Tag: play

Good homework websites

Posted on by

Before looking at some of the best homework help sites, there are a few tips to remember about homework in general. The first one is to let the kids have something to eat before starting – this might just be a nutritional snack with their main meal scheduled for later, depending on the family schedule.  None of us work at our best when we are hungry.

Make sure there is a quiet place to do the homework away from distractions.  If there are pre-school kids in the house, try to keep them occupied elsewhere.  Ensure all the essentials are on hand such as pens, pencils and that there is a good workspace to use.

Set up a timetable for homework sessions so that kids know when to expect to be doing it. It might be after the evening meal for older kids or you might schedule different ‘slots’ for the different kids if they distract each other. TV is a no-no but some quiet music can help relax them.

Remember to keep in mind the current teaching techniques, rather than those you were taught when you were at school.  By telling them what you know, that can just confuse them and mean they aren’t learning what the school wants them to learn.

Best homework help sites;

BBC Bitesize

The BBC has been making high quality educational programs for generations and their education website, called Bitesize, is equally useful. There are two ways to search for help – by the subject or by the stage the kids are studying at. Once you go into the subject, there is a range of options such as KS1 Maths, 4th level Maths and even Higher Maths. By selecting the stage your child is studying, there is then a range of topics to help them, for example mathematical skills including problem solving and reasoning.

The website also has less formal content such as educational news, school newsletters and news around, a news program for kids. There are interactive games to help them with their studies and plenty of fun stuff to engage them.

BBC Cbeebies

The Cbeebies website works alongside the children’s channel and is filled with educational fun for kids. This includes homework help, interactive challenges and even stories.

Homework Elephant

Homework Elephant has some 5,000 resources available to assist kids in their various homework topics.  These are listed through the subjects they are covered by so are easy to search for a specific category.  They also offer an ‘Agony Elephant’ service where kids can ask questions to an expert on subjects including maths, English, biology and history.  Finally, there is a hints and tips section that covers how to do homework, learning tips and even helping kids cope with worries about their projects.

National Geographic Kids

National Geographic are another massive name in TV shows and their magazine so their Kids section is filled with useful resources of the highest quality.  Subjects covered includes animals, science and nature, history, places as well as games and entertainment resources.  So kids can learn about the countries of the world, the birds and animals that live there and there are fun areas to entertainment them as well as help with the homework.

Channel 4 Learning

Channel 4 Learning is aimed at seven to eleven year olds and covers three main subjects – science, history and geography.  There are plenty of interactive resources to entertain the kids as well as notes for teachers to help out.

Pokémon GO

Posted on by

There’s no getting away from the phenomenon that is Pokémon GO at the moment and it seems to have engulfed adults just as much as kids – if not more so.  Computer game crazes are nothing new, the recent madness for Candy Crush is a perfect example, but this one seems to be generating a few concerns with its location based nature. However, some have raised the point that Pokémon GO and other games may also have benefits for kids that we can miss amid the craze.

The game itself

If you haven’t tried the game yourself yet, here’s the lowdown on what it is all about.  We all remember the Pokémon games, those Japanese anime style cute characters that arrived on the scene in the 1990s?  The new version is quite a bit different and makes use of the very latest augmented reality for players to ‘catch’ the Pokémon in real places around the world.

As one person said not only does it bring out the inner geek in the 20-30 age group, it gets kids out and about.  No more just sitting in front of a TV screen, blasting at aliens or chasing spies, they have to go out around their area and further afield to find these Pokémon characters.

Made by Pokémon Co and nearly one third owned by gaming giant Nintendo, the game has already shot to the top of the list of most used apps and overtaking the likes of WhatsApp, Snapchat and Instagram in terms of user numbers.

Early concerns

As with any craze, there have already been the stories of things going wrong.  One Wyoming teenager found a dead body while questing for an elusive Pokémon while a group of trend-conscious burglars lured people to a location to rob them by tapping in on a Pokestop used by the game.

Some of the stories almost sound funny but there is a worrying undercurrent.  Stories of people having car accidents while playing the game and driving, walking out into moving traffic as they aren’t concentrating and worse.

One of the biggest concerns is that while the game creates a sense of community with other players, this might be exploited by paedophiles and other criminals.  Kids lose their sense of the danger of someone they don’t know when that person is playing the game and this is a big worry to parents, teachers and carers.

