Earth Friendly Birthdays!

Some quick Earth Friendly tips for your next birthday party!

Zoo Bouncehouse - Party Jumpers

Consider having an "Earth Party" themed birthday too!  Check out our Lorax Themed Pinterest page  or more Earth Themed party ideas here !

1 - Email invites or use a service like Evite - easy, cheap, and no paper/mailing involved!

2 - Consider corn starch based plates, reusable utensils, and reusable serving pieces.

3 - Say No! to plastic tablecloths - rent or buy cloth ones!

4 - wrap presents (both for the birthday kid and party favors alike) in recycled paper!  Check out how to make your own wrapping paper here!

5 - Incorporate an earth friendly theme into the party!

6 - rent or borrow party decorations, activities, plates and more!  

Jungle Themed Table

Celebrating Earth Day - Everyday!

On the heels of the report this week that the damage to the Earth is "irreversible" - I'm reminded again as to our family carbon footprint.  So, we'll be sitting down this weekend and reviewing what we can do to help our Earth.

Not great talk for a party blog.  But it also got me to thinking what Party Jumpers could do to reduce our footprint as well.  I've tossed around the idea of renting party equipment (not our usual bouncehouse - waterslide rentals) but smaller stuff, like cloth tablecloths rather than people using plastic, dishes, cupcake/cake stands and maybe even decorations.  It's a big (and expensive) leap - so if you are reading this - could you help me? Would you prefer to rent this stuff, or is it just not a big deal?  Thanks! Feel free to email me at fun@partyjumpersinc.com too!

Dinosaur Party!

Boring Parties are prehistoric with this great party theme!  I love this non-gender specific party - who doesn't love to dig up a great party!  Here are some great suggestions!

Invitations! There are many cute ideas out there - but I'm a sucker for an invitation that you can play with too!  Check out this baby!

Decorations!  My favorite thing is to decorate for a party with items that we can play with or reuse at a later date!  I HATE the waste associated with throw away decorations - it's kinda my obsession!  SO if you kid LOVES dinosaurs - find fun decorations that they can play with again!  Throw in some vines and a green backdrop - and voila' - instant party!  Your local science museum is also a great place to find cool dino stuff!

Cake and Food!  I've been on a cupcake craze lately - and the idea of putting cute tiny dinosaurs on them sound delightful!  I also love this "Dino Dig" parfait idea! Cake - or ice cream - or a number of other yummy treats would work here!  Find those little "bone" candies!

Activities!  Keeping those kids busy is always key to a successful party - don't forget to call Party Jumpers for an awesome inflatable - we have a great Dinosaur bouncehouse that will be the hit of the party! We have lots of other stuff too!

Seriously - follow us on Pinterest for many more great ideas for a dino theme party (and other awesome kids party ideas)!

Dinosaur Bouncehouse

CUPCAKES! A great theme for a birthday!

I love cupcakes - mostly because I can't be trusted with an ENTIRE cake.

A Cupcake themed birthday or shower theme is a great idea!  If you're a creative baker, the possibilities are endless.  Here in the Sarasota and Bradenton areas, there are some great bakeries that specialize in the treats.  One of my favorites is Gigi's on University as they have always have Gluten Free options for my youngest daughter!

Check out my Pinterest for a host of great ideas for your party - but one of the best is the cupcake wrapper garland!  I love the activity idea of "Decorate your Own" cupcake for the kids!

You'll probably want to add an inflatable to the mix to burn off some of that sugar charged energy!  Make sure to call Party Jumpers for your a bouncehouse or waterslide to make the party complete! You can also check us out here!  Make sure to like and share our Facebook page for monthly specials and the most up-to-date party themes!

D.I.Y. Cupcake Garland! Adorable!

Medieval Party Theme for Kids!

This might be the most fun birthday party theme yet!  I had so much fun putting together our Pinterest board for this party!  Knights - Princesses - Dragons - and all manor of royal court are sure to love these great ideas!

Invitations!  I used this type of invitation for a pirate themed party when my son was crazy into Captain Jack Sparrow!  Tea stained paper (or buy some that already looks old!) and then I singed the sides (after printing out the invite!).  Rolled with a wax seal or ribbon - cutest invites ever!

A Feast for a Prince or Princess!

Food!  A Royal Feast - I love the idea of huge turkey legs, but the kids might not be into them as much!  Perhaps chicken drumsticks if the kids are old enough to not choke on the bones!  Tables stacked high with grapes and assorted fruit, and small pies!  Here in Sarasota, there is a take out place called 4 and 20 Pastry Company (http://www.4and20pastycompany.com/) - they make all kinds of neat meat pies and stuff that would be a great addition!

Cake!  You can find some amazing castle themed cakes (or a dragon birthday cake idea is fun too!)  If you are looking for something that you can whip up yourself, check out my Pinterest page - there are some cute cupcake ideas, as well as a fun castle themed cupcake holder!  A simple cake with a medieval themed bunting would work great as well!  I found some great banner cupcake picks on Oriental Trading too!

