Engaging a good professional entertainer for your childs birthday party is almost a sure-fire way of making the party an enjoyable and successful one. But what type of entertainer fits the bill, the most important consideration is the age of your birthday child.
If he/she is between 1- 3 years old you may want to keep things simple. Children of this age are generally unpredictable and there is no cookie-cutter formula on choosing the right entertainer for children of this age. Children of this age tend to have shorter attention spans and varied temperaments. On the other hand kids aged 9 -12 consider themselves all grown up and usually scoff at what they consider kiddy forms of entertainment. But if your kid is between the ages of 4 - 8 then he/she is at an age where they are old enough to understand jokes and enjoy fun-filled interactive games or activities with lots of movement. This makes hiring an entertainer for kids in this age group easier and more worthwhile for all.
When it comes to hiring the entertainer the many people think of hiring a clown. Clowns are bright colourful and perform weird tricks that make people laugh. No clowns are not magicians but they sure have a great time trying to be one. Clowns are also masters of face painting, after all, they have plenty of practice on themselves. Clowns also have the ability to keep children entertained for a longer period of time so keep this in mind if you are planning a fairly large party. Another highlight of any clown is balloon twisting, wonderful colourful balloons that take the shape of whatever your child's imagination will allow.
Another popular choices of entertainers to consider for your kids birthday party might be a magician. Magicians specifically those specializing in children audiences are common choices as kids party entertainers. Good kids magicians perform bright and colourful magic such as producing a huge bouquet of flowers from an empty vase or making colourful handkerchiefs appear and disappear in the blink of an eye. Magic is a popular choice of entertainment for children because it gives the children a sense of wonder where they can suspend their disbelief. When a magician makes an object appear disappear or float in front of their eyes it lets them believe that such things are possible and that they may one day be able to do such things as well. It inspires creativity and wonder that is only lacking in today's modern world. If you looking for a magician check his experience and ask how he intends to tailor his show to cater to your young audience.
Jugglers are fast becoming a popular entertainment choice at birthday parties. Their sublime juggling skills combined with entertaining routines make them a hit not just with the kids but the whole family. Jugglers who perform at kids parties are usually prepared to demonstrate different kinds of juggling skills. They may also juggle with different items such as balls clubs rings and more. Their props are usually brightly coloured to give them more visual appeal as there is nothing more eye-catching than seeing a juggler keep 3 or 4 different coloured balls in the air at the same time. Some jugglers also involve the audience in their routines making the show audience participative and fun for the whole family. It is also not uncommon to see jugglers who combine elements of magic into their show as well. As with magic shows juggling shows require the audience to appreciate the skill that the performer is exhibiting. Younger children may not fully understand or realise a jugglers skill while older kids may tend to get bored after a while seeing the same performer attempt to juggle different things. However a good performer will be able to make his her routines entertaining enough and engaging enough to suit most kids of different ages.
Puppeteers or Ventriloquists add an extra dimension of fun to any party. Kids love to see a funny looking puppet animal telling stories and cracking jokes. Puppets also make the entire show look bigger as it appears that there is a cast of performers rather than just one performer doing the show. This is one of the main reasons ventriloquist shows are a hit at parties.the classic image of a ventriloquist is usually of a performer sitting on a stool with a wooden dummy on his or her lap performing with that character throughout the show. However many ventriloquists these days perform with brightly coloured foam or latex puppets instead and they usually have more than one puppet character in the show.
This adds an element of variety to the show which is crucial for keeping kids engaged. Some performers also add more interactivity to the show by getting the puppets to interact directly with the kids and crack impromptu jokes with them. A ventriloquism puppet show is versatile enough to entertain almost all kids and even adults. Younger kids will be captivated by brightly coloured talking puppets while older kids will be able to appreciate the jokes and interact with the puppets. A ventriloquism puppet show is something that can be a fun for the whole family. The good news is that these days you dont just have to settle for one or the other. There are professional birthday party entertainers who provide multi-dimensional performers. So the next time your kid has a party consider looking for a magician , a ventriloquist, a clown or a expert juggler... the choice is yours!
