Kids Party Characters New York, New Jersey and CT: March 2018

Saturday, March 31, 2018

What Disney Princesses would look like at Home

Want to invite a Disney Princess to your little Princesses special day visit us at KidsPartyCharacters.com for more details.

Bringing Children's Imagination to Life

Friday, March 30, 2018

5 Tips for a Stress-Free Child's Party

For many children, there are few things more anticipated than their birthday party. Children think about their birthday year-round, and have ever-changing ideas about having the perfect party that would rival Cinderella’s ball in it’s grandiosity.

To make all the excitement translate into a party as perfect in reality as it was in your child’s imagination, can be quite a task. However, with a little conscious planning, you can pull off a birthday party that will be fun and memorable for you, your child, and her guests.

Here are five tips to make sure your child’s party is as stress-free for everyone as it is fun.

1. Don’t Go Overboard: Be realistic about what you can do and what your child and her guests can handle. While your child may have a hundred ideas running around in her head, remember that she is going to have fun simply getting together with her friends in celebration of her birthday.

If you try to do too much, or create too much hype about this being the party of the century, it’s bound to lead to some overwhelm and/or let down when it comes to the actual event.

Talk with your child about what things are really important to her and make wise decisions about going with her top two or three ideas that feel realistic and fun for her personality and age. Remember that in day-to-day life as parents we make choices about which of our children’s wishes are granted, and apply this to party planning too.

2. Be Conscious of the Time of Day and Length of the Party: As adults, we can party all night! The same does not hold true for children. After a certain amount of time, the fun is going to turn into exhaustion and crankiness. The last thing you want is for what started out as laughter and fun memory-making, to end in bickering and tears.

Always have a set ending time for the party. For most ages, don’t make the party last longer than two hours. In planning, this may seem short to cram everything in, but remember tip number one, and resist the urge to plan too much.

Consider having the party earlier in the day rather than late afternoon when even older children start to get a little tired. For younger kids, definitely plan around nap time.

3. Have a Plan: Plan the party to fit within the space you have. If you're holding the party at a shelter in the park, you may not have to have much of a plan at all, as the playground will provide as much entertainment as you need. You can also have some jump ropes and balls available, or organize a game of tag to take advantage of your outdoor spaces.

If you have a more confined indoor space, don’t plan overly lively activities that will cause a lot of noise and commotion. This is when some of the children may feel stressed or anxious and tempers will start to flare.

Offer the children a couple of choices at your indoor party, and make sure everyone is invited to be included, but not forced to participate. Gauge the personalities of your child and his friends. You may want to offer a game of musical chairs, and also have a craft going on for the less competitive child.

Don’t plan too many activities, as you want the children to feel relaxed and not rushed to get through everything before being pushed out the door. And if you don’t get to something, don’t worry about it. Go with the flow of the party and be aware of the mood in the room so you can adjust accordingly.

4. Open Gifts After the Party: For starters, there really isn’t time to open gifts during the party. In addition, the excitement of the new toys can cause jealousy among the children who all want to see and open and play with each gift, or have their gift opened first by your child.

Saving gift opening for the privacy of after the party can avoid hurt feelings if one child’s gift isn’t as well received. It will also avoid any negative comments your birthday boy might publicly make, since children of all ages are lacking in the filter of what’s socially appropriate at times.

Make sure your child sends a nice, personalized thank you note so his guests will know the gift was appreciated and enjoyed. You may include a picture of your child with the gift, or let even the youngest of children at least help in writing or designing the thank you note.

5. Communication is Key: Communicate early and often with all of the service providers involved in making the party happen, including the party venue and any rentals and catering that are involved. Be clear about what your expectations are and know what the providers’ expectations are.

Ask questions if you have them, don’t assume the way you think things should be. Double check that everything’s in place and on target a day or two before the party.

Work with experienced companies like kidspartycharacters.com, who have a history of demonstrating their love for making your child’s party exceed her expectations.

At kidspartycharacters.com, we can eliminate the stress of dealing with several different companies by taking care of all your entertainment needs. We have packages that include over 200 of your child’s favorite characters, as well as balloon artists and face painting. Our goal is to make your child’s party magical for him and easy for you.

Find out how hassle-free your party can be with just a phone call or a few clicks of the mouse by visiting kidspartycharacters.com, and get started making your child’s next party dreams come true today.

Need some ideas and inspiration? Connect with us on Facebook to take a look at some of the fun parties we’ve helped bring to life.

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Kids Party Characters founder Cheryl Jacobs

5 Simple Self-Care Tips for Stay at Home Moms

As a stay at home mom, you likely have a long to-do list, which never totally gets done. This is especially true if you’re also working at home.

Chances are great that you are nowhere to be found on that to-do list. And if you do manage to squeeze some “me time” activities in there, they’re likely the first ones to be forgotten when you’re short on time.

