celebrate your child’s next birthday with us We make parties fun!
Swimming Parties
Kids love playing in the water so have their next birthday party at the Parkinson Recreation Centre. The birthday boy or girl and friends will enjoy swimming in the afternoon followed by fun activities in the party room. Swimming parties can accommodate up to 100 people.
Play Parties
Play is fun at any age. Celebrate your child’s next birthday at Watson Road School in Glenmore. Watch them run around, play games and make arts and crafts with their friends. There are so many fun activities to choose from that are perfect for 2 - 12 years old.
Skating Parties
Celebrate your child’s birthday at the Rutland Activity Centre and Rutland Arena. Enjoy skating during the afternoon then have even more fun playing games at the Activity Centre. Great fun for children 6 years and older. Skate rentals are not included.
Birthday parties are booked on Saturdays and Sundays based on availability. Costs vary depending on birthday activity and number of guests. Parents supply the food, drinks, paper plates, napkins and decorations. We supply the facility, instructor, activity and help with set-up and clean-up. The Parkinson Recreation Centre and the Okanagan Mission Activity Centre are available for special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, reunions, dances, parties and meetings. For more information about these facility rentals call 250-469-8957.
Floor Hockey
Gymnastics
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Arts & Crafts
Gym Games
Soccer
Ice Skating
Swimming
Okanagan4Kids.com Summer Activity Guide | 2013
Interested in booking a party or finding out more?
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Call 250-469-8800
PARTY INVITATIONS
Unique Birthday Invitations Hosting a birthday party can be a big task. You will likely begin by setting a party theme. The invitations will be your first chance to convey this theme. Create an original start to your party with these unique invitation ideas. Parachute Men Use a permanent marker to write party details on an open parachute. Fold it back up to deliver to party guests.
Origami Fold your invitation into a creative shape. Think of a pinwheel, flower, scroll, crane or cootie catcher.
Tu Tu Skirts Attach a tag to each skirt with party details. Invite party guests to wear them to the event and they become party favours as well.
Stuffed Softie Use a fun stuffed toy to carry your party invitation. These too can become unique party favours.
Children’s Art Work Use your child’s artwork and drawings to add a personalized touch to each invitation. Free photo editing programs like Pic Monkey and iPiccy make creating do it yourself printable invitations fun and easy.
Balloon Have balloons printed with party details. You can find many balloon printing services online.
Small Toy Write your invitation onto a small toy or other item that connects with your party theme. Flip flops, a baseball, inflatable beach ball or sand pail for example
A birthday party invitation doesn’t need to be expensive or take a lot of time to create. Make it unique and personal and your party guests are sure to love it. n Contributed by Heather Painchaud of TwinDragonflyDesigns.com. She shares epic craft tutorials, delicious recipes and all things DIY. Heather balances life as a working twin momma, wife, daughter and entrepreneur, while keeping it all real.
Face Painting
All Occasions Give your child the best birthday party on the block! Using our theme-based project kits, kids can play and learn using LEGO® Brick model plans that are like no other. Our kits are designed just for Bricks 4 Kidz® by architects and engineers, and reinforce S.T.E.M.-based principles.
Book before Nov 1 2013 & Save $45 on your Birthday Party Call 1-778-516-1505 or visit www.bricks4kidz.com/bcsouthinterior
Zoe Parker 778-478-1011
facetofacefacepainting@hotmail.com www.facetofacefacepainting.com
Tips for taking the
perfect picture Be Prepared
THE PERFECT PICTURE
you have time to participate in what’s going on and relax and enjoy rather than worrying about capturing every moment! Plus you will have images of you being in the photos with your child on their special day. Another option is to bring in a professional photographer as you will be sure to have amazing photos to look back on.
Let the Light In
Make sure the batteries are fully charged and the memory card is empty there is nothing worse than you running of card space half way through the party or your battery dying before the candles are blown out!
Natural light is always best so head outside if you can, but stay in the shade to avoid the squints, shadows and sun spots.
