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Magic Productions -
Face- it, it's almost impossible to find good, clean family
entertainment that appeals to the little ones all the way up to the
grandparents. Bands, DJ's and Karaoke can never get the mix to appeal to all
age groups.
Magic
Productions can with magical entertainment and our Family Fun
Attractions! The whole family will laugh, enjoy participating in and take home
lasting fond memories of experiencing The Magic & Comedy of Bill
Grimsley. Bill can perform Strolling Slight of Hand Magic as guests
arrive, during cocktail or social hour and while folks line up for the buffet.
Follow this up with his hilarious after dinner show for a delightful event. And
you will be pleasantly surprised seeing Nanna and the grandchildren playing
together on and in our Family Fun
Attractions. Here are just a few of the events that have been successfully
complimented by our services:
- 1. Bar & Bat
Mitzvahs - The guest of honor will get to do a special trick of their
own!
- 2. Reunions
- 3. Anniversaries
- 4. Retirement
- The Magic & Comedy of Bill Grimsley is tailored to your specific
audience.
- 5. Weddings:
Rehearsal Banquet or Reception Entertainment
- 6. Birthday Parties
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Free Birthday Party Planning
Guide:
Planning your child's birthday party need not be a difficult task. It
can be both easy and fun if you just follow a few common sense rules. Here are
some suggestions based on more than 25 years of entertaining at hundreds of
birthday parties for children of all ages.
A birthday party is a BIG
event in a child's life, especially for 3-9 year olds, and excitement can be
expected to run high, so while you want the party to be fun for all concerned,
you should avoid overwhelming your child with too many guests, activities or
pre-party hype. Here are our TEN EASY STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL PARTY:
- 2 hours is a gracious plenty
for children 4 and older and an even shorter party is enough for the 2 and 3
year olds.
- Keep the guest list short as
well. A dozen or so of the child's best friends and playmates are plenty (even
fewer for the very little ones). You don't need to invite your child's whole
class from school (and don't let the school tell you that you must - - remember
it's YOUR party). It's also best if all the children are in roughly the same
age group, that way it is easier to plan entertainment and activities that will
appeal to ALL of the children.
- Be sure to allow time for
late arrivals (there will ALWAYS be late arrivals), so begin with games or
activities that can be started when the first few arrive and the others can
join in and take a turn as they get there. A Moon Walk is perfect for this as
it keeps everyone outside and wears them out at the outset of the party.
- Put away any toys other than
those you intend to be used at the party. Minimizing distractions, breakage and
this will help keep the children focused on the planned activities.
- If you plan to hire
professional entertainment, be sure that it is age appropriate (another good
reason to invite guests in the same age range as the birthday child). A
professional entertainer or agency will suggest programs that have proven
effective for various age groups and will decline to provide programs they have
found unsuitable for the ages attending your party. It is wise to take their
advise as it has been gained the hard way - - through years of experience. You
DON'T need professional entertainment for babies and toddlers (the 1-2 year
olds and most 3 year olds). Their attention span and ability to participate in
a meaningful way are limited. A few very simple games, a Barney or short Disney
or Winnie The Pooh video, ice cream and cake and the fun of opening the
presents are really all you need.
- If professional entertainment
has been arranged, schedule it to begin about 30 minutes after the party
starts. That should allow ample time for late arrivals and ensure that everyone
is there in time for the show. (If there are still a few stragglers when it's
showtime, have Mom or Dad keep an eye on the door so latecomers can be admitted
before they ring the doorbell - - otherwise all the children will race to the
door when they hear the bell- and disrupt the flow of any entertainment or
activity in progress.)
- There should be adult
supervision at all times and at least one adult should remain in the room while
any entertainment is in progress. Professional birthday entertainers design
their programs to include plenty of audience participation and interaction;
however, they should not be placed in the position of having to step "out of
character" and assume the role of disciplinarian to deal with the occasional
disruptive child. It is best if a parent is on hand to handle such situations.
- If you plan on serving food,
keep it simple! Kids have basic tastes. "Finger food" works best and hot dogs,
chips or pretzels, chicken nuggets and pizza with juice drinks are perennial
favorites. Remember, it doesn't take them long to eat - - 15 or 20 minutes is
usually sufficient.
- Refreshments or snacks should
be served before or after and NOT DURING the entertainment. To get maximum
enjoyment out of a performance, the children need to focus their attention on
the entertainment without distractions while it is in progress. (The birthday
cake and ice cream are best served AFTER the entertainment. That way the
entertainer is not having to contend with an audience on a "sugar high" and
also serves as the fitting "grand finale" of the party.)
- It is best if the opening of
the presents is the last thing on the schedule. That keeps them from getting
broken before the party is over and, again, minimizes distractions during the
entertainment and other planned activities.
My thanks to Christian
the Magician for many of these ideas. |
