parties

articles

• Kids party games you can play anywhere
• Kids Pamper Parties are harmless fun, its what happens at home that matters
• Pamper parties for children: harmless fun or harmful messaging?
• My 10 yr old’s pamper party- oolala!
• Scuba diving & pool parties plus Xmas carols
• My son’s Superstar Disco Party
• Sports party ideas plus Xmas markets and carols
• Creepy crawly, science parties, Xmas markets and a parenting expo
• Survivor and action parties plus sleepover holiday camps
• Kids cooking / baking parties plus shows this week
• Pamper and disco parties plus family events for this week.
• Fear factor and fantasy parties plus Halloween events
• Kids car & circus parties plus family events this week
• Our kiddies pizza party
• Hyperactivity and kids parties
• Kids parties – whats enough?
• How parents party at kids parties
• Party stress
• Party Time

by Merle Dieterich, passionate mom and businesswoman whose 2 beautiful children, Lerato and Marvin never cease to amaze and teach her about what counts. You’ll find her at  jozikids or kznkids

My daughter  Lerato, turned 11 this month and we decided to make it a simpler and smaller party than we normally do. We have had some wonderful big birthday parties in the past where everyone was invited. We’ve had a pizza party and a pamper party, both great for entertaining close to 30 energetic young people for a good 2 hours.

This year we cut the number down to 12 kids and accepted help from one of Lerato’s very organised  young friends, Lula Pam Grant. She  found the games and then spent 3 afternoons with me planning what turned into an amazing treasure hunt style games party.

We started by dividing the 12 young guests into 2 teams. Then we identified a location for each game, wrote clues to help  each group  move from one game to the next. We also included some riddles at various points

These are the games we  played:

ORANGE ANKLES

You will need – chairs, oranges 

WATER OBSTACLE COURSE

You will need – 2 buckets, one filled with water, the other empty,
a cup, and an obstacle course

BALLOON TOSSING 

You will need – packets of ordinary round balloons which you half fill with water and several towels

MAGIC PAPER BOOTS 

You will need: biggish brown paper bags that kids can put on their feet ( available at Linda’s Bake and Pack) and an obstacle course

RIDDLE PUZZLE

You will need : a riddle  typed or written with huge font which you can laminate and cut up into a puzzle.

Our riddle was: It’s as light as a feather, yet no person can hold it for very long. What is it?

The final destination after completing all the games was a table with the birthday cake and some prizes for the groups.

It was a fabulous, affordable party with games the children can play anywhere. Some children even asked to take their brown paper bag boots home. My favourite was the balloon tossing.

Have you got some great games you can share with us that you have played with children?  Please add them to our list.

If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the uniquely detailed free weekly newsletter for parents in KwaZulu-Natal – Kznkids or  Gauteng – Jozikids.

by Laura Allmayer who has 3 kids,  a fiance, a dog, a hamster, a bird & a swimming pool. When she’s not trying to make sure they all remain alive, fed, clothed and loved she’s baking, writing, reading or pampering a bunch of over excited little girls for their birthday!

I was rather blown away when I heard how against Pamper Parties some moms are. Part of my reaction was because this is how I make a living but I also truly believe it depends on how the party is run. It can be a fun party, that in no way leads to  the “harmful messaging” described in Danya-Zee Pedra’s article 

At the  parties we organise the girls are given a  mini facial where we put a mud mask on for about 5 minutes  with cucumbers on their eyes. We soak  and rub their feet and hands and then we paint their nails – usually just their toenails. They sit together and chatter while we are busy and giggle when we put the cucumbers on. Most of the younger girls will run out the door the second we say they can and climb on the jungle gym or play in the sand with their newly painted nails.

The girls are still little girls. They giggle, they smudge the nail polish, they play outside while they wait for their parents. We don’t talk to them about a beauty regime, we don’t suggest they come back regularly to have their nails done – we simply indulge them for 2 hours.

