Cozi Blog

An Ice Skating Birthday Party

2010-01-19T05:30:00-08:00

An ice-skating ring is a perfect outdoor winter venue for a party! A group skating session is usually inexpensive, and facilities typically offer a party room where you can host the lunch, cake, and presents. Planning this theme can take as little as 30 minutes, so if you don’t have a lot of time and want to hold your party outside of your home, this may be a great idea for you.

If so, here are a few suggestions and points to keep in mind as you plan:

Call the facility 4–6 weeks in advance to secure the party room.

You may want to ask whether a skating instructor is available to help the beginners learn to skate and teach a few moves to those who already know how.

Ask the facility if you can bring some themed decorations for the party room. Solid color party ware in light blue, silver, and white would be good choices for this theme, although any color scheme will work here. Balloons, streamers, and party ware are all easy decorations to bring the party room to life.

On the invitations, provide facility details, and make it clear that the kids’ admission will be taken care of. You will need to decide if you will also pay for skate rentals. If so, ask the parents to provide their kids’ shoe sizes when they RSVP. You can rent the skates upon your arrival and have them ready for the kids when they arrive. If you want guests to pay for their own skate rental, note this clearly on the invitation.

Consider making the invitation in the shape of a skate!

The main activity of the party will be skating! There is little need for you to plan additional activities or games. Let the kids get their skates on and enjoy the rink.

When the kids arrive, you may want to provide them with a name tag or something they can pin on themselves so you can easily identify which kids in the facility are attending your party. This can also be a party keepsake.

When the kids become tired, have them take a break. Often, skating facilities provide pizza or some other party food that kids enjoy. Make this arrangement with the facility beforehand.

If lunch will not be provided, handing out a bag filled with little treats, such as a bag of chips, piece of fruit, granola bar, popcorn ball, etc., may be a good idea.

For party favors, hand out little bags of ice skating stuff, such as a pair of gloves, hot cocoa mix, lip gloss, skating stickers, chocolates, skating key chains, etc.

Consider sending home special ice skate–shaped cookies in cellophane bags tied with ribbon.

Make sure to take a snapshot of the kids on ice to include in the thank-you notes.

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

A Winter Treasure Hunt

2010-01-12T05:30:00-08:00

Old Man Winter has come to town and is settling in for the next few months. A fun indoor and outdoor activity, whether during a birthday party or just for fun in a winter wonderland, is an easy treasure hunt in your own home. Read below for all things that relate to winter, and set treasure clues around your home for the kids to find and collect. Once all the treasures have been gathered, enjoy a cup of frothy cocoa as a wintry treat to top off the fun.

Winter Treasure Hunt Clues:

Snowflakes: Glisten and glide like foam, from snowy crystals I form.

Frost: I stick to windowpanes and cars alike, and perhaps on your nose, icy cool with delight!

Sled: Hop on me and take a ride through the snow!

Snowball: Roll me up into a perfect sphere, then take your best shot!

Winter coat: Heavy and oh so stuffy, and when out in the snow perfect for making angels so fluffy!

Mittens: Pull me over your ten little fingers, and soon your hands will be warm and tingling!

Ear muffs: I’ll keep your ears from chilling, but you may become hard of hearing!

Boots: I’m good for mud and snow; pull me on and stomp along!

Radiator/heater: In your home, in the depths of winter, turn me own so you won’t shiver!

Fireplace: Kindling, wood, ash, and soot, sit close by and I’ll warm your foot!

Skis: I will zoom you to the bottom of the hill; it’ll be so quick you’ll feel no more than a chill!

Cocoa with marshmallows: Frothy and sweet, I am the most perfect wintry treat!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

A Hotel Birthday Party

2010-01-05T05:22:01-08:00

Hotels may serve as a good overnight destination for a slumber party, especially if you don’t want your house messed up by a group of pre-teen boys or girls. If you decide to take a group of kids to a hotel overnight, it will be a thrill for kids age 9 to 14. A hotel is an especially popular venue if your child wants a swimming party, but his or her birthday falls in winter!

When planning your party, make sure that the hotel understands how many children will be attending so they can approve the use of the hotel for your party. They may offer you a special price on adjoining rooms or rooms with kitchens. I suggest limiting the number of guests to five, plus the birthday kid. With four double beds, three will be used by the kids (two kids to a bed), and the fourth bed will be for the parent.

On the invitation, make it clear where the slumber party will take place, and make sure to have all parents’ contact information readily available.

