Looking for something different than cake and ice cream around the dining room table for a children’s party? Kids love carnivals, so why not have one at your house?
It’s not as difficult as it might seem, and will be a world of fun. Like a carnival, you can have games, face painting, and lots of activities, so recruit l a number of adults or teenagers to help out. Parents are the best recruits because they can participate as well, running the games and booths, and the carnival become a family outing as well. The possibilities really are endless, but the key is Planning and Preparation. You need to tailor your carnival to suit your circumstances: your budget, the space and age group.
Where to Have Your Carnival? As they say in Real Estate, “location, location, location”! You’ll need a fair amount of space so holding it outdoors is ideal. A big back yard is ideal for a kid’s carnival but the size and nature of the activities need to fit the space available. If you don’t have a big enough space, ask other parents, or consider renting church or playground space. It needs to be big enough to hold a bunch of kids, parents as well as the various activities. Keep in mind that you will need to plan set up time before and take down/cleanup time after, though careful planning and lots of help will make it easier.
What about tickets and Prizes? Of course, a carnival must have games and prizes. You can use tickets – win tickets at aa game, choose from a selection of (inexpensive) prizes. Or you can just have prizes at each game station. There are many great places to buy inexpensive toys, and candy can also be a good prize. Make sure the games are challenging, but easy enough that everyone gets some kind of prize.