Getting your nails painted at a party is not sending out a message that you aren’t good enough. It is a treat that the girls love. My daughter,  Kiara really isn’t a girly girl but every now and then she asks me to paint her nails – she loves it. The polish normally gets smudgedbefore it’s dry because she doesn’t have the patience to sit still that long but she loves sitting with me doing it.

I don’t think teaching girls that it s ok to be pampered is wrong. I actually wish my mother had taught me to take time out for myself. I don’t think rubbing their feet for them is forcing them to grow up. It is what happens when they leave the party matters.

I agree that we need to keep our kids kids for as long as possible and expose them to things that are age appropriate. I also feel that how we as parents respond plays a huge role in how our kids respond. If my child comes home with her nails done and I make a big fuss about how beautiful she looks and that she looks so much better than she did before she left of course the child is going to start feeling insecure.

Raising girls is hard especially in today’s world where dangers lurk in every corner. As their mothers we do need to do what we can to protect them from those dangers but I honestly don’t feel Pamper Parties are one of them.

by Danya-Zee Pedra, a former magazine feature writer, current freelance communications consultant, virgin blogger and mother of a not at all terrible two-year-old.

When I saw the Jozikids’ Facebook competition to “win a whimsical pamper party” with photos of little girls aged between about five and, at most, ten, lying there with facemasks and cucumber slices on their eyes, I felt incensed. So incensed, in fact, that it prompted me to write what has become my very first blog post.

The competition prize, a pamper party valued at R1300 which included manicures, pedicures, facials, massages and make-up lessons, left me reeling. Was I the only one out there who found this absurd and completely inappropriate? I voiced my opinion on the competition page and it turned out I wasn’t. But I also got some responses I found quite frightening, including how it “is mother and daughter time”, “teaches them to look after themselves”, “makes them feel special”, “is a treat” and, perhaps most disturbing of all, “is nice that our kids start pampering themselves from a young age”.

Don’t get me wrong; I think it’s great to do all those things (well, all except teaching them to pamper themselves at all of a tender pre-pubescent age), but with so many other age-appropriate alternatives to play “pretend-pretend” or spend time bonding with your daughters, is this really the healthiest, most suitable way to do it? Never mind how these pamper parties smack of creepy child beauty pageants, which have been blamed for adultifying and sexualising little girls – and the host of dangerous effects that go along with that (but that is for another blog all of its own). I could also go on about all the other ways we can teach our children to look after themselves, make them feel special and give them treats, but the real question for me is, are these parties really just whimsical, harmless fun and a nice opportunity to spend some quality time with mom? Or do they trivialise something that has potentially severely negative consequences and instils extremely harmful messages in our children about what they should be basing their self-esteem and value system on?

We see these consequences every day in the abundance of grown women all around us who are riddled with insecurities and mental health issues, like anorexia. The media, and women’s magazine’s in particular, come under fire all the time for perpetuating the negative self-images women have of themselves by promoting unrealistic air-brushed ideals for us to ‘aspire’ to (and obsess about).  Shouldn’t we be doing everything we can to protect our children from these same pressures? Aren’t these pamper parties teaching our little girls that they are not naturally beautiful and therefore ‘need work’ – years before teenage spots and decades before wrinkles begin to take their toll on their complexion? Telling them that they are inadequate and not pretty enough if they don’t have perfectly manicured nails and made-up faces? Should we not rather be encouraging them to accept themselves just as they are with the natural beauty of childhood? Rather than having their nails done, shouldn’t they be getting them dirty making mud-pies?

And since when is being pampered a good thing anyway? Personally, I don’t want to teach my child that being spoilt, self-indulgent, superficial and vain are desirable attributes – or to grow up so fast.  Childhood is all too short – so let them be children while they can. After all, they have their whole adult lives to worry about their skin, hair and nails!

by Merle Dieterich, passionate mom and businesswoman whose 2 beautiful children, Lerato and Marvin never cease to amaze and teach her about what counts. You’ll find her at  jozikids.co.za

It took me a while to allow my nail polish and lipstick obsessed turning 10 year old to have a pamper party, but once I relaxed about it and let it happen, I had no regrets. She had an absolute ball, thanks to Pamper Girlz – an extremely reasonably priced ( R85 per child) and professional little outfit.