This party will likely revolve around swimming, so have the kids bring their swimsuits and beach towels. They can swim, play water games, and enjoy the hot tub. Swimming will wear them out, so when they return to the room, provide dinner (make it easy and order pizza!) and the traditional cake and birthday candles. This would also be a good time to open presents. Afterwards, put on a video for the kids to watch together.

If you want an activity, you could provide a mini-spa for girls: have them give each other manicures, pedicures, and facials. Boys may be interested in playing video games, if available. Later, the kids could also tell stories into the night—another “game” that keeps kids interested, but also calm.

Hotel parties are fun—kids feel quite sophisticated at a hotel party with friends. Keep close watch and enjoy!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

A New Year's Party Treasure Hunt

2009-12-29T08:33:23-08:00

If you’re having a treasure hunt at your New Year’s party and you’re looking for clues to use, here are some that utilize holiday places and goods in your home. Send them holiday hunting!

Sometimes I’m a powder, sometimes a crystal. But I’ll always make your goodies sweeter. (Sugar bowl or canister)

I welcome with a green sprig or a jingle and beckon you in for a holiday giggle. (A wreath hanging on your front door)

I am hung with care to make sure that St. Nicholas will soon be there. (Stocking)

I make the presents sparkle with care, yet I will be gone with a few simple tears! (Wrapping paper station)

I’m piping hot this time of year. From roasts to cookies, turn me on and watch the temperature rise far and beyond. (Oven)

I’m white, puffy, and smooth, and I add fun to your cocoa! (Bowl of marshmallows)

Fresh and crisp, tall and green...I add a touch of nature to your merriment. (Christmas tree)

With a corncob pipe and a button nose, and two eyes made out of... (Snowman: real, or a decoration)

Greetings galore from family, friends, and neighbors both near and far. (Holiday cards)

In red and green, blue and silver, I illuminate your room with no more than a flicker. (Holiday candles)

As the guests find each clue, leave festive chocolates and candies for them to enjoy along the treasure hunt path.

The final clue can reveal small wrapped prizes or stickers.

Happy Holiday Hunting!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Gift Wrapping Tips

2009-12-22T05:37:16-08:00

With presents comes wrapping each and every year. Here are some quick, easy, eco-friendly ideas to make your holiday gift wrapping a cinch this year!

To decorate a cardboard tube that may hold anything from a poster to a fishing pole, wrap plain white butcher paper around the tube, and then transform it into a candy cane stick by wrapping it with a wide red ribbon. Use a glue stick or glue gun to attach the ribbon ends to the top and bottom of the tube. Really festive!

Use a large, flat envelope to wrap a book or puzzle. Decorate the envelope with a wintry scene: a blue background with a white snowman. Make the snowman using cotton balls, and use chocolate chips for the eyes.

Wrap a special little gift in a small box, and place it inside a very large box (the larger the better!). Surround the small box with all sorts of colorful tissue paper. The large box can be wrapped in a large wool blanket! This is a great way to use what you have around your home, create anticipation, and be creative!

As an alternative to using packing peanuts and bubble wrap to cushion your gifts, use soft pine needles gathered up in your own yard. The filler will smell great and is very eco-friendly. Another alternative is the filling from old pillows.

Use your favorite holiday cards from last year as gift tags for this year's presents. Just make sure that the back of the holiday picture does not have writing on it, so you can write your To and From and greeting.

Use plain brown paper to wrap your gifts. Add a pinecone and/or bright ribbons to spruce it up. Also, your kids can make stamps out of potatoes and decorate the brown paper wrap using red or green paint. This is an inexpensive way to wrap and offers creative fun for the kids!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Holiday Countdown Twist

2009-12-15T10:12:36-08:00

The December tradition of opening the doors of an advent calendar to help kids count down the days until Christmas makes these dark winter days light and frothy with anticipation.

To make it even more fun this year, why not try this twist on the old calendar? Instead of filling each day with a chocolate or small toy, put a clue in its place. Let the kids search for their daily surprise!

For example, one clue might read, “I can be found in the coldest place in the house, as close as you will get to the North Pole!” (The prize can be found in the freezer!)

If you are creative and have the time to think up some clues, the kids will have a great time searching to find their daily treat and anticipating the clues to come.

Happy Holiday Countdown!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

A North Pole Party

2009-12-08T05:30:00-08:00

Welcome to the North Pole! What kid wouldn’t want to take a trip to this frothy destination this time of year? It’s a unique seasonal party idea that will transport your kids and their friends to the North Pole for an afternoon of delight. Here are some ideas to pull this party together:

Send an invitation shaped like a North Pole sign, with all of the details included. You could request that the kids come in red or green to help add festive color as well.

