Kids of all ages love [...]]]>

Birthday party food does not need to be elaborate, just kid friendly, and in some cases, as for toddlers, age appropriate. The theme of your party will play a role in the kinds of food you are going to serve but does not necessarily dictate it.

Kids of all ages love to eat potatoes, so at your next theme party, instead of  buying a few packets of potato crisps,why don’t you make some mashed potato snacks?

This is another of my favourite recipes because you can change the basic mashed potato mixture into many different snacks by adding different seasonings, fillings and coatings. The mixture can also be used as a filling for cold meats. It can also be prepared a day or two before the party and kept in the refrigerator which will add considerably to the time management of your party planning.

How to make mashed potato snacks for a kid’s theme party:

Basic mixture:

-  4-6 large potatoes
-  Salt and pepper or seasoning of choice
-  Mayonnaise
-  Crushed potato crisps

To make:

Peel the potatoes by hand or use an electric potato peeler if you are short on time; add to water in a saucepan and boil until soft  Remove from pan and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mash the potatoes, add salt, pepper and just enough mayonnaise to form a very stiff mixture. Leave to cool.

Form small balls or sausages and roll in finely crushed potato crisps of choice. Store in refrigerator until it is time to serve it.

Tip: Substitute the mayonnaise with cottage or cream cheese.

Ring the changes for different potato snacks:

• Seasoning

-  Aromat (flavoured seasoning salt)
-  Salt and white or black pepper
-  Lemon pepper
-  Celery salt
-  Garlic or onion salt
-  Soup powder of choice (be careful not to add too much to the
mixture as soup powder can make it too salt)

• Add to mixture

- Crushed potato chips
-  Grated Cheddar or cheese of choice
-  Grated onion
-  Finely chopped chives, chopped parsley
-  Finely chopped celery
-  Chopped nuts
-  Fried, crumbled bacon pieces
-  Hard boiled grated eggs

• Fillings:

-  Cheese cubes
-  Ham cubes
-  Gherkin slices
-  Vienna slices
-  Filled olives
-  Small radishes
-  Small cooked mince balls

• Coatings:

- Crushed potato crisps
- Crushed savory biscuits
- Sesame seeds
- Finely chopped nuts
- Finely grated cheddar or Parmesan cheese
- Finely chopped parsley
- Shredded biltong (if available in your country)

Other snack ideas using the mashed potato mixture:

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto polony slices. Spoon the mixture onto ham or other cold meat slices. Roll up and secure with a toothpick or tie a chive around it.

To serve as a vegetable side dish, roll the mixture into bigger balls, put into fridge for 30 minutes, roll into beaten egg and dried breadcrumbs. Put back into fridge for 30 minutes to one hour and then deep fry until crumbs are crisp and golden brown.

Idea: If you look at the many different ingredients that can be added to the basic mixture, you should also take the age of your child and the party guests into consideration. Don’t stretch your budget by buying expensive ingredients when your child is still a toddler or a little older, keep to the basic mixture. Tweenies and teenagers will love the more exotic ingredients.

Tip:  When it comes to kid’s party foods, be on the safe side by contacting the parents of the guests and find out if their kids have any food allergies so that you can make special provision for these guests.

Enjoy the mashed potato snacks and remember to have fun planning your kid’s theme party.

All photos © 2007  Elsie van Rooyen

Having their faces painted, allow kids to be turned into whatever character they want to be; comical or fanciful, fairies, pirates, hairy monsters, animals or movie stars, patriots with their country’s flag [...]]]>

One of the most exciting and fun activities you can come up with for your kid’s theme party is a face painting session.

Having their faces painted, allow kids to be turned into whatever character they want to be; comical or fanciful, fairies, pirates, hairy monsters, animals or movie stars, patriots with their country’s flag painted on their faces… the possibilities are endless.

Face painting is bound to be a hit among your kid’s party guests and you can easily hire a face painting artist for your kid’s theme party if your budget allows it.

