Party Ideas

Party Ideas

Monthly Archive: July 2014


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Get out your PJ’s cause it’s SLEEPOVER TIME! School holidays are here for WA (FINALLY) and I’m just glad I don’t have to think about algebra anymore! Instead, I can catch up with my besties and there is no better way than hosting a sleepover party! The possibilities for fun are endless and you’ll become so much closer with your friends.
 
For the launch of the new Encore Best Friends Sleepover Party that I designed especially for you, I’m going to be showing you how to plan and have the BEST sleepover party EVER!
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Now before you start calling your girl friends around, you need to make some serious preparations! Where are you going to party?  What are you going to pack? What are you going to eat? What are you going to do? Well settle down because I’ve got it all sorted! 
 
If you’re going to host the party, you’ll want to check out these tips first!
 
Ask Mum and Dad
Most important thing to do is to actually make sure your ‘rents are sweet with having your friends over or they might get a very unpleasant surprise! You might also want to ask them for some ‘supplies’ (you know, lollies, chips, etc!).
how to plan the ultimate sleepover party for your friends
Invite Your Besties 
Your sleepover’s on! Now time to invite everyone. Just make sure you don’t leave anyone out. There really isn’t anything worse than hear all of your friends talk about the awesome sleepover THEY had and missing out on all the inside jokes and secrets.
slumber party games, how to plan the ultimate sleepover
Choose the Party Location
The ideal place to have all of the sleepover party action is as far away from your ‘rent’s room as possible - no parent likes to put up with hysterical laughing and the sound of 1D thumping from the speakers at 11 o’clock! Make sure that you also have easy access to the bathroom and the kitchen for snack updates and whenit’sbustingandyoureallyneedtosprintbutifyourunyou’llwakeabsolutelyeveryoneinthehouseup.
sleepover tents, where to host a sleepover party
Set Up!
Every party needs a den that is comfortable and where you can lay around while listening to those pinky-promise-you-won’t-tell secrets. When setting up your stuff in your party location, make sure you take anything really breakable out just incase a harlem shakefest breaks out. A cool idea would also be to hand up fairy lights or paper chains. Place your mattresses arranged in a way where nobody is left out and you can see everyone – in a circle formation. This also saves those awkies ‘I don’t know if that’s her foot or elbow in my face’ situations. 
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There’s the planning done! Stay tuned for more of my Ultimate Sleepover Party posts for what to eat, what to do and heaps more!
 
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Been invited to a sleepover? Trying to decide what to bring? I have the answer! Here’s a short video with exactly what to bring and a few extra tips and tricks. Enjoy! 
 
 
Things to Pack
 
- A pillow
- A sleeping bag
- A bag to put it all in
- A onesie
- Slippers
- PJ’s
- A change of clothes
- iPod/Pad and charger
- Diary
- Books/Quizzes/etc.
- Hair brush and hair ties
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Lipbalm
- Moisturiser
- Make up (for games) and make up remover (for accidents)
- Perfume
- Nail stuff – polish, file and remover
 
Sleepover party ideas, what to pack for a sleepover, kids party perth
Hope you enjoyed the video! Stay tuned for more Ultimate Sleepover stuff such as what to eat and what to do! Maybe you might see Encore's gorgeous Sleepover hosts at your sleepover smiley
 
 
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What to Eat at the Ultimate Sleepover Party
 
An epic sleepover party filled with fun needs epic snacks - seriously, what else would you use for chubby bunnies or the chocolate game? These treat ideas and recipes I’ve given you will have you happily munching all night long. 
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Dinner
 
Here are some seriously easy ideas for dinner that even you and your friends can make.
 Tacos – Whether it’s making your own or using the type from the box, tacos are easy and heaps of fun to put together!
 Have a barbecue – Get Dad to ‘throw a few bangers on the barbie’ and serve in a bun like a sausage sizzle.
 San Choy Bow – Spoonfuls of tasty mince in a crisp lettuce cups topped with fried noodles – mmm… This Chinese meal won’t disappoint.
sleepover snacks, sleepover party, kids party perth
Pizza
 
If there’s one thing we can thank the Italian’s for; it’s pizza. You can either order from your local pizza store or make your own!
 
