Bounce U

Bounce U is an inflatable party place sure to create lasting memories. Children and parents can go wild bouncing and playing a private party setting that is safe and secure. Children of all ages are encouraged and fun is almost guaranteed.

Parties

Bounce U can be reserved in advance for birthday parties, religious celebrations, Kindergarten graduations, holiday parties such as Halloween, and much more. Party package size vary and can be requested weeks in advance. Clean up and hosting are provided by professional employees of Bounce U allowing you time to enjoy the special moments with your child.

Open Bounce

Bounce U locations sponsor open bounce during specific hours and even have drop off hours to allow parents time for shopping around the holidays such as Christmas. A secure location with plenty of fun and exercise will leave your child tired and hungry. Check with your local Bounce U for special open bounce hours.

Food

If you are hosting a party at home you have to worry about food preparation, clean up, and the safety of all your guest. While this may be easy in some cases, it is time consuming for others. A Bounce U party allows the parents time to enjoy their children during the party and even get a chance to play on the large inflatable’s! Go ahead, you know you want to!

During your party planning you can arrange for pizza, pasta, drinks, cake and other types of food offered by Bounce U. Sorry, no outside food or beverages are allowed to be brought in to most Bounce U locations. Talk with your party planner for pricing and details.

Gifts and Thank You Treats

The gifts are collected at the beginning of the party as friends arrive at Bounce U. The gifts are placed in a special cart and transported to your private party room for safe keeping. During the party the professional host document all of the gifts and who they came from. This makes the job of sending out Thank You notes even easier for you and your child. During the party planning you can opt to purchase Thank You gift bags and toys to provide your guest with a lasting memory of the party. This is a great way to teach your child how to thank his guest as they leave the party.

Planning a party, setting up, and food preparation can detract from the fun. Using Bounce U as a party entertainment provides lasting memories, fun, and excitement for your child.

Do you have any questions or considerations about hosting a party at Bounce U? Feel free to comment below.

The United States Department of Labor says “Labor Day…is a creation of the labor movement…[and] constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country,” (DOL History of Labor Day, 2011)  Many cities throw parties and celebrations for people along with private parties by local citizens. Federal employees are given the first Monday in September off as Labor Day and many private business, doctors, and dentist also close allowing employees time to celebrate and enjoy.

For many, Labor Day is the unofficial end to summer. Children are back in school, local outdoor pools close, and other recreational activities are ended. Getting together with friends, family members, and coworkers is a great way of enjoying the weekend. The following will provide a great idea if you are visiting Cincinnati, Ohio over the Labor Day weekend.

Labor Day in Cincinnati

One of the largest firework displays in the Midwest happens along the banks of the Ohio River between Cincinnati, Ohio and Newport, Kentucky on Sunday before Labor Day Monday. For over 30 years WEBN has teamed up with Rozzi’s Famous Fireworks, other sponsors such as Cincinnati Bell and Toyota, and the cities along the banks of the river to produce a free display topping off a day long party at Sawyer Point in Cincinnati, Ohio called Riverfest. The party starts at 12 noon on Sunday before Labor Day and the fireworks are scheduled for 9:05 pm. Rozzi’s shoots fabulous fireworks from barges on the river and from the bridges connecting Ohio and Kentucky.

Tips on Attending Riverfest and the WEBN Fireworks

Tip 1: Plan for the banks of the river to be crowded. The event draws at least a half a million people on each side of the river. This means lots of people and lots of traffic.

Tip 2: Arrive early. Arriving early will help eliminate problems with traffic, finding a parking place, and help to avoid any road closures/rerouting that occurs to control traffic during the event.

Tip 3: Have a meeting place if your group becomes separated. Cell phones are often unable to work because the network is busy. With a million people in one location this is bound to happen.

Tip 4: Bring things to do: cards, Frisbees, and other games. This will help the day go by more quickly.

Tip 5: Bring a radio. WEBN, the local radio station that sponsors the show, plays a coordinated musical accompaniment as the fireworks go off. The more radios in the crowd the better.

Tip 6: Leave your alcoholic beverages at home. Both sides of the river are alcohol free events to support a family atmosphere. You may be escorted off the banks of the river or sited for public intoxication if you are caught drinking.