Pick a Party Photographer
You have planned and worked SO hard to prepare every detail of the party for your child. SO make sure you capture them! Take pictures of the cake, decorations, balloons, and presents! It’s sometimes better to get these types of shots before the party Chios begins!
It’s sometimes best to ask someone other than yourself to photograph the party such as a friend or family member. This will ensure that
The Details
Birthday Party Directory Visit us online for a complete list of birthday party service providers! • Attractions • Food service providers • Entertainers www.okanagan4kids.com/birthdays
It might also be a good idea to photograph your child before the party begins and all the guests arrive.
Be Candid Candid photos are my Favorite images I love them. In candid photos you capture the true emotion and interactions between friends and family. The world looks different from a child’s point of view. It’s important when photographing children to get down to their level.
Don’t Match If a family picture is on your agenda, avoid matching the whole group. Need some help pairing up killer colors? Check out pro tool www.colorschemedesigner.com to photograph like an art director! (Yes, this means ditch the uniform white shirt and khakis look) A white outfit looks great on the beach but this is a party. Bring the color! n Sharla Pike is a photographer and mother of two school-aged children. Check out her work at www.sharlapike.com
FIGHT BULLYING
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Okanagan4Kids.com Back to School Guide | 2013
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PRESCHOOL DIRECTPRY
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Okanagan4Kids.com Summer Activity Guide | 2013
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PARTY FAVOURS
Party favours – tips and tricks
It’s the night before your child’s birthday party and the panic has set in – the dreaded “goodie bags” or party favours are missing. How could you have forgotten about them?! Chances are you didn’t forget, you just kept putting it off until it was too late to do anything about them. Now you’re standing in that aisle of the nearest Dollar store in desperation, grabbing all kinds of trinkets you’re pretty sure you don’t really want but what else can you do? If you’ve ever agonized over the “goodie bag”, you are not alone. So many Moms tell the same story – birthday party favours cause them a lot of grief. It needs to be creative and unique with totally cool, kid friendly stuff that the children are actually going to use. Not too many trinkets and of course just the right amount of sugary treats to keep everyone happy! Easy enough right? Maybe in a perfect world! We’ve all got busy schedules and often not enough time in the day to get it all done so here are a few tips to keep in mind that might help you make that panicked trip to the dollar store a little less often. Pick a theme & Plan ahead If you want to make it easier on yourself this is a critical step. It is much easier to think of things for favours when you have a theme to work with. For example balls for a sports themed party, wands for a princess party, flip flops for a beach party etc. Themes don t have to be super fancy or over the top, nor do the favours. If you give some thought to your child’s party a few months in advance, tying in the favours and food is much easier. You can also be on the lookout for things that might fit the theme well before the actual day of the party! It also gives you time to make, or find someone else to make, something special for the party (custom cake or cookies, banners, tableware, decorations, personalized items etc.)
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Keep it simple Goodie bags don’t have to be filled with several items, in fact one well thought out favour is often more appreciated by all. A soccer ball, gift card, activity kit, pillow case, hula hoop, skipping rope, yo-yo or even a t-shirt all work beautifully as party favours. This can also keep your costs down. Filling bags with several little trinkets can get costly! Be unique Make it meaningful - this one is challenging but there are loads of sites out there(see list below) that have fantastic ideas for party planning – use your child as the starting point and work around their unique personality to make the favours, décor, and theme special to them. Having a favour “bar” where children pick items for their own favour bags is a popular option as well as children making their own favour bag items as part of the festivities. Have fun Don’t forget this is what the party is all about! In the scheme of things the most important thing is that you HAD the party not what each child was lucky enough to take home. Give yourself some credit and the next time you have a few minutes to yourself check out some of my favourite party/lifestyle blogs and websites and start planning for the next one! n
Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
Sarah De Francesco is a local mompreneur based in Kelowna. She is the owner of Sarah’s Sweets, a custom cookie boutique and Mom to two school aged children. Loves all things homemade and adding a special touch to the everyday. Find her on Pinterest at: http://www.pinterest.com/sarahde/boards/ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/SarahsSweets/120058994725482
PARTY PLANNING BLOGS: Wants and Wishes Design Bird’s Party The Party Dress Hostess with the Mostess Catch my Party Events by Kate (Kamloops based!) Kara’s Party Ideas bestbirthdayideas.com partystock.ca
LIFESTYLE BLOGS: Tip Junkie Bee in our Bonnet ivillage.com Pinterest - if you haven’t checked this
out yet you must! So many great ideas!