I recommend using store-bought bases because you can simply top them and whack them in the oven. Some of my favourite topping combinations are:
 Meat lovers - Bacon, chicken, pepperoni, beef, barbecue sauce and cheese.
 Hawaiian - Ham, pineapple, traditional tomato sauce base and cheese.
 Pesto chicken  - Cooked chicken pieces, cooked pumpkin cubes, basil, pesto sauce and cheese.
 Nacho Chicken - Corn chips, cooked chicken pieces, black beans, salsa sauce, and Mexican blend cheese. Top with coriander, sour cream and avocado.
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Snacks
These savory and sweet snacks will fill your need for something to nibble on while spontaneously Gangnam-Styling it or watching your favourite flick. 
 Crackers – Crackers and cheese are just about as easy as it gets. Cut some slices of cheddar and some crackers on a plate. Done in 2 minutes!
 Chips - I love cheesy Doritos with Dorito salsa and sour cream and chives flavors. 
  Veggie platter - Cut up veggie sticks and yummy hummus dip 
sleepover party, kids party perth
 Sausage rolls or party pies. Get Mum to put some sausage rolls and party pies in the oven and serve with tomato sauce.
 Lollies , my favourites are nerds, M&M’s, gummy bears, snakes, fantales and gummy disguises.
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 Fruit platter - Boring fruit platters no more! Fill yours with yummy berries, kiwi fruit, passion fruit, cherries and mango if it’s in season -
 
 Nutella - Everyone just loves Nutella. Full stop.
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 Pick and mix  - Put some Chex cereal, M&M’s, pretzels and anything else you want in a bowl and voilà, you have a bowl of pick and mix!
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 Chocolate covered pretzels  - Pretzels. Check. Melted chocolate. Check. Cover the pretzels in chocolate and devour (these won’t last long, trust me!) 
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Popcorn
The good old favourite for munching on while you watch your favourite movie is popcorn. Here’s 3 cool seasonings you can make at home yourself.
 
 Churros popcorn – Like the popular Spanish dessert, this one is covered in yummy cinnamon sugar and milk chocolate.
Just add: some cinnamon, caster sugar, icing sugar (or alternatively use cinnamon sugar) and melted milk chocolate to your freshly popped popcorn and mix. 
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 M&M Nutella popcorn - This brings together three of the best foods: Nutella, M&M’s and popcorn. Pure genius.
Just add: M&M’s, Nutella and a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness to your freshly popped popcorn and mix.
M&M popcorn recipe, chocolate popcorn, kids party food ideas
 Cheesy Paprika popcorn - If you like a bit of spiciness and cheesiness, this is a great popcorn seasoning for you.
Just add: Cheese such as cheddar or Parmesan, smoked paprika, a pinch of salt and some melted butter to your freshly popped popcorn.
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Breakfast
Whether you rise and shine early or sleep in late (which is almost guaranteed at a sleepover), you gotta have the most important meal of the day – breakfast. Here are some ideas to break-the-fast. 
Waffles – If you have a waffle maker, whip up a batch and get waffle pressing. It’s also heaps of fun.
French toast – French toast served with berries and ice-cream can only lead to breakfast bliss.
 Pancakes - I love making pancakes with my friends because it means we can all pitch in and have fun. I LOVE the White Wings Café Creations Real Pancake mixes. You just add a cup and a half of milk and two eggs and you don’t need to worry about making your own batter. My favourite is the Dark Chocolate Chip and Vanilla type!
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If you do feel like making your own batter, here is my basic pancakes recipe:
 
Basic Pancakes
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/3 cup caster sugar
25g melted butter
 
Whisk milk, egg and vanilla together in a jug. Sift flour and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in centre. Add milk mixture. Whisk until just combined.
 