Tip 7: Have everything you need with you by about 3 pm. Access to your vehicle may be cut off based on closures of certain access points to the river banks until after the show. This helps to maintain the flow of people.

Tip 8: Be prepared to leave late. Everyone tries to rush out to beat the crowd, but if you have small children or older adults it may be best to take your time to get to your vehicle. You can avoid wasting gas while sitting in traffic by letting the crowd clear before you make your attempt. Drive safe.

Tip 9: Carry an umbrella if you are sitting on the riverbank all day. This can help with the heat of the sun or protect you in the event of a summer rain.

Tip 10: Finally, have fun. People break rules, a few may act obnoxious, but for the most part people attend the event with happy intentions. Don’t cause trouble by moving someone’s tarp or blanket and be respectful of others around you.

What to Expect

Various food venders, live entertainment, and novelty booths are set up for people similar to a large festival. Skyline Chili, Papa John’s pizza, BBQ, Coca-Cola and Pepsi booths, funnel cakes, shaved ice, and more are available for purchase on both sides of the river. Commemorative t-shirts are for sale along with Mardi-Gras beads, face painting, and night time novelties such as glow sticks.
Expect a friendly atmosphere where people have come to enjoy the last big weekend of the summer. Many people there consider it a tradition and attend the fireworks annually. Families and friends gather together to party all day.

Attending the P&G Riverfest (Cincinnati side) or the Party at Newport (Kentucky side) are both exciting and fun. There is no smoking on the Serpentine Wall in Cincinnati and as mentioned, no alcohol is permitted on either side of the river. Plan to spend the day in Cincinnati or Newport and enjoy one of the most memorable fireworks displays you can witness.

What are your favorite memories of the WEBN fireworks? Do you have any attendance tips for someone visiting from out of town or attending for the first time? Feel free to make comments below.

Attend a Festival

Local communities, big cities, and farm communities come together to celebrate Independence Day. It is a day filled with excitement from eating apple pie, corn on the cob, and watermelon to playing yard games or swimming. The night usually culminates with a fireworks display symbolizing the “bombs bursting in air.”

To find a local event you can scan the web. Many sites for your area or major cities around your area can be found on Google. Simply type in a few key words such as “local fourth of July events in Myrtle Beach” or “Festivals in Gainesville, Florida”, or “Firework displays in South Dakota.”

Host a BBQ

If you aren’t big on traveling during the holidays then you can host your own back yard BBQ. This is especially fun if you have a swimming pool!

You can invite people over and enjoy the day at home grilling, swimming, and playing games. Many people also like to make homemade ice cream to celebrate the 4th.

Go to an Amusement Park

Many parks offer great firework displays at the end of the day during the Fourth of July holiday. You and your family could have fun in parks such as Walt Disney World Orlando, Florida, Six Flags over Georgia, Atlanta, or Cedar Fair Entertainment Company’s Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. This is a great option if you already own a season pass, but can be an exciting day trip if you don’t.

Be sure to pack a cooler to keep in your car full of bottled water, Gatorade, and snacks. You should also consider blankets or lawn chairs if you are staying for the fireworks.

Launch Your Own Fireworks

Depending on what state you live in, shooting off fireworks will have limitations. Small pyrotechnics can be fun and create excitement for all involved. Use caution and always play it safe with fireworks.

The use of all or certain consumer fireworks is legal in 45 states. But many of the laws are outdated or not enforced. Call your local fire or police station if you have questions concerning the use of fireworks in your area.

A few common fireworks include sparklers, snaps, smoke bombs and glow snakes. Other smaller fireworks common for use include bottle rockets, small mortars or shell kits, and cakes. The use of these will provide a great variety and light up the sky in the back yard for the celebration.

Follow the rules on the packaging, never point an explosive at someone, and use caution and common sense when working with and around fireworks and your celebration can go off without any problems.

Attend a Major Independence Day Celebration

Major metropolitan areas or national landmarks will host grand Independence Day celebrations. If you are taking a family vacation or simply live close to the Statue of Liberty (NYC/Hudson River), Mount Rushmore, or other major areas look for weekend long celebrations to entertain you. Live bands, military flyovers, and fireworks are often associated with the festivities.