Another concern is that kids could be lured to locations as there is a facility on the game to let others know when there is a character to be caught.  Pokémon ‘gyms’ are another phenomenon where children could be drawn in by the game and exposed to dangerous circumstances.

Less serious concerns have been expressed including the use of swearing by older players and the sexual explicit user names that some take.  Even the ability to buy these lures for £1 in the app is worry for parents if parental controls aren’t in place.

The positive potential of Pokémon GO

Despite the initial concerns which tend to surface around any craze or trends, others have been quick to realise the potential plus side of the game. One school in Australia is using the game in the classroom after research showed that the game had a positive effect.

The pupils suffering with autism have been shown to have improved social skills through the use of the game and are more engaged with the rest of their lessons.  The game encourages them to play with other kids in a way they would have been reluctant to do otherwise.

The nature of the augmented reality of the game also works well with the way these children’s brains work.  Those with autism are very visually centred with 90% of their learning coming through what they see.  In a busy classroom, these children can find it difficult to focus and learn but using visual means has a far better result.

Ideas for children’s fun activities that could base around the game include using ‘walking journals’ where children follow a story or a map with the game and can improve a variety of skills including maths as well as boosting their imagination.  Homework could be something like exploring their town with the game and submitted screen shots on a Monday about what they found.

Wider benefits

While computer games as a whole are often seen as the enemy by parents and limitations on time playing is definitely a good idea, there are a surprising number of benefits that any kid can gain from game play.

Basic skills like vision and observation can be boosted by playing games. Children with ‘lazy eyes’ have been shown to improve their vision sitting close to the screen and the general ability to pick up small details and colours is enhanced.

Different games also create interests in subjects, such as history.  Games set in historical period or with historical characters have created an interest in the real topic that can even lead to better exam results.

Abilities learned playing games is increasingly having practical benefits that are recognised by employers and universities.  Playing online games with hundreds of other people encourages team work, communication and an increased ability to think on your feet.  Even surgeons are getting better at their job due to the fine motor skills learning playing games.

Games can help people suffering from a number of conditions.  Post-operative or injury pain is one example where playing a game creates a complete release and allows a relaxation that isn’t possible otherwise.  Patients with MS have been shown to have improved balance after playing certain games, one of the major problems found with the condition.

As well as easing physical conditions, games can help with mental conditions.  Stress relief is top of the list as well as helping suffers with depression to relax and get their mind off their problems for a period of time.  Studies have even show that those with dyslexia can do more after playing games as the constantly changing environment of action games helps them to develop their focus.

So while games should be approached with caution and moderation, there is clearly benefits as well as problems that Pokémon GO and many other game crazes can help.

How to deal with Hayfever

Posted on by

When the summer sun is high in the sky, we all feel better and have more energy.  That is, of course, unless you are one of those unfortunate people for whom summer means just one thing – hayfever.  For kids, it can be even worse as all they want to do is play outside and enjoy the warm weather but their own bodies work against them.  So what can be done to help children with hay fever during a children’s party?

Symptoms

Hayfever typically started when kids are around seven years old and is worst from this age until they are in their teens.  Others retain the sensitivity into their adult years.  The symptoms are familiar to all of us, whether as suffers ourselves or seeing someone who is – sore and itchy eyes and a runny nose, sometimes the eyes, as well as lots of sneezing.  Nose bleeds are a common symptom as the lining of the nose is scratched and rubbed.

Hayfever season can start as early as March and finish as late as October and the symptoms are easy to confuse with a virus – the main way to tell the different is the length of time involved.  Normally a virus will last a week or two but if symptoms continue longer than this, it is more likely that the child is suffering from hayfever.

Around two thirds of sufferers of hayfever also experience problems sleeping due to the condition.  Nicknamed ‘insneezia’ this is the symptoms normally experienced during the day breaking up sleep on a night as the allergens settle in the cooling air. This can range from itchy eyes and a blocked nose to waking up sneezing.

Diagnosing

Having the hayfever diagnosed by your doctor is an important step to dealing with the condition.  This is primarily in case the cause of the condition isn’t hayfever but an allergy to something else the child is encountering.

It is also important to find out whether the child has the seasonal or perennial type of the condition.  This is because there are some other nasty symptoms that can accompany the perennial version that need to be watched out for.  These include sinusitis, where the cavities within the skull fill with fluid and cause pain and infection.  Younger kids can also get glue ear from this that can result in temporary hearing loss.

Usually, diagnosis by a doctor will involve a few tests such as an examination of the nose to see what is causing the allergy and if hayfever is to blame.  On occasions, an in-depth examination may be needed.