For decorations, place a large North Pole sign on the front lawn or on the front door, welcoming the guests to the North Pole.

If you don’t have the real thing, decorate the door and front of the house with fake snow. A sea of pearly white balloons throughout the party area would also add festivity. Hang snowflakes from the ceiling.

Your traditional holiday decorations will be perfect for this party theme. You should not have to add much more to your décor to bring the party to life.

When the kids arrive, invite them into the kitchen with the smell of holiday cookies wafting in the air. Let them frost and decorate the baked cookies, or have gingerbread men out ready for baking—the kids can add raisins and chocolate chips for eyes and buttons before baking. This is a great activity to do while the kids are arriving.

Crafts

Jingle bell necklaces: Place an assortment of jingle bells in bright bowls for the kids to thread onto thin satin ribbon. Help them tie knots to hold the jingles on the necklaces. The kids can wear these during the party and take them home as a goody.

Snowmen: Stick large, medium, and small Styrofoam balls together with toothpicks, and then use glue to decorate them like snowmen with puff paints, paint pens, fake snow, construction paper, buttons, etc. Give the snowmen top hats made out of black construction paper and a carrot nose made out of orange construction paper.

Winter scenes: Using construction paper, markers, glitter glue, cotton (for fake snow), etc., the kids can make their own wintry scene to hang around the party room and to take home with them.

Activities

Read a North Pole story to the kids about Santa and the elves.

Make sure kids know where the North Pole is. Show them on a globe, and throw out some fun facts about the real place.

Recruit a few high school kids to dress up like elves and make a visit to the kids. Have them paint rosy red cheeks on the kids, with some glitter for added sparkle. Let them describe the jobs they do for Santa at the North Pole.

Have the kids write letters to Santa.

Make reindeer feed to keep Santa’s reindeer strong for their upcoming important journey. Have oats, dry cereal, pretzel sticks, etc. in separate bowls and let the kids combine them. They can take a baggie of the “feed” home with them as well.

Make gingerbread homes, either individually or as a group.

Menu

Serve cocoa, egg nog, or spiced cider. (If using teacups, put a snowflake on the bottom of one, and that one will be filled first!)

Cookies that were made at the beginning of the party would be good to enjoy as a party snack.

Carrots, celery, and other vegetables with a dip is another good choice; label it as “reindeer grub.”

Serve snowman sandwiches made with a snowman-shaped cookie cutter.

The kids can take home some of the cookies they decorated, the reindeer feed, and their crafts. A trip to the North Pole is special ... all on board for Express fun!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Host a Holiday Cookie Party

2009-11-30T12:48:04-08:00

Looking for an easy afternoon of fun with your kids and their friends this holiday season? Baking up a batch (or several) of festive cookies is an easy activity to put together and will make memories that last a lifetime.

When planning your cookie baking, take into account the ages of the children who will be attending to determine how much actual baking will be done. For small kids, simply decorating prebaked cookies would be excellent. School-age children can handle rolling out chilled dough, cutting the dough into shapes with cookie cutters, doing an activity while they bake and cool, and then decorating. Tweens and teens will appreciate taking on the challenge of making the cookies themselves from start to finish.

To throw a great holiday cookie party, try these ideas:

For an invitation, cut out holiday shapes using colorful construction paper with your cookie cutters; gingerbread men are a great idea. Write the party information on the invitation. Attach a candy cane to the invite if they will be hand-delivered.
The heart of this party will take place in your kitchen and dining area. Have enough seats available for the children to sit down and decorate. Line the kitchen table with wrapping paper for a festive feel. Providing your kids and their guests with red aprons and Santa hats will add fun, and they can be taken home as party favors. Certainly, play those holiday carols!
For younger children, set out plates where the kids will decorate their cookies. In the center of the table, place your frosting tubes, sprinkles, and candies for the kids to use to decorate. Older kids will most likely be spending a large amount of time in the kitchen cutting out dough and placing cookies on baking trays, or actually making the cookies from scratch.

While the cookies are baking, you might try some of these additional activities:

Hold a taste test. Place cookie ingredients or holiday spices in individual bowls, and have guests taste each one to determine what it is.
Have a cocoa station with hot chocolate, whipped cream, candy cane sticks, and chocolate shavings for the kids to create a sweet treat.
Have your recipe books out for the children to browse, as well as 3×5 cards and pens. They can copy a recipe or two that they would like to try during the season and take these cards home as well.
After the cookie cutters have been used, wash them, and have the kids use them to draw festive pictures, to make play dough shapes, and so on.
When the cookies have been baked and decorated, wrap them in red plastic wrap for taking home, along with recipe cards, aprons, hats, or other favors.