Celebrating Independence Day is a great time to spend with friends and family. People off all ages enjoy the freedoms we share as Americans and the Fourth of July is the day we truly get to show it! Happy Fourth of July!

The summer has arrived! Memorial Weekend is often thought of as the official start of summer. Back-Yard Barbeques, watermelon, swimming, corn hole, sand volleyball, horseshoes, campfires, and water balloon fights are back in season and people are anxious to grill out. The following are a few tips on how to throw a successful back yard party.

How to Host a Successful Party

Step 1: Invite people to come. Set the day and time and send out invites via email, telephone calls, or snail mail.

NOTE: Make sure you have an RSVP at least 3 days prior to the party. This will allow you to purchase the proper amount of food.

Step 2: Plan the menu. If it isn’t in your budget to provide food for the whole gang, let your guest know that you will supply the meat (hotdogs, hamburgers, brats, and/or chicken) and you are requesting they bring a side, desert, fruit or drinks to share.

NOTE: Keep track of how many people are coming and what they plan on bringing. You don’t want to end up with 5 coleslaws and 10 potato salads! Make a list of suggestions and provide them to your guest if they want to know what they can bring.

Step 3: Follow-up. If you haven’t heard from some of the friends you have invited, follow-up with them using the telephone. That way you can make sure they received the invite and you will know if they are able to attend.

Step 4: Plan games and activities. If it is a grown up only party, make sure your guest are aware. If it is family party, you will need to plan activities for the children (as well as the adults). A few easy games for setting up that often “run” themselves are corn hole, horseshoes, volleyball  or Frisbee. Just supply the equipment and your guest will be happy.

Step 5: Watch the weather. Have a backup plan if it is going to rain or be extremely hot.  Provide cooling relief such as shade umbrellasor tents and cool beverages. You may also want to consider an outdoor fan to provide relief from the heat and humidity. For the children you can plan water balloon fights, water guns or a kiddy pool. Just tell the guest in advance so they can bring swimming suites or a change of clothes and shoes.

If rain is likely, you may end up in your house. Playing cards, listening to music or playing video games are options at this point. Also take into account if you are going to cancel if it rains. Let  your guest know in advance if it rains you will postpone the party until the next day, next weekend, etc.

Step 6: Seating. People often stand around talking at parties, but you should still have plenty of seating available. If you don’t own enough, you can either rent chairs and tables, or have guest bring a lawn chair. This will make it easier for clean up if your guest can bring their own.

Step 7: If the party is going to last until after the sun goes down, you will need to consider lighting. You can use a fire pit sold at Meijer or Home Depot, Christmas lights strung in the trees and along walk ways, or solar powered landscaping lights.

NOTE: You can also purchase glow-in-the dark novelties such as bracelets or necklaces to give to the children. This is not only fun for them, but it also helps the adults keep track of the children!

Step 8: Have fun! Getting together is often more important than how extravagant the party is. Try not to stress over the little things and just have a great time!

NOTE: Make sure if you have alcoholic beverages at your party there is a designated driver program set up to help those who need it. Plan your party and party to your plan!

Do you have tips on how to host a great party?  We would love to hear your party ideas, please feel free to comment.

Don’t go Hungry

Tip 1: Since the Super Bowl is held later in the evening, around dinner time for most people, try to eat something nutritious and low calorie before you arrive. This could be anything from a medium sized apple to a bowl of cereal. Just something small so you are not ravenous once you see all the food. This will help to curb your appetite and help to prevent you from over indulging on high calorie/high fat foods.

Water Please

Tip 2: When you first arrive at the party and someone offers you a drink simply ask for water to start with. This will help to hydrate you prior to consuming too much sodium and also before you consume any alcohol. Besides, if you are drinking water then you can postpone (and reduce) the amount of other high calorie drinks you consume during the entire party. Also try to drink a glass of water between alcoholic drinks such as after each beer to slow down your consumption rate and reduce calories.

Take a Plate

Tip 3: Take a plate when you go for the food rather than grazing the entire time you are at the party. Only take a small amount of each of the foods you can’t resist and only take enough to equal a small dinner. The calories won’t be small if you take too many buffalo wings, but hopefully if you sit down with a certain amount of food you can reduce the overall amount you eat while at the party.

