Sir NitWit - Childrens Entertainer

Download Magical Party Invitation templates here (they open in a new window, PDF format):

The party should not only be for the fun of the invited guests but also for the organising adults. The following survival hints should help:

BEFORE THE PARTY

INVITATIONS: Print FREE party invitations from the list on the left-hand side of the screen. Allow plenty of time to send them out and include information on who's party it is, where the party will be, who the invitation is for and your contact telephone number. Also include drop off and pick up times, the date of the party and any special instructions that might be helpful to mum or dad. Reply (RSVP) information is very important. It's a good idea to try and find out if someone else in your child's class is having a party on the same day; it may result in YOU having to change your plans. Don't feel pressurised into inviting every child in the class, parties are not competitions to be biggest!
ENTERTAINMENT: Allow 4-6 weeks to book Sir NitWit for your child's birthday party and always book your children's entertainer before you book a hall. There are plenty of halls (see my list of over 400 halls on this web site) but there is only one Sir NitWit!
HELP!: Ask a family member or a close friend to help out with the party; it will make life a lot easier for you and will help make your child's birthday party much more fun.
PLAN THE PARTY: Plan what you are going to do, which decorations you will take, which games will be played, what music you will play. Make sure your music player is loud enough for the venue; most CD players are useless in halls unless it's a big "ghetto blaster" type, as are most MP3 player docking stations, so you may need to borrow something on which to play your music.
PREPARE IN ADVANCE: Don't leave too much for the day of the party. A few days before the party buy and prepare most of the food and decoration items you are thinking of using. The night before is a good time to blow up any balloons and put them in a plastic sack to keep them fresh. Don't forget to prepare the place for the arrival of a bunch of young people who do not know the house rules like your own children do.
PARTIES AT HOME: Parties are nearly always better in your own home, children are usually better behaved in the home environment and far easier to manage. Outdoor parties in the garden can be fun but there are often outside distractions that you can't control (wasps, bees, cats, dogs or even next door's lawnmower). Oh, and don't trust the weather forecast! Be ready to move everything indoors at a moment's notice.
PARTIES IN A HALL: If you feel your house is too small to accommodate the number of children you are planning to invite then booking a local hall is another option. Smaller halls or the smaller rooms in community centres are better, large halls with polished floors amplify even the tiniest of noises which makes it difficult to make yourself heard and keep the children under control. If you are holding your party in a hall, be sure to make a checklist of everything you will need to take with you for the party; music, prizes, matches or a lighter to light the birthday cake candles, a pen if you need to write a cheque, etc.
FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!: If you are going with the traditional party tea remember to serve it in two courses, serve the savoury items then put out the sweet items afterwards. If you put everything out on the table together, the children will just go straight for the cakes and biscuits and leave the sandwiches and sausages! Party food can be kept simpler by giving each child a party box containing a variety of goodies. Just include as much food as your own child would eat. You can then use these boxes instead of party bags; just write names on the lids of the boxes so that a piece of birthday cake can be taken home in them afterwards. You can purchase special boxes from party shops or for a cheaper option you can buy plain cake boxes from baker's shops for pennies, you can then get children to decorate them with pens and crayons at the beginning of the party.

AT THE PARTY

WHERE'S THE PARTY? Tie a bunch of balloons to the front door and or gate post; it guides guests to the party.
KIDS LOVE SQUEAKERS! Save party blowers, squeakers and balloons until the end of the party or they could ruin the show! Hang party decoration balloons up, out of reach, and give one to each child with their party bag/box as they leave as a 'going home' present.
PRESENTS Get a large cardboard box or a large plastic sack for the presents, then as the children arrive, put the presents they bring into it; they can then be opened after the party. This way, you will know which guest brought which present.
WHO'S WHO? If you don't know all the children by name, some sticky labels that you can write names on will help. The party guests will respond to you better if you address them by their name.
PARTY GAMES At the beginning of the party play simple quieter games as the children settle in, that way any shy children won't be overwhelmed by any noisy games and all the children will benefit by a gentle introduction. When Sir NitWit is doing a two hour party he finds that a simple Treasure Hunt game works really well. Give him a call on 01869 278670 and he'll tell you how to play it.
SIR NITWIT'S HERE! Sir NitWit will arrive around 10 minutes before the start of the show - this gives him time to set up. All he needs from you is enough space for him to stand and all his props which are in a small box that converts to a table. When he starts the show he will require 1m of space in front of him so children he calls up have room. The children should be sitting together, preferably on the floor or on mats if they are available. The children need to be in front of Sir NitWit, if they are to his side or behind him they will not be able to see the show properly. Please do not serve food, or give out sweets, ice cream or other refreshments once the magic show has begun as this takes focus off the show and spoils the magic. PLEASE NOTE that Sir NitWit requires that there is at least one adult (over 18) to be present for the duration of the show. Toddlers should be kept in the care of their mum or dad for safety reasons, they should not be allowed to wander around the show table and props.
...AND RELAX! Forget about the washing up and come and join the fun! The show is designed to be enjoyed by the whole family. Grown-ups and older children needn't leave the room or sit at the far end of the hall. Sit and enjoy and join in with fun of the show with your children and you will have a wonderful time. If parents don't want to watch that's fine but it's important that they do not chat loudly enough to distract the children. Do not forget the party is for you to enjoy too! Plan to have the adults at the magic show also. You never know, they may get to be involved in the magic as well.
WHERE'S MY PARTY BAG? Kids love a party bag, but they can be a real pain for mums and dads to buy and fill. Sir NitWit can supply party bags for boys and girls or generic party bags. You only pay for what you use, so there's no waste. Contact Sir NitWit on 01869 278670 for more information.

Hints and Tips from a professional Children's Entertainer: have a great stress-free children's party!

- The Ultimate Children's Entertainer