On the other hand, armed with the necessary tools for face paintingand a lot of patience you can easily do it yourself… (The patience is for curbing the kids’ excitement when they have to wait their turn to have their faces painted…lol)

I can hear you protesting now that you are not an artist to come up with the intricate designs that you see on faces  in magazines and on the internet. Neither am I and you really don’t have to be a professional face painter to add some fun to your kid’s theme party.

All you need is some knowledge about buying and using face paints and to have some simple face painting designs that you can use as guidelines.

Young children are cool in that they do not mind about that “perfect” design, as long as they enjoy the face painting session and you share in their fun and excitement, your kid’s theme party will be a success.

Without formal training, it is still possible to create simple face painting designs that are also eye-catching and beautiful.  Cheek art is the best way to accomplish simple face painting.

One of the biggest benefits of developing simple face painting designs (or cheek art) is saving time.  In [...]]]>

Simple Face Painting Designs

Without formal training, it is still possible to create simple face painting designs that are also eye-catching and beautiful.  Cheek art is the best way to accomplish simple face painting.

One of the biggest benefits of developing simple face painting designs (or cheek art) is saving time.  In a fraction of the time, you can paint a small design or character on a child’s cheek or arm and generate the same kind of “wow” that you would if you spent ten minutes painting an elaborate full face design.

Versatility is a big advantage with simple face painting.  These small designs can be adapted and painted on the face/cheek, neck, shoulder, legs and arms.  A simple snake looks fantastic slithering up the arm.  A rose or other flower looks beautiful on the shoulder.

Here are some things you can do to create simple face painting designs for your kids or kids at heart.

1.    If you’re at a loss as to what designs to start painting, look no further than the television or movie theatre.  What is the hottest kids’ movie playing right now?  What about the funniest animated show?  Classic children’s television programming is also a great place to start.  Particularly for preschoolers, the characters are very simple in nature and therefore fairly easy to replicate.

2.    A clown face is a very simple face painting design.  And since clowns can be happy, sad, silly or goofy, this one simple design with a few adjustments around the mouth is a great face painting design to have in your arsenal.  A bright red nose, a larger than life red mouth (paint around the outside of the lips), large white area surrounding the red mouth, oversized eyebrows and some eye lines that extend from the outside of the eye toward the temples altogether make a simple clown face painting design that will get rave reviews.

3.    Turning a little girl into a fairy princess is as simple as a few feathery lines around the eyes, starbursts at the end of each line and a bit of glitter.

4.     Painting a pretend bracelet or necklace is a simple design yet very unique.  Start by painting pearl sized dots around the wrist or neck and “dangle” a painted heart, peace sign or other “charm” from the painted “jewelry.”

5.    Try a simple rainbow face painting…a classic, but always popular.  Paint red, yellow, green and blue ‘horseshoe’ shapes and add two little white puffs for clouds at the end of each side of the rainbow.  Voila! A happy kid!

The possibilities for simple face painting designs are endless. Don’t get caught up with the elaborate work that professional face painters do.  For a single birthday party, volunteer event or just having fun with your kids, simple face painting designs can be just the thing to put a smile on a kids’ face.

Easy Face Painting is the guide that over 1,000 first-time face painters have used to guide them through their very first face painting event.

Whether it’s a birthday party, charity fundraiser, school festival or community picnic, Face Painting is a popular activity with kids of all ages and Easy Face Painting makes it, well, Easy!

1. They will play games and/or be entertained.

2. They will eat birthday cake and other snacks

3. They will see their presents get opened.

But they also know that when they leave the party, they will receive [...]]]>

Every child knows that when they go to their friend’s birthday parties, certain ritualistic events will occur.

1. They will play games and/or be entertained.

2. They will eat birthday cake and other snacks

3. They will see their presents get opened.

But they also know that when they leave the party, they will receive a favour or goody bag. The favour bag is usually considered the best part of a birthday theme party because it is something that they get to take home. Almost like their reward for attending their friend’s birthday theme party.