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From One Mom
to Another
Birthday Party Planning from Tough Mommy
PARTY PLANNING Whether you are planning a 1st birthday party or a 16th birthday party we always want our parties to look fabulous. With the come of Pinterest it has never been easier to get ideas and never been harder to narrow them down! If you’d like to see some of the ideas I found on Pinterest please follow my board When I was planning my sons first birthday we decided to keep it small and in the family, but I still wanted a nice cake and memorable decorations. My son loves Mickey Mouse so the theme was easy. I looked up Mickey Cakes on Pinterest and saw lots of cool ideas to send to my baker. But as she’ll attest, I couldn’t make up my mind, and what I really liked was out of budget. Plus I wanted a second cake for a cake smash! I finally came up with a cool idea, melding a few of the cakes I found on the board, and some Disney figurines like Mickey, and some cool candles. My older son is now three and for his second birthday we did a Curious George theme and for his third birthday we did a Splatter Paint party. The splatter paint party was a great idea because we did it at a local art studio for kids called 4Cats; they have a curator that works with the kids and helps them paint, plus an area for the parents to watch and sit have some snacks. There was also lots of time for cake and snacks. Since the theme was obvious Splatter Paint, I worked with that to great the rest of the party items. For goodie bags 4Cats supplied me with a carry box, a fruit snack and pencil (a decent start), I went to Michaels and looked in their party clearance section. I found these cool plastic mugs where you can colour a picture and put it behind the plastic, like the Starbucks travel mugs where you can put a photo behind the plastic; these were only $1.50 each – a steal. Then I wanted to make each child a smock, so I picked up some white t-shirts and paint pens. I wrote some funny comments on the back like; “Throw Paint Here”, “X marks the spot” and “I’m too cute to get dirty”, plus my son’s name and birthdate on the bottom. For the cake I wanted it to look like a white canvas with splatter pain, just like what the kids are going to do. There were cookies that tied into the theme as well. (For the Curious George party we also had cake pops shaped like coloured balloons like in the movie.) It all worked out awesome! n Joanna Moss is the author of ToughMommy.com and mother to two young, beautiful boys that occupy her every waking moment and she loves it (most of the time). Read more at www.toughmommy.com
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Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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HASSLE FREE BIRTHDAYS
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Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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HASSLE FREE BIRTHDAYS
Hassle Free
Birthdays So your child’s big day is quickly approaching. Your anxiety levels are slowly increasing with the passing of each day. The idea of a household full of unruly children is enough to make you want to start pulling out your hair. Don’t worry – I got you covered. I know what it takes to create a truly Hassle Free Birthday party. I’m a professional Magician. For the past 18 years, I have been the main attraction, performing at hundreds of birthday parties every single year. Look, I get it – you want this to be a special day. You want to make it as memorable as possible. I know party planning can be overwhelming and disastrous without proper knowledge. Over the years I have seen my fair share of stressed out parents – I don’t want you to be one of them. I want to equip you with the information you need to have a great time. First, picking a date and time are key to the success of your child’s party. Pick a date that your child’s best friends can make it out to. If you plan on feeding your guests this may help determine when the party should occur. Good start times for weekend parties include 10:00 am or 1:00pm. For an after-school party during the week 3:30pm works great! Most successful birthday parties are between 1.5 hours and 2.5 hours long. The younger the children, the shorter the party should be. Second, location. The best place to host a birthday party is in the comfort of your own home. Hosting your party outside can be lots of fun and a great way to take advantage of beautiful weather. However, if you are hosting your party outdoors, make www.okanagan4kids.com
sure you have a backup plan if the weather turns bad and you need to move indoors. Third, it is important to consider how many children you want to invite – this may depend solely on how brave you are! The birthday child may want to invite their entire class, but this may not be appropriate if you do not have adequate space or enough helping hands during the party. If you plan to invite more than 9 children, I recommend you consider having at least one additional helper and if you plan on inviting more than 15, you should have at least two helpers. Fourth, there are some things to consider when preparing your ‘invite list.’ The reality is that sometimes there are children who are more prone to behaving badly. I am in no way suggesting these children be excluded, but you might want to consider inviting that child’s parents and having them stay for the duration of the party. This way should problems arise, their parents are there to help. This will ensure the party is a great experience for you, your guests and your child.
