In some Christian countries including the United Kingdom it is tradition to cook pancakes (crepes) the day before lent starts.

This is because traditionally people would not eat sweet food for the next 40 days and 40 nights so to stop it from going to [...]]]>

A Guest Post by Ewan C. MacDougall

In some Christian countries including the United Kingdom it is tradition to cook pancakes (crepes) the day before lent starts.

This is because traditionally people would not eat sweet food for the next 40 days and 40 nights so to stop it from going to waste they would fill pancakes with it and enjoy it all that night.

Making pancakes is a really easy cooking activity that kids love to get involved with, it doesn’t involve to much fancy cookware and if your child has a birthday around that time of year, or you’re just looking for an excuse to have a party why not throw a pancake party.

If you decide to do this you will need to prepare enough batter in advance, a pint of batter will make about 15 pancakes depending how big and thick you make them.

The recipe:
The Pancakes (for 1 pint of batter)

•  4 eggs
• 1 pint of milk
• 8* oz flour

(*note: if you prefer thicker pancakes you can increase the amount of flour slightly. Thicker pancakes are also a little easier for children to cook as they are less likely to fall apart)

1. Mix all the ingredients together and then leave to sit for 20 minutes.
2. Use an oil soaked cloth to finely coat a frying pan, and then heat the pan until the oil smokes.
3. Pour enough batter for one pancake into the frying pan and move the frying pan in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly.
4. If the pan is hot enough the bottom of the pancake should cook almost instantly, allowing you to flip the pancake. (You can either do this the fancy way, or if you’re feeling less brave flip it with a spatula.)
5. Once the pancake is flipped reduce the heat and slowly cook the other side of the pancake until it is cooked through.

The fillings:

This is really up to you, everyone has their own preference. The most traditional pancakes have lemon and sugar; you could also try filling them with stewed fruit.

At a children’s party the easiest option would be to have a selection of flavoured sauces normally used for ice cream and jam. You can also find some more fancy filling recipes here.

Making it a party:

Use your best judgement in how much you let the children do based on their age and how much you trust them.

For young children you might like to make the pancakes all in advance and then just let them choose their own toppings. Slightly older children might like to try flipping their own pancakes, and older children still can be involved in the whole process.

Having at least two adults supervising this party is advisable, one to supervise the children and the other to supervise any cooking. This also allows you to have the children cooking in smaller groups which are safer.

Enjoy pancake making, even if you’re not having a party, it can be a great fun thing to do with your family.

Author
Ewan Cambell MacDougall has spent several years working with children at Kids Summer Camps.  He currently works in online marketing with several different companies.

Metric Converter for Ewan’s Recipe

Disclosure and/of Material Connection:   Sponsored posts are written by others and may highlight services or products that I have not personally tried myself. The author and/or  company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

If you have read the previous post, you will know that I am busy [...]]]>

Papier mâché has been one of my favourite crafts a few years ago but as is so often the case, crafts come and go and my period of paper mâché gave way to quite a few months of salt doughing.

If you have read the previous post, you will know that I am busy planning my granddaughter’s 4th birthday party.  While I was busy jotting down ideas for the table decorations and trying to come up with a way to make a tower, my eye caught the spaghetti tin on top of one of the kitchen cabinets and I suddenly knew that a tower made with paper mâché will be perfect!

Paper mâché is really one of those crafts that cost next to nothing to start out with, but the end results can be fantastic!  It is also an ideal craft to do for kids theme parties, as you can make masks, favour boxes, noisemakers, even favours like bracelets, earrings, small jewelery boxes,  small animals  and fearsome monsters from paper mâché. The very popular pinata is also made from papier mâché.

To make the tower for the Rapunzel theme party, I  use newspaper strips, a mixture of flour, water and wood glue and of course the spaghetti tin to form the shape of the tower. If all goes well it should be finished by the end of the week as the only drawback is the time it takes for the newspaper layers to dry thoroughly. I have to add at least another six layers of newspaper strips to make the tower sturdy enough to stand on its own.

I was going to make a little Rapunzel from salt dough but since Mia has a Barbie doll, maybe I will just use her as our “Rapunzel” for the day. Somewhere in her toy box there must be a prince as well…

It is not always necessary to buy new items for a kid’s theme party, you can use toys and other items in the house if it fits in with the theme of the party and sometimes you can even ask friends or family members to help out with odds and ends that you will need (as I am going to do in the case of tablecloths for this party).

Remember, imagination and  fun go well together when planning your kid’s theme party!

On the other hand, the small guests enjoyed it thoroughly.

There [...]]]>

My granddaughter went to a kid’s birthday party and although I do appreciate the fact that the mother of the birthday child is working long hours, I really feel that she could have gone to a little more trouble with her child’s birthday party…

On the other hand, the small guests enjoyed it thoroughly.

There was a birthday cake, nothing fancy or outrageous, just a normal frosted cake with some decorations and candles of course.