Truth is, if you don’t take care of yourself, it’s going to make all of those taking care of other people and things tasks harder to complete.

You may not believe it at first, but practicing a little self care will actually save you time rather than take up your time, as you’ll find yourself more productive and engaged when it comes to your other tasks.

Here are five easy things you can do that will make a better life for you and your children.

1. 10 Minutes: Always take at least 10 minutes for yourself in the morning. Use this time to meditate, visualize your perfect day, reflect, pray, whatever feels good to you. Make this a quite and intentional time. Use it as an opportunity to set the mood for your day.

2. Get Physical: Movement causes your brain to release chemicals that make you happier. You don’t have to run a marathon or show up at the gym every day in stylish color-coordinated outfits. But you should do whatever you can do.

Get outside and take a walk if you can. The benefits of being outside make the benefits of getting physical all the more powerful.

Going to the gym and participating in group exercise classes with other people is also beneficial. But again, do what you can. It may just be your own little physical routine in your living room, or an exercise DVD you enjoy.

Whatever it is, find something you like to do. This should be something you look forward to, not dread.

3. Exercise Your Brain: Your brain loves and needs a good workout too. Adult coloring books are great for this, or some kind of crossword puzzle that gets you thinking. Reading a book or writing in your journal will also get your brain going.

The important thing here is to try different things. Your brain likes new challenges. There are apps you can add to your phone such as Lumosity that will help exercise your brain. You can also just google “brain games” and get an endless number of ideas.

4. Connect with Adults: One of the few downsides to not working outside your home is that you may get to the end of the day and realize you haven’t spoken to anyone over the age of 10 all day.

Yes, your kids are great, but it feels really good to have a little break and hook up with someone who understands your grown up joys and struggles and can bring a little of the outside world into your day.

Some days this may just be a phone call with a friend. But try to make it in person when you can, even if it’s just going to a friend’s house for lunch or inviting her over to your house for a cookie break. You can even multi-task your me time here by taking a walk with a friend!

5. Have a Hobby: If someone asked what your hobbies are, would your answer include something you’re currently engaged in doing on at least a somewhat regular basis?

If the answer is no, change that. Whether it’s a craft, a sport, or birdwatching, pick one of those things you may have loved to do pre-children and can’t find the time for anymore, and make time. Commit to enjoying your hobby at least once a week.

If you’re skeptical about whether this self-care will really have a marked improvement on your life, at least commit to giving it a try. Likely within a few days, and easily within a month, you’re sure to feel like a new and better person. This benefits you of course, but will also make everyone in your family happier.

Looking for something flexible and fun to do that will also earn you some extra money? We may have the perfect opportunity for you with a membership at kidspartycharacters.com.

Membership gives you an exclusive territory where you can book parties, and the right to use all the Kids Party Characters costumes. You'll also get training and support in running your business from kidspartycharacters.com owner Cheryl Jacobs and her entire team. Book your call with Cheryl today and see if this could be just what you're looking for.

And remember, there’s never a need to stress over your party plans. We’ve got it all covered at kidspartycharacters.com, with packages to make all your child’s party dreams come true. Check out our selection of over 200 popular characters on our website and start planning your next party today.

Also connect with us on Facebook, where you’ll get plenty of ideas and inspiration for your next party.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Snow White visits Savanah on her 1st birthday w/ Kids Party Characters

Let's Eat! How to Plan Your Child's Party Menu

Back in the day, it feels like party menu planning was easier. You bought or made a fluffy, gluten-filled, dairy-filled, sugary cake and mixed up a big ole jug of Kool-aid and called it all good.

While the cause is highly debatable, it’s undeniable that times have changed. If your child isn’t sensitive to, or outright allergic to, eggs, wheat, nuts, lactose, or gluten, chances are you know more than a few kids who are.

You should plan your party around these sensitivities to the extent that you can.

Start by discovering all food allergies and sensitivities. Unless you really have an intimate group that you know well, it’s best to ask for this information along with the party RSVP.

Just adding a sentence to the invitation that says, “We want to make sure everyone goes home from Johnny’s party full and happy, so please let me know if your child is allergic or sensitive to any foods in your RSVP” will do the trick.

The Cake

The biggest issue you’ll run into here is with kids who can’t have gluten. Oftentimes, parents of these children will be used to bringing their own cake or treat for their child.

It’s a nice touch for both the parent and child if you have a gluten-free option on hand. The number of people who are gluten-free these days makes it easy to pick up a small cake or cupcakes at many of the larger grocers or bakeries. (Whole Foods has a big selection, for instance.)

This way, you can minimize the hassle for the parent and just serve the gluten-free children right alongside all the others. This can be important for certain ages or types of children who don’t like to feel “different” from their peers.

The Snacks

Again, it’s going to be pretty easy to get something for everyone here. Gluten-free snacks almost always say so on the packaging. (If in doubt you can call the manufacturer.)