This is an easy party to put together, even at the last minute, and it can be as fancy or as simple as you make it. The kids will love it.

Happy holiday baking!

Get help managing your holiday calendar and all your holiday lists with Cozi, the free online family organizer.

Lisa Kothari has based her ambition on helping parents throw the best children's parties without the added stress that planning often creates. She is the founder of Peppers and Pollywogs, a kids' party planning company providing families with party ideas and inspiration.

Thanksgiving Games: A Scavenger Hunt

2009-11-24T05:30:00-08:00

It’s the season for falling leaves, pumpkin pie, and expressing gratitude. How will you be celebrating with your children?

A Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt for kids would be a ton of fun and keep them busy over the holiday break. Mike is back with a great group of clues:

To find out where you are going, look in the horn that is overflowing. (Cornucopia)

Find the next clue or your plans may topple! Check near a bird who says gobble, gobble. (Turkey)

Your next clue, from what I’ve heard said, is near something a pilgrim might wear on his head. (Pilgrim’s hat)

These once grew on trees and have been changing color; sometimes they are raked, but they’re now a clue cover. (Autumn leaves)

For your next clue, just take a short walk toward a corny old friend who grows on a stalk. (Corn cob)

Your next clue is squashed in a familiar place; a month ago many of these were carved with a face. (Pumpkin)

I’m crispy and sweet and taste good in pie. I’ve got your next clue, so come right on by! (Apple)

Do you “pine” for a clue? I’ve got what you need! If you were an evergreen, I’d be your seed. (Pine cone)

Have fun hunting this Thanksgiving holiday!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

2009-11-17T07:17:04-08:00

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

Sesame Street celebrated its 40th birthday this week. Do your kids love the show as much as you did when you were a kid? If so, you may want to have your own Sesame Street birthday celebration. And who better to inspire you than Elmo?

Small children love Elmo, so this is sure to be a wonderful theme for children between 1 and 3 years old. If Elmo is your kid's favorite friend, have a look at the ideas below for birthday party ideas with this sweet, lovable character!

Decorations:

Use primary colors of red, yellow, and blue: they work very well with the Elmo theme, and they may be more budget-friendly than themed party supplies. Splurge on a few Elmo Mylar balloons to attach to the birthday kid's special chair.

For a table centerpiece, have Dorothy the Goldfish swimming around in her bowl. You could also have other small fishbowls filled with fish-shaped crackers for the kids to enjoy. Before they start eating the crackers, ask them guess how many are in the bowl. Whoever is closest wins a prize.

Food and beverages:

Elmo's favorite food is pizza, so this is a perfect (and easy) food for this party. For an activity, serve mini pizzas with sauce and cheese, and let the kids decorate them with fun toppings. Pop them into the oven, and have the kids do some party activities while the pizzas bake.

For the beverages, make a primary-color frozen drink in a punch bowl. Orange or red flavors will match Elmo, and using club soda instead of water makes a really easy and tasty punch. For extra fun, find Elmo gummies to freeze into ice cubes and add to the punch.

Elmo activities:

Fill a wading pool with little foam fish bath toys that have magnets attached. Rig up a small fishing pole with a paperclip on the end, and let the kids go fishing for a bath toy.

Have a "Fill the Fish Bowl" relay race. Divide the kids into two teams. Give each child a small cup of water, have them run to a fish bowl, pour the water in, and run back to their team; each team member does the same.

Additional activity ideas include:

Coloring or drawing pictures of Elmo

Making things with red clay

Playing musical chairs to Sesame Street music

Blowing bubbles

Goody bags can be primary colored bags, sand pails, or cups filled with Elmo stuff, including notepads, pencils, stickers, bubbles, coloring books, crayons, Elmo gummies, etc.

Happy Birthday, Sesame Street!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Thanksgiving Crafts

2009-11-10T15:39:42-08:00

Gobble, gobble!

Looking for a quick craft to enjoy with your kids this month that keeps with the Thanksgiving spirit?

How about a leaf turkey?

Send the kids out to gather a collection of beautiful leaves and one pinecone.

Place the leaves on a large piece of orange construction paper in a fan shape. Use a glue gun or stick to attach the leaves to the paper.

Then glue the pinecone to the bottom center of your fan of leaves, and stick googly eyes on it for the turkey’s eyes.