The mother bought candy from a wholesaler that stocks candies in all shapes and sizes and not normally found in ordinary grocery stores. She also purchased small packet of crisps from this wholesaler as well as small, inexpensive items that she used for party favours.

I was actually quite impressed with the small guitar shaped bottles filled with bubble mixture that my granddaugter brought home.

A small carton of fruit juice was added to the favour box, and that was  the sum total of the party snacks.

The kids had a wonderful time in the inflatable swimming pool, jumping for hours on the trampoline and playing and talking to each other.

The party also kept on for an hour or more than the time stated on the invitation cards.

This set me to wondering if we do not sometimes go overboard when we plan a theme party for our child. Should we not try to cut back on expenses especially in these tough economic times when it can be  difficult to give your child a party that really incorporates all the elements of his/her favourite TV character, superstar/hero or just to keep up with the Joneses.

I know and understand that you want to do the best you can for your child’s birthday party and to make it a special day for him or her. However, do we not also unwittingly teach our children to expect theme parties that have to get bigger and better each year?

Would it not be more beneficial for them if we teach them to enjoy their parties even if there is not all the things kids automatically expect these days when they have a birthday party.

A party can still be fun even if it does not have a specific theme. It should be planned with love and should be fun even if it does not have all the elements of a fully fledged theme party.

What do you think? Should we really go all out when planning our kids birthday parties or can we get away with a more simple party but still have lots of fun in planning the party?

Yes, it is Valentine’s day again on Sunday the 14th. Maybe you have a kid that will have his or her [...]]]>

It’s that time of the year again when pink and red hearts, cupids, red roses, glittery lips and kisses and all things that has to do with love and parties, are the latest news.

Yes, it is Valentine’s day again on Sunday the 14th. Maybe you have a kid that will have his or her birthday party over the weekend and in most cases, the party will have a Valentine’s theme.

This is one occasion where you can go wild with a colour scheme of red and pink, but do add a little white or green to break the strong colours.

I have decided not to give you a lot of ideas, (at the moment there are millions of Valentine Day party ideas not only on the internet, but also in magazines.)

You can however, download your free Valentine’s printable gifts by clicking on the image of the door hanger.  There are quite a few printable crafts in the .zip folder,  so I hope you will be able to use them and have fun with them.

While I was pouring milk for my granddaughter last night, I suddenly realised that empty milk cartons can be used for party favour bags. Simply cut of the top part, cover with crepe paper to suit the party theme colour, punch holes through two opposite sides and thread ribbon or twine for handles. Decorate with paper or felt hearts, small flowers, glitter and sequins.

Tip: Use the milk to make milkshakes or smoothies.

Salt dough… (yes I know, a gazillion sites feature this for Valentine’s hearts) but it is an inexpensive medium to use for lots of different gift ideas and children love to play with it. It really brings out the creative spirit in them.

There is still time to make a Valentine’s salt dough heart mobile as well as a few decorations for the house.

Teenage girls will love rose petal soap when they receive it as a party favour. Simply buy a few silk roses, take them apart, melt grated glycerine soap in the microwave or on the stove (over low heat, as the soap really melts quite quickly), add one or two drops of fragrant oil, use a tweezer to dip the rose petals into the melted soap.  Place on wax paper dry. Use a pretty round box and arrange the soap petals to look like a rose.

No Valentine’s party is complete without at least one piece of chocolates. Use the home-made marshmallow recipe I posted a few months ago to make heart shaped chocolate covered marshmallows.

Remember, have fun when you plan your kid’s theme party!

If you do not have Winzip to open your free Valentine’s gift,  you can download the latest version here.

They can come in many shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common… they add to the liveliness and festive feeling of any party.

They can be made from balloons, from newspaper or tissue paper, they can be adorned with feathers, [...]]]>

A kid’s birthday party is not complete without a party hat!

They can come in many shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common… they add to the liveliness and festive feeling of any party.

They can be made from balloons, from newspaper or tissue paper, they can be adorned with feathers, glitter, sequins, colourful buttons, flowers or streamers, the choice is yours. Party hats can be shaped like a cone, a top hat, a simple band with Mickey Mouse or Bunny ears, a pirate hat, a witch hat… as with so many crafts, your imagination is the only drawback when it comes to the kind of hat you will make for your kid’s theme party.

The easiest party hat you can make yourself is the conical party hat. Draw a triangle on a piece of stiff cardboard or coloured paper – size 12″ x 18″ – use the 12″ as the height and the 18″ as the size to go around the head. Change the straight bottom line to a curve:

Decorate as desired, then glue the edges together and leave to dry. (Use paperclips to hold the hat together while it is drying). Staple both ends of a thin piece of elastic string onto opposite sides of the bottom edge of the hat so it fits under the chin.

A golden rule when planning your kids’ theme parties is to let them be a part of the planning from the beginning, so the older kids will really enjoy making their own party hats.

Download this colourful party hat template by clicking on this link…. http://kids-theme-parties.com/Party-Hats.zip The .zip folder  also contains a .png file with instructions on how to edit the file to design a party hat that will fit in with your kid’s party theme.