And, on the back of the package where the nutrition information is located you can find whether the item was made in a facility that process nuts, wheat, eggs, fish and just about anything else a child might be allergic to.

Snacks that are allergy friendly should be set out in containers that are marked, for example, “dairy-free” so that parents and older children know what they can eat.

Your biggest issue with snacks will be what you’re prepared to deal with at clean up. Popcorn is a popular and easy snack, but it will end up everywhere, including tiny pieces embedded into your carpet when it gets stepped on.

To minimize the mess, stay simple. Avoid dips and anything that has to be eaten with a spoon. When deciding whether to serve a particular item, consider what happens when it gets stepped on (it will!), whether it stains, and whether it will stay on the kids’ hands long after they’ve eaten it (like greasy potato chips).

Also consider the sugar content. You’re likely already having cake and ice cream, and sugar overload can have very undesirable effects on some children.

Pretzels, peanut butter filled pretzels, cheese and crackers, packages of fruit snacks, and fruit kebobs are a few examples of not so messy snacks you may want to consider.

Beyond the Snacks

Before you commit to doing something closer to a lunch at your party, consider whether you have a good space for everyone to eat. Do you have enough seating for everyone or will the kids need to sit on the floor and eat? If so, consider putting down a big sheet or blanket that can just be rolled up and put in the wash with the crumbs and spills on it.

If you are doing lunch, as always, simple is better. Pizza and fruit is a popular lunch among kids, and gluten-free pizza is readily available.

If the children are a bit older, you can do a pizza bar. Hand each child an individual pizza shell with sauce on it and allow them to choose their toppings, then pop it in the over for them. Kids enjoy this and it can become one of the party activities in addition to lunch.

Being conscious about the cake and other food will put a nervous mom of a child with allergies at ease, will make all the kids feel comfortable, and will avoid interruptions and disappointments about what certain children can’t eat. It will also take most of the hassle out of your clean up duties.

While you’re working out these details, KidsPartyCharacters.com has the activities and entertainment covered for you. With over 200 of the most popular characters, and options for face painting and balloon twisting, we have packages for a wide variety of ages and budgets.

Start planning your next party today at KidsPartyCharacters.com. Stay connected with us on Facebook for fun party stories that will help inspire your child’s next magical celebration.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

Kids Party Characters Podcast singing Princess series

Hello I’m Cheryl Jacobs & welcome to our Kids Party Characters Podcast. Please subscribe above for all the episodes. 🎤🎬
Today is day 2 of our singing Princess series. We’d like to welcome on Miss Alexa Haynes @alexa.gabrielle.h singing The Little Mermaids “Part of the World”
Sofia the 1st celebrates at Crystals 5th birthday celebration.
👸🏻✨
Making memories to last a lifetime.
https://bit.ly/KidsPartyCharactersPod...
Visit us @ KidsPartyCharacters.com to see all of the characters we provide & party packages.
Bringing Children’s Imagination to Life
👸🏻👨🏻‍🎤🎈🎉✨

Meet Jose, Kids Party Characters' Secret Weapon

Did you know Kids Party Characters has a podcast? Catch up on past episodes and subscribe here.

In a recent episode, owner Cheryl Jacobs interviews Jose Baez, who is Kids Party Characters' top actor. This interview highlights one of the biggest reasons KidsPartyCharacters.com should be your go-to resource for all your party planning.

If you ever thought about exactly what you're getting when you hire a character to come to your party, you might envision it being a fun job for a broke college student looking to make a little extra money. And in fact, that's what you often get!

But at Kids Party Characters, we see the job of having your child's favorite character as the guest of honor at her party as something much more than having an actor dress up and stand in the corner looking cute or cool. We believe in using trained actors who show up to your party and bring their character to life, just as your child has seen and imagined.

When you meet Jose in this podcast episode, you'll hear how he's studied acting at the New York Film Academy, among other places, and has come from the Dominican Republic to pursue a television and film career.

Acting is Jose's life, not just a side job, and he shares with Cheryl how much joy it brings him to be able to entertain the children as the many characters he's played for Kids Party Characters.

Listen to Jose's story on the podcast here, and learn more about Jose by connecting with him on social media:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr.emiliobaez/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joseemiliob

To book your next party, go to kidspartycharacters.com today and check out the 200+ characters we have to choose from, with packages including face painting and balloon artists that make every child's party an event that his or her friends will never forget.

To keep up with all the happenings at Kids Party Characters, and get the best party planning tips available, make sure to subscribe to our weekly podcast here, (or here if you prefer an alternative to iTunes) and connect with us on Facebook.

We're excited to see you at your next party!

Monday, March 26, 2018

Minnie Mouse playing the Hokey Pokey at a KidsPartyCharacters.com party

Conquering Peter Pan Syndrome: How to Make Growing Up Fun

Ever wake up in the morning with thoughts of "I don't wanna grow up!?" Let's face it, adulting can be hard. Peter Pan had a point when he declared, "I won't grow up! 'Cause growing up is awfuller than all the awful things that ever were."

