School Party Principles, throwing a successful party
by Kathleen Gordon-Ross

Having been one, sometimes for multiple rooms simultaneously, being a room mom is a tough job.  While it isn’t rocket science, knowing what the kids will find FUN, and will keep them talking about it after they leave the classroom, isn’t easy.  Add to that needing to pull it off without the entire house coming to standstill for the week leading up to it … and, well that is something I learned years into my room mom tenure, thanks to my friend Alyson.

A few years ago Alyson totally changed my view of what it took to have a wildly successful classroom party when she posted her “School Party Principles, tips for throwing a successful school party,” on her family blog. I devoured every word.  I needed her wisdom!  Her insight helped me simplify what I was doing for my children’s classroom parties and focus more on the kids having tons of fun, not just keeping them busy.  And they work, especially for second through sixth grade parties!  My eldest’s third grade class is still talking about the parties we had two years ago!

1. The goal is to have wild fun that would not otherwise be had at school. Therefore, forget word searches, crossword puzzles, and read-aloud stories. The kids do that stuff already.

2. Keep parties simple. Trying to fit too much stuff into the 30-45 minutes allotted for most school parties just makes everyone feel rushed. Parties are funniest when there is plenty of time to enjoy each activity and parents haven't worked too hard to plan them.

3. Keep it cheap. There is no reason for a school party to consume much of anyone's budget.

4. Forget the candy. Each and every holiday already has plenty of candy associated, so no need to add more as part of the class party.

5. Forget the craft. They are hard to organize and chaotic as part of a school party. There is no time for glue to dry. They are a bummer to clean up. They are difficult to take home along with all the other goods and costumes that kids will be carrying that day. Plus, kids already do plenty of crafts at school and probably did several associated with the holiday already.

6. Have parents bring the treats. Parents are more than willing to donate food for the party--some want to go all out and make elaborate decorated cupcakes, others just want to bring a couple of boxes of Capri Suns. Either way is fine; the good news is that the parents enjoy contributing, and you can use your budget from the PTO, if you have a budget from the PTO, for game supplies and maybe prizes. Or you can just buy some more classroom books with it. P.S. Make sure kids can eat every item with their fingers so that you don't need utensils.

7. Include some salty and healthy treats. Some pretzels, trail mix, or even a--gasp--small apple will be for many kids a welcome palate-cleanser to go with the sweet stuff.

8. Request or purchase pre-packaged drinks. Then you are not pouring and spilling sticky liquid, or, at worst, managing the mess of a punch bowl. Request that parents who send drinks donate individual boxes, pouches, cans, or bottled water. Save the punch bowl for the holiday party at home.

9. Here's my standard party food list: for each child, a frosted/decorated cupcake or large cookie; a salty snack such as pretzels, potato chips, or popcorn; a healthy component such as an apple, grape-and-cheese-cubes-skewers, or baby carrots; a pre-packaged drink; and a large napkin. Notice that no utensils, cups, or plates are needed! This saves budget money and reduces waste.

10. Here's where the party action is at: GAMES. How often do kids push back the desks and play a fun game together? Hardly ever! We have forgotten how much fun simple games are! Tips for keeping things from getting too rowdy: give VERY CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS AND RULES before anyone moves from their seats. Have groups or teams defined AHEAD OF TIME and once you've told each child which group they are in, TELL THEM EXACTLY WHERE TO GO to hook up with the rest of their group (Team A, meet up here by the teacher's desk; team B, you're in the back corner by the door, etc). After the game, have everyone sit where they are and WAIT FOR EVERYONE TO BE QUIET before you give further instructions.

11. My tried-and-tested-party-formula: One game (10-20 minutes), then treats at your desk (15 minutes). Have parent-helpers deliver treats and drink to each person's desk rather than allowing the kids to serve themselves. You can have a second and even third game in mind just-in-case, but I bet you won't need them! This formula works for 30-45 minute class parties.

This year, the sixth-grade class I'm room parenting will, for Halloween, play the Party Pairings game, and I'll have the Eye-ball relay or the Spider Web available as back-pocket alternatives.