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.

Obviously party guests at your kid’s theme party expect to [...]]]>

My granddaughter (nearly 4 years old) came home from a party one Saturday morning and proudly showed me the goodie bag, or in this case, the goodie box that she received when the party was over… and let me tell you, I was NOT impressed!

Obviously party guests at your kid’s theme party expect to receive a favour bag after the party, but is it really necessary to fill it just with candy? All those sweet, chewy  and often jaw breaking toffees and other  candies can surely not be good for young children after they had their fill of cake, sweets and ice cream during the party as well.

I know many working mothers would disagree with me as it is a lot of work to plan a theme party and then to really spend more time on the favour bags is sometimes just too much to ask, so it is so easy to just put some different candies and a packet of crisps in a bag or small box.

However, while you are out shopping for the party, why not also purchase a few odds and ends for the favour bags at the same time? Your chances of finding small gifts that will suit your party theme are particularly good while you shop for decorations, table ware, etc. At the same time however, take care not to buy too many small toys and novelties, as these often  just find their way to the waste bin after a day or two.

You can  find quite inexpensive items at dime stores or stock up on items when your local store has a stock clearance. I found a couple of Finding Nemo puzzles for nearly next to nothing at a dime store for my granddaughter Mia’s Finding Nemo theme party.

There were also some inexpensive wax crayons that I bought as I stumbled onto a coloring page site the previous night with a choice of 71 colouring pictures of Finding Nemo and his friends (yes, 71! – this is a wonderful site) so I printed two pictures for each guest.

Finding Nemo stickers, 2 marshmallow fishes and a small packet of fish shaped crackers completed the favour bags.

Favour bags need not cost a fortune, but you should also put as much thought and planning into it as you do for the rest of the party.  The party guests should really find value from these small gifts; you don’t want the gifts to find their way to the waste bin after a day or two.

Remember, favour bags are a token of appreciation to the party guests for attending your kid’s theme party.

Have fun planning your kid’s theme party

Marshmallows can be used for so many party foods that I cannot think of any party theme where it [...]]]>

I love marshmallows! It does not matter what size, colour or flavour they are, it’s good, good, good. When it comes to kids theme parties, marshmallows definitely deserve an honorary place.

Marshmallows can be used for so many party foods that I cannot think of any party theme where it cannot be used. Off the top of my head, here are a few things that you can use marshmallows for:

• Animals and people

• Bugs and monsters

• Snowmen

• Faces for “cone people”

• Legs and shoes

• Flowers to decorate the birthday cake

• To sandwich biscuits together

• To make Rice Krispie and popcorn treats

• As toppers for filled ice cream cones

• Mini marshmallows can be strung together for necklaces and bangles

• Dainty hats for a tea party

• Dipped in chocolate…

In a next post I will share my recipes for marshmallow popcorn balls and filled marshmallow cones.

It is also quite easy to make your own marshmallows at home.

Here is my favourite marshmallow recipe that I have been using for more years than I can remember. Enjoy!

You will need:

50 g (80 ml ) gelatin
125 ml cold water
375 ml boiling water
4 x 250 ml white sugar
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
5 ml vanilla essence or flavor of choice
Food coloring (optional)

Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer and allow to soften. Add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin has dissolved. Add the white sugar, egg whites, salt and beat with the whisk attachment of electric mixer for 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture thickens. Pour into a prepared glass dish and leave in the refrigerator until it has set. Dip a sharp knife into boiling water and cut the marshmallows into squares. Roll each square in icing sugar or toasted coconut.

Spoon the mixture into ice cream cones. Sprinkle thousand and ones, chocolate vermicelli or chopped nuts over the mixture.

Read the full post on my edible gifts blog to see how to make chocolate covered and toasted coconut covered marshmallows for your teenager’s theme party.

Have fun planning your kid’s next theme party!

With a little imagination you can create rainbow bubbles of all sizes.

You will need:

5 cups warm water 1 tablespoon glycerine 5 tablespoons dishwashing liquid a large plastic bowl and mixing spoon

To make:

Fill the bowl with [...]]]>

Kids love blowing bubbles and bubbles are also an essential part of any kids theme party.

With a little imagination you can create rainbow bubbles of all sizes.

You will need:

5 cups warm water
1 tablespoon glycerine
5 tablespoons dishwashing liquid
a large plastic bowl and mixing spoon

To make:

Fill the bowl with 5 cups of warm water. Add the dishwashing liquid and glycerine to the water. Stir the mixture very slowly with the mixing spoon. The mixture is now ready to use. Make sure you blow them outside as the mixture may stain some of the furnishings around the house.

Ideas for bubble fun:

Collect a handful of drinking straws and tape the two ends together. Dip this in the mixture and blow through one end for a whole lot of bubbles.

Make a hoop from flexible wire and make one big bubble. Dip the hoop out of the mixture carefully otherwise it may break.