Healthy Options

Tip 4: If you are asked to bring food to the party or you are hosting the party provide healthy food options. Then make those dishes your priority when you begin your snacking. Keep your portion size under control and try not to go back for thirds.

Just Stop

Tip 5: Self-control is a hard task when so many delicious options are placed in front of you, but just stop eating. Tell yourself that tomorrow is another day you have to wake up and face yourself. If you don’t want to overeat then don’t let yourself get wrapped up in the excitement of the party and over indulge.

Taking control of what you eat and how much you eat can help you to obtain a healthy weight. Parties and group gatherings create problems for many people trying to lose weight. Plan ahead to help create a barrier between you and the unhealthy food/portion sizes you will encounter at a party. Don’t eliminate everything, but plan ahead to have a good time without too much food. Good luck and enjoy the game!

Throwing a terrific Super Bowl party is more than just having the perfect large screen television. It’s about the snacks, drinks, environment and the people you invite. The following will provide a list of tips on what to do to prepare for and throw a great Super Bowl party.


Step 1: Determine the day. Super Bowl Sunday is a well advertised event and the date can be found easily on the internet.

Step 2: Invite your friends. Make a list of everyone you want to attend and send out invitations, emails, or just call them. Keeping the invites informal will be the best way to go, but make sure you have firm commitments to determine how much food to prepare.

Step 3: Arrange Seating. Having plenty of places for people to lounge comfortably in your home to enjoy the game (and the commercials) will really make the party great. If guests are comfortable then they are typically happy. Push back your couch and have throw pillows on the floor, add folding chairs as a second source of seating, and use other chairs such as dining room chairs as another alternative.

Step 4: Set up your television. If you don’t already have a surround system set up and the new TV in place, don’t worry. Many stores including Best Buy have great sales surrounding the Super Bowl. If you are in the market to purchase a new television then just before the Super Bowl will be a great time to save money and often get free instillation with your purchase.

If you have more than one television then place them in areas where you will allow people to watch the game. For example, if you have a nice television in your bedroom, but don’t want people to watch the game in there, move the TV to the kitchen. This will help to spread out the guests and provide access to food and beverages without missing the game or the commercials.

Step 5: Prepare the food. Snack foods are great, but can be unhealthy. Try to provide a variety of snacks to allow your guest plenty of choices. Many of your friends may still be dedicated to their New Year’s weight loss goals, so try to support them through low calorie/low fat alternatives. Here are a few food ideas (some are low fat–others are not):

• Baked Lays with Hidden Valley Ranch Dip (make your own using fat free sour cream)
• Whole Grain Tostitos and Salsa
• Skinless Chicken Wings
• Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dressing and Celery Sticks
• Spinach Artichoke Dip (use low fat or fat free mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sour cream) serve with Pita Chips
• Chicken Nachos
• Popcorn
• Mixed Nuts (mix your own to reduce sodium)
• Taco Dip
• Ham Salad with Pita Crisps
• Pretzels
• Chex Mix
• Chili with Peanut Butter Sandwiches
• Hot Dogs
• Cheese and Crackers
• Spicy Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Spicy Cheese and Sausage Dip
• Brownies
• Cookies
• Pie (Apple, Blueberry, Pecan, Cherry)
• Chocolate Cake
• Drinks (Soda, Beer, Water, coffee, hot chocolate)

Other items you will need may include cups, napkins, plates, utensils, coolers, thermos, trash cans, crock pots, and serving spoons.

Keep in mind that your guest often want to chip in and will offer to bring items. Chips, soda, and dips are great portable items for your guest to bring.


Step 6: Trash and Clean Up. Provide visible places to throw out bottles and plates. This can reduce your clean up following the game. Most people will respect your home and do their part to keep it clean if you provide adequate disposal. Typically you will want to set up a large trash can in each room (kitchen, living room, basement) where your guest will be enjoying the food and beverages. Collect bottles and cans in a separate container for recycling.

With a little time and planning you can throw a great Super Bowl party. Decorations are not necessary unless you team is playing in the game, then you can go all out on being the number one fan. Have fun and enjoy the game.