We all have those certain days when we'd give anything to snuggle in with a fuzzy stuffed animal and sleep the day away, or to spend the day in a make believe world of dolls, trains, and building blocks.

So while it can be very frustrating when our children resist some of the added responsibilities that come with growing up, it will be easier on them, and on you as the parent, if you try to relate to their feelings rather than coming at them with a "too bad, life is hard" sort of attitude.

There are three things you can do that will help your child conquer Peter Pan syndrome and make life easier for everyone in your family.

First, Start When Your Children are Young

Ever find yourself saying to your children something like, "You're old enough to clean the toilet now?" Put that way, who among us wouldn't react with "I won't grow up!?"

If you start giving your child age appropriate responsibilities early on, you can avoid bringing on a mindset that growing up involves doing all kinds of undesirable things. This will go a long ways towards eliminating a lot of the pushback you'll get from your kids when you add responsibilities and expectations.

For example, a child who is two can be taught how to use a clothes hamper, and that special place we put our shoes when we take them off.

A child who is three can take on small tasks like feeding the dog. These may require a little help from mom or dad, but that's all the better since your child still thinks you're cool at this age and likes to follow you around and be helpful.

Second, Tie Bigger Responsibilities to a Positive Consequence

You may not be a fan of providing rewards for things that your children should be expected to do as humans contributing to your family and the larger society. That's good, because that's not what you'll be doing here.

It's a fact of life that many undesirable things we do have a positive consequence, and that's why we do them. We don't like to clean the toilet, but "Eewww" if we never do.

Now with kids, it's a little different. Most kids have no problem with a dirty toilet, a messy room, a hungry dog . . .

So, you'll have to be a little creative with what the positive consequence of the behavior is. To do this, it's best to think like your child. If he loves to ride his scooter all over the house, approach clean up by saying, "This would be a great time to ride your scooter, let's get everything off the floor so you have plenty of room to do that."

With older children, consider doing an allowance. (There are pros and cons to this, you decide). Giving an allowance mimics adulthood in a powerful way -- you work, you get paid. This only really works if you do make it a consequence rather than a reward. Don't go into it with "you'll get your allowance IF you do your work," but rather, "you'll get your allowance WHEN you do your work."

If you'll have a "when" attitude rather than an "if" attitude, it will teach your child to see the positive consequences of her behavior, rather than viewing the outcome as an optional reward that she may choose to forego some days.

Finally, Focus on the Benefits of Growing Up

Yes, there is some drudgery to adulthood, but growing up is awesome in a lot of ways. Let's face it, you can choose to eat ice cream before dinner if you want, and no one can stop you!

So when your child is struggling with some added responsibility of growing up, work with him to see the advantages of getting older, and how those actually outweigh the additional responsibilities.

No, I'm not going to come in every morning and make sure you're awake and fix your lunch for you before school. But, you're old enough to have your own cell phone where you can set a pleasant-sounding alarm, and you can (within reason!) make your own choices about what you want to put in your lunchbox.

If you've followed the first two steps and started early with small responsibilities, and tied in positive consequences, you child will have an even easier time seeing how the benefits of growing up outweigh the additional burdens.

KidsPartyCharacters.com Can Help!

One good way to motivate your child to keep up with her responsibilities is to focus on future events. Who wouldn't want to have a clean room to show Princess Ariel when she shows up at your birthday party? Or a dog poop-free backyard so you can play tag at your party with Captain America?

Again, focus not on the character coming to your child's party as a reward, but just talk about how your child will want to present herself and her space when her favorite character is around.

Browse our collection of over 200 popular characters now at kidspartycharacters.com and motivate your child into action by booking her favorite character for her next party. We have packages to fit any party, including multiple characters, face painting and balloon artists.

Connect with us on Facebook for ideas, inspirations, and success stories from other parties.

Sunday, March 25, 2018

Come take Photos with our Easter Bunny Today

Come see our Easter Bunny today at Sax Fifth Ave at 225 Liberty St, in NYC on the 2nd floor.

Kids PartyCharacters.com

Bringing Children's Imagination to Life

Friday, March 23, 2018

3 Keys to Achieving Work-Life Balance for Stay at Home Moms

Maintaining a work-life balance is especially important if you're a stay at home mom. There's a lot of controversy about whether work-life balance is something anyone should strive for because it can be impossible to separate work from life. Constantly striving to balance the two, some argue, just creates unnecessary stress as you work towards a futile goal.

But as stay at moms (and dads!) finding a balance is crucial because you'll have to work from home. This means that the normal physical barriers that provide a forced separation between work and life are absent. The risk of imbalance then becomes greater.

Fortunately, if you'll put some rules in place, it will take the stress out of the process and lead to a much happier home for your kids and family. Following these simple rules will also make achieving work-life balance a very doable goal.