On the day in question they arrived early to prepare, fully equipped with foot baths, lip gloss, nail polish, hair spray, gift bags and the works.

First up was the crowning of the princess for the day.

Then the treatment began with a soothing foot spa, followed by a  massage /scrub

and a gentle facial.

Then it was time to choose colours for nail polish and lip gloss.

A manicure then a pedicure  on the red couch …

some make up

some hair colour

and finally each party girl got to take home a beauty organza goodie bag filled with nail polish, lip gloss & hair goodies.

You spoilt them rotten Pamper Girlz. Thank you for a memorable day!

If you haven’t discovered it yet, Jozikids.co.za is the most up to date and detailed resource for parents in the Gauteng region to find what you need including events, activities, venues, parties and lessons. You’ll also find us on your cell phone.

MORE XMAS CAROLS AND MARKETS

Jacaranda FM Carols by Candlelight, Supersport Park, Centurion, Dec 6;
Montecasino Piazza, Fourways, Dec 8

In Pretoria
Carols by Candlelight Concert, Pretoria Botanical Gardens Brumeria, Dec  10
Visitors will be treated to the sounds of Irish Pipes and Drums, followed by an inspiring performance by the Mzansi Youth Choir. Kids are in for an extra-special treat, as Santa Claus will be there to greet them. From 6pm, tickets R50, kids under 13yrs free

Midrand
Carols by Candlelight Lipizzaner, Kyalami, Dec 7-8, 14-15, 17-18, 20-23.
The magnificent white stallions will be dancing and the Welsh Male Voice Choir of South Africa will be singing! Nativity Scene and of course, Father Christmas will be there.  Light snacks and cash bar available from 6pm

East Rand
East Rand Mall Carols by Candlelight, Boksburg North, Dec 7
Carols by Candle light. Magical evening by Nadine. Bring something special for Balela Charity orphanage, Dec 7
Nando’s & Crafters Market will host Play Station games, fooze ball tables, jumping castle and a toy horse riding ring and competitions, Dec 10-22.Photos with Santa & Gift Wrapping Kiosk, Dec 1-24. Extended Shopping Hours, Dec 9-24

Johannesburg
Xmas with Richard Cocks Choir & Orchestra, Linder Auditorium, Parktown, Dec 10-11
A classical Christmas Concert of well known carols performed by the Symphony Choir of Johannesburg
and the Johannesburg Festival Orchestra conducted by Richard Cock. Audience participation in singing some of the most popular Christmas Carols, from 7.30pm.

ACOSA Soweto Youth Orchestra Carols & African pieces, Parkmore, Dec 4-18.
ACOSA Soweto Youth Orchestra will be playing Christmas Carols and joyful African pieces;
Holy Cross Church, Orlando: Christmas Carols, Dec 10
Meadowlands Methodist Church: Christmas Carols, Dec 11
Benmore Shopping Mall, Dec 17

Every week we visit the party pages on Jozikids and find great party ideas, this week we want to tell you about scuba diving and swimming pool parties

SCUBA DIVING  & SWIMMING PARTIES

Urban Dive Centre in Cresta, Jhb
specialises in Scuba Diving Birthday Parties. Their Scuba Instructors and Facilitators introduce your kids and their friends to the under water world of Scuba Diving.  They can dive & explore a shipwreck & discover a treasure chest

Swim Atlantis Aqua Centre
In Midrand has a heated pool for swimming lessons & party venue for pool parties.

Pines Resort
In Krugersdorp is a Family Resort w/ water slides, pools, jungle gym, picnic & braai areas. They don’t call themselves a party venue but you are welcome to come with a party and enjoy the day.

You’ll find these and a whole lot more fantastic party ideas on Jozikids on your computer or your cell phone.

