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Birthday Party: Scheduling your Time

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With the advanced planning and weighing the cost, I have made decisions on games, food, decorations, etc. for the party. I have found that transitioning from planning phase to implementing stage flows when I schedule my time. After planning, I schedule, and then I know how best to execute that plan.

With my son’s baseball party, I had the games, food, invitations/thank you notes, guests’ lists, and goody bag contents decided prior to the party. I decided to use the 9 innings of a baseball game as the timeframe for the party. With most of the details done, I scheduled the party as follows:

Pregame
Prior to 2:00 p.m.             Coloring page – copies and crayons
1st Inning
2:00 – 2:15 p.m.                Game – Pin a Baseball in the Glove: Blindfold the kids and have them pin a baseball in the “glove.” The closest baseball wins. Winner gets to start the 2nd inning.
2nd Inning
2:15 – 2:25 p.m.                Fun Competition
Who can throw the baseball the farthest?
Who can hit the baseball the farthest?
Who can run to the base first?
2:25 – 2:30 p.m.                Drink Break – snow cones
3rd Inning
2:30 – 2:40 p.m.                Game – Musical Bases: Place bases on the ground. Use “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” as the music and have kids stand on a base when it stops. Have a hat that contains 4 cards: Home, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd base. Draw a card from the hat and whichever base is read, the kids on that base are out.
4th Inning
2:40 – 3:00 p.m.                Game – 3-Inning Baseball: For this mini game, follow the rules of regular baseball with these exceptions: use a plastic bat, a Wiffle ball (no mitts needed), and a lawn chair placed behind home plate (exactly where an umpire stands). The seat’s backrest marks the strike zone – if the ball hits it, it’s a strike. Each team is at bat for just three innings.
3:00 – 3:05 p.m.                Drink Break
5th Inning
3:05 – 3: 15 p.m.               Game – Hey Batter, Batter: This game is a relay race where the kids run to one end of the party area, put on a baseball hat, and hold the bat. They shout “Hey Batter, Batter,” take it all off, and then run back so the next teammate can do the same. The first team to get all its players across the finish line – wins!
6th Inning
3:15 – 3:25 p.m.                Game – Dizzy Bat: Place the bat on the ground in a standing position and have the child put his head on the handle at the top. Have him spin around a few times and then try to run back to their team. The first team done – wins.
7th Inning
3:25 – 3:30 p.m.                Baseball-on-the-Spoon Relay: Use ping-pong balls as baseballs for this game. Divide the kids into two teams. Line up the teams and have the players carry the ping-pong balls on the spoon to the opposite side of the yard, around a base, and back to the starting line. Then they will pass the spoon to their teammates, and the game continues in this manner until all players have gone. If the player drops the ping-pong ball, they must pick it up, and resume the game where the ball was dropped. The team to finish first – wins.
Stretch
3:30 – 3:45 p.m.                Sing “Happy Birthday,” Candle, Cake, and Ice Cream with Raspberry Lemonade
8th Inning
3:45 – 3:55 p.m.                Open Gifts
9th Inning
3:55 – 4:00 p.m.                 Thank you and presentation of goody bags

I then scheduled my week. On Monday through Wednesday, clean my house, work on laundry, and complete grocery shopping. On Thursday and Friday morning, I help at my son’s school. Then Friday afternoon, bake the cake. After dinner, decorate the cake. On Saturday morning, gather items for the games, prepare the goody bags, setup after lunch, and enjoy the party.

Next week, I will share the results of the executed plan. Do you stop to schedule your time leading up to an event? Do you have any tips to help us save money, energy, and time while preparing for a birthday celebration? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Birthday Party: Weighing the Cost

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With children’s birthday parties, the urge to “keep up with Joneses” and have a huge party may cross your mind. I know that as a mom I want the best for my kids, but I also have a budget and other obligations to consider. At this time, my budget cannot hold a $200 birthday party. Does that mean that the party has to be dull and boring? Absolutely NOT! Here are some of my “out of the box” ideas to hosting a great birthday party on a $50-$100 budget:

Schedule the party between meal times. Cake and ice cream is more cost-efficient than pizza or submarine sandwiches with the fixings.