As a stay at home mom, the first thing you have to consider is what you want the "work" side of your life to look like. Let's face it, when the "life" side of life involves being responsible for raising children, there's already a lot of work involved.

The first question to ask yourself then is, do I want to add work, outside of raising children and all the responsibilities that comes with that, to the equation? In the beginning, many moms answer "no" to this question, happy to let their children and household responsibilities define work for them.

As the months, or even years, go on however, many moms have a longing to have something more, something of their own. As one mom put it, "I want to be more than the person that drives the kids to soccer every day."

Financial considerations, especially when raising active kids, also often make this decision for us, forcing us to pick up some paying work to give our kids the lifestyle we want them to have.

If this is you, and you long to (or need to!) have a work identity outside of "mom," then there are three "rules" of sort that will keep you, your family, and your work, happy and balanced.

1. Establish a Work Zone and a Schedule

You don't have to have an office to make working from home doable. But you do need some clearly defined boundaries. Your children should know that if mom's in this chair, or this corner, or at this space, she's working and isn't available.

In addition to this "forbidden zone" you need a schedule. You can't expect your kids to not need or want you anytime you wander into your work space. (Although there certainly is something appealing about being able to escape like that on some days, isn't there?!)

Your schedule doesn't have to be consistent every day or every week, but you should make up a weekly schedule and have it posted somewhere that your kids can see it.

2. Know Where Your "No" Line Is

The thing about most every kind of work is that it will take up as much space as you give it. So you'll need to establish a firm stopping point. This could be a number of hours a day or a week you'll work. And to anything that comes up after that, you say "no" to it, without hesitation or exception.

This may include not working after a certain time at night, not working on the weekends, or not allowing for interruptions during specific family times.

Even though you already have a schedule and a designated work zone, things will pop up when you are on your off hours. Knowing specifically when you'll say "no" to these things keeps you from being tempted to do "just one more thing" and keeps your family from being disappointed when you end up working during family time.

3. Incorporate Your Children Into Your Business

Your children will be happier, as will you, if they can be a part of this thing with you. As they get older, they can take on more and more responsibilities for you. They can do things that make them feel like they are helping of course, but you'll be surprised by how many things they can do that actually ARE a big help.

Talk to your kids about responsibilities they'd like to take on to help you out. When they're younger, they can start out cleaning your work space. They can work their way up to helping you with small office tasks, organizing, checking supplies, helping to keep your calendar, and even doing some customer service help as they get older.

This is a great way to teach your kids responsibility, to make them happy that you're working and not available to them 24/7, and to help you get more done. As an added bonus, you can even pay your kids, have them pay for some of their own expenses, and reap the benefits of having them as your salaried worker when it comes to tax time. Talk to your accountant about this one, it can really save you money.

There are thousands of work at home jobs available, but at kidspartycharacters.com, we've created the perfect one for you (in our humble opinion!). Cheryl Jones, founder of kidspartycharacters.com has recently decided to allow a limited number of people to license her business.

What does this mean for you? As a licensed member of kidspartycharacters.com, you get an exclusive territory to book appointments, the right to use all of the company's costumes, access to a casting director who will hire and train the character actors, and ongoing support from Cheryl and the entire team at kidspartycharacters.com.

You also get a six module training course to help get you started, and additional marketing support if you choose. Find all the details here, and schedule a chat with Cheryl to see if this might be the perfect work at home opportunity for you.

This is one business your kids would certainly love to be involved in, and it gives you the flexibility of working as many, or as few, hours as you choose. Read more about this fun and profitable opportunity on our website. We're excited to talk with you about the possibilities!

Thursday, March 22, 2018

Kids Party Characters In celebration of 2017 on Facebook

5 Party Favor Ideas Your Guests Will Thank You For

When you think about the party favors that your kids usually come home with after a typical birthday party, you probably think something along the lines of “bags of little junk that all go in the trash the next day.”

This is not meant to blame any well-intended mom or dad. Following the idea that “more is better,” most every store promotes and supplies a selection of hundreds of little trinkets that can be stuffed in cellophane bags as a token of the birthday boy’s appreciation towards his guests.

But, with just a little creativity, we as parents can do better. We can deliver a party favor that lives on beyond your child’s initial high of receiving a gift of any kind. A favor that actually has some personal meaning, even one that makes a difference.

Here are five party favor options that will show your guests that their gifts of appreciation for attending your child’s party were not an afterthought.

Make a Donation: Have your child help choose a worthy cause that interests him. Make a monetary donation in the name of the party guests and send home an informational card or flyer explaining the cause and stating the donation. One fun example is found in many zoos that allow you to adopt an animal, which actually just means pay for a portion of that animal’s care.

This is a great opportunity to educate, and to make children feel good about being a part of something important. Most charities have some type of flyer available that you could send home with each child, but if not, work with your child to design and print off your own information sheet.