Tons of people love Halloween. It is a favorite holiday for many adults. The home decor, the dress-up, and the great parties all add to the fun surrounding Halloween. To throw a great Halloween party for adults, you won’t need much: A few decorations, a ghoulish, funny, or sexy costume, and lots of food, music, and fun. For children, it may take a little more to encourage the excitement and fun. The following will review a few tips on throwing a great party for Halloween.

Costumes

Invite children through the use of invitations. Receiving a party invitation in the mail can increase the fun and excitement for a young child. Make sure to include your name, location of the party, the date and time of the party, and a telephone number where messages can be left. If you are including an RSVP date, make sure it is about a week in advance of the party. Much later and you may have trouble knowing who will be attending and how much stuff to buy. Any earlier and people may have a difficult time committing. Finally, make sure your invite states the party is a “Costume Party” to ensure all the friends arrive in costume.

Food

Planning a menu of scary Halloween food (or seasonal favorites) can be fun. Here are a few creative ideas to change normal food into creepy Halloween food:

• Use green food coloring to turn macaroni and cheese into “chopped brains.”
• Slice apples and serve with a caramel dipping sauce.
• Dried Cranberries can be “Dried Scabs” (how gross!!! I wonder how many of your guest will eat them?)
• Deviled Eggs (fitting name for this ghoulish holiday)
• Cut sandwiches with cookie cutters (pumpkins, ghost, bats, etc.)
• Use Jell-O Brand gelatin to create fun molds of worms, skulls, or bones. Red Jell-o makes great “blood” around different foods.
• Halloween sugar cookies and other fun food items can make the kids giggle with excitement.

Games

Planning games usually takes a little more time than people expect. Also actually playing the games will take longer, so only plan one or two that you know you will play, and then have a third on reserve if the party guest start to look board. Here are few ideas:

#1 Costume Contest

Create different categories and choose more than one winner for this (about 1/3 of your guest). Categories may include:

• Most Creative
• Scariest
• Prettiest
• Most Gory
• Most Authentic or Original
• Overall Best Costume (Purchase Best Costume Skeleton Trophy from ShinDigz)

#2 Mummy Contest

What You Will Need

10 or more roles of cheap toilet paper
Timer
Judges (parents)

How To Play

As children get older they may find different uses for cheap toilet paper, but for now, use the toilet paper to create mummies. Divide your party up into groups of two or three children. In each group, one child will be the “mummy” and the other two will be the curators of the museum. Let the children know that somehow the mummy lost its wrapping and now it is the curator’s job to fix it before anyone finds out. This can be a race against the clock or against the other teams. Provide each team with a few rolls of toilet paper. Have one member of the team stand like a mummy and the other members of the team will wrap him or her up. On your command, the teams begin wrapping up the “mummy.” The first team to successfully wrap up their mummy wins!

Tips for success:

1. Perform this game in a dry area away from any open flames.
2. Don’t buy super cheap toilet paper as it will be hard to use without tearing.
3. Depending on the age of the children, specify, before you begin, how well wrapped your mummy must be in order to win the game.
4. Don’t have all teams go at one time. This way there will be a “cheering” section creating more excitement in the room.

#3 Musical Chairs

Play this game as the traditional game is played but use Halloween music to help set the mood.

What You Will Need

One Less Chair than People at the party (i.e. if you have 12 children, you will need 11 chairs)
Two music sources
Halloween Music CD
Normal Music CD

How to Play

If your children are slightly older and understand the game of musical chairs then you can introduce the twist to provide greater competition to the game. If they are still young (under 8 years old) then you may want to stick to the traditional game.

Arrange the chairs in a circle with all seats facing away from the center of the circle. Have all the children line up around the chairs (standing and not sitting) begin playing the music. As the music plays, the children walk at normal speed around the chairs in a clock-wise direction. When the music stops, all children must find a chair. Since there are one fewer chairs than children, one child will be unable to locate a chair. This child is out. Remove one chair and repeat the process until only one chair remains and two children are in the game. The last child sitting is the winner.

Twist: Decorate a chair with orange and black. This chair is designated as a special chair that can either bestow privileges or special prizes.