Create and print your own invitations and thank you notes. Using Microsoft Word or Publisher, I enjoy designing a unique and creative invitation geared for our planned party. I usually design my invitations and thank you notes to fit 4 on an 8.5” x 11” page. For good quality, I send them to a copy center and have them printed in color on white glossy card stock. The result is 24 invitations and 24 thank you notes for under $4. I could easily pay $3 for 12 invitations and still need to write out the information. By creating my own, I can customize them to my theme and save money from purchasing pre-made cards.

Use paper products you have on hand. If you purchase solid color party supplies, then one set can be used for more than one party. The bright blues, reds, pinks, and purples are the top picks in my house. I sometimes mix and match the colors to make the colors stretch further.

Research party games on-line. Use items you already have to play the games. If you are missing a piece, then you can be creative by substituting another item in its place. To search for ideas, I like to start with a search engine (Google, Swag Bucks, Yahoo, etc.). At the search box, I will type in “baseball birthday party ideas.”  When the results are listed, I work through them to gain inspiration for party games.

Make your own birthday cake, cupcakes, or cookie(s). You do not need to make a large 3-tiered cake with all the baseball players lined up. A simple ball can be just as special. By searching the web for cake ideas (i.e. baseball cake ideas), you will find intensively time consuming options scattered throughout the ideas with manageable time constraints and simple designs. A basic sheet cake at Publix would cost a minimum of $19.99. When I wait for a sale and pair it with coupons, I can snag inexpensive cake mixes from the grocery store.

These “out of the box” ideas will use your time. You might save on cost but pay in time. Knowing your options will help you plan your party. This year I have more energy than last year, so a home-based creative birthday party will be the ticket. Last year, I was still adjusting to a new baby, so my time was more precious than saving every penny. Paul and I were able to save up to have our son’s party at a Bounce House with the inflatables. The $10 per child price was worth the showing up and participating without setup and cleanup. They handled the pizza, drinks, cake, ice cream, balloons, and goody bags. The price was worth the services rendered, and I would consider hosting another birthday party there.

For me saving money is a higher priority this year, so I will spend my time planning and creating an enjoyable space for the party. What about you, what is more valuable: your time or your money? Do you find that these priority change with your situation or remain the same?

Birthday Party: Planning in Advance

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With three growing children, I usually have birthday party ideas on the brain. About 6 months before their big day, I am questioning my kids for birthday ideas. My son chose a baseball theme, and my oldest daughter picked Strawberry Shortcake.  Though these themes may change (more than once), I have an idea of what they want, and they are working to choose a theme.

Why do I have them choose so far in advance? To help me save money, time & energy! With an early theme, I can:

  1. Research party games and gather materials. Using a search engine (like Google, Swag Bucks, etc.), I can find a wealth of birthday party ideas. As I have spare minutes, I can quickly research some ideas.
  2. Plan the cake. Since I bake and decorate the cakes, I need to be prepared with the cake pans, ingredients, directions, and estimated time frames.
  3. Select party favors. With advance notice, I can keep an eye out for great deals. For example, the $4 pack of 100 baseball cards found during a shopping trip to Walgreens, or the $1 items in the Dollar Spot section at Target.
  4. Purchase birthday gifts. While scanning the weekly flyers, I can look for great deals on items that fit the chosen theme. A year ago Christmas, I found my oldest daughter’s birthday present for this year. The item was on clearance, and I thought she might like the Strawberry Shortcake collection. The item has been stored away, and I will be wrapping it up within the next few months. By purchasing in advance I was able to use my time wisely. I do not need to consider her birthday gift. I can cross it off my To Do list for her birthday party. Having an item already completed before the serious planning begins is a great time saver.