Triggers

The most common trigger of hayfever is allergens from grass, trees and plants.  This seems to effect kids while at school, due to the proximity to school fields.  Some sufferers are affected by a certain type of pollen and have a ‘season’ during which they suffer.  Others can be sensitive to a range of allergens and therefore have the symptoms during the entire year.

People with an allergy to tree pollen such as birch trees tend to find their conditions are worst in the spring while those allergic to grass pollens are worst in the summer.  Others can be effected by moulds, which result in symptoms all year around.

Treatment

Treatment for hayfever is crucial for kids to be able to make the most of spring and summer and minimalize their suffering from the allergens. If left untreated, it can even lead to other serious conditions such as asthma and could lead to the child being afraid to go outside due to the discomfort they experience

Treatment starts with medication.  These include nasal steroid sprays and drops that treat the inflammation caused by the condition without absorbing very much of the drug into the system.  Eye drops are also an important part of treating kids with hayfever.  It is best to administered these when kids are lying down, adding a drop to each eye and letting the blink reflex do the rest.

Of the medication normally given, antihistamines are the most well-known and can be bought from shops and pharmacies without prescription.  Some can make users drowsy but most will state on the packaging if they are non-drowsy.  There is tablet form but also liquids or syrups for younger kids and a pharmacist can offer their advice if you are unsure which type is right for your child.

Advice for preventing symptoms

Over the years, hayfever sufferers have tried all sorts of ways to ease the symptoms of the condition and some have proven to be quite effective.  These include staying indoors until after noon where possible to reduce the exposure to the allergen and wearing sunglasses to help protect the eyes.  Many people avoid going outside when grass is being cut, particularly in their own garden and avoiding being outside on windy days or in the aftermath of a thunderstorm when there is a higher amount of allergens in the air.  When your kids come home, consider either bathing their eyes with a wet washer or even having a shower to clear away any pollen that may have adhered to them while travelling home.

Some families have planted low allergen plants in their gardens while others have found and removed any plants that their child is particularly sensitive to.  Keep the windows closed in their bedroom and when driving in the car and use re-circulating options on the air conditioning to stop the allergen getting into the car in the first place. Parents have also found that hanging clothes up to dry in the house stops pollen from collecting on them to then be worn or put on the bed of a hayfever sufferer.

Top entertainment ideas for kids

Posted on by

Entertaining children at a party is hard work, especially if you’ve got a range of ages attending, they all want to play, and you’re trying to set up the food! So, why not let a professional children’s party entertainer, entertain and enthral your children and their friends, while you relax and wonder how 20 kids could possibly eat all that food in one sitting. (Don’t worry, they will!) 

Here’s our top entertainment ideas for children’s parties that will please the kids and impress their parents too:

1. Blow up a storm with balloon modellers     

Balloon modelling is fascinating to watch; as long thin balloons are inflated then twisted at lightening speeds into anything from a monkey to a jetpack! The great benefit of hiring Balloon Modellers for any kid’s party is that every child gets something to take home, be it a hat, custom-made balloon jewellery, a backpack or a favourite cartoon character. 

2. Face painting for children’s parties 

Transform your little VIPs into wild animals, butterflies, superheroes with the skill and artistry of expert Face Painters.  Professional face painters will only use safe, water-based and hypoallergenic materials, so kids can wear their new look all party long and parents can restore them to angelic normality before bedtime!

3. Memorable Mime Artists 

If your kids like Mr Bean, they’ll love live mime. Children just can’t take their eyes off a mime artist, fascinated as they conjure a world from thin air and pure imagination. Mime Artists offer traditional style mime and also a silent clown act, for a wonderful show full of slapstick and comedy.

4. Marvellous Magic with Close-Up Magicians 

Magic is really popular for kids, thanks to the new wave of TV street magicians, so a close-up magic show is perfect for a birthday party. Often combining conjuring tricks with an infectious sense of fun, a children’s magician will give your kids a show that’s amazing, amusing and absolutely unforgettable.

5. Superb Storytellers 

Once upon a time, there was a children’s party where every child was spellbound by the power of a great story. And that party can be yours, a wonderfully relaxing experience for both guests and parents that is hard to find in today’s busy worlds. Now that’s a true happy ending!

