Mention the words "kid's parties" and you will find a whole lot of different responses, ranging from down-right fear to panicky excitement. For some the first thoughts crossing their minds will be "chaos" and "sugar-highs". Others will recall giggles as kids clambered up and down a jungle gym. First thoughts are formed by previous experience and granted, a kids parties has potential to be harrowing experiences.

MAKE IT A DAY TO REMEMBER

Planning parties for kids ask for a bit more planning than just putting some snacks on a table and letting them run riot. Should you ask kids after a party what made it special, they will probably babble on about the games and how they climbed higher than ever before without being scared. There is a lesson to be taken from kid's wise words. Hardly ever will the content of the loot bag overshadow the excitement of the day's boisterous play. Thus: when planning kid's parties, most of the effort and planning should go into the activities, games and play equipment than into the eats.

RULES ARE THERE TO PROTECT

As much as kid's parties needs exciting entertainment it also needs ground rules. Rules like:

- There will be NO pushing or pulling each other off the Jungle Gym.
- NO biting, scratching, hitting or strangling will be allowed.
- Nothing or nobody will be thrown into the swimming pool without an adult's permission
- No snooping or eating from someone else's loot bag.
- You will not help yourself to the party cake before the birthday kid did his/her bit with the candle-blowing thing.

The list can go on for pages and pages, but the interesting thing about kids and rules are: If they make rules amongst themselves they tend to

1. remember them quite clearly and
2. enforce those rules with diligence.

A good idea at the start of the party might be to call the kids together and let them set the rules amongst themselves. They might need some guidance with questions such as:" Are we allowed to kick a friend?" In most cases they will answer such questions with an earnest "No".

It can be rather interesting, if not slightly upsetting, to hear some of the rules they think of.

SOME PEACE AND QUIET

Another point surrounding games and entertainment might be that you can overdo it. Meaning.at some time during the party, a kid might need some time to himself. Maybe he just needs a few moments on top of the world (jungle gym) digging into his loot bag or talking to a friend. We live in a society where adults and kids feel that we owe them something: constant, non-stop entertainment. They do not need to be rushed from one activity to the next, leaving the party in a bit of a daze. A good idea might be to follow a high-energy activity with a more peaceful one. For example: After doing the obstacle course let them sit down and do some finger painting. Or after having a race against the clock up the jungle gym's cargo net, let them make a photo-frame.

BE PREPARED

The basis of a successful kid's party is in the planning. Think through the activities long before the cake is planned. Make a list of things needed. You might have a whole list of things planned around the Jungle Gym, but come the happy day the Jungle Gym delivery might not be on time. At Jungle Gym World they pride themselves on being punctual and needs 3 weeks advance notice of the date you need it delivered. They can also be of great help when it comes to safety issues concerning your play ground and Jungle Gym. Junglegymworld.com can have a positive input towards making a kid's party, something special.