Your child will be the STAR of the show!
"We all loved your show so much! Thank you! You made my son's party extra special. He went to sleep last night acting out part of your act."
Regina Boyett
Birthday Mom
"A wonderful job! The girls got a huge kick out of Brett. Thank you. He was very personable, friendly, funny, punctual, and very age appropriate! Please feel free to quote me in your advertising."
Kim Roddy
Girl scouts. Service unit 154
"After the party, my daughter told her friends at school, I didn’t know I could do magic. He just showed me what to do and I did it! I did magic!"
Anneke McClain
Birthday Mom
"This guy is an awesome puppeteer and magician, and is absolutely perfect with children. I recommend him 110%!"
D’ Ann Dagen
La De Da Productions
Your child's birthday should be memorable and special. Since I have children of my own, and I’ve spent several years teaching, I have a unique way of making that happen.
Mary Kay Ash, who created one of the most successful cosmetic companies in America, had a wonderful idea. One of the most crucial concepts she taught her sales team was to imagine every person they met had a banner on their foreheads saying "Make Me Feel Special".
Imagine if we applied her ideas to our children; they would be filled with a sense of hope and optimism and confidence; they would grow into balanced and secure individuals who would in turn, make wonderful parents. If children recognize and appreciate their gifts, talent and endless potential, it frees them up to see the same things in others. They may be shining a light in the dimness of someone else's soul and letting them see their own talents.
In the show I'll provide for you, my goal is to do exactly that. Throughout the performance there are several times when your child will get to be the magician. Magic tricks will actually be happening in your child’s hands. Your child will get credit for making the magic happen. This will help develop self confidence by letting your child look good in front of friends.
After the show, I can teach the children how to make balloon animals or I can teach magic tricks they can do using things around the house. Learning a new skill helps children feel proud.
I'm happy to perform several shows on the same day and weekends get booked the fastest. Birthdays sometimes book months in advance, so it's a good idea to contact me as soon as possible. Instead of playing phone tag or waiting around for emails, I've made it amazingly easy to book a show. Just click the link below and see how. You'll find the price in my Birthday Party Shows booking form.
Booking a show is as easy as one, two, three.
A few tips to make things easier
- Plan your live entertainment (that's me!) to arrive about 30 minutes after your party starts. This way if anyone is running late they will still arrive in time to see the most memorable show where your child is the STAR!
- Set the room temperature cooler than usual. A room full of children will increase the room temperature and can make some kids sleepy.
- Please turn off any TV's, radios, etc. during the show.
- Pre-light the candles! They will re-light easier when it is time, will be easier for your child to blow out and you will already have your lighter or matches ready near the cake.
- Ready? Action! Where's the camera? Check your film supply and be sure to capture those great Kodak moments during the show. And don't forget to take a picture of the cake!
- Have a cleared area for the children to sit and watch the show. I bring my own portable table, CD/tape player and equipment and only require only a reasonable space to perform for the children.
- Please remove pets from the performance area as they can be a distraction during the show. Thank you!
- Put some balloons on the mailbox so guests can easily find your home.
- Please pay me in cash. Thanks!
- Get then get ready for a Fun, Exciting and Memorable Party!
Games for Birthday Parties
Rapid-Fire Artist
Materials: Paper and Pencils
Number of players: Two or more teams with equal numbers
Object of the game: Identify drawing
Each team sends an “artist” to the leader. The leader whispers to the artists an animal or anything else to draw. The artists race back to their groups and begin to draw furiously. As soon as the group recognizes what is being drawn, the members yell it all together. The artist must not give them any tip except by his drawing. He can not say anything to the team or use letters or numbers in the drawing. Each time a new artist must be sent to the leader.
Do this and More
Materials: none
Number of players: Six or more
Object of the game: Copy the actions of other players and add new actions.
One player begins the game by doing something, such as putting the thumbs in the ears and wiggling the fingers. He points to another player who must repeat that action and add one of his own, such as putting his hand under his chin and wiggling his fingers. The next player may add sticking out his tongue. Each successive player must repeat, in order, all of the actions of the other players and add another. No player can be called more than once unless he requests it.
Brownie Eating Contest Materials: One homemade frosted brownie for each kid, Paper plates
Number of players: Everyone
Object of the game: Eating Brownies
The kids kneel on the floor in a circle, with their hand behind their backs. A paper plate with a brownie is placed on the floor in front of them. On signal, they lean forward and eat the pie as quickly as possible. The first one to finish their brownie and pick the plate up with their teeth is the winner. You can also have a special prize for the kid with the messiest face. Be sure to take pictures!
Gather the Candy Materials: wrapped small candy such as sour balls, Tootsie Rolls, Jolly Rancher type candies or butterscotch pieces. Toothpicks
Number of players: Everyone
Spread the candy around in a large circle marked out on the floor, or a clean plastic tablecloth. Each player is given two toothpicks and a small paper bag. On signal, the players try to lift, chopstick style, as many pieces of candy into their bag as they can. When all the candy is gathered, the one with the most wins. The kids keep their candy, but the winner receives a small prize.