6. Game On! 

Remember those party games you loved as a child, like Musical Chairs, Musical Statues, Pass-the-Parcel, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Egg & Spoon, Sack Races, Simon Says? Let a professional children’s party entertainer delight the children with these oh-so-simple-but oh-such-fun games, plus their modern counterparts, Karaoke and Dancing Games, for a party that’s active, fun and stress-free for you, the host.

For summer birthdays or just a fun get-together, kids love a good party! Why not take advantage of the beautiful summer weather and have the party outside? Get going with these 5 great outdoor kids party ideas! 

The shorter school holiday debate

Posted on by

The six weeks’ holidays are an idea that dates back many generations. The root of it was that the children needed the time off school while their parents were harvesting their crops and they could help out around the land. But today, a tiny percent of kids would be involved in the family business in this way.  So has this holiday lost its appeal and should schools shorten the summer holidays?

The teacher’s view

One teacher, writing anonymously, voiced their opinion in favour of the shortening of school holiday because it would be a benefit to their students. They acknowledge that many of their colleagues would hate the idea and the trade unions may be against the concept but all of this pale against the benefits for the kids.

One of the main reasons that this teacher is against the length of the summer break is that kids in their school don’t actually like it. School brings structure and routine to their lives and for some, it offers a safe and secure place to be with food on offer.  This is of course the extreme of the viewpoint as many kids have a perfectly good structure when they are at home, but is a point to consider.

Kids often get bored during the holidays due to the length of time they are at home with little children’s entertainment.  This is when they start looking for other things to occupy themselves and end up getting into trouble.  If they were back at school earlier, this urge to do something naughty would be alleviated because they would be engaged in their studies once more.

Then there is the benefit for the teachers and their workload.  While it may seem they would have more to do with a shorter holiday, the reality would be that they spend a lot of time and effort dealing with the lost time of the summer holidays.  tudents fall behind during the holidays and a lot of work is needed when they return to get them back up to speed – by reducing the period of time they are holiday for, this effect would be reduced.

The cost of holidays view

One of the biggest complaints most parents have today is about the cost of going on holiday during the summer school break. Combine this with the new regulations that fine parents for taking kids out of school for a holiday and this means many families cannot afford their annual break, either abroad or even in this country.

Parents face an on-the-spot penalty of £60 per child issued by the school, which doubles if it is unpaid for more than three weeks.  Two or more unpaid fines can lead to parents being referred to the education welfare service for their local authority who then have the power to take them to court.  Here fines up to £2,500 can be issued and parents can even be jailed for up to three months.

In 2014, 16,430 people were prosecuted for taking their kids out of class during term, an increase of 25% on the previous years. And according to Ministry of Justice figures, three quarters of these were found guilty. In addition, over 9,000 fines were issued by the courts at an average bill of £172, an increase of nearly a third on the previous year while 18 jail sentences were handed out, compared with seven in 2013.

According to schools, good attendance is crucial to a child’s education and this is why they are taking such a hard line against absences without a valid reason. Yet the lack of flexibility in these rules is being criticised by a number of sources.

Rainy day indoor activities

Posted on by

On a sunny day, children can play outside or go to the park but when it’s raining, everything seems grim and dull. Wet weather in the school holidays can drive parents crazy, especially for those on a budget and for many that mean’s a day in the house.  How you keep the kids entertained without spending a fortune?

Cupcake Creations

Doing a spot of cookery with kids is great fun and they will enjoy serving up their creations to the rest of the family.  If you aren’t the most confident home baker, then most supermarkets sell bun making or cupcake making kits that need just a little water and an egg.  The kids get to do most of the work with a little supervision and will love arranging the decorations on the icing once they are cooked. 

Cooking, Creating and Painting

As well as edible projects, you can also make salt dough in the kitchen.  This uses 2 cups of plain flour, 1 cup of salt and up to 1 cup of water to make dough that can then be cut with shaped cutters or just by hand.  It is baked in the oven at a low heat for around three hours and can be then be painted with acrylic paint, varnished and glittered.  This activity is great for making decorations or beads to then be strung together. 

Make a Den

There aren’t many kids who don’t love the idea of having a den in the house and a rainy day is a great opportunity to do this.  Get some kitchen chairs together, hang bedding and blankets over them and secure everything with clothing pegs.  The kids can then play inside with their favourite toys and games and will probably be very difficult to get out come bedtime! 

All Children like a Good Treasure Hunt

With a little preparation, a treasure hunt around the house is a great children’s activity idea and will be great fun, with a little treat as the treasure.  Set up clues that have them thinking things through without being too difficult and send them up and down stairs as much as possible – a bit of hidden exercise while in the house.