Privileges

You can use the special chair to allow the child sitting in the chair when a Halloween song has played to choose another child who has already left the game to return for another chance (do not increase the number of chairs). This means on the next song, two children will be left standing without a place to sit down. The privilege of the chair is only valid following the playing of a Halloween song. If you play a normal song, then no privilege is bestowed that round.

Special Prize

As with the privilege honor of the decorated chair, each child will receive a special treat if they get to the chair first following the playing of a Halloween song. If you play a normal song, then no treat will be given that round.

Prizes for the Winner Circle

Before the party, make sure to buy a few prizes to give away to the winners of the games and also for thank you gift bags. You can order Halloween specific treats from ShinDigz or other suppliers. A few gift ideas include:

• Glow-In-The-Dark items such as Silly Bandz, glow sticks, or bracelets
• Meal tickets for local restaurants (Big Boy, Skyline, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Dairy Queen)(Inquire at your local restaurants for participation and pricing)
• Candy Treat Bags (especially if the party is thrown in lieu of going trick-or-treating)
• Halloween Crafts (many great ideas can be found at ShinDigz)
• Anything will do as long as it is fun and exciting for the children to receive

Free Time

Don’t forget to let your guest have a little free social time to play with one another. Although too much free time may lead to boredom or rough housing. Find the right balance and be flexible with your party plans. Remember, if the children go home happy, then you threw a great party! Have fun and be ready for anything.

Knowing what you will need for a bake sale is as important as raising money. The following is a basic list of items you will need when hosting a bake sale.

Top 5 Bake Sale Needs

1. Set Up Team–Includes arriving early and arranging tables, chairs, and hanging up signs.

2. Workers–Includes preparing the baked goods on the table, selling, and being accountable for the money during the sale.

3. Clean Up Team–Includes arriving at the end of the sale (about 15 minutes prior to shutting down), wiping down all tables and chairs, putting away all used equipment, cleaning up the area of any leftover packaging and/or baked goods, taking down all signs. This team should also have a person thank the owner or manager of the location where the bake sale was held.

4. Money Handler–This may be designated to the treasure of the organization, but if a treasure does not exist, someone will need to remain responsible for all the money earned until the money can be deposited in the team’s account.

5. Correspondent– This is the individual placed in charge of arranging the sale with the manager, sending off any messages or paperwork required to host the sale, advertising the sale in local papers or on bulletin boards, and sending a Thank You note to the supporting organization after the sale is completed.

Bake Sale Supplies

This list will vary with how extensive your sale is:

Location
Tables
Chairs
Signs/Advertisements
Cash Box
Bank or Change to begin the sale with
Pen/Pencil/Marker
Paper and Tape
Extra Ziploc Bags
Shopping Bags/boxes to provide to customers buying in bulk
Napkins
Utensils
Cups
Paper Plates/Bowls
Baked Goods
Drinks
Coolers for Cold Beverages
Thermos for Hot Beverages

Often items you need will only be determined during your sale. Issues may arise such as unusually gusty wind, rain, or other weather related problems. Make sure to be prepared and have more than one person on hand during the sale. Working in teams allows one person to watch over the sale while the other individual can run errands.

Good luck with your Bake Sale! Have fun and enjoy strengthening your relationships with the members of your organization.

Raising money to support an organization is a universal cause. Many teams use car washes, Entertainment book sales, or coupon cards to raise money. In addition to these great fund raisers, bake sales are always a good source of funds. Planning and preparing the bake sale will improve success for your organization. The following will review the basic steps to get your bake sale off to the right start.

How to Gain Permission

The first step to planning a bake sale is to gain permission from the owners of the location where you wish to host your sale. This could be the manager at a local grocery store like Meijer or a hardware store like Home Depot, the principal of your child’s school, or the president of the local athletic association. Whomever you need to speak to, make sure the date, time, and any other details are worked out prior to bake sale day.

You can gain permission in several ways. The first way would be to ask the individual in charge if they allow such events to take place at their establishment. If they do, ask the proper procedures and then go from there. It may be as informal as requesting the date and time and the manager saying it is ok. Other locations may have a no liability form for you to sign or other paperwork associated with the use of the property during your sale.