Battle of the Oranges
Materials: Spoons and oranges
Number of players: Two or more teams with equal numbers
Divide the kids into pairs. They will battle one pair at a time. Each warrior is armed with a tablespoon on which an orange is placed. At the "go" signal, they will try to knock the opponent's orange off the spoon, using only the one hand which holds the spoon and orange. The winner is the one left with their orange on the spoon!
Clothes Pins in the Bottle
Materials: Clothes pins and a jar or a bottle with a large opening
Number of players: Two or more teams with equal numbers.
Place a milk bottle (or other jar with a small opening) on the ground or floor. Let each kid try dropping ten clothespins into the bottle. See who can make the best score. Note: Yes, you can still buy clothespins in the supply section of most grocery stores!
Ping Pong Race
Materials: A ping pong ball for each team and drinking straws for each player.
Number of players: Two or more teams with equal numbers.
Object of the game: To finish first
Each team forms a line. A starting line is made by putting masking tape across the floor and a finish line is made on the other side of the room. Using only the air they can blow out of the straw, players must push the ping pong ball in front of them all the way to the finish line and come back to the starting line. Then the next person has a turn. The first team who has all their players have a turn wins.
Musical Balloons
Materials: Music and balloons for each player
Number of players: Six or more
Object of the game: To be holding a balloon when the music stops
Players must stand in a circle. All participants, except one are given a balloon. As the music starts all the players pass their balloons to the right. When the music stops, the player without a balloon is out. The action is repeated with one less player and one less balloon each time. Play until there is one child remaining. If a balloon pops, then any player without a balloon when the music stops is out.
Walk the Plank
Material: Board or strip of cloth about 6 inches wide.
Number of players: Three or more
Object of the game: Successfully walk the plank.
Place a board (or cloth) on the ground. This is the pirates’ plank. The children must walk the plank from one end to the other, and back again, with falling into the water. This sounds easy enough, except the water is full of sharks, crocodiles, and piranha. The other children play the part of the hungry creatures in the deep as the victim walks the plank. The sea creatures are line up along the plank about three feet away. They can’t touch the plank-walker, but are allowed to make growling and biting noises and gestures to scare him into falling off the plank and into the water.
Hint: To make the game more difficult use a narrower board.
Ha, Ha
Materials: None
Number of players: Five or more
Object of the game: Keep from laughing
Players are seated in a circle. The first player starts by saying, "Ha." The second player says, "Ha, Ha." The third says, "Ha, Ha, Ha." And so it goes around the circle with each player adding another “Ha.” In each case the “Ha’s” must be pronounced solemnly. The chances are, however, that it will not get around the circle before the entire is responding with gales of laughter. Challenge player to keep the circle going as long as possible with anybody cracking up.
Tic-Toc Find the Clock
Materials: Kitchen timer.
Number of players: Three or more.
Object of the game: Locate the clock.
Have the children leave the playing area. Wind up a kitchen timer and hide it in the game area. If the timer has a loud tic-toc sound, wrap it up in a towel to muffle the sound a bit. Bring the children into the room and have them find the clock. Have them locate the "clock" by the sound of the tic-toc. The children will need to be quiet in order to hear the tic-toc. The first one who finds the timer is the winner. The winner gets to hide the timer for the next round.
Variation: For older children use a time with a soft tic-toc or wrap it up with a couple of towels to reduce the noise. To add confusion and make the game harder, you may plant a decoy “clock” that also ticks. This time will be a plain sight and not the hidden clock. It’s purpose is to create noise to make it harder to hear the hidden timer.
Bandit
Materials: none
Number of players: Six or more
Object of the game: To be the last one remaining in the game.
The players sit in a circle. When the leader points to a player in a circle and calls out “Bandit!” that player must place his hands over his ears immediately. At the same time, each of his two neighbors must place the hand nearest the bandit over his own ear on that side. The last of the three to cover his ears is out of the game. The bandit then calls the next bandit and the game goes on.
Chase the Animal
Materials: Three beanbags
Number of players: To pass the beanbags around a circle.
The players form a circle. One of the beanbags is given the name of an animal and started around the circle. After the beanbag goes around once, the leader starts another animal. The animal tries to catch up with the first one. After another time around a third animal is started on it’s way. There is no winner or loser in this game.
Cartoon Twenty Questions
Materials: none
Number of players: Four or more
A player writes the name of a cartoon character on a piece of paper. The players can ask only yes or no questions to find out who the cartoon character is. The first person to guess the cartoon character gets to be the next leader.
Prizes
Finding wonderful prizes is easy! All kids love bean bag animals (even if they aren't the collectible ones), which can be found everywhere. Bags of plastic bugs and animals are a good choice, as well as inexpensive story books. Bandannas are a fun choice too. Red ones for boys so they can pretend to be cowboys or pirates. Pastel ones are great for girls because they become a fashion accessory. In the house wares department you will find many fun smaller boxes and containers that could be used as treasure boxes for nature finds or other collectibles. Visiting an educational or nature store will give you even more ideas, such as a bag of gemstones. They are beautiful and boys or girls would love them! |