You could even integrate a little learning into the treasure hunt, ask them a mathematical problem or how to spell a word. 

Marble Runs

Creating marble runs is a brilliant way to get the kids thinking.  Stockpile old toilet roll holders, margarine tubs and anything else they can put together to make a run for their marbles.  It won’t be long before they are becoming ever more inventive and trying to guess where the marble will go.  Just watch out they don’t end up under your feet!

Hosting an outdoor children’s party

Posted on by

Providing the weather holds, there is nothing more exciting for children than an outdoor party. Rather than being cooped up inside, the fresh air and additional space will do your guests good and give them new terrain to explore. Here are a few top tips if you’re thinking about hosting a children’s party in the garden or a hired outdoor space:

Plenty of food
An array of party foods will go down a treat. Try to ensure that you:

• Balance healthy and sugary snacks, avoiding too many E numbers
• Keep fluid levels up with regular drinks, particularly on hot days
• Provide shaded seating while children are eating

Games
No party is complete without games, and being outdoors will give you plenty of scope. Depending on the size of your garden and the age of the kids attending you could also arrange a:

• Treasure hunt
• Water balloon battle (best to advise for kids to have a change of clothes with them though)
• Messy flour and water game – where you have 2 tubs (one filled with water and the other with flour.) The kids have to use only their mouth to ‘fish’ out a sweet in a tub full of water and then they have to do the same in a tub of flour. Only once they do it with flour, they will end up with their faces covered in it- loads of fun!!! They must keep their hands behind their back at all times!
• Relay race
• Talent show – get the kids into groups and give them ideas of what they could do e.g. sing, do a funk dance they make up for themselves, a mini play, a mini x factor style competition, or whatever they like.
• Obstacle course – another fun idea is to set up some pegs either side of the garden with string either side and tell the kids that the string are laser beams that they have to crawl under, like a spy or just a cool obstacle course game. If you have garden toys, e.g. a slide (where they have to slide down the slide before coming back through the ‘laser beam maze’ or paddling pool (where they have to fish something out of the pool full of water and bring it back through the laser beam maze).

With a bit of imagination – a lot of fun can be had!!!

Kids Party Entertainment
Professional children’s entertainers can really take the pressure off you as a host as well as making the birthday boy or girl feel really special. We have plenty of entertainment packages that are perfect for a spring party or birthday celebrations.
Children’s party entertainers bring so much fun to any party and can include some great activities such as:

• Magic tricks
• Puppet shows
• Comedy
• Musical or dance-based activities
• Balloon modelling
• Exciting themes
• Science parties
• Clowns
• Discos and more

Children’s Party Themes
Introducing a theme can pull all of the above elements together. For example, if your children’s entertainers will be doing magic tricks, a magician or wizard theme goes down well. The children can dress up as their favourite character and the food and games could have a magical theme incorporated too. If you’re planning an outdoor treasure hunt, guests could come dressed as pirates and your children’s entertainers can include a cool pirate theme throughout.

Movie star parties

Posted on by

This party are for girls (or boys) that would just love to be in the movies…

INVITATIONS:

For the invitation, buy some really good stationary, and cut it into a star shape. Then, punch holes in it about every inch or so and thread gold or silver ribbon through the holes. Then in calligraphy write “you are cordially invited to spend (date) at the Oscars. Please arrive at (address) at approximately (time). To make your final reservation, please reply to the home of (child’s name) at (number).

DECORATIONS:

On the front walkway, we laid out some red felt made to look like the red carpet, and stuck sticks of wood about 1 foot away from each other along the sides, where I tied gold, silver, and white balloons to. Inside, I let some more balloons float.

ACTIVITIES:

The main activity of the party was Making the movie, but before that, we got all the actresses ‘ready’ by sending them to the ‘spa’. Throughout the house, there was a different station, and one was in the birthday girl’s bedroom. The first station, the spare room, was home to the nail and hair salon. In here we had some friends dressing the girl’s hair with pins and clips and my other friend did the nails. The other station, in the downstairs office, was makeup.

The last station, in the birthday girl’s bedroom was the dressing station, here, there were all kinds of dress up clothes that the girls could choose from. After all the girls finished at the spa, we made the movie. Before the party, we had written a simple script based on the movie, “the Princess Diaries”, where a normal teenage girl finds out she is a princess. We handed out these 3 page scripts, and each girl was given a part and five minutes to look it over quickly. Then we filmed it. Afterwards, we showed it to the girls on video and they were very proud.