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Brush pan with butter. Using 1/4 cup mixture per pancake, cook 2 pancakes for 3 to 4 minutes or until bubbles appear on surface. Turn and cook for 3 minutes or until cooked through. Repeat with remaining mixture, brushing pan with butter between batches. 
 berry panckae recipe, sleepover party breakfast
Serve warm with your favourite toppings such as honey or maple syrup, berries, a dust of icing sugar and ice-cream (who says you can’t have ice-cream for breakfast?)
 
Have a great sleepover! If anything, your ultimate sleepover party will be the tastiest one yet! 
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Stay tuned for more Ultimate Sleepover Party stuff including heaps of games and activities!
 
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What to Do at your Ultimate Sleepover Party
sleepover party games
So, you’ve planned your Ultimate Sleepover Party, you’ve packed and you’ve got everything you are going to be eating all sorted – but what are you actually going to do at your Ultimate Sleepover Party? Don’t fret, because I have all your party games set! Let’s get to it then!
 
I’ve separated these games into games you might do in the afternoon before you’re in your PJs and are suited for doing outside and games inside in your pajamas. Also make sure that when doing activities where pairing up is necessary that nobody is left out by themselves! 
 
Outside Games
 
Suck it up
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Do you think you have the lungs of an Olympic swimmer or the suck of a vacuum cleaner? It’s time to find out!
You’ll need:
A timer or a phone to time
Some Maltesers (two small bags should do)
One straw for each person playing
Two plastic plates or a shallow bowl
 
Divide the players into 3 or more teams (with at least 3 players in each team).
Put all the maltesers in one bowl on one end of a table and another empty bowl at the opposite end of the table – aim for them to be about 3 or more meters apart.
Set the timer for one minute and let one team at a time try and suck up a malteser with their straw in their mouth, and carry it over to the other bowl and place it in there. 
The team with the most amount of maltesers in the end bowl wins!
 
Toilet Paper Dodge
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This one is best done outside in a clear space. Also make sure you clean it all up after playing!
You’ll need:
Two rolls of toilet paper per person playing 
Rope or cones marking where the line is
 
Set up an equal line across the lawn and split your party guest into two teams.
Unwind the end of each toilet paper roll a little and give two to each player.
Commence the game of dodge! Players have to try and hit the other team’s players while trying not to get hit themselves. If a player is hit, they must drop all of their rolls and go off to the sideline. They must do 50 star jumps to enter back into the game. The winner of the game is the team who gets all of the other team’s players out at a time. 
 
Headline Fashion
fashion game, design a newspaper dress game, teen games, kids party perth
 
Just wow… 
 
This is the game for all of you thrifty fashion divas. It’s fantastic what you can create with just tape and newspaper. You can also do this with toilet paper, however it rips more easily than newspaper.
You’ll need:
Old newspapers – each pair will need about 2 each
Some making tape - a roll per pair
A ‘runway’
 
Split your guests into pairs and give them two newspapers and a roll of masking tape each.
Tell them that they have ten minutes to come up with the best ‘headline’ outfit they can before the fashion show. 
Let each pair elect a designer and a model.
After the 10 minutes, hold a fashion show on the ‘runway’ such as a rectangle marked out by rope or cones.
Get your ‘rents to judge the winner!
 
Inside Games
Spin the Nail Polish
spin the nailpolish game, sleepover game, kids party perth
This is the MUCH better alternative to the dreaded ‘Spin the Bottle’ game, which in my opinion is a terrible idea (who wants ‘boy germs’ anyway?).
You’ll need:
12 or more colours nail polish bottles
A bottle of nail polish remover
Q tips or cotton balls
 
Arrange the nail polish bottles in a circle with the nail polish remover bottle lying down in the middle as the spinner. 
Get your guests to sit in a circle around the nail polishes and one at a time, spin the nail polish remover bottle. Whichever nail polish bottle the cap end lands on, that guest must paint one of their nails that colour.
Continue around the circle until every girl has painted all of her nails.
 
