Hosting a Birthday Party at Home for Children Ages 4 - 8

Creating a successful chlldren’s party in Boston, MA!

Hosting a successful birthday party at home for a child can be both fun and challenging. With some planning and preparation, you can make your child's  birthday a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone involved. In this blog post, I will provide some tips and ideas for hosting a successful birthday party at home for young children

1. Decide on a theme: The first step in planning a birthday party is to decide on a theme. This could be your child's favorite cartoon character, superhero, or a specific activity such as a pirate or princess party. Once you have decided on a theme, you can plan the decorations, food, and activities accordingly.

2. Set a date and time: It is important to choose a date and time that works for both you and your child. Consider scheduling the party on a weekend afternoon, as this will give you enough time to prepare and clean up before and after the party. Make sure to send out invitations at least two weeks in advance, so that your guests have enough time to RSVP.

3. Entertainment! Entertainment can help to keep the children engaged and entertained throughout the party. Children have short attention spans and can quickly become bored, especially if they are not familiar with the other guests. Having a professional entertainer can help to keep the energy levels high and ensure that everyone is having fun.

4. Plan the menu: Food is an essential part of any birthday party. You can choose to order pizza, make sandwiches or hot dogs, and serve fruit and vegetable platters for a healthy option. Don't forget to include some sweet treats like cupcakes, cookies, or a birthday cake. Make sure to accommodate any dietary restrictions or allergies of your guests.

5. Prepare the decorations: You can create a fun and festive atmosphere by decorating your home with balloons, streamers, and banners that match your chosen theme. You can also create a photo booth area with props and costumes to make the party even more enjoyable.

6. Plan activities: It is essential to plan activities to keep the children entertained throughout the party. This can include games like pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, or a scavenger hunt. You can also hire a clown or magician to entertain the children.

7. Keep it simple: While it is easy to get carried away with planning a birthday party, it is important to keep things simple. Make sure to delegate tasks to other adults or older children, so that you can enjoy the party along with your child. Also, don't forget to have a first aid kit handy in case of any accidents or injuries.

8. Say thank you: After the party is over, don't forget to thank your guests for attending. You can send out thank-you notes or give out goody bags filled with small gifts and treats.

In conclusion, while hosting a successful birthday party at home requires careful planning and preparation, you can create a fun and memorable experience for your child and their friends. Remember to keep things simple, delegate tasks, and enjoy the party along with your child.

High Praise! A Flight Attendant tells me I have good “Cabin Game!”

A flight attendant mom named “Mandy” approached me after my recent performance at the Hollis Social Library in New Hampshire. What she said next meant all the more to me because she was there with her two kids and their grandmother, who was also a flight attendant.

If you’ve seen me perform, you know that I always start with The Rules. It sounds more ominous than I make it. For example, at one point I have the kids sit crisscross applesauce, tell them that the best listeners will be chosen as volunteers, then have them raise their hands, then their elbows, then their hands, then their elbows. And then I say “we’re all doing the “Thriller” dance,” which gets a laugh from the adults.

If you’ve ever been on a plane, by now you probably ignore the safety briefing. After all, you already know how to fasten your seatbelt and that that the closest exit may be behind you. And, perhaps, if you’ve been on a Southwest flight, you’ll recognize what flight attendants mean when they refer to having good “Cabin Game.” It’s fun. It’s funny. It’s entertaining in a place you don’t expect to be entertained.

So this flight attendant mom named “Mandy” paid me perhaps the best compliment I’ve received in my 20+ years of performing. She said that I have good cabin game.

How about you?

Do you explicitly set the expectations for your presentation?

Do you read the rules off a slide, or use a funny story, quote, or quiz?

How do you make the normally dry more entertaining, engaging, and fun?

How’s your “Cabin Game?”

Ready to improve your “Cabin Game?” Let’s talk.

Iowa

I’m going to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to perform. Why Iowa? I am on a quest to perform a library program in each of the 50 States. Last year I added Hawaii to the list (Lawelawe hiʻialo!). I’m so excited. 5 shows in 24 hours. He doesn’t know it but my 12 year old nephew Matthew will be accompanying me (Matthew, if you’re reading this, surprise! And pack your bags, kid. We’re going on an adventure!).

I love performing my balloon magic show, especially in libraries. Entertaining kids in Boston is great, and now I hope to bring a bit of Massachusetts spirit with me. We’ll be seeing a Chicago Cubs game at Wrigley when we land, grab some corn dogs along the way, then onto Cedar Rapid. I’m pumped. Balloons, magic, Iowa!

A little more about Jungle Jim

As seen on MSNBC and The Today Show, Jungle Jim is an artist and entertainer who creates an entire performance world with giant balloon sculptures and unbridled enthusiasm. He is known for his dedication to literacy by providing high-quality summer reading programming at public libraries.