]by Merle Dieterich, passionate mom and businesswoman whose 2 beautiful children, Lerato and Marvin never cease to amaze and teach her about what counts. You’ll find her at  jozikids.co.za

My son turned 14 this month and wanted a ( sure you’ll never guess) dreaded “disco party”of course. So of course I went in search of something appropriate on the party themes section of Jozikids and  found Candice from Superstar Disco Parties. Her offer was perfect. She promised a party which combines supervised party games, music, singing, dancing with her as DJ and MC and we weren’t disappointed.

First she created these fabulous customised invitations for Marvin which he folded into small scrolls and handed out to his friends creating a buzz a few weeks before the event.

Candice arrived on party day loaded with speakers, sound
equipment and the works which the boys helped her set up.
Then the dancing and games began with the girls and boys
competing, singing, moving and grooving.

The birthday boy was then given a lesson on how to be a
DJ and loads of fun was had by all.

By the time the parents arrived to fetch their offspring there was
no doubt that  everyone was ready for bed.  Thank you Candice for
helping to create a memorable night for my son’s 14th birthday.

If you haven’t discovered it yet, Jozikids.co.za is the most up to date and detailed resource for parents in the Gauteng region to find what you need including events, activities, venues, parties and lessons. You’ll also find us on your cell phone.

XMAS CAROLS AND MARKETS

Jacaranda FM Carols by Candlelight, Supersport Park, Centurion, Dec 6;
Montecasino Piazza, Fourways, Dec 8

In Pretoria
Pretoria Botanical Garden Green Xmas Night Market, Dec 3, from 4-9pm,
Pack a picnic blanket, bring your family and friends and come celebrate Christmas with us. Learn how to “Green” your X-mas in 2011. Live music, fresh food and drinks available, free pilates class, nature inspired and eco-friendly gifts

The Black Tie Ensemble A Xmas Concert, at ZK Matthews Hall Unisa, Pretoria, Dec 4 at 3pm, cost starts at R45 per ticket up to R110
The Concert will include much loved traditional carols & songs such as: Joy to the World The Twelve Days of Christmas Battle Hymn of the Republic, When a child is born Somer Kersfees O Holy Night The Holy City (Jerusalem), to name but a few. Come and experience the stirring melodies of the Festive Season, Dec 4

On West Rand
W.S. Botanical Gardens Moonlight Carols, Roodepoort, Dec 3, 6-9pm gates open 4pm
Come and join us as we sing the Christmas carols in glamorous fashion with the Mzansi Choir and Band, and march to the tune of the SA Irish Pipes & Drum to welcome the arrival of Santa Claus. The Botanical Society will sell candles and hand out song sheets. Light the candles and serenade the arrival of the Festive Season on a positive note. Bring camp chairs, picnic blankets and picnic baskets and enjoy the evening

On the East Rand
Lakeside Mall Carols by Candle Light, East Rand, Dec 3, 6 for 6.30 pm. Entrance is free
Xmas carolds to be  sung by Brendon White, Adrian Galliard and the Sweet Voice Vocal Ensemble to a spectacular Laser Light Show. lanterns will be let off into the sky as we make our Christmas wishes.Enter through entrance 1,

In Johannesburg
Dibuka and Alliance Française Xmas Flea Market on Dec 3, from 9am and its free

Dibuka and the Alliance Francaise invite you to the Christmas Flea market! Books, vintage clothes, artcraft, bric a brac,food, music and sales for the World Aids day. Story telling in English, Zulu and French

SPORTS PARTIES

Little Kickers SA
Organises soccer parties for little ones from 18 mnths to 8 yrs.The young party goers are  divided into teams, who play goal scoring games, there are obstacle courses and other ball games while the parents relax. The older ones play a game and the younger ones take part in a competition  In the end each kid gets a medal and certificate and the birthday boy gets a trophy. They have branches throughout the region on the East Rand, Centurion, Joburg, Midrand and the West Rand.