only need a couple games for your party, so find the ones you think will work best with your child and their friends. Take your time and let the kids have fun. I recommend choosing games that are more cooperative in nature so there are no ‘winners’ and ‘losers.’ This is probably the most difficult part of the party planning, so you can always hire a professional entertainer and they will do all the hard work for you! Lastly, make sure parents know what time the party ends. Make sure you end the party on time and say ‘thank you’ to all the parents for your child’s birthday gifts. Keep these tips in mind and I am sure you will have a great time with your child on their big day! n For information on booking a magical birthday party for your child, please call Magician Leif David at (250)575-7469 or visit www.HassleFreeBirthday.com
Fifth, make a plan and stick to it. Serving cake and opening presents go without saying, but you will need to consider activities for your guests during the party. If you plan on playing games, the classics work the best. Games children already know how to play get them more excited and interested. You
Okanagan4Kids.com Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Back to School Party Guide | 2013
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Kids Aged 1-12
Okanagan’s Entertainment Company Promotions
Team Building
Weddings
Family Fun!
West Kelowna’s very own family entertainment centre!
No Fuss Birthdays! Grab a camera, sit back and enjoy the kids play while we do all the work!
Children’s Parties
Corporate Events Sunny the Clown
Bouncy Houses Giant Games Workshops Magicians Musicians Entertainers Face Painters Circus Skills
Call 250-498-6498
sunny@sunnytheclown.ca sunny@fun4life.ca www.fun4life.ca
Coming in November... 2013 Winter Activity Guide • Winter Family Fun • Holiday Gift Guide • Seasonal Health & Wellness Book your ad spot by November 13th! Ask us about our Winter promotion packages. Email advertise@okanagan4kids.com
Two awesome birthday party packages to choose from.
BOOK TODAY! 778.754.5866
#105 - Bering Road, West Kelowna
w w w. O g o P l a y. c a
BIRTHDAY PARTY APPS
The Best Birthday Party Apps Wendy’s Birthday Party
Toca Birthday Party
Elmo’s Big Birthday Bash!
Help Wendy decorate her birthday cake - choose the filling, the frosting and the decorations! Then you can save your cake to Photos and share it with friends and family. With lovely hand-drawn illustrations, it is easy to create something beautiful.
Time to invite your friends and family to a birthday party – around your iPhone or iPad! In this fun sequel to Toca Tea Party, you get to choose a party theme, serve the cake – and, of course, give the birthday boy or girl a present.
Get ready to learn to read with Elmo! This 30+ page interactive birthday story includes helpful reading tools, silly Sesame fun, and 3 exciting games designed to practice early reading skills. Narrated by Bob from Sesame Street!
n
$0.99 iPad
n
$2.99 iPhone, iPad
n
$2.99 iPad
Baby Birthday Party Planner
Ginger’s Birthday
Birthday Party Planner
Your favorite babies are back and ready to party and you’re the mommy planner! Dress up the girls, make and eat birthday cake, play with balloon animals and toys, and have fun at a birthday party.
Talking Ginger is turning 5 and it’s time for the best birthday party ever - with awesome food, fun games and a happy little kitten. And yes, you’re invited!