Another approach would be to write a business letter requesting permission. This letter should detail what your organization is, what you wish to do (bake sale), and why you are raising money and how it will help your organization. Ensure you include a “thank you for your support” in your closing remarks of the letter and include contact information.

Once your receive permission to host the bake sale, rally your organization to meet the needs of your sale to include workers, set up and clean up, and donations.

How to Organize Your Club

Regardless of what type of club you are raising money for, whether it is a sports team, a band, chess team, or a summer swim team, you will need the support of the members to be successful. The first step will be to compile a list of all the jobs and supplies you will need to host a successful bake sale. Some items may not apply to your team or you may need to add to it to cover all required steps.

Then you will need to find volunteers. If your team uses email for communication, this may be the best avenue. You can send out the request for volunteers along with the request for specific baked goods. Once your receive replies, you will need to manually track who has volunteered for what jobs. Once those jobs are filled, notify your members and let them know what still needs to be filled. Make sure to include when and where the bake sale is along with instructions on where to drop off the baked goods. If you don’t use email, you can announce the sale at club/team meetings, before or after practice, or make telephone calls to each member’s home.

You can also send a message home with the members of the team requesting volunteers. Using more than one method of communication can encourage participation in the event and make sure the message gets home.

What Type of Baked Goods

Each bake sale will be slightly different, but have the typical fare to include Rice Krispie treats, brownies, cookies, and cupcakes. Anything out of the ordinary may create problems for the sale. If people are familiar with the treat then it may sell well, but if it is an unknown dessert people may shy away from purchasing it. Presentation is key to selling the products. Each product should be individually wrapped to improve the appearance of the treats and ease of selling. The easiest way is to have the team members baking the products, place each item in a Ziploc sandwich bag. This will eliminate anyone touching the treats or handling money then serving treats.

Here are a few ideas for bake sale items:

• Brownie Bites
• Pie (apple, blueberry, strawberry, pecan, or cherry) Pre-slice the pie and place on small paper plates and insert into a Ziploc Bag. Tape a wrapped fork on the outside of the package.
• Cookies (any variety) (two per bag usually sell better than just one)
• Rice Kripsie Treats (Use Large Marshmallows to make the treats extra gooey and place on a popsicle stick to make them easier to eat, cover with a plastic Ziploc bag)
• Strawberry Short Cakes (place cake in bowl, cover with strawberries, add whipped topping at time of purchase)
• Cup Cakes (place in bowl and cover)
• Popcorn balls
• Trail Mix
• Granola/Granola Bars
• Homemade Carmel Popcorn

Depending on the time of year and your location, you may want to include drinks at your sales list. If it is a sporting event or during the summertime, you can add sports drinks, bottled water or soda to your sale. If it is cool weather such as a football game, you may want to add coffee, water, and hot cocoa. This increases the workers needed along with a location to keep drinks hot or cool, so plan accordingly.

Other Necessary Items

Hosting a back sale takes more than simply selling the items. Here are a few items to think about prior to set up:

• Tables–sturdy tables are necessary to ensure your baked goods don’t end up on the ground
• Cash Box–or a safe location to hold all of the money. You may need more than one of these depending on how large your sale will be.

• Donation cans–Setting up donation cans allows people to deposit money without making a purchase.
• Chairs–during busy times of the sale you may not have a chance to sit down, but during the slow periods you will want to have a few chairs to relax in.
• Signs–You will want to make it clear why you are selling items. Place the signs around the table or hang a banner above you to encourage support of your organization.
• Change–don’t start of empty handed. You will need at least $20 worth of change in coins and $20 in ones. This will provide a good start when someone hands you a $5 bill for a 50 cent cupcake. You may want to start off with more change if a location to get more is not near your selling location.
• Price labels–This can be store bought or you can simply sell everything for the sale price. I have been to some bake sales where everything was 50 cents, but you may want to vary depending on what items are being sold. Cookies, brownies, and Rice Krispe Treats often sell well for 50 cents, but you can sell pie, cake, and other novelty items for a little more.
• Trash Can–if a public trash can is not provided in the area of your sale, you will need to provide one to help prevent litter around the area.