Despite his commitment to literacy and education, he never sacrifices the irreverent improvisational humor his young audiences adore. Jungle Jim’s show is a combination of familiar performance mediums brought together in a new and exciting way. His style has been described as “George M. Cohan meets Jeff Koons.” His use of over 20 volunteers on stage at each performance is what keeps audiences clamoring for his show year after year.

Jim has been nominated by Nickelodeon for Family Entertainer of the Year, and counts the Boston Red Sox, the City of Boston and over 300 public libraries from Hawaii to Maine as regular clients. He is currently a developing his newest performance for the National CSLP Summer Reading theme of “Libraries Rock” entitled “80’s Rock the Library,” and will be debuting this performance in Charleston, SC in June.

How did Jungle Jim become Jungle Jim?

Jim Manning (Jungle Jim) is a professional family entertainer based out of Somerville, MA. He has been a full-time performer since 2004. Jim has performed in over 200 libraries on topics ranging from world history to environmental education to most his most recent program teaching critical thinking through the science of simple machines. Having taught English in South Korea as well as having studied performing arts and writing at University, Jim is well-versed in entertaining and educating children, and creating programs for the entire family to enjoy.

Humuhumunukunukuapua'a

I’m going to Hawaii.

For the past few months, I’ve been reading articles on how to start your blog. Answer a common question. Give a top ten list. Explain why the professor on Gilligan’s Island could make a radio out of coconuts, but couldn’t fix the hole in the boat.

But I’m sitting at Logan, ready to head to Dallas to see a friend and I have my muse. And it’s a little crop of islands in the South Pacific.

I am on a quest. Inspired by Chris Guillebeau’s book "The Happiness of Pursuit," I decided my quest would be to perform at a library in each of the 50 states. So far I’ve visited 7. Hawaii will be my 8th.

I love performing in libraries. I’ve been a professional children’s entertainer for 13 years, full-time for 11. Like most businesses, Jungle Jim’s has evolved. From character parties to balloon twisting to stage shows, I’m where I want to be. And when I came into my own as a stage entertainer, I quickly learned my real passion was performing in libraries. It’s simple. I loved the library when I was a kid. I love performing for children. Naturally library performances are my favorite.

Now, you might be saying to yourself “50 states? Jim, you’re crazy! I don’t even think there are 50 states!” (Spoiler Alert: there are at least 50 states).  

I really like performing for audiences that have never seen my kind of show. It’s not just the 6-foot balloon, or the 15 volunteers or the $20 bribes to disruptive children. It’s the energy. It’s that they give me back as much as I try to give them. It’s me trying to put on a show I would have loved as a 5-year old.

Ok, Jim, how’d you do it? How’d you get booked in Hawaii? 

There are 60 libraries in Hawaii. And I called every single one and asked them if they would host my program. Most said no. 16.6% said yes. Making those calls wasn’t easy. Having 50 people tell me no didn’t feel good. But the 10 that said yes are kind of my heroes. They’re letting me go to Hawaii!!! 

No, I'm not actually trying to justify my obsession with Hawaiian shirts, I swear.

Fun Jungle Jim Fact: Jungle Jim once made a dress out of balloons!

Nantucket

Most people wouldn't be too excited to be up at 6:00 AM for work on a Saturday, and that includes me, but today is different. I'm on my way down to catch the ferry to do two shows in Nantucket today. I'll be performing at the Nantucket Atheneum, a library rich with historical importance for the abolitionist and suffrage movement.

The best client interactions are the ones where both you and the client are excited. When Leslie Malcolm, Department Head for the Weezie Library for Children, reached out to me in September and said she wanted to host my new Minecraft Madness program, I was super pumped. To sweeten the deal, she booked me for two programs and agreed to put me up overnight in Nantucket. Lucky Duck am I!

Last night we had dinner with great friends Elyse and Don. Elyse suggested a book title to me specifically because I happily suffer from "wanderlust" (as do they). Thinking about it this morning I realized what a nice compliment it was.

Travel was the bedrock of my 20s. During that time, I lived in four different areas of the world, all distinct and new to me, and each shaped my life. AmeriCorps taught me how to be a leader. Teaching English in South Korea tested my fortitude. Australia inspired me to become Jungle Jim. And Boston was where my wife (and happiness) waited for me.

When I founded Jungle Jim's, my goal was not to travel through performance, though the desire never left. As my career has evolved, I focused inward on my favorite kind of performance: Library Programming.

What's really cool now is that in the last year and a half I've traveled to all of the states in New England for library work as well as South Carolina. Martha's Vineyard hosted me for their July 4th celebration. We actually just submitted a proposal to do library programs in Hawaii - don't know how that'll turn out, but I'm optimistic!

So today I'll be visiting Nantucket for the first time, offering 2 popular library programs, and getting to entertain kids who live on an island in the Atlantic. I feel very lucky for the experience. Isn't that why we do what we do? For awesome experiences? That's why I'm here!

It's cold in Nantucket!

Random Jungle Jim Fact: Jim has performed on 4 different continents in 9 different time zones.