Don’t think you can just throw a couple of pieces of candy in a bag and hand them out as the children are leaving. The birthday child is usually judged by how cool their favour bags are. If the favour bags are exceptional, kids will look forward to the next themed birthday party.

Today’s kids are quite more sophisticated in their choice of favour bag items.  They often try to outdo each other when their respective parties roll around – take care or they will really press you to come up with expensive items for their favour bags. It can become more difficult each year to try and come up with ideas for party favours. Why not try  some fun new ideas that will leave them with something to remember and will make them feel good about attending your kid’s theme party.

Since most kids like to vent their creativity through a variety of art projects, it might be a good idea to provide white t-shirts and fabric paint for them, so that they can create their own masterpieces and have a lasting remembrance of the party, as well. This doubles as an activity and a party favour, making it ideal for kids who aren’t terribly young. Even in the case of those who are under the kindergarten age, similar projects can be done using fingerpaints that are designed for fabric.

Another arts and crafts idea involves purchasing wooden cut-out letters – using the first letter of each child’s name who’s attending the party. With these, a bit of glue and lots of decorative accessories, the kids can decorate their own initial with glitter, sequins, foam shapes, stickers, and any other bauble that you might find at the local craft store. If you prefer not to risk the mess of gluing decorations, then you can buy self-adhesive decorator items. They’re a bit pricier, but will eliminate the worry of clean-up.

Prior to the party, purchase enough small picture frames to give one to each of the party guests who attend. During the festivities, take a series of photos, making sure to include each child – and be sure that they’re instant photos, so that they don’t have to be taken out and developed – super easy with today’s digital cameras, a computer and your own printer. Let them decorate the frames themselves while you print out the photos – just before the party ends, hand over the respective photos so that they can put it in their decorated frames.

For those who still like the idea of sending a favour bag home with the children, you can make it a bit more interesting by allowing them to make their own goodies to go inside. For instance, using lollipop molds and the necessary ingredients, you can instruct the children to make their own pops early in the party, so that they’ll be ready to go when they leave. Other types of candy can also be made and taken with them, offering a fun activity during the party and a tasty treat afterward.

To make the lollipops extra special, print out some colourful butterflies, flowers or images that will suit the theme of the party. Cut two small slits in the picture and push the lollipop through. (See picture…)

Once you let your imagination go, you can come up with great ideas for favour bags for your kid’s theme party – you can either make the items yourself before the party, and choose to include it in the activities once the party is under way. In most cases, the party guests will have fun as well as have something to take home.

Have fun planning your kid’s theme party!

Did you enjoy this video? I actually enjoyed the delight on my granddaughter Mia’s face more when she watched the video and started to sing along with the Chipmunks.

“Happy Birthday to You”, also known more simply as “Happy Birthday”, is a traditional song that is sung to [...]]]>

Did you enjoy this video? I actually enjoyed the delight on my granddaughter Mia’s face more when she watched the video and started to sing along with the Chipmunks.

“Happy Birthday to You”, also known more simply as “Happy Birthday”, is a traditional song that is sung to celebrate the anniversary of a person’s birth.

As long as I can remember, my mother (now 79 years old) used to sing this song to my brothers and me on our birthdays. Even after we moved out of the house, she would sometimes sing it over the phone to us.  When our kids celebrated their birthdays, she sang it too them as well and since Mia was born three years ago, she also sang it to her.

I will have my birthday in a few weeks and I know she and Mia will sing this song to me even before I have my first cup of coffee.

According to the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records, “Happy Birthday to You” is the most well recognized song in the English language and the song’s base lyrics have been translated into at least 18 languages^.

The song has quite an interesting history. In the late 1800′s, two sisters, Patty and Mildred J. Hill, both kindergarten school teachers, created a little song that consisted of only 4 lines (three of which are identical) and 16 words and this song “Good Morning to You” was sung every day at the school.  In 1893, they published the tune in their songbook Song Stories for the Kindergarten.