Clean-up

When recruiting volunteers, make sure to recruit clean-up volunteers. This team will need to make sure all items (trash, signs, tables, chairs, etc.) are cleaned up and put away. Always try to leave the area better than you found it. This will help the location owner know she or he made the right decision to let you sell your goods on their property.

Good luck raising money for your organization. Do you have any questions about hosting a bake sale? Let us know, we would love to hear from you?

Growing up most of the people in attendance at birthday parties were relatives or neighbors who could easily come over. Ice cream and cake were served along with a few drinks such as milk, Cool-aid, ice tea and coffee. Fancy decorations could only be found on the birthday cake with an occasional party plate or decorator napkin. In today’s society, more people tend to live further away from relatives and birthday parties are centered more around having friends from school, church, or athletic teams attend.  It has become customary to provide the guest with a small token of thanks and this is often in the form of a goody bag. Bags can be theme bags corresponding to the theme of the party, or they can simply be bags of goodies with a small note of thanks enclosed. The following will review a few ideas for goody bags, but let your imagination rein. Finding the right mix of trinkets and sweets will be up to you.

DIY Gift Bag Ideas

Each party should contain unique gifts, but often it is easier to simply purchase party favors from ShinDigz associated with the theme of the party. These items include: candy, pencils, balloons, erasers,
miniature bubbles, sports balls, or plastic toys such as rings, cars, fairy wands, princess crowns, etc. You can even build personalized gift bags from ShinDigz.

Steps on How to Build Gift Bags

Step 1: The first step to building a gift bag is to select a bag. This can be decorated to match the theme or plain colors (such as the favorite color(s) of the birthday child). Once the bag is chosen, move on to what you want to put in the bags. Ask yourself, do I want the children to keep the items? Do I want them to have temporary fun with the items? Or do I want them to eat the items? You can focus on one or more the types of treats you place in the bags.

NOTE: To save money, look for gift bags on clearance at your local stores like Meijer after holidays and keep until needed. Themed treat bags work great for party bags even if they have some decoration on them.

Gift Bag Keep Sakes

Keep Sakes are items that will remind the child of the party and they may want to keep it as a cherished item. This would include personalized items such as a t-shirt, plastic cup, key chains, or rubber bracelets or collectibles. These items may cost more, but they won’t simply be thrown in the trash after a few days.

Gift Bag Temporary Fun

Temporary fun items include temporary tattoos, plastic toys, note pads, pencils, stickers, craft projects, or party hats and blowers. All of these items will be used and then eventually disposed of later on. These items are generally cheaper and can be purchased in bulk from on-line stores like ShinDigz or local stores like Meijer.

Gift Bag Edible Fun

Sending home a large bag of candy is not really a great idea (although I am sure there are few children who would object to the idea!). Parents may control the bag and not allow a child to eat a bunch of sweets, so picking a few items such as Blow-pops, bubble gum, or hard candies will help to balance the joy and fun in the bag with the sweets associated with birthday party fun.

Step 2: The second step to building a gift bag is to select the items you want to place in the bags. Try not to over do it because most bags are relatively small and will only hold a few items. Once you have chosen your items you can begin building the bags.

Step 3: The third step is sorting out the items. To eliminate any problems of a child not receiving a specific item, it is a good idea to make piles of the contents. This will ensure each bag has what it should have enclosed. For example, the gift bags shown includes Silly Bandz, stickers, pencils, and a few plastic toys. Each pile should contain the same amount of items so children at the party do not feel left out if the bags are opened prior to departure.

Step 4: The fourth step is to fill each of the bags. I like to include a small note of thanks. This is simply a strip of paper with a “Thank you for attending my birthday party!” Place the contents in the bag with the note, and secure the top as necessary.  At this point you can label each bag with a guest’s name or just leave them nameless–whatever is easier at the time.

Finally, your gift bags are ready for the party. This is a great opportunity for you to teach your child how to thank their guest in attendance. At the end of the party have your child personally thank their guest for coming and hand a gift bag to their friend. This action will reinforce what you have been trying to teach your child nearly all of their life!

Building a gift bag can be easy and fun, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Look for clearance items, closeouts, or sales when a birthday party is approaching. This can help to reduce your cost and ultimately save you time.