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Clowning Around - The Essence of a Clown
"Comedy has had no history, because it was not at first treated seriously." – Aristotle
Where does one begin to find the essence of the clown? This is a figure so well recognised by all of us and yet, what do we really know about our white-faced friends? For instance, did you know that the first week in August has been declared International Clown Week? In honour of this larger than life character, this archetypal human expression, we went digging around for a few facts about these farcical folk.
The English word ‘clown’ comes from the Old Icelandic, klunni, which denotes a clumsy person. According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, a clown is “a familiar comic character of pantomime and circus, known by his distinctive makeup and costume, ludicrous antics, and buffoonery, whose purpose is to induce hearty laughter. The clown usually performs a set routine characterized by broad, graphic humour, absurd situations, and vigorous physical action.”
Clowns do all that and then also a little more. They heal, they scare, they mock, they amuse. White faces; red noses; painted smiles absurdly exaggerated; wee little hats with a daisy sticking up; braces barely bolstering puffy pants... They tumble from tiny cars and trip over their outsized shoes. They know every trick in the book and they live for a roar of laughter from the crowd. They fool about and clown around and mostly we don’t think much about them.
Yet, they are the keepers of the sweet spot on the human psyche – the part that sees the absurdities and tells the truth, the part that is not afraid of being hurt or embarrassed or of showing emotion. Clowns represent at the same time our greatest vulnerability, fragility even, and the robustness that enables us to get right back up again every time we fall. Similarly, they hold the dichotomy of our innocence, the child within that never grows up, as well as the wisdom that enables us to see through the farce.
Clowns have always known what educators are only cottoning on to now: humans learn best while laughing. Clowns are never mean: the joke is always on them. When they make elaborate and conspicuous plans to make fun of someone else, the joke always backfires. Sometimes literally. Clowns are courageous: in ancient times at the royal court, clowns (or jesters) were the only ones who dared to contradict or criticise the king. Clowns are multi-talented: not only can they tickle the funny bone but they often juggle, walk tightropes, ride unicycles or tumble from trapezes while doing so.
"Wearing underwear on the outside of your clothes can turn a tedious trip to the store for a forgotten carton of milk into an amusement park romp." – Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams
The exact origins of the clown are lost to us but this archetypal character has sprung up in all cultures and nationalities across the face of the earth. John Cech, a clown expert, points out: “The Zunis of the American Southwest had a name for this creature: he was called the Contrary. He appeared at all the most sacred festivals, dressed in a striped costume and wearing a cone-shaped hat. His job was to make fun of serious things, to call attention to the absurd, impossible side of our experience and thus to complete a kind of cosmic circle. He reminds us of that other shadowy, tricky, wobbly side to our nature. He was supposed to do what you aren’t supposed to do – fall down, eat the wrong things, say the wrong things, behave the wrong way.”
Across the globe, clowns came to entertain and gently confront in many different guises and under many different names. There is the Arlecchino, or Harlequin, from Italy; the Pierrot from France and that most intrepid of the species, the Rodeo Clown from the United States.
Clowns are also differentiated by their type of costume, make-up and performance. The whiteface clown, one of the most well-known of modern clown types, uses make-up to exaggerate their facial features and expressions rather than modify or conceal them. The grotesque clown, on the other hand, uses exaggerated make-up and costumes, such as a large nose and a skullcaps to dramatically alter his or her features. The character clown adopts a specific common character, like a butcher, a policeman, housewife or hobo. The Auguste clown is self-important and displays every appearance of dignity. Auguste clowns often work as part of a duo and their counterparts always get the better of them. Since the Auguste clown so obviously thinks of himself as smart, superior and wise, when the joke is on him it is doubly funny.
"I remain just one thing, and one thing only – and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician." – Charlie Chaplin
As an expression of the human psyche, the archetypal clown is associated with three major characteristics: making people laugh, making them cry, and wearing a mask that covers the clown’s own real emotions. “The Clown reflects the emotions of the crowd, making an audience laugh by satirizing something they can relate to collectively or by acting out social absurdities. In general, the messages communicated through a Clown’s humour are deeply serious and often critical of the hypocrisy in an individual or in some area of society. Because of the mask he wears, the Clown is allowed – indeed, expected – to cross the boundaries of social acceptance, representing what people would like to do or say themselves,” says Carloline Myss in her book, Sacred Contracts.