Make an orange beak and a red wattle using felt, and glue them onto the pinecone.

Let your turkey dry, and hang it up for a festive decoration.

Happy Turkey Time!

Get your family organized and on the same page with Cozi, the free online family organizer.

-Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Candy Corn Games

2009-11-03T05:00:00-08:00

‘Tis the season for that super-sweet candy corn that everyone can agree reminds them of Halloween past, present, and, most likely, future! Besides eating all of the candy corn that may be lying around your home this week, you can also play some fun and simple games with these bright candy kernels.

Send the kids on a Candy Corn Hunt. You can do this by creating a path of candy corn that they must follow to a surprise at the end, or by hiding small bags of candy corn around your yard and sending the kids on a traditional hunt.

Fill a large pumpkin pail with candy corn and ask the kids to Guess the Number. Whoever guesses closest wins! Share the candy corn with everyone.

Create Candy Corn Artwork with heavy card stock, candy corn, and a glue stick. This may get messy, but it will be fun!

Make Candy Corn Strings, just like popcorn. Decorate the room and front doorway with them.

Make Homemade Candy Corn. This is a great idea for older children.

Make Candy Corn Krispie Treats by adding candy corn to this favorite recipe.

Play Candy Corn Foosball. Have two kids stand at either end of a large table. One child throws candy corn to the other end of the table, and the other child must block it from going through and making a goal. Use a solid cookie cutter for blocking (making sure it is one that will not scratch your table).

Make Candy Corn Sculptures, using frosting to hold the sculpture together. (Make sure to place paper on your table to keep the mess to a minimum.)

Finally, send guests home with Goody Bags of the sweet stuff!

It may be corny, but these ideas will keep it sweet, too!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Halloween Scavenger Hunt

2009-10-28T05:24:21-07:00

It’s Halloween season again, the perfect season for a Halloween Treasure Hunt. Mike, Peppers and Pollywogs’ own poet, has created a great set of Halloween decoration clues to keep the kids on the hunt for their treats!

Here are the clues and answers:

Clue: If you find your next clue, I hope that you’ll grin. It’s under a vegetable that’s lit from within. Answer: Jack o’ lantern

Clue: Where’s the next clue? I think that I saw ... the last one holding it was made out of straw. Answer: Scarecrow

Clue: Some say I’m corny, but I’m also quite sweet. Finding the next clue will sure be a treat! Answer: Candy corn

Clue: I’ve got spirit, yes I do, but even when I’m cheering, I still say boo! (I’ll try not to scare you when you come for your clue.) Answer: Ghost

Clue: The “point” of your next clue is really quite eerie: the woman who wears me calls children “Dearie.” Answer: Witch’s hat

Clue: I’ve got a “bone” to pick with you. It’s about time you come and get this next clue. Answer: Skeleton

Clue: By eight hairy legs, I have been spun. If you can find me, your clue will be won. Answer: Spider web

Clue: Boil, boil, toil, and trouble. Come get your next clue, on the double! Answer: Cauldron

Clue: With my body of wood and feet made of straw, I’m the strangest flying vehicle that you ever saw! Answer: Broomstick

Clue: My body is black and my legs count four. Some say it’s bad luck when I cross the floor. Answer: Black Cat

Clue: You’ll be green with envy over the bolts in my neck. I may have your clue; why don’t you come check? Answer: Frankenstein

Happy Halloween hunting!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Halloween Costume Safety Tips

2009-10-20T05:11:15-07:00

Will you have goblins and pumpkins around your home this year, or perhaps Chicken Little? Whatever you decide on for Halloween party and trick-or-treating costumes, keep a few tips in mind when purchasing or making costumes.

If purchasing costumes, wigs, beards, etc., make sure that they are labeled as flame-resistant. Although this doesn’t guarantee that these items will not catch fire, it does mean that they will resist burning and extinguish quickly.

Avoid costumes with baggy arms, billowy sleeves, pontoon pants, or flimsy material so that contact with candles is minimal. You could avoid candles altogether by providing kids with glow sticks or battery-operated candles.

If you are going to have costumes with swords, shields, etc., make sure they are soft and flexible.

Make sure the eyeholes on masks are large enough that your child can see clearly with full vision, and ensure that the mask securely fastens around his head. Because masks can often block vision, you may want to consider using hypoallergenic makeup instead.

Have kids go out in sturdy, comfortable shoes. High heels for the Cinderella costume are not a good idea.

Make sure that costumes are short enough that kids will not trip over them.