And if you think this sounds a little too much on the boring side for your child’s age, attach the flyer to a sucker or some other treat that will definitely get your child’s positive attention.

Books: Books are a great way to help memories of a fun party live on. Include a personal inscription inside each book that the child can read (or have read to her) as the book begins. This is bound to spark many conversations about the party or the special friend that gave the book as a party favor.

The book can either be something that is consistent with the theme of the party, or one that the birthday girl chooses based on what she thinks each guest will enjoy.

If you’re thinking this sounds like an expensive option, it doesn’t have to be. Many discount retailers stock a wide selection of children’s books, and the discount table at the big bookstores is often stocked with fun options. The Scholastic book fair is another good place to look, if your child’s school participates. And, it’s probably worth adding a few dollars to the party favors budget knowing that a book is something that won’t end up in the trash the next day.

Party Crafts: Plan a simple but fun craft the kids can make at the party and take home as their party favor. Again, this is something that will create lasting memories of the party. One unique idea is to have the children design a painting on a piece of silk that they can take home and use as a scarf or headband, or in any number of ways during free play. Silk dries quickly and play silks can be purchased for about $5 a piece.

Other ideas might be tie-dying an item, making slime, friendship bracelets, sand in a bottle, or making a picture frame. With the picture frame you can then send a group photo with your thank you note that can go in the frame. Browsing the aisles at your local Michael’s craft store will give you an unlimited number of ideas here.

Seeds to Plant: Sending each child home with a pack of seeds, and even a little starter pot of dirt is a great way to spark a new interest in many children. Watching the seed sprout and grow each day is fun, and a good learning experience for the kids.

This idea has caught on enough that you can even buy prepackaged starter pots that are meant for children. They include a small package of seeds, a pot of dirt, and instructions, all put together in a way to minimize the mess and make them easy for the children to understand and plant on their own.

Decorate a Cookie: Kids absolutely love doing this, and it gives them a special treat they created to take home and enjoy after the party. All you need is a batch of large sugar cookies (the bigger the better to make it easier for the kids), and an assortment of icing colors, sprinkles, and other small candy pieces.

Allow some time for the decorated cookies to dry, and wrap them up in a bag for each child to take with her as she leaves the party.

Hopefully these five options have given you some ideas for your next party, or sparked your creativity to help you come up with party favors that will leave your guests commenting about “what a great idea that was!”

At kidspartycharacters.com we have all the bases covered when it comes to planning the perfect party for your child and his or her guests. We have over 200 of the most popular characters, as well as balloon artists and face painting. Visit us today at kidspartycharacters.com and check out the different packages we have available for your next party.

Also connect with us on Facebook to see what characters we have showing up at parties, and get inspiration for planning your own character-filled celebration.

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Barney singing Happy Birthday w/ the family for Kids party Characters

Can Stay at Home and Work at Home Really Work?

Are you a stay at home mom who would like to earn some extra cash? (Who wouldn't!) Maybe you've even tried different ways to supplement the family income in the past?

If so, you've likely found the promises of riches from working at home to be false. The opportunities are either too complicated to really make them work, or they don't bring in the money they promise.

If you've experienced this in the past, or if you've been too unsure to even try any of the thousands of work from home opportunities that are out there, keep reading. We may have the perfect solution for you today.

When you decide to have a go at working from home, there are basically three different routes you can take.

You can start some kind of a crafting business on a platform like Etsy and sell the things you make. This can be a fun and relatively easy route, but, it also rarely makes you much money. It's time consuming, profit margins are low, and competition is fierce. Just getting found among the millions of other moms and artists is a huge challenge.

Your second option is to pick a topic you're passionate about and build a website that sells your products or services online. The profit potential here is definitely great, but the learning curve is steep. You either need to have a lot of time to figure out the technical aspects of selling online, or already have a lot of money to pay someone to handle everything for you.

Finally, you can go to work as an independent representative for a network marketing company. There are thousands of them out there, selling everything from health and fitness products, to purses and jewelry, to telephone and energy services.

These companies are great because they provide all the products, the marketing materials, and the website you need to sell to people. The downsides are that it's very hard to make significant money unless you are also constantly recruiting people to become sales reps like you are for the business.

Being successful with network marketing also requires that you become a sort of walking billboard for your products, which can get tiresome to your friends and family. We all know that person who sells "miracle juice" and won't stop talking about how great it is. And we usually don't think of her fondly!

Unfortunately, about 97% of the people who try network marketing companies spend more money than they ever make.

What's a mom to do then? You can resign yourself to the fact that your kids and your family just won't ever have everything they want. You can scale down your vacation plans, try to skimp by on a strict grocery budget, and just constantly be money conscious.

But what if there was a better way? Something that was fun and gave you the freedom to have all those little extras in life. That allowed you to make decisions for your kids and your family that were never dependent on your bank account.