Psychologically speaking, the clown of course also has a dark side, which finds expression in cruel, personally directed mockery or betrayal, specifically by breaking the confidences gained through knowledge from the inner circle. This shadowy clown type is in reality distressed by his or her unconscious lack of power and is often driven by greed or an inordinate desire for fame. It is this dark aspect of the clown that sometimes inspires a phobia, known as coulrophobia. Most discussions on this inordinate dread of clowns seem to agree that the most fear-inducing aspect of clowns is the heavy make-up that, accompanied by the bulbous nose and weird hair colour, completely conceals the wearer’s identity.
"Everyone who goes to a job he doesn’t like is a lot weirder than I am.” – Dr. Hunter "Patch” Adams
Performing clowns, however, portray the good in this archetype. They are, for the most part, honourable folk with pure intentions and a firm grasp on integrity. Within the clown community there even exists an informal code of conduct that also protects the individual clown’s informal right to a costume, makeup and other unique performance attributes that must not be infringed by other clowns. In Britain, in recognition of The Code, each clown has their own clown face painted onto an eggshell and no two eggs can be alike.
One of the best known and most benevolent modern day clowns must surely be Hunter “Patch” Adams, whose story was told so eloquently by Robin Williams in the movie, Patch Adams. A qualified medical doctor, Adams became increasingly convinced of the relationship between wellness and environment and, subsequently, the healing power of laughter. Adams still works tirelessly to provide better, more affordable healthcare in an environment more condusive to healing.
And so, if you are looking for a reason to become festive this August, why not let your inner clown come out to play? Since laughter remains the best medicine, you would be doing your mind, body and soul a kindness. Heaven knows, we take life so seriously – fretting about anything we can lay our weary minds on. In honour of the ancient tradition of fools everywhere, this August, let us clown around a little.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Kids and Weddings
Kids at weddings has been a huge "no no" during the past ten years, however, the trend has shifted to let them share in your special day.
To combat the problems of tiny tot boredom during the reception and to allow parents to totally enjoy your shindig here are a few suggestions to keep the young ones occupied and happy:
Hire a babysitter - most hotels have a baby sitting service or a kids club and you could probably pay an extra fee to have them entertain and supervise the little ones during your reception fiesta.
Seat children together at a special "kids table"- cover the tables with butchers paper and throw crayons in the middle.
Give each child an activity pack including games and puzzles, bubbles, crayons, colouring books
Consider hiring magic makers, clowns or puppet shows.
Serve a kids meal consisting of chicken nuggets, pizza’s, cheesy potato’s, pasta, fish fingers etc.
Give older children jobs at the reception ie. getting messages in the Guest Book, passing around favours, handing out disposable camera’s.
Have a special cinema corner set up for young ones, with comfy pillows, popcorn and juice showing tiny-tot favourites: Finding Nemo, Shrek, The Lion King etc.
It may seem like a lot of additional effort, but this day is one to remember for the rest of your life, and if having children at the wedding means you can ensure your closest friends and family can be there also, it’s well worth it!
To combat the problems of tiny tot boredom during the reception and to allow parents to totally enjoy your shindig here are a few suggestions to keep the young ones occupied and happy:
Hire a babysitter - most hotels have a baby sitting service or a kids club and you could probably pay an extra fee to have them entertain and supervise the little ones during your reception fiesta.
Seat children together at a special "kids table"- cover the tables with butchers paper and throw crayons in the middle.
Give each child an activity pack including games and puzzles, bubbles, crayons, colouring books
Consider hiring magic makers, clowns or puppet shows.
Zimbo note: Zimbo loves Weddings - allow me to entertain those kids while you boogy down on the dance floor. Yes we may very well join you for that part, just as soon as I've finished my fantastic magic show. Go ahead, party the night away and good luck picking out your kid at the end because there little faces will be covered in one of my eloborate face painting masterpieces.
Serve a kids meal consisting of chicken nuggets, pizza’s, cheesy potato’s, pasta, fish fingers etc.
Give older children jobs at the reception ie. getting messages in the Guest Book, passing around favours, handing out disposable camera’s.
Have a special cinema corner set up for young ones, with comfy pillows, popcorn and juice showing tiny-tot favourites: Finding Nemo, Shrek, The Lion King etc.