Cucumber Face Race
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This game is very much like the Cookie Game. If you want, you can always substitute the cucumber slice for a cookie instead.
You’ll need:
A cucumber slice for each guest (usually you’ll need a lot more than one per player)
 
Place a cucumber on each player’s forehead. Everyone should be sitting up straight with their hands behind their backs.
On the word go, everyone uses their facial muscles to move the cucumber slice down their face and into their mouth without using their hands. 
The first person who successfully gets the slice into their mouth, chews and swallows it wins!
 
Puppet Interviews
sleepover games, kids party perth
This has got to be the most hilarious and my favourite theatre sports game ever! Set up a small stage area and get settled in for the laughs! 
You’ll need:
Two overly large zip-up jumpers or two big dressing gowns
A hat and some paper and a pen
 
Tear up strips and write scenarios for the game on paper and place them in the hat. Some ideas are:
 - An interview with Oprah and a musician
 - A football game report
 - A marketer trying to sell a food blender
 - A weather report at a tornado
 - A famous actress interview
 - An interview with a really lame comedian
 
Separate your guests into groups of four and let them separate into pairs.
Pull out one scenario from the hat for the group which they have to act out.
Each pair puts on a large jumper, the Talker at the front and the Mime at the back with their hands through the sleeves.
The Talkers then start the interview with the Mimes acting out their hand movements through the sleeves.
 
Blind Makeovers
blind makover game, teen games, sleepover party games
This one is ‘pretty’ simple and self-explanatory, but the results are hilarious!
You’ll need:
Some make-up - I recommend:
A selection of colourful eye shadows
Blush
Bronzer
Mascara
Lipstick
Lipgloss
 
I wouldn’t recommend using eyeliner or foundation as you might poke someone’s eye out or it could get very messy.
You’ll also need:
A blindfold or eye mask
A mirror
Make-up remover
Some old sheets or towels
 
Place the old sheets and towels on the ground and pair off all of your guests.
Have each pair facing each other with all of the make-up in front of them. 
Make one person of the pair place on a blindfold and let the madness begin!
The blindfolded person must feel the different types of make-up and apply it to the other person. The other person can also not help or talk to the other blindfolded person.
When done, on the count of three, let the blindfolded person take off their eye mask and see their ‘masterpiece’ and the made over person look in a mirror. The results will be hilarious!
 
There we go! Plenty of games to keep you entertained all night!
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Stay tuned next time for Friendship games and ways to get to know each other better!
 
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What to Do at the Ultimate Sleepover Party – Friendship Edition
Friendship quizzes for girls, sleepover party, slumber party games
Sleepovers are the best way to have some fun with your main girls are get to know them even better than you already do. Even if you’ve been friends ‘since birth’, you’ll always find out something you didn’t know before. These games are for bonding and having heaps of fun and laughs too!
 
Two Truths and a Lie
sleepover party games, slumber party games, tween party games
Do you think you can suss out even the stiffest poker face, or know when someone’s telling a little white lie? This game will hone your detective skills and you’ll know a little more about your besties after.
 
Sit in a circle and go around to each girl, asking her to tell two things that are true and one thing that is not. The rest of the group then has to figure out which are the two truths and which is the lie.
E.g. “I’m afraid of spiders, I can’t stand tomatoes and I have eleven toes.” – Obviously the latter is the lie and the first two are truths!
 
Talk to the Ball
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This one is kind of like what do you prefer and truth or dare all mixed into one! You’ll need a medium sized rubber ball and a permanent marker, which you can buy at a $2 shop.
 