Throw the perfect birthday party with these ideas for amazing cakes, quick-and-easy party favors, delicious food, and fun kids’ games. Whether it’s for a first birthday party or for an older child, find the unique theme that will make this day extra special, and let us making planning simple! http://www.parents.com/app/birthdayplanner/
n
Free Android
www.okanagan4kids.com
n
Free Android
n
Free
Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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BEST BIRTHDAY BOOKS
Best Birthday Books
Happy Birthday to You!
On the Night You Were Born
The Party
by Dr. Seuss
by Nancy Tillman
by Barbara Reid
View on Amazon
View on Amazon
View on Amazon
Whose Birthday is It?
Scaredy Squirrel Has a Birthday Party
Happy Birthday Princess!
by Sheila Sweeny Higginson
by Jennifer Weinberg
by Melanie Watt View on Amazon
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Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
View on Amazon
View on Amazon
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HEALTHY PARTY FOODS
Party Foods with a Healthy Balance Even when planning a birthday party it is important to provide children with a healthy balance of foods to choose from. For some families this time of year can fill up with birthday party invitations almost every week. If parties are loaded with sugary sweets and salty snacks it starts to become part of their regular diet. Most of us want to make our child’s birthday special and treats are certainly a part of that. But let’s consider offering them in moderation. There are many party foods that can be fun and healthy.
How about Airline Box Lunches? Fill lunch boxes or Ziploc containers with sandwiches and fresh fruit salad.
Create a baked potato bar. Provide a wide variety of toppings like salsa, broccoli, cheese and green onions. A home-made salad bar, taco bar or sandwich bar would be just as delicious.
Provide healthy finger foods on fun skewers. Meat, cheese, pickles or cut up fresh fruit are great options.
Use smaller portions. Consider creating individual servings of snack foods and making mini cupcakes for the party guests.
Are hot dogs your party staple? That’s okay, simply pair them with a veggie tray or fruit platter. Get creative and try to coordinate fresh produce with your colour scheme or theme. Get creative and offer a wide variety of healthy snack options at your next party. n
Contributed by Heather Painchaud of TwinDragonflyDesigns.com. She shares epic craft tutorials, delicious recipes and all things DIY. Heather balances life as a working twin momma, wife, daughter and entrepreneur, while keeping it all real.
www.okanagan4kids.com
Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
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Bakecasion
$99 birthday parties Party For 8 Children Behind the Scenes Tour Create a Mini Pizza Each child will decorate a Cupcasion Cupcake All Parties are 1.5 hours long, hosted & come with a drink for each child
Fondant Frenzy $149 birthday parties
add the sprinkles on top Additional Children $13 per child Veggie Platter $18.99 Face Painting $49.99 Replace the loot with a Boxed & Bowed Cupcake $2.75
Party For 6 Children Each child will decorate and design a 1 layer 6” cake Includes a drink& cupcake for each child Add Additional Children $24 per child
book with us today! Okanagan4Kids.com Back to School Guide | 2013 Call 250-860-3690 22
add the smash to the bash
$19.99 ( Party extension approx.1/2 hour)
That’s right cupcake smashing, Chocolate dipping &www.okanagan4kids.com sprinkle twinkle!
LETS TALK ABOUT PUBERTY
Make Your Event Sparkle! proFessional FaCe painting By ART WiTh FUNK
book a 3 hour session for any calendar day event 2013/2014 On sale $150! Value $215. MUST book By October 30th, 2013. After October 30, 2013, call for quote
Birthdays/Private Parties ( Kids and Adults) Fairs Festivals Pregnant Belly Painting Fundraiser Schools Events Weddings CupCasions Cupcake packages also available! www.okanagan4kids.com
Call, email or Facebook today! Okanagan4Kids.com BackJoanne to School Guide | 2013 250 860 8329 or 250 863 8309 www.facebook.com/artwithfunk
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GIFT IDEAS
Awesome
Birthday Gift Ideas!
Ice Cream Maker
Magformers
Cate & Levi Puppets
It’s quick & easy, no batteries required. Add Juice, salt & ice, treat ready in 3minutes. Great first Science experiment.