Here at kidspartycharacters.com, that's exactly the type of business we have. And after years of working with other moms who are looking for this same kind of lifestyle, owner Cheryl Jacobs has decided to allow a limited number of people to license her business.

What does this mean for you? Well, it gives you the chance to start a business that you can work from home, around your children's schedules, to make a few extra dollars or even six figures a year. And, it eliminates all the hassles associated with starting the other kinds of businesses that are available to stay at home moms.

With a license from kidspartycharacters.com, you will have an exclusive geographical area to book your parties, the right to use all of our costumes, and a casting director who's available to hire and supervise your actors.

And, you will never be alone to figure it all out or make it work. Your license includes a six module training course to get you started, as well as ongoing support from Cheryl and the entire team at kidspartycharacters.com.

And perhaps most importantly, this is a business your kids will love to hear about and help with, as other children plan their parties around their favorite characters.

Can you see the huge potential for fun and profit here, minus all the headaches? Learn more about getting your membership license by clicking here. You can book a free, no pressure chat with Cheryl and she can answer all your questions and share her experiences with the business over the last six years.

Also, connect with us on Facebook to see how rewarding it is to help kids' party dreams come to life with a kidspartycharacters.com party.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Help Your Child Create their Own Unique and Lovable Characters

There's a reason we have over 200 characters to choose from at Kids Party Characters. Kids love characters!

As a parent, you're likely well-aware of the crazy devotion a child can have to his favorite characters. But why is the attraction so strong? And how can you use this fact to help nurture your child's creativity and play?

Characters Live in Your Child's Favorite Place

A kid's favorite place is her imagination, and that's where all characters live. They have beautiful clothing and costumes, possess magical powers, and come from enchanted lands. There are no limits on what a character can be, do, or have, other than the limits of a child's imagination.

Even as children get older, and start to understand the difference between reality and imagination, they still enjoy playing and believing in the land of imagination.

There are thousands of characters out there, and most of them have some superpower, costume, and/or life that your child relates to and dreams of sharing. The creators of these characters do their part to make this happen, providing costumes in all sizes that allow your little one to literally become the character he looks up to the most.

How to Use Your Child's Love of Characters as a Learning Tool

Your child's first teacher is play. While many parents like to focus on teaching their kids the ABCs and 123s as early as possible, studies show that younger children learn the most through play. And as they get older, a child's favorite way to learn remains through play.

So why not use your child's love of characters to "teach" them valuable lessons in creativity that will serve them for a lifetime in all areas of learning? You can do this by helping them create their own characters based on those they already know and love.

Chances are, even if your child has a favorite character, there are dozens (at least!) that he admires and wants to be like in some way. When playing with your child, talk to him about what he likes about the different characters, their dress, their actions, their powers or manners. Help him combine these traits into characters of his own.

Choose a special chest or crate at home to be your character box and set about filling it with things your child can use to play dress up as the characters he creates. Make this a fun and ongoing activity, collecting items from your favorite thrift stores and second hand shops, and repurposing items that you might otherwise throw or give away.

And if you aren't familiar with thrift shopping, this will open up a whole new world of fun for you and your children. For $5 you can add some amazing pieces to your child's character box that will provide hours of creative fun.

We live in a world increasingly focused on screens that isolate our kids from us and from their creativity. Helping your child create her own unique and lovable characters based on her interests will guarantee that you always have a fun activity that you can participate in with your child. (Yes, you can dress up too!)

And, it can be an honest and effective way to bribe and reward your child for their patience if you have a day full of adulting to do. The promise of a trip to the thrift store to add to your child's character collection at the end of a long day can do wonders for her attitude at the grocery store!

When it's time to party, head on over to kidspartycharacters.com and let your child pick out her favorite characters to come to her party. Our characters are trained actors and come with handmade costumes that will "wow" your child.

For added fun, you can even pull out your costume box and have your party guests dress up alongside our characters. At kidspartycharacters.com, we're committed to bringing your child a party that she and her guests will talk about for years. We have packages to meet all your party needs. Contact us today and we'll help you get started making that perfect party plan.

Want some inspiration? Check out our Facebook page at Facebook.com/kidspartycharactersny

Bringing Children's Imagination to Life!

Monday, March 19, 2018

What a typical weekend of Kids Party Characters looks like

Here's 1 example of what Kids party Characters weekends looks like. Sending out costumed characters for your kids parties takes a lot of work but we love making children happy.

Visit us @ KidsPartyCharacters.com to find out how to book with us.

Kids’ Party Invitations: The Dilemma of Who and How to Invite

As adults, we often want to forget that day each year when our birthday rolls around. But as kids, there’s no more important day.

And when it comes to celebrating, kids want to be surrounded by everyone they know! As fun as this sounds, it’s often not practical. Depending on the nature of the party, the location, and (most importantly) your budget, kids are usually forced to limit the number of friends they can invite to their birthday celebration.