Archers of ZooLake
They will teach the group the basics, then organise a fun competition and play various types of archery games. Age: from 14 years onwards. Size: 10-15 people maximum, great for kids, corporates and team building exercises.

Action Sports Midrand & SandtonCricket, soccer, netball, volleyball and hockey parties in Midrand, Randburg and Sandton from 5yrs up to any age.  Play  supervised games with an official coach  and the parents can relax. For 16 kids.

You’ll find these and a whole lot more fantastic party ideas on www.jozikids.co.za on your computer or your cell phone.

If you haven’t discovered it yet, Jozikids.co.za is the most up to date and detailed resource for parents in the Gauteng region to find what you need including events, activities, venues, parties and lessons. You’ll also find us on your cell phone.

Lets start with some party ideas. Every week we visit the party pages on Jozikids and find great party ideas, this week we want to tell you about companies that  come to your home with either a  science or a  creepy crawly party.

Creepy Crawly and Science show’s

A company called Creepy Crawly offers parties introduce children  to the fascinating world of insects and arachnids. They  bring live scorpions, Madagascan hissing cockroaches, various spiders, and the snake as a final surprise.  They’ll tell you amazing facts about these little creatures. Did you know that hunting spiders taste with their feet! The show is aimed at kids from 4 – 12 years old but parents are always just as enthralled.

They also do science parties with a science show where they make a fire volcano, turn sugar into carbon and rockets. Then the children get to do 3 experiments of there own.

Experilab

Another company called Experilab organizes Xplosive and Xciting  science parties! It’s slimy, it’s noisy, it’s super cool!  1½ hrs of explosive fun for 6 yrs and up.  The kids can make slime, fly rockets, launch balloons, build a steam car, make a motion detector…They also come to you

PARENTING EXPO IN JOBURG

At the Coca Cola Dome there’s the The Baby Expo MamaMagic Summer Show, starting on Thursday and running through until Nov 27You’ll find all the essentials you need from 0-6 years old. Over 400 amazing brands, expert advice, great entertainment and unbeatableshopping,  There’ll also be a panel of experts to review the latest toys on offer this Xmas at Top toy Favouriites from Nov 24-26

TopToy Favourites: a panel of experts to reviews the latest toys on offer this Christmas, 9-11.30 am Nov 24-26

XMAS CAROLS AND MARKETS

On Friday 25th
In Pretoria
Xmas Carol Picnic with Joe Niemand at Irene Village Mall from 6-8pm

In Midrand
Xmas Carols Market at Midrand Urban Market in Crowthorne,
where there’ll be Carols by Candlight and a market by moonlight. Take your picnic blankets and join in the carols and get all your Christmas shopping done too! Father Christmas, will make a special appearance

In Joburg:
George Hay Park Parkview
With over 70 stands to visit and diverse entertainment, from jumping castles, a climbing wall , an ice-rink, to Father Christmas making his arrival by flying in on a motorbike trapeze-style, bringing with him a very special passenger, the Christmas Angel, who will deliver a message of hope, peace and joy, Opens on Friday 25th at 3pm and ends on Sunday at 4pm

On Saturday 27th Johannesburg Zoo will turn on their Xmas tree of lights and bring your picnic blankets, baskets and families to hear the see the lights, hear and sing Carols . You’ll be able to buy your own globe and send your own message of love and memory for R50. This event has been organized in aid of Hospice Wits which will also be holding a Xmas Market on the Friday November 26 in Orange Grove

If you haven’t discovered it yet, Jozikids.co.za is the most up to date and detailed resource for parents in the Gauteng region to find what you need including events, activities, venues, parties and lessons. You’ll also find us on your cell phone.

Its hard to believe that school holidays are less than a month away. Help!! I hear you say..  Well Jozikids has a fabulous, growing list of holiday sleepover camps and daily holiday programs on our special holiday page.

This week we want to give you a sampling of the range of sleepover camps on offer. If any of them interest you – they’re filling up fast – you need to get moving.