Decorations!  Unless you happen to live in a castle ( or have an unlimited party budget) - decorations can run into some serious gold coins!  Banners can be made simply and cheaply.  I really cute homemade (and safe) torches up on Pinterest too.  Feeling really handy? A cardboard box castle would be a huge hit!

Activities!  Well - naturally I am bias to a jousting unit - fun for all ages.  They will love our Octodome Extreme - check out this video and see ALL the ways that you can use it (or just jousting!). A castle bounce house with a slide, or an obstacle course, would really get the party started!

In the Sarasota or Bradenton areas, Call Party Jumpers for free party planning help for your kids next incredible birthday party! Bouncehouses - Waterslides - Obstacle Courses - Jousting Units - Dunk Tanks - Concessions - Tables and Chairs - Party Games ... We Bring The Party! (941) 343-0370

Castle Combo - Call Party Jumpers! (941) 343-0370

Planning A School Carnival? Step Right Up!

Planning a large scale fundraiser for a school can be complicated.  I've planned more Jog-A-Thon's and school carnivals and fundraisers for my kid's schools than I can count over the last 15 years.  It's tough - but doable with plenty of planning - and hopefully - a little help from other parents!  Here's

dunk tank

some little tips that I've picked up along the way!

* Ask for HELP! And more importantly, TAKE THE HELP!  I get that sometimes you are running so hard that it's hard to stop long enough to really ask for help - but you should!  There are other parents that want to help - they just don't know what to do.  If you plan in advance and break down some manageable steps for people, when someone says "I can help!", you can answer "Awesome - do THIS thing!".

*Make COMMITTEES!  People really are intimidated by the whole process, and mostly just want to avoid looking like a fool!  If you have an outline made up explaining the job and the steps - people are more likely to say "Yeah - I can do that!"  Put it in a BINDER - so that future PTO's or planners don't have to recreate the wheel!

Rock Walls and Bungee Jumps

*Have a THEME! It may sound silly - but having a specific theme really does help focus you in term of planning.

*Concessions are a BIG MONEY MAKER! Need volunteers? Call your local teen organizations - they often times have access to kids that need community service hours (check how to make sure that you are qualified to GIVE those hours too!)



*Put your MOST popular pieces towards the back of the event - it will pull people through!  Have MAPS where things are - it's crowded!  Have more than one ticket booth and consider selling them in advance for a discount! (Armbands will save you a lot of hassle!)

Obstacle Course 

*Involve the staff - but NOT TOO MUCH!  They already have so much on their plate, think about how you can benefit the classrooms (or your charity) without adding to their load!  Delivering flyers to classrooms? Sure! Calling on the Class Parent to stuff envelopes for their class or assign volunteers for their booth? Why not!

*Have a AFTER THE EVENT meeting!  What was awesome - what was terrible - what can we do better next year.  This often overlooked step can save alot of heartache for the next years committee!

Want some expert help planning your next event? Call Michelle at Party Jumpers for help from Jousting Arenas -  Obstacle Courses - Rock Walls - Bungee Jumps - Bouncehouse - Giant Slides - Interactive Sports Games - to Cotton Candy - Sno Cones - Hot Dog Warmers - and Popcorn - one call does it all! Party Jumpers - (941) 343-0370 in the Sarasota and Bradenton Area!

We have 2 giant obstacle courses!

The Amazing Candle | Rainbow Colored Candle turns and plays music

Isn't this Cool!!! It comes from right in Bradenton!!!  Shop local and smart!  Invite it to your next birthday party along with us!!!  www.partyjumpersinc.com

Buggy about Birthdays!

If your kid is buggy about insects like my youngest, they will appreciate some of the adorable ideas on our Pinterest board, http://www.pinterest.com/partyjumpers/insect-party/

From Dirt Cakes, fun decoration ideas (think WINGS), caterpillar sub sandwiches and nets for favors - you'll be whipping up a party that will make moms wonder "How DOES she do it!" in no time!  Just add an awesome inflatable and you'll have the best party yet!

Have another theme in mind - from pirates to princesses and everywhere in between - we do parties! Free party planning ideas for our friends in the Sarasota and Bradenton areas!  Call Michelle  (941) 343-0370!

CowABunga! It's a Party!

Looking for a fun theme for your kids next birthday bash? How about the Teenager Mutant Nina Turtles? They are HOT again! I've found some awesome ideas on Pinterest...but here's the low down!

*Think PIZZA for lunch - and why not consider a Pizza themed cake!  It would be an easy D.I.Y. - but I'm sure that a local bakery would love to whip one up too!  (Again, check out my Pinterest board for some great tips on how you can whip that up!

* Green Balloons can easily be transformed into Ninja heads!

* Felt makes easy and cheap Ninja masks!

* Add a bouncehouse, waterslide or even better - and obstacle course - to really get the party jumping!

Add an Obstacle Course for Real Ninja Action! Party Jumpers at (941) 343-0370

Celebrating Everything - Suncoast Style!