Provide kids with flashlights for their trick-or-treat adventure. Glow sticks are also quite popular, and they’re great for making kids visible, but they don’t replace flashlights—make sure that your kids have enough light to see.

Make costumes that are light and bright and can easily reflect light. Make sure that they are clearly visible to motorists as well. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and treat bags for greater visibility. The above-mentioned glow sticks are great for that!

Have your child wear emergency ID information, especially if you will not be going with him.

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

A Holiday Cookie Party

2009-10-15T07:00:00-07:00

To throw a great holiday cookie party, try these ideas:

For an invitation, cut out holiday shapes using colorful construction paper with your cookie cutters; gingerbread men are a great idea. Write the party information on the invitation. Attach a candy cane to the invite if they will be hand-delivered.
The heart of this party will take place in your kitchen and dining area. Have enough seats available for the children to sit down and decorate. Line the kitchen table with wrapping paper for a festive feel. Providing your kids and their guests with red aprons and Santa hats will add fun, and they can be taken home as party favors. Certainly, play those holiday carols!
For younger children, set out plates where the kids will decorate their cookies. In the center of the table, place your frosting tubes, sprinkles, and candies for the kids to use to decorate. Older kids will most likely be spending a large amount of time in the kitchen cutting out dough and placing cookies on baking trays, or actually making the cookies from scratch.

While the cookies are baking, you might try some of these additional activities:

Hold a taste test. Place cookie ingredients or holiday spices in individual bowls, and have guests taste each one to determine what it is.
Have a cocoa station with hot chocolate, whipped cream, candy cane sticks, and chocolate shavings for the kids to create a sweet treat.
Have your recipe books out for the children to browse, as well as 3×5 cards and pens. They can copy a recipe or two that they would like to try during the season and take these cards home as well.
After the cookie cutters have been used, wash them, and have the kids use them to draw festive pictures, to make play dough shapes, and so on.
When the cookies have been baked and decorated, wrap them in red plastic wrap for taking home, along with recipe cards, aprons, hats, or other favors.

This is an easy party to put together, even at the last minute, and it can be as fancy or as simple as you make it. The kids will love it.

Happy holiday baking!

-- Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

10 Ways to Keep Kids Happy During the Holiday Meal

2009-10-15T07:00:00-07:00

The holidays are a time for the entire family to gather for a leisurely meal. The meal can often go on for quite a while, leaving young children antsy in their seats. This meal is notoriously known for having a kids’ table where the children sit on their own with one adult, rather than at the grownups’ table.

Whether the children sit at a specially designated table or with everyone, having a few activities planned during the meal will go a long way toward keeping everyone happy. Find inspiration for easy fun that is sure to keep your kids happy during your special holiday meal here:

Fun Drinks. Set out special colored glasses—plastic would work well—and outfit the kids with fun straws, umbrellas, fruit, and ice cubes with holiday gummies frozen inside. The kids will be delighted with the fun drinks. They can even help make them before dinner and make re-fills too.
Crayons. Place holiday-colored crayons on the table with plain white napkins at the kids’ place settings. Ask the kids to draw their favorite holiday scene on their napkins for added decoration and fun.
Trivia. Have a ready-made holiday trivia game at the table. This works especially well with older kids, but you can also ask very simple questions to include the little ones too. For example, if this is a Thanksgiving meal, create a series of questions around the history of the holiday, traditions, etc. to keep them guessing.
Your Little Helpers. Include your kids in the preparation of one of the holiday dishes; even little kids can help bake cookies. When you are ready to serve, engage the children in a discussion about how they made the dish and have them help serve it.
Charades. Children often have a hard time sitting still at the dinner table for long periods of time. If the meal is long, have them take mini-breaks from the table. If you see your child fidgeting, ask them to get up and do a charade for the rest of the guests (such as a turkey for Thanksgiving or a reindeer for Christmas). After they are done, they can be seated again. This quickly breaks their monotony and also helps keep them at the table.
Place Cards. Have the kids create place cards for the guests to easily find their seats at the dinner table. They can create these cards using heavy stock paper and fancy glitter glue to spell out the names.
Storytelling. At some point during the meal, allow the children to tell the story of the holiday in their own words. See how much they remember about the pilgrims or the Christmas story or Santa’s origins. Alternately, allow children to read a special holiday tale from a favorite book to everyone gathered.
A Chorus Line. Although singing is usually considered rude at the dinner table, children have often learned special songs at school for the holidays. Allow them to get up and sing a chorus of favorite tunes. Invite everyone to sing together.
Clean Up. There is always plenty to clean up after a holiday meal. With kids ready to get up and leave the table, provide them with the task of helping clear the plates. It makes it easier on you and keeps the kids industrious.
Card Sharks. As the kids rush to finish their dessert, have several different card decks on their table that they can play with as everyone else finishes their meals. Games like Old Maid, Go Fish, and Concentration are all good choices.