How then do you navigate the difficult decisions such as who to invite, how to deliver the invitations, the pre-party buzz, and the kids who are left out? Even worse, what if yours is one of the left out kids?

There’s no easy way to spare a sensitive child’s feelings in these situations, and part of it is a lesson in character building for the future. But, being intentional in the way you handle all aspects of the party can avoid a mountain of problems from arising.

Here are some best practices to smooth the way for a good all-around party experience for your child and his or her friends.

First, The Initial Party Plan

When first planning your party, talk with your child about the fact that different options may mean she can invite a different number of friends. A character-themed party at your house may allow for 20 kids, while a more structured party out may limit the number of friends due to cost and/or space considerations.

Ask your child to make an invite list before finalizing the party details, rather than trying to adjust the number of invites after she’s settled on the party type.

Second, Delivering the Invitations

Paper invitations used to be the only option, although it seems that most people have gone to some form of evites for ease these days. Whatever you do, don’t send the invitations to school with the child unless you’re inviting the whole class.

Mailing the invitations and collecting RSVPs by phone or email may be the most discreet way of doing things, although it is the most time consuming.

If you do decide on the convenience of electronic invites, you may want to keep the guest list anonymous depending on the age of your child. This will avoid gossip around who’s invited and who’s not.

Most importantly, as you’re preparing invitations in whatever form, just ask yourself whether you’re protecting against any awkward situations or hurt feelings as best you can.

Third, the Pre and Post-Party Buzz

Your child will be excited, and will undoubtedly want to talk about his party before and after it happens. Talk to your child about being aware of other kids’ feelings when doing this.

You certainly don’t want to squelch any of their birthday excitement, but you also want to raise kind and sensitive children.

This conversation will depend on your child’s age, but simply sitting down and talking about being in situations where non-included children are present, and how to deal with any issues those children might raise, will go a long way towards ensuring more pleasant outcomes here.

You may want to help your child come up with a response he feels good about as to why all of his friends or classmates couldn’t be included in the celebration.

Finally, What if Your Child is the Excluded One?

This can be one of the hardest early parenting experiences with your kids. Not everyone is going to like you, and you aren’t always going to be invited to everything.

The best thing you can do for your child here is to listen. Acknowledge her feelings, give her examples of situations where she’s obviously been loved and included, and remind her that she excludes friends from activities at times too, which doesn’t mean she dislikes those friends.

Exclusion is something that happens at times in everyone’s lives, from childhood through adulthood. Use these moments to build your child’s self-esteem so she will be prepared to effectively navigate the issue for a lifetime.

As the party planner, think about how your child feels when excluded, and work to minimize any hurt feelings in every step you take. If you’ll do this, your party is bound to be one that is remembered happily by your child and her friends for a lifetime.

At kidspartycharacters.com, we have several packages to accommodate most any size party you desire, along with over 200 characters to choose from, face painting, balloon artists, and more. Visit our website to start planning your next party today.

Find party pics, videos, and testimonials on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/kidspartycharactersny

Bringing Children’s Imagination to Life

Friday, March 16, 2018

Batman playing the Hokey Pokey for Kids Party Characters

How to Throw a Party on a Budget

1) The best time to throw a party is between 2-5pm after lunchtime & before diner so guests aren't expecting a full meal

2) Start stacking up on supplies early to avoid last minute over priced items. Target & 99cents stores are great places to look

3) Send you invite via email or by social media to avoid paper costs

4) If your child's birthday falls close to 1 of their friends or family members celebrate both birthdays at once. This way you share the costs & responsibilities

5) Avoid places like party city or other party places. You can easily find desserts or party favors at big store for cheaper prices

6) When children are very small big birthdays are not necessary. Keep it small & intimate

7) Plan craft activities for the kids. It keeps the children entertained & saves on goodie bags

8) Ordering online in advance from such places like Amazon or Oriental Trading are great resources to save on impulse spending

9) A homemade cake is far less expensive than store bought or specialty fondant cakes. Recipes are easily found online

10) Stick to basic plates & utensils. You can easily jazz them up

11) If you don't want to host at your house places like Chuck-E_Cheeze or Bounce_U are great choices. The staff also helps with the activities

12) Instead of making goodie bags you can find an inexpensive Piñata at Oriental Trading

13) Party games like treasure hunt using a gold sprayed rock takes advantage of the children's imagination

14) Find companies that sells toys in bulk. It's easy to split among the kids

15) Entertain the kids with dancing games such a freeze dance, musical chairs, duck duck goose etc.

16) Book reading or DVD's are a great way to calm children down after physical activities.

You can hire 1 of our entertainers to help with all these activities & games. Also they are balloon artists & face painters which helps entertain kids in a calm way. Children love seeing their favorite character participating in such activities.

Visit us at KidsPartyCharacters.com to view photos or our exact costumes, party packages, vending machines & more.

Bringing Children's Imagination to Life

How to Throw a Kids Party on a Budget