     As I sit here writing, the house is unusually quiet.  All five kids have gone back to school today, and I'm faced with a stack of "summer" work that has piled up the last couple of months while trying to balance kids with work.  It's quite a stack, but I would trade it for the kids being home one more day in a heartbeat.

     You see, my oldest started college today. COLLEGE. When the heck did that happen? When your kids are little, the days go by slow - but the years go by fast. When they hit school age, your family enters this wormhole of a time warp and things enter lightening speed.  My hubby stood, coffee in hand this morning, reviewing the driving schedule I posted on the fridge to get the other four kids to their four schools.

     "When did things start moving so fast?" was his question.

     I'm not quite sure when it happened. What I do know is that we, as parents, need to take a minute everyday to just stop. Stop talking on the phone, surfing the web, being preoccupied by work - just stop even for 15 minutes - and just BE with the kids.  Play cards - listen to that paintball story - make dinner together - SOMETHING where you are 100% present with your kids.

     On my wedding day, one of my best friends advised me to close my eyes for 2 minutes and just BE in that space.  She said the day would be gone before I knew it and I'd regret being swept away by so many moments.  I took her advice, and that two minutes are still my favorite memory of the day.  What I heard, smelt, felt - those sensations are still with me.  Why not take that advice everyday with the people the most important to you!

     I hope you and yours have a wonderful first day back to school.  Celebrate everything - every small and large victory!  Have dinner on the beach tonight!  Swim in the pool instead of putting on the T.V.! Break out the Monopoly game and let them stay up an extra 15 minutes!

With Love,

Michelle

Back To School Bash!

Sigh - the end of summer is always sad - we never accomplish all that we want to do with the kids and time flys so quickly.  This last week before we return to the hustle and bustle of school, we're going to cram in seven more days of fun!  Been booking "Back to School" bashes lately - cheers to the neighborhoods that combine funds, talents and time to give the kids a great send off! It's also a GREAT icebreaker idea for a kid new to the school and wanting to make some friends! (What better way to get acquainted then at a fun party!)  Here are some ideas for your Back to School Bash!

* Celebrate the start of something new!  It's such a stressful time for kids going back - most are nervous and especially if starting a new school!  Make this a joyful time!  I love the idea of having the party just AFTER school starts - something to look forward to!  Consider inviting the whole class as well as old friends - instant popularity! :)

*  You already have so much going on with back to school preparations - make this as easy as possible on YOU.  Look into downloadable invitations (check out on my Pinterest Back to School Bash Board)

* You can probably find lots of cute Back to School themed cakes and cupcakes at your local market - but I think these homemade apple ones are adorable (you can put a worm in them too for added effect!)

* I wonder if you might snag some cute B-T-S decorations from your local stores as they break down those decorations and move into the Halloween decorations? Might be worth a shot!

* If you are throwing the party within the school year - check in advance with your teachers about invitations going home.  Many schools have tight restrictions in terms of class lists - you may have to send them out blindly and hope for the best!

* Feel free to add a fun inflatable to jump up the party!  Here in Florida it's still super hot - so a waterslide is a great choice - but if you are in a cooler location consider a bouncehouse, obstacle course or something fun like our Octodome Extreme - you can joust, play Twister, basketball, volleyball or just plain bounce! Check out all of our other awesome stuff on our site www.partyjumpersinc.com  or call me at (941) 343-0370

* Adding a "Book Swap" theme makes the deal even sweeter! What better way to start the school year then with a new (recycled) book!!  Consider adding several of your own in case someone forgets one - check to see if your local library has a store.  Goodwill Bookstores as also a great choice!

The Clan McLean - ready for a new year!

I wish you all a wonderful school year.  I pray for our kids as they all start new journeys as well, especially Jackie starting a new elementary, Ian starting high school and Cami starting college. Blessings to you and your family as you start your new adventures!

Michelle

Painting Parties! Make a Splash!

Painting parties are ALL the rage these days!  I'm the least creative person you will ever meet - and even I can create a masterpiece with some careful guidance!  Why not use this fun theme for your next kids birthday party?  I've whipped up a great Pinterest Board where you can visualize how easy this can be to pull off but here's some handy tips!

*Those Dollar Store kids paint boxes can make Adorable invitations! Just print out all your party information and paste directly on the box!  Kids will love them and they make for an easy, fun and cheap invitation idea!

Cute and inexpensive craft idea!

*A large paint pallet makes makes a wonderful tray for multi colored cupcakes! You can do this and save money!

*Spray paint an old large picture frame and hang it so you can take pictures of the guests standing behind it! Makes for a great memory board for your kid - and also great for thank you notes!

*You can get the cutest little easels at Joannes (and I'm sure Michaels)!  Don't forget to download their apps to your phone for coupons!

*With all the money you save, add a dunk tank - bouncehouse - or obstacle course from Party Jumpers! Best Birthdays Ever!  Happy Planning and if you would like me to whip up a different themed Pinterest board for your next party - just email me at fun@partyjumpersinc.com!

Make a SPLASH with a Dunk Tank!