The holiday meal is an annual tradition. Make sure to include some activities for the kids so they will enjoy it too!

-- Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Budget Holiday Party Tips

2009-10-14T10:58:00-07:00

The holiday season is a perfect time for parents to throw a fun holiday party. Here are top tips for planning just such a party this year that will be simple and loads of fun, but won’t break the bank:

Send your invitations out early. It's a busy time of year, and getting on people's calendars early is key.
Make your own invitations with candy canes. Attach a small card with the party details on it to the candy cane for an easy invite.
Have the children make paper ornaments, and hold an ornament swap at the party. You can purchase ornament kits, or children can create homemade ornaments using heavy card stock, glitter glue, markers, and other craft materials. Crafty and fun!
If your party is strictly for kids, limit the number of guests-perhaps just your kids’ best friends.
Let your holiday decorations serve as your party decorations.
Look around your home for fun stuff to create easy activities. Ideas include: a holiday taste test (bring out the spices of the season and let the kids taste and guess away), shaving cream or marshmallow snowmen, a cookie bake-off , and letters to Santa. The activities are endless when you look around your own home for inspiration.
Hosting an open house for the entire family may cut down on cost and time. If adults and children will both attend the party, make sure to have a few of those easy activities prepared for the kids and run by helpers.
Host a tree-trimming party. The main activity will be decorating the tree and your home. If you have small trees that need trimming, this is ideal.
Serve cocoa and cookies, not a full meal. Do not schedule your holiday party around a meal time.
Say no to the goody bags at your holiday party. Let a craft or a cookie that the children bake and decorate serve as a take-home favor.

-- Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Halloween Trick-or-Treating

2009-10-13T18:10:44-07:00

Halloween night will be a time for your children and their friends to get together, don costumes, and head out into the crisp fall air with flashlights to light the way. Here are some ideas for special festivities to help you celebrate the holiday this year.

Invite the kids to your home to get into their costumes. The early part of the evening will be spent getting ready, and it’s always more fun to get ready with friends. Make sure to play some creepy music to get everyone in the mood.

When everyone is ready, don’t forget to snap lots of photos as everyone admires each other’s costumes. Afterward, you can light the candles in the pumpkins, outfit everyone with a flashlight and a loot bag, and be on your way.

As any child will tell you, the main focus of the night is the actual trick-or-treating! The kids will want to hit all of the houses known for giving out whole bags of candy or large candy bars, and it’s always fun to go to the houses that have been decked out with spooky décor. Some people might even act out a scary scene when they thrust open the doors.

Of course, adult supervision for trick-or-treating will be necessary, and you’ll need to make sure to keep the group together. You can expect trick-or-treating to last about 90 minutes. Enjoy!

Upon return, the kids will undoubtedly want to eat some of their candy, but you can also try to interest them in something to cut the sugar. To stick with the theme, prepare snacks in the Halloween spirit. For example, chicken tenders served with BBQ sauce, black tortilla chips with salsa, or deep purple grapes would all make great Halloween night fare.

While the kids are snacking, they can also get to work on their candy trading. This will also be a time when they will dump out their loot bags, look for their favorites, and trade goodies with their friends. This is definitely a sugar-filled holiday!

After all of this fun, the kids will be ready to head home with their parents, but celebrating this special tradition together will mark the evening as truly memorable.

Happy Haunting!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

Create Your Own Haunted House

2009-09-29T07:57:37-07:00

As the weeks wind toward Halloween, perhaps your family would like to make its own spooky house this season. It could beckon the trick-or-treaters to take a tour before they receive their treats (or tricks?), or you could use it to spook up some holiday fun the weekend before the big night in the neighborhood.

Whatever your motivation, here are a few tips to bring the haunts alive:

Decide on the space you want to use. This could be your yard, your home, or just one area of your house, such as the basement.

Plan your entrance and exit, and decide what types of spooks and scares you want to include.

Get help—not only to transform the house, but to participate in spooking it as well.

Don’t forget to add eerie lighting, scary sounds, and darkness. Throw dark sheets or black garbage bags over the windows so no light comes through.

Replace your outside bulbs with orange bulbs. Also, you could replace your porch light with a black light bulb and hang some glow-in-the-dark decorations close by.