The advanced planning helps me to save money by finding items on sale prior to the week of the event. By purchasing early, I can spread out the cost and save myself from paying full price. I save energy from worrying about what to add to the goody bags or feeling overwhelmed by all the planning and organizing that needs to be done. Then I save time by gathering items as I am shopping. I won’t need to spend a day running around for all the party decorations.

Do you plan your parties in advance? What tips can you offer to help us save money, time & energy while preparing for a party?

Science Fair: Learning from Adjustment

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Oakley Originals)

Are you familiar with a Science Fair? This is an event where contestants bring science projects to be viewed and judged for prizes.  The setup for a Science Fair requires space for viewing and stability to protect the projects.

When the science teacher asked for help with setup, my girls and I arrived to help. After spending some time planning, we began moving round tables into the designated places. Then a Board member arrived to help, and he informed the science teacher of an event scheduled in the same building that evening. We then had to stop. The science teacher worked through the inconvenience and adjusted her plan.

We then helped her to execute that new plan. The final product was not what the teacher envisioned for the Science Fair, but the setup accomplished both goals: room for viewing and solid surfaces to protect the projects.

WHAT I LEARNED:

  • When organizing any event, know who will be using the space of your event between setup and the event.
  • Keep your cool when a bump in the process arises (i.e. a scheduled meeting in your space).
  • Adjust your plan, and keep your focus on accomplishing your basic goals.
  • Help the coordinator by staying calm and being willing to redo the setup.

The next day, the girls and I attended the Science Fair. The event progressed very smoothly. All the projects were well-displayed, and there was plenty of room to move around the exhibits without disturbing the projects.

As you assist or attend an event, do you take note of good organization? I am always looking to improve my organization. When I run an event that is well-organized, I know I have spent my time wisely as I enjoy the activities with my guests.

Attending the Great Harvest Field Trip

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Having scheduled the field trip for my son’s class, I was ready to assist his teacher up to and throughout the event. Taking a step back from scheduling and coordinating to assisting someone else takes some time. This transition is much like preparing for a vacation. You spend so much time packing, scheduling, and remembering, and then you leave. After assuring yourself that the lights are off and all responsibilities are covered, you can calm down, relax, and enjoy the vacation.

After transitioning from preparing to going, I was ready to help make this field trip fun and beneficial for all. On the day of the event,

1. Arrive early. I arrived 15 minutes early. My car was ready to transport my son. The other mom arrived early as well to get car seats setup in her vehicle. When the teacher was ready, the other mom and I were ready to assist getting students into the vehicles.

2. Look for ways to assist. Since neither the teacher nor the other mom had her camera, I pulled out our camera from the diaper bag and began snapping pictures.

3. Make introductions. The teacher had not met the owner. Being familiar with both of them, I was able to introduce them to each other. Then I stepped back allowing them to form a plan for the tour.

4. Follow directions. When the teacher gave directions, I assisted the children in following those instructions. The other mom and I helped wash the students’ hands before handling the bread. We also helped guide them through the bakery at the different stops.

5. Traffic Control. As the teacher lead the way, I helped to keep the students moving in the right directions. Some will get distracted, and a simple, “Let’s catch up to the class” can help keep the student with the class.

6. Remain available. When the teacher went to the counter to purchase a loaf of bread, I helped keep the children occupied until the teacher returned.

7. Enjoy. I listened and learned about how Great Harvest Bread Company makes their bread. Their system takes many steps, but each employee handles his part and the final product is a beautiful loaf of bread.

How nice it was to enjoy the tour of the bakery after spending time organizing the event. Good planning helps make the event run smoothly. Spending time planning is time wisely spent. On the day of the event, I was able to reap the benefits of my labor by enjoying the tour and taking time to learn the process.

Do you also help your child’s teacher by scheduling or attending field trips? What’s the hardest part of the event for you? Once I get the transition complete, the event takes off. Wishing you lots of success as you help teachers with field trips!