Intelligent Magnetic Construction set, great for Brain Development, Explore & experiment with these geometric shapes. Suitable for ages 6+
Hand puppets are a great way to entertain kids and help them discover the world in a fun and interesting way. More than just toys, animal hand puppets let kids express their ideas and emotions and through play.
Cost: $9.99 Source: Loadza Toyz, Orchard Park Mall Kelowna www.loadzatoyz.ca
Cost: $29.99 Source: Loadza Toyz, Orchard Park Mall Kelowna www.loadzatoyz.ca
Cost: $20 and up Source: Scallwags Kelowna #101-2903 Pandosy St., Kelowna www.scallywagskelowna.com
Goldie Blox GoldieBlox offers a much-needed female engineer role model who is smart, curious and accessible. She has the potential to get girls interested in engineering, develop their spatial skills and build selfconfidence in their problem solving abilities. This means that GoldieBlox will nurture a generation of girls who are more confident, courageous and tech-savvy, giving them a real opportunity to contribute to the progress made by engineers in our society. Cost: $29.99 Source: Story is Yours www.storyisyours.com
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Okanagan4Kids.com Birthday Party Guide | 2013
www.okanagan4kids.com
Delicious fresh baked, hand decorated cookies
Sarah’s Sweets is a small custom cookie company from sunny Kelowna, BC. We love to focus on the details - that’s why each cookie is freshly baked and carefully decorated using only the finest ingredients to produce an exceptionally tasty and beautiful cookie. Providing a tray of custom designed cookies or individual favours or even a spectacular cookie bouquet centerpiece is sure to add that special touch to your next gathering.
Visit www.sarahssweets.ca or find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/Sarahs-Sweets/120058994725482
Birthday Parties!
toddler section!
Private Functions!
larGe eatinG area!
annual Passes!
Free Wi-Fi!
10x Punch Passes!
soFa seatinG!
*neW* hour Passes!
interactive GaMes!
www.yayasplaycentre.com
2709c - 43 ave., vernon 250-545-4199
BOWLING PARTIES ARE AWESOME
YOUTH LEAGUES FORMING NOW
Have a BALL & leave cleanup to us
Try it out. First Day is FREE
Capri Centre Mall - Lower Level Phone: 250.979.2777
Details at www.valleylanes.net
Licensed Concourse Service
s d i k y he
www.par-t-perfect.com
s, c i n c i P y pan m o C , d s n e a i r t r G a , P s e y i Part y Birthda a d i l o H ts, n e e! v r E o e M t a & r , o s p r Fai Cor n u F , s g n Openi
Whether its a Birthday Party for 8, or a Corporate Festival for thousands... if kids are involved, Let Us Do It For You! Par-T-Fun Package includes: party leaders, inflatable, face painting, balloon animals, parachute or relay games add-ons include: craft, candy hunt, carnival games Par-T-Deluxe (theme party) includes: costumed leader, total theme party; some with inflatables, crafts, dress-up, face painting, balloon animals, games, and more! Par-T-Deluxe Themes: • Dino Den • Princess Dress-Up & Tea • Pirate • Survivor • Fun Factor • Under the Sea • Spatacular • Bugs, Butterflies & Bubbles • Teddy Bear Stuffing... We Have:
• Enthusiastic Party Leaders • Bouncy Castles & Inflatable’s • Face Painters• Balloon Twisters • Tattoos • Games & Crafts • Costumed Leaders • Portable Rock Wall
We can also help with Caterers, Custom Cake Decorators & Rental Companies
For all your party needs call 250-764-7278 / 250-487-9990 or email fun@par-t-perfect.com
Let the Kids Play!
the e t s a T Fresh Fruit
Pick some Apples or Pumpkins
Take an
Orchard tour
Booking Now
Check out
Visit the
Farm Animals!
For Birthday Parties
Open Daily May 1– October 31
VERNON
The Country Gift shop davisonorchards.ca