Take your ball and write all over it with statements like:
Cake or cupcakes?
Truth or Dare?
Christmas or Easter?
Pen or pencil?
Chocolate or strawberry?
Favourite animal?
Recite as much of What Does the Fox Say as you can.
First pet?
Flats or heels?
Winter or Summer?
Who was your first crush?
Sweet or sour?
Describe your ultimate holiday.
Cats or dogs?
Favourite movie?
Shirts or pants?
Beach or pool?
When did you first learn how to ride a bike?
Favourite celebrity?
Spring or Autumn?
Favourite colour?
How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
Rollercoaster or water slide?
Favourite TV show?
Sweet or savoury?
Qualities you look for in a friend?
Most embarrassing moment/s – trust me, we all have more than one!
Loud music or soft?
Salty or spicy?
Favourite piece of jewelry?
What you wanted to be when you were 7?
Favourite comeback?
Do Gangnam Style/Harlem Shake/ or the Macarena
Favourite song?
Favourite quote?
Last time you squealed with excitement?
Cold or hot?
Favourite cuisine?
What you want for your birthday?
Favourite book?
 
Well there’s heaps of ideas! Write these all over your ball in permanent marker. Get everyone to sit in a circle and randomly chuck the ball up into the air. Who ever catches it starts first. The question the answer is whichever one their thumb lands on when they catch it. They must answer truthfully! When they are done, they pass it on in the circle.
 
Blind Portraits
sleepover party games, slumber party games, pajama party games
Let’s just imagine something for a sec – your friend has gone missing * gasp * and the police asks you to draw a picture of her from memory. Now that’s pretty hard, even if you might see her at school 5 days a week! But what if you couldn’t even see the paper? Let’s get blind portrait drawing!
 
Pair everyone up and get them to sit down facing each other. Give them all a piece of paper, a pen or pencil and something hard to put their paper on (a book or something is good). 
Let everyone stare at the other person for a minute and then make them put on the blindfolds. Then they must try to draw the other person as accurately as possible – this is really hard because you can’t see where you have drawn things so your eyes might end up below your lips or you might mysteriously end up with a rather bushy monobrow! 
Once the masterpieces are complete, you can take off your blindfolds and reveal them! The results will be shocking and seriously hilarious, I can guarantee!
friendship quizzes
Another idea of something to do is to have a friendship quiz, like my Love Your Besties Friendship Quiz
 
Hopefully you’ll know your besties even better than before and have heaps of fun and laughs! Stay tuned for more Ultimate Sleepover Party posts like another awesome Friendship Quiz, How to React to a Shocking Secret and Rules for the Ultimate Sleepover Party!
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Ultimate Sleepover Party Friendshi Quiz
Sleepover party, fiendship quiz, tween quiz, kids party perth
Do you think you know everything about your besties? Sure you might know when they were born or their love for elephants, but do you know if they prefer pen or pencil? Or what qualities they looks for in a friend?
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The quiz is divided into four topics: The Basics, A Few of My/Her Favourite Things, This or That and The Innermost Emotions. 
This friendship quiz is great at a sleepover where you can pair off everyone and still come together at the end to share your answers. You may even just be able for everyone to answer for each other than group off. In the case you have to pair off, make it fair and put everyone’s names in a hat and pick two at a time to make pairs. 
The quiz is also very long so you may just want to do a particular section or just pick your favourite questions to answer. 
 
Quiz time!
Give each person two pieces of paper and something to write with. Also have a sheet of the questions so you can read them out to everyone. Alternatively, you could print out a page of questions for everyone and they could just circle the answers. Whatever’s up to you (and your printer’s willingness!) 
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Oh and remember not to shout out your answers or ask any questions to the other person until the end of the quiz!
 
 
Stay tuned for some more Ultimate Sleepover tips and your guide to how to react if someone tells you a shocking secret!
 
 
Testimonial
I'm writing to let you know how impressed we were with Austin today. Such a class act! He was really enthusiastic and did a wonderful job of keeping the boys entertained with all sorts of soccer games. Thanks to Austin and your team at Encore Kids Parties for making my son's 6th birthday party so successful and memorable. T. Nov 2023