If you have some leftover tiki torches from your summer parties, use them to light the path to the front door of your haunted house.

Alternatively, string clear or orange holiday lights, or try these cute spider lights.

Hang spider web netting throughout the house to entangle your guests!

Hang a “dead guy” in the front entrance: stuff a pair of jeans and a shirt with newspaper, and use an old bleach container to create a face. Top with an old hat.

Decorate your doors to look like coffins, using butcher paper and paint.

Using large appliance boxes, make coffins, fake walls, crypt chambers, etc.

Set up a spooky dinner table, and serve a Jell-O brain mold, finger food, or a severed hand or head on a silver platter. Set a monster dummy or a real person at the table about to eat the feast. Creepy!

Hang wet yarn from the ceiling for your guests to walk through.

Have bloody hands lying around. Fill surgical gloves with sand, and tie them off with a rubber band. Add the effect of blood with red paint.

Spritz cold water on the guests as they enter the haunted house.

Use dry ice to make a boiling cauldron or a foggy effect, but be very careful to not let anyone touch the dry ice! Another option is a fog machine; it is a bit pricey, but you may be able to rent it out to others throughout the year!

Some helpful tips:

Small children may be afraid or may not be able to handle going through the scary house. You can always alert your actors to be “gentle” and take off their masks and hand out treats to make the spooky house a friendlier one. You can also set an age limit for entrance. Although it will be dark, make sure you have enough light for people to see their way through. Again, clear holiday lights placed strategically will work well if you are on a budget.

Don’t let anyone touch the dry ice! It can cause serious injury. Do not use candles or other flames—they are too much of a safety hazard. Try battery-operated candles or glow sticks instead.

Make sure that the actors don’t touch anyone as they make their way through the haunted house; they should just play their role (i.e., looking creepy, playing dead, etc.).

Make sure your space has adequate ventilation.

Make sure you have enough help!

Happy haunting!

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs

A Celebration of Autumn

2009-09-22T20:48:04-07:00

Ready for Autumn? The air is crisp, the summer’s bounty is about to be harvested, and it’s a time to enjoy the season with your children and family. Here’s to a celebration of the traditional season of fall. If your child is having a birthday party in September or October, this is an excellent theme.

This party works well at your home or at an outside venue, such as a local farm. Find out if there are any local farms in your area that allow parties; hayrides and apple picking would be great activities to include.

Invitations:

Place cutouts in leaf or autumn harvest shapes on card stock, and include all of the information on the inside of your cards.

Decorations:

Orange, brown, and yellow are great colors for this theme. Purchase party and table ware in these colors. Alternatively, you can decorate with leaf patterns.

Use mini pumpkins for your table centerpiece.

Tall cornhusks and bales of hay would add another decorative touch to the party.

Crafts:

Paint or decorate mini pumpkins for the kids to take home.

Make scarecrow candy necklaces. Using straw, have the kids string round candies with holes in the center to make their necklaces.

Sponge paint placemats with leaf shapes.

Games and Activities:

Bob for apples.

Have a pumpkin roll contest. Divide the kids into two teams, and give each team a pumpkin. Have the kids line up and roll the pumpkin from person to person to one end and back.

Toss a hula hoop around a large pumpkin.

Have the kids jump over bales of hay as an obstacle relay race.

String up donuts and tie the kids’ arms behind their backs. Have them eat the donuts off of the line without using their hands.

Hold a scavenger hunt outdoors. If the party is at night, give the kids glow sticks.

Fill a large cardboard box with leaves, and place toys in the leaves. Have the kids reach into the box to pick out a toy.

Play hot pumpkin, like hot potato.

Menu:

BBQ is always good for this type of a party; spice it up with spare ribs.

Chili with all the finin’s is also an excellent option.

Serve corn bread muffins.

Make crispy rice cereal treats with orange food coloring. Stick them on a popsicle stick for a treat.

Serve apple cider. As an added treat, place caramels on fancy sticks for the kids to stir into their apple cider to make hot caramelized apple cider.

Make caramel apples.

Make sugar cookies cut into autumn shapes. Have the kids decorate the cookies with frosting and candies.

Make a batch of cupcakes with orange frosting and black, orange, and white sprinkles. The kids can always do the decorating.

Goody Bags:

Purchase little plastic pumpkins, which are so popular as trick-or-treat bags this time of year. Fill them with all things fall: caramel apple cider packets with a cinnamon stick, little themed notebooks, pencils, erasers, pumpkin candy, and candy corn packets.

--Lisa Kothari, Peppers and Pollywogs