There are pony camps galore starting in the first and 2nd week of December ranging in length from
3 days Chartwell Stables (3 dys) pony camp in Fourways.
5 days Shepherd’s Fold (3 dys & 5 dys) pony camp in Elandsdrift, 15 minutes from Honeydew in Joburg
7 days BBK Trails (7 dys) pony camps in  Mpumalanga,

Then  a camps that focus more on nature and the environment  is Bushtrail Holiday Camps (7 dys) in the Magaliesberg

A beach holiday can be had with  Sugar Bay (7 dys) Zinkwazi Beach in KZN

You can also send your child to catch fish at a 3 day Kidz Fishing (3 dys) camp on the Vaal River

And a camp that seems to have been around forever which many of you  who grew up in this part of the world may remember is Happy Acres Holiday Camp (7 dys) in the Magaliesberg

Survivor and Action Parties

Every week we visit the party pages on Jozikids and find great party ideas for you. This week we found 2 action parties great for kids from about

Andy’s Action Parties
They’ll come to you anywhere in Gauteng and have a range of action parties on offer including -  Survivor , Army , Paintball , Space Explorers, The Amazing Race.

Survive or Race The Adventure
1. The Survive Party with survivor challenges, immunity and tribal counsel, 2.5hours . Challenges include life-size obstacle course, create war-cries, tribal face paint, mind games and more.
2. The Race Party, 2.5hours.  You and your partner race against other teams where you are confronted by detours, roadblocks, fast forwards, yields, intersections and u-turns- who will be the ultimate winner?

You’ll find these and a whole lot more fantastic party ideas on Jozikids on your computer or your cell phone.

If you haven’t discovered it yet, Jozikids.co.za is the most up to date and detailed resource for parents in the Gauteng region to find what you need including events, activities, venues, parties and lessons. You’ll also find us on your cell phone.

Kids baking and cooking parties

There’s a company called Dipped & Dusted that offers  parties, where your kids can have fun making chocolate goodies. Kids are given bowls of melted chocolate in 5 delicious colours – white, dark, milk, blue and pink.. They get dipping forks to dunk more – biscuits, jelly babies, marshmallows, into the chocolate. They will also be provided with a chocolate ‘mud pie’ to mould and ‘squish’ into shapes to be dipped into chocolate and decorated with various yummy toppings! Sounds like a fun decadent afternoon for those kiddies. They also do corporate and team building events.

A-Z Creative Entertainment does fabulous pizza parties. They come with this incredible original clay pizza oven which they plonk in your garden plus freshly made dough, sauce and toppings. Each child is decked out in an apron, given a rolling pin and off they go.  Each child is given their ow pizza box out of which they eat their own creations.

Little Cooks Club which has franchises across Gauteng in Centurion, Joburg  and Pretoria also offers cooking parties where the children sometimes even make a 3 course meal

You’ll find these and a whole lot more fantastic party ideas on Jozikids

Family shows opening this week

In Pretoria starting on Thursday for a 4 day run :
Cinderella Ballet SA State Theatre, Pretoria, Nov 10-13.

On the East Rand
Three Little Pigs Barnyard Theatre, Boksburg, In this adaption of the original fairytale  the 3 pigs learn to work as a team to overcome Biker Betty a beautiful wolf who wants their skins the make herself a new leather jacket.  the wolf.  In the process the pigs learn about dealing with peer pressure, bullying & internet safety.  That’s on Saturday 12th at 11 am.

In Johannesburg we have
Beauty & the Beast at Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, starting on Nov 12 and running right through until Xmas, Dec 24.
plus
Freshlyground 10th Birthday Tour, Barnyard Theatre, Cresta, Nov 14.

Toy Shopping

Creative parenting expert and author Nikki Bush is running a workshop called ­­­­­Toy Talk 2011 in Bryanston Nov 9, 14 &16. It’s a 3 hour workshop where you’ll find out what’s hot in toys and games this year. Your chance to see touch and feel before you buy.