Creative Minds Needed

[daycare]

I am having a huge cupcake/cookie social next month. Its a huge event I put on every year for our graduates and their families as well as inviting back past graduates to share their success stories with us about their schooling.

this year we are 100% in doors, I rented a beautiful hall due to the major heat we have been experiencing. . Due to it being in-doors I am in need of some ideas of what we can do to keep everyone happy and entertained.

I have a video slide show that we show and a little ceremony with the kids.

I was thinking of doing some family engagement table activity games, but am stuck. I wanted to do something that the families and their child can do together and the winning family gets a prize.

I do go all out on this event. It is what has kept my business running, as it is always a wonderful turn out and the parents and children love it. not to brag, but it does become the talk of our little town. Last year I spent a little under a grand, this year I am pretty close to that and have about $475 left to spend.

ideas please and thanks in advance for your help.

[Pandaluver21]

How big is your space? Could you set up some carnival type games?

[daycare]

How big is your space? Could you set up some carnival type games?

it is like a banquet room for meetings or such, can hold about 80 people and I feel we will have about that many attending. I don't think there would be space for that or would I have the staff to help run it. but that does sound like a blast. thank you for the idea. we did that about 10 years ago when we had an outside space.

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

You could make a simple challenge... the old, here''s toothpicks, drinking straws, scotch tape, and string... the family that can build the tallest, longest, most creative robot with these items gets a prize. You can literally pick any medium (pipe cleaners, paper plates, toothbrushes...) and make up a challenge (build a bridge, monster, tree, shoe...). Decide rules before hand (i.e. mom can use anything in her purse as well, kids must present the final product...). Endless possibilities.

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

Give out a scavenger hunt list with invite random small items (blue clothes pin, picture of elvis, green button, yellow nail polish) and have a door prize for that. Or do a people scavenger hunt that day, where you have a list and they have to have other other attendees sign off that they fit the bill (someone wearing red socks, somoney who's been to Canada, someone who has a job, someone under 5 who can stand on one foot and say their ABCs).

[finsup]

Scavenger hunt maybe? You could do a mix of items people might have on them, in their cars, pocket books etc and then buy some smaller type items to place around the room? Family that finds the most items wins. I've done this outside before, inside, may be trickier but if you think you'd have enough space it's definitely fun!

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

Have a slide of an I spy picture on the screen, don't mention it at all. When time for the activity, take it away and have families list as many items as they can remember, double points for descriptive's (i.e. red horse vs. horse). Or leave the slide up and have the families see who can list all the items that start with the letter be or are fuzzy, or are blue. (Make sure you have the answer list completed ahead of time).

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

You could do trivia. A couple ideas for rounds: Picture round where they have to identify people/characters (this could be super fun with pictures from different generations, Cher, Zuma from paw patrol, paw patrol, John Wayne, the blue ninja turtle...). Songs (you provide the lyrics they name the song, fill-in a missing lyric, name the singer) again lots of fun with different generations. General knowledge questions. Make a list ( animals that live in the jungle, animals that have feathers, food that you eat cold, things you do before bed). A round just on nursery rhymes.

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

Toothpick puzzles... let me find a good link to simple ones.

These can be super fun, because the kids often get the solution first.

[TheMisplacedMidwestMom]

They may be more advanced than your group... but would be fun to practice with kids before the day and amaze the parents.

http://www.learning-tree.org.uk/stickpuzzles/stick_puzzles_old.htm

[Cat Herder]

I have thrown a few of these parties over the years as well.

1. "Family bingo" with family fun prizes like crayola art kits, baking kits, badminton sets, corn hole boards and slip-n-slides.

2. Cake walk/musical chairs that all the adults participate in. Most parents buy from local bakery's who often donate for advertisement. The hard core parents make masterpieces that the participants knock each other down over, it is hysterical (picture sugar loaded bridesmaids).

3. Cupcake walk/musical chairs for kids. Same general premise, but instant gratification to keep them happy in the moment.

4. Raffle for the big gift basket of family fun. Movies, artisan popcorn bags, board games, silly string, water balloons, etc.

[CityGarden]

You could do family activity stations if you have the staff to run them. Each stations could have minute to win it games.

Another thing would be to do large group games limbo, freeze dance, sack potato / three leg race, teach a simple country western dance kids and adults could learn and enjoy.

When families check in given them a raw pinewood derby car, they can go to different stations to working on / decorate and make their car.... then a X time all the cars could race.

Hire an entertainer!
There is a bubble man in my town that can do them indoors and his shows are AMAZING. You could also consider a magician which is fun for all ages. Mad Science Show has been a hit with the dcks and the Girl Scouts.

I also like the scavenger hunt idea.

[daycare]

You could make a simple challenge... the old, here''s toothpicks, drinking straws, scotch tape, and string... the family that can build the tallest, longest, most creative robot with these items gets a prize. You can literally pick any medium (pipe cleaners, paper plates, toothbrushes...) and make up a challenge (build a bridge, monster, tree, shoe...). Decide rules before hand (i.e. mom can use anything in her purse as well, kids must present the final product...). Endless possibilities.

OMG this is exactly what I was looking for, stuff like this.

[daycare]

I have thrown a few of these parties over the years as well.

1. "Family bingo" with family fun prizes like crayola art kits, baking kits, badminton sets, corn hole boards and slip-n-slides.

2. Cake walk/musical chairs that all the adults participate in. Most parents buy from local bakery's who often donate for advertisement. The hard core parents make masterpieces that the participants knock each other down over, it is hysterical (picture sugar loaded bridesmaids).

3. Cupcake walk/musical chairs for kids. Same general premise, but instant gratification to keep them happy in the moment.

4. Raffle for the big gift basket of family fun. Movies, artisan popcorn bags, board games, silly string, water balloons, etc.

ok, I am stupid ..what is a cake walk and how do you do it? is it a game?

[daycare]

OMG thanks so much ladies. I love these ideas...more more more..