Then, last but not least, we handed out the actual Oscars. Before hand, we had cut trophies out of cardboard and painted them with each girl’s name on it. For the ceremony, we had 10 categories (there were ten girls). Some of the categories were best script remembered, funniest costume, etc. We called each girl up individually to receive her award. (since we didn’t know what category each girl was going to win, when the girls came up, we wrote it with a pen on the back). After this, we had dinner at our homemade restaurant and then, to make the girls sleepy after the excitement, we showed them a copy of the proper Oscars, which featured all their favourite actors and actresses.

KIDS PARTY FOOD:

In the dining room, we had table settings that made it look like a posh restaurant. For each girl’s plate, we had a typed name card, a folded cloth napkin with a napkin ring, and we even had real silverware instead of plastic. We served chicken, rice, soup, and a chocolate cake that looked like an Oscar award. 
PARTY BAGS

When the girls were watching the movie, we made 10 copies of the video we made. We gave these out to the guests along with a bottle of nail polish.

Kitty Cat Party

Posted on by

Is your child ‘Cat crazy?’  It could be anything from Hello Kitty or the cute furry things themselves. Why not create your very own cat party for your child?  Here are a few ideas that other people have done and we hope you are inspired to follow:

For the party invitations you can always find pretty stationary with cats on them, you can write invitations on these and will be a lovely keepsake for anyone loving cats.

When your guests arrive why not face paint the guests as cats? You could paint a nose and whiskers and also think about headband ears made of felt and glitter, or get your guests to make a pair?

Now, what about games? You could play ‘pin the tail on the cat?’ or as cat’s love string you could create a sting maze. Attach a toilet paper tube to both end of 7 pieces (for approx. 14 guests) of string or wool, on one end, the tube has a picture of a cat, the other tube has a picture of a mouse. Maze them around the room, underneath chairs, tables and benches and each child has to find who is on the other end of their string.

For crafty children’s party ideas you could buy a set of paper white plates with black card, pipe cleaners for whiskers and googly eyes, guess what these are going to be make into? Yes, you have guessed it, cat faces!!! 

For food, make it fun with little sandwiches cut into goldfish shapes.  If you are feeling adventurous food bowls could be decorated with cat ears and whiskers!!  And don’t forget to serve milk!!

For the cake, you could obviously buy your own, but why not make a cake similar to your child’s favourite kitty? Hello Kitty is a favourite, but if he or she has her own special cat why not model the cake around this? 

Party Bags can be filled with chocolate cats or mice and cute cat stickers and anything you like that involves cats. This is sure to be a success and at a reasonable price too.

Skateboard Party

Posted on by

This was done for a 9-year-old boy’s birthday who was made about skateboards. There were girls and boys.  The theme was Skateboard Olympics. 

Invite: 

Cut-outs of skateboards telling them to skate on over to “name” 9th Birthday bash! I asked them to bring their skateboards or rollerblades and safety equipment. As each child arrived they got a large # for the back of their shirt and a score card that listed all the activities that they were going to be judged on. 

Games: 

There was a ramp and as they were called they got 2 chanced to freestyle on the ramp, a few of the guests were chosen as judges and they held up large numbers, their scores were wrote on their score cards, etc.  

The 2nd was a bean bag toss on the skateboards, the buckets had points on them and they got 2 chances to make it in to the bucket of their choice, the scores were put on their cards, 

3rd activity was skateboard limbo, the each time the stick dropped they got 5 points, their totals were put on the score cards, 

4th was Skateboard trick, again we used the judges and score cards. After all of that was done they were totalled them up while they were hitting the skateboard piñata.  

They played balloon pop (kids used their heads and a needle) they picked a balloon 1-20 and that’s the one they had to pop. The balloons were filled with, water, flour, confetti, skateboard cut-outs that had on the back what they won, etc. It was a lot of fun! 

A skateboard shaped cake and sub sandwiches. After the gifts and cake was done they had all of the kids sit in a circle so they could have an award ceremony and pictures. The birthday boy gave award & prizes out as their names were called, and they took their picture with the Birthday boy.

Prizes:

Computer made certificates, ribbons, mini trophies, skate board keychains, ramps, grab bags, etc. at the end of the award ceremony the Birthday boy tossed confetti on everyone it was great.