It may seem like a lot of additional effort, but this day is one to remember for the rest of your life, and if having children at the wedding means you can ensure your closest friends and family can be there also, it’s well worth it!
Why hire a Party Clown for your kids party?
Master party clowns will provide wizardly magic, performing puppets, plate twirling, face painting, juggling shows and more. Clown entertainers supply children (and adults) with a charming birthday party experience that will be remembered for years to come.
A clown is commonly a fantastic option for a Birthday event, but similar anything else you do for your kids - Do some preparation! Check over references, be sure that you understand who you're considering hiring for your Kids Party.
The phrase clown historically stood for "clod" or "buffoon" and was frequently used to refer to a fumbling country "hick", "bumpkin", "Joker" "Jester", "fool," "minstrel," and "mime" Many were gypsys, with no fixed address who spent their times travelling from town to town, some were organized and travelled with Fairs and Circuses, though many were loners who plotted their own course of entertaining the public.
These travelling entertainers were looked upon as being very funny, and comedic actors and before long others copied their styles. During gothic times, these performers began to be known as "Clowns". Whichever term is applied, a clown and his skills to execute eccentric acts of skill in an daring, yet funny style became a important part of modern circus and carnival clowning.
Nowadays, several types of clowns provide us with their entertaining ways. There is the classic circus clown, who provide amusement and laughter as part of a larger show. There is also the child's party clown, who can take on the persona of a sad clown, a clumsy clown, and a party clown for smaller private groups such as birthday parties.
Kids party clowns today are very skilled and cognizant of how to make all the children at a party feel comfortable. They come armed with an array of games, singsongs, dancing and other laughter - inducing Clown fun. Still, some kids do get scared of the makeup and red noses no matter how friendly your party clown may be. You should what the clown looks like before you consider hiring him/her. I'm sure they would gladly send you a picture if you asked.
Article Author: Unknown
www.clowningaround.co.za
A clown is commonly a fantastic option for a Birthday event, but similar anything else you do for your kids - Do some preparation! Check over references, be sure that you understand who you're considering hiring for your Kids Party.
The phrase clown historically stood for "clod" or "buffoon" and was frequently used to refer to a fumbling country "hick", "bumpkin", "Joker" "Jester", "fool," "minstrel," and "mime" Many were gypsys, with no fixed address who spent their times travelling from town to town, some were organized and travelled with Fairs and Circuses, though many were loners who plotted their own course of entertaining the public.
These travelling entertainers were looked upon as being very funny, and comedic actors and before long others copied their styles. During gothic times, these performers began to be known as "Clowns". Whichever term is applied, a clown and his skills to execute eccentric acts of skill in an daring, yet funny style became a important part of modern circus and carnival clowning.
Nowadays, several types of clowns provide us with their entertaining ways. There is the classic circus clown, who provide amusement and laughter as part of a larger show. There is also the child's party clown, who can take on the persona of a sad clown, a clumsy clown, and a party clown for smaller private groups such as birthday parties.
Kids party clowns today are very skilled and cognizant of how to make all the children at a party feel comfortable. They come armed with an array of games, singsongs, dancing and other laughter - inducing Clown fun. Still, some kids do get scared of the makeup and red noses no matter how friendly your party clown may be. You should what the clown looks like before you consider hiring him/her. I'm sure they would gladly send you a picture if you asked.
Article Author: Unknown
www.clowningaround.co.za
Monday, April 14, 2008
Themed parties for children
Is your child asking for another birthday party at the local pizza place or skating arena?? Are you looking for an inexpensive alternative? It's easy to create a fun and unique celebration with a theme party! Here are some ideas and tips to host a successful themed birthday party for your child:
First, ask your child what his/her favorite characters, interests, etc.. are, once you have decided on a character or a theme that you would like to go with, start jotting down yours and your child's ideas. Don't forget to include ideas for: partyware...decorations...invitations....games/activities...party favors...food to serve... and the birthday cake.
You can either choose to go with already made character ensembles, or use solid partyware and make your own decorations, or a little of both.. depending on how creative you are feeling... Whatever you choose you can make your party simple or over the top.