Apparently the Hill Sisters’ students enjoyed it so much to sing this song that they also began singing it at birthday parties but they changed the lyrics to “Happy Birthday” and today this song is sung all over the world when somebody has a birthday.

Robert Coleman included “Good Morning to All” in a songbook with the birthday lyrics as a second verse in 1924. The song was also published in 1928 in Children’s Praise and Worship. In 1933 it was again published by Coleman in The American Hymnal.

Not many people are aware that “Happy Birthday to You” was actually copyrighted as a “work for hire” in 1935 and technically it is illegal to publicly perform the song unless royalties are paid to the Summy Company and its owner, Warner Chappell who bought the company in 1990.

In 2008, Warner Chappel  collected about $5000 per day ($2 million per year) in royalties for the song. This includes, and I quote, ” use in film, television, radio, anywhere open to the public, or even among a group where a substantial number of those in attendance are not family or friend to whoever is performing the song”.

Apparently the copyright will only expire in the year 2030 and if you take into consideration that the value  of “Happy Birthday” is estimated at US$5 million,  it is enough to stop you dead in your tracks before you allow the guests at your kid’s theme party to start singing the song.

Don’t worry, you are not paying them to perform this song and what would a birthday be without it. Wake up your kid (or spouse/friend) on his or her birthday with “Happy Birthday to You” and know that after reading this article, you will not only have brought joy to their day but will also be able to share in an age old tradition – and if you tell this story at your kid’s theme party, you will also share the origin of  the song with everybody.

Clever Mom!

This article was adapted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Birthday_to_You

You can also listen to the original “Good Morning to You” by clicking on the above-mentioned link.

One last little tidbit about this song:

One of the most famous performances of “Happy Birthday to You” was Marilyn Monroe‘s rendition to U.S. President John F. Kennedy in May 1962.

If the  party is [...]]]>

So you are planning a kiddie birthday party. One thing you should pay a lot of attention to is the food that you will serve. It should be easy to make and something that both kids and adults will enjoy eating which could be a snack or a meal in itself.

If the  party is at your house, it is okay to serve food like friend chicken, barbecue, pizza, pasta, hotdogs, cookies and burgers. You can also serve some appetizers as well like chips, cookies, nachos, peanuts and pretzels.

Don’t forget to offer refreshments such as juice, water and soda. As for dessert, make sure there is plenty of ice cream and cake.

While some may consider this a light snack and not a meal, the kids and even the parents will keep coming back for more since it is free so chances are they won’t eat anything anymore by the time they go home.

Most of these items you can buy from the store while there are others that you can prepare yourself.  This will also depend on how much time you have and upon your budget.

For parents who want to let the kids make their own meals, prepare a table with all the ingredients and then just let them do what they want. Pizzas and burgers with different toppings work well with a do it yourself party theme. Don’t forget to supervise the cooking or barbeque activites.

But won’t buying too much from a restaurant or preparing it yourself lead to a lot of wastage? Not really because a lot of smart parents give some away at the end of the party. They also finish the rest in the coming days by using these treats as part of their kid’s lunches.

Should your kid have a favorite restaurant; it is only natural to have the kiddie birthday party there if your budget allows it.  Make sure you order what they like and a few other things since you are not ordering for just a handful of people but a large group, also ask if the restaurant supplies a birthday cake – if not, you have to take one along.

If you are having a hard time choosing what to offer, see if the restaurant can let you taste some for free. If this is not the case, just order the said items on one of your visits.

As for leftovers, bring home some and then give a few away. That way, there won’t be so much excess food in your refrigerator which will just go to waste if you are not able to consume it.

Should the restaurant where the party will be held not offer a complimentary birthday cake, make sure you get one because this is the highlight of the event when you light the candle and your kid makes his or her birthday wish.

Aside from the games and the prizes, you should also plan what food to serve during the kiddie party. The key to choosing what to serve is simplicity because it does not take much to satisfy those little hungry stomachs even if it is just a light snack.