Party Pairings
Supplies needed: Enough slips of paper for everyone
Number of people: Any even-numbered size group—standing up
Directions: Make enough slips of paper for each player to have one. Write the name of different Halloween characters on two slips (ex. 2 ghosts, 2 witches, 2 bats, etc.). Then fold the pieces of paper up and throw them into the air. Everyone in the group dives for a piece of paper and starts acting out the character written on it. When you find your partner (the player who is acting out the same animal as you), sit down. The last people to sit down are out! Take out one pair of characters from the pieces of paper and start over!
Halloween characters—enough for a whole classroom!: Ghost, witch, bat, mummy, crow, monster, scarecrow, rat, spider, cat, vampire, Frankenstein

Eyeball Relay
Supplies needed:
1 Ping pong ball for each team (painted like an eyeball)
1 spoon for each team
Divide children into teams. Give the first child on each team a spoon and a ping pong ball.
Set up the course to where they have to carry the "EYE" on the spoon to the end of the course and come back. Hand off to the next child and continue until all children have played on the team. First team done wins!

Spider Web
Supplies needed:
Ball of black yarn
Children stand in a circle. A ball of yarn is thrown across to another child. The child holds on to a piece of the yarn and then throws the ball across to another child. Continue until a spider web is created.

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So what's worked for you? Share your classroom party tips and sure fire successes on our Forum.

More of Alyson's favorite Halloween* Games

Here are more great games I recommend because they are all 1) super fun, 2) cheap, 3) simple to prepare.

*Although these are "Halloween Games" most can easily be adapted for other holiday party themes with minor tweaking.

Tongue Twisters
Playing with words, silly rhymes and sounds are a favorite activity for children and can be a blast at parties. See who can say these quickly three times:
Which witch wants Winnie's watch?
Good ghosts go galloping gratefully.
Slow snakes slither, speedy spiders spin.
You could have a tournament: split the kids up into teams, then let them try the twisters and choose a representative for a championship round to be judged by parents and/or teachers.

Mummy Wrap
Supplies needed:
Toilet paper on a roll
Teacher or adult helper
Chair
If you desire to make this a relay, then you will need a roll of toilet paper for each team, an adult, and a chair.
Each child takes turn wrapping up the adult as a mummy. Don't forget to unwrap them!

Candy Corn Relay
Supplies needed:
Candy corn (you will need a lot)
1 Pumpkin or ghost bucket for each team
1 Spoon for each team
Small candy pieces such as candy corns, M&M’s, Skittles, etc.
Divide children into teams. Set up a course for them to race on. Children scoop up candy corn in spoon and race to the end of the course and dump the candy in the bucket. Run back and tag the next person. First team to finish wins.

Ghost Waiter
Supplies needed:
Balloon for each team
Paper plate for each team
Divide children into teams. Set up a course for them to race on. The child has to balance a balloon on a paper plate while walking it down the course and back to their team.

Spider Relay
Divide children into teams. Set up a course for them to race on. Have first child of each team sit down, put their arms behind them and walk (AKA crab walk) to the end of the course and back. Tag the next child and repeat until all the teams finish.

Pop the Balloon
Supplies needed:
At least 2 balloons for each child
Enough "treats" for each balloon to have one
Add the "treat" inside each balloon and blow up. Tie the balloon. Dump all the balloons on the floor and tell the children how MANY they may pop. The children must pop the balloons by sitting on them and bouncing.
Treat ideas: spider or other types of rings, wrapped candy, mini balls, anything small that will fit inside a balloon.

Scarecrow Nose
Supplies needed:
Sheet
Scissors
Paint
Adult helpers
Before the party, paint a scarecrow on a sheet. Cut out the area where the nose is. Keep in mind the height of the children playing the game!
Divide the children into 2 teams. Take one team out into the hall. The other team stays in the classroom. Have the adults hold the sheet up. The first child out in the hall puts their nose through the hole in the sheet. The children in the classroom try to guess who is the scarecrow's nose.

Balloon Sweep
Supplies needed:
1 Broom for each team
1 Balloon for each team
Divide children into teams. Set up a course for them to race on. The children are to run relays sweeping the balloon along the course and back to their team. First team having all their classmates through the course wins.