There are so many themes to choose from... or you can even create your own, based on your child's favorite things. Here are a couple of favorites for girls and boys in the following age categories:
Tea party (ages 3-7) Decorate tables with pretty fabric tablecloths and china or plastic tea service...Gather teddybears and dolls and place in the seats in between other guests... provide hats, gloves, fancy clothes and jewelry for guests to play dress up...serve mini sandwiches, cookies, and decaffeinated tea...hand out faux jewelry, ring pop suckers, and a small teddy bear to each guest.
Train Party (ages 2-7) Decorate party area with large cardboard R/R signs...Obtain large appliance boxes and cut and decorate to resemble an engine, box car, and a caboose...this will serve as wonderful decorations, fun for the kids to pretend, as well as, a great photo op. Set up your child's train table (if available), and allow the kids to play to their heart's content. Make hobo bags for lunches: make sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, bag of chips, and an apple for each. Lay out a bandana. Place these items in the middle of the bandana. Pull all 4 corners up and tie. Tie this to a wood dowel rod for each guest. Hand out an engineer cap and train whistle to each guest.
First birthdays: Polka Dot Party....Sesame Street...Elmo...Bob the Builder...Party Pups...Rubber Duckie...Barnyard...Baby Einstein...Daisies....Classic Pooh....Strawberry Shortcake
General Birthdays: Beach party...WWF...Outer Space Party or Star Wars...Clown Party...Train Party or Thomas the Tank Engine...Horton Hears a Who...Magic Show...Wild West Party...Tea Party...Princess Party...Robots Party Zoo Party or Madagascar Party...Circus Party...Hot Wheels...The Incredibles...Mickey Mouse Party...Pirate Party...batman...Spongebob Party...Scooby Doo...Spiderman...Sharktales...Sports Party...Totally 80's...Unicorn Party...Construction Party or Surfs Up..
Clowning Around is a great place to find everything in one place. You can order a complete 'party in a box', or order ala carte.
First, ask your child what his/her favorite characters, interests, etc.. are, once you have decided on a character or a theme that you would like to go with, start jotting down yours and your child's ideas. Don't forget to include ideas for: partyware...decorations...invitations....games/activities...party favors...food to serve... and the birthday cake.
You can either choose to go with already made character ensembles, or use solid partyware and make your own decorations, or a little of both.. depending on how creative you are feeling... Whatever you choose you can make your party simple or over the top.
There are so many themes to choose from... or you can even create your own, based on your child's favorite things. Here are a couple of favorites for girls and boys in the following age categories:
Tea party (ages 3-7) Decorate tables with pretty fabric tablecloths and china or plastic tea service...Gather teddybears and dolls and place in the seats in between other guests... provide hats, gloves, fancy clothes and jewelry for guests to play dress up...serve mini sandwiches, cookies, and decaffeinated tea...hand out faux jewelry, ring pop suckers, and a small teddy bear to each guest.
Train Party (ages 2-7) Decorate party area with large cardboard R/R signs...Obtain large appliance boxes and cut and decorate to resemble an engine, box car, and a caboose...this will serve as wonderful decorations, fun for the kids to pretend, as well as, a great photo op. Set up your child's train table (if available), and allow the kids to play to their heart's content. Make hobo bags for lunches: make sandwiches wrapped in wax paper, bag of chips, and an apple for each. Lay out a bandana. Place these items in the middle of the bandana. Pull all 4 corners up and tie. Tie this to a wood dowel rod for each guest. Hand out an engineer cap and train whistle to each guest.
First birthdays: Polka Dot Party....Sesame Street...Elmo...Bob the Builder...Party Pups...Rubber Duckie...Barnyard...Baby Einstein...Daisies....Classic Pooh....Strawberry Shortcake
General Birthdays: Beach party...WWF...Outer Space Party or Star Wars...Clown Party...Train Party or Thomas the Tank Engine...Horton Hears a Who...Magic Show...Wild West Party...Tea Party...Princess Party...Robots Party Zoo Party or Madagascar Party...Circus Party...Hot Wheels...The Incredibles...Mickey Mouse Party...Pirate Party...batman...Spongebob Party...Scooby Doo...Spiderman...Sharktales...Sports Party...Totally 80's...Unicorn Party...Construction Party or Surfs Up..
Clowning Around is a great place to find everything in one place. You can order a complete 'party in a box', or order ala carte.
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