Party Ideas

Remember the excitement of your first bounce?

03/29/2012 01:20:00

Do you remember your first time on a bouncy castle? We see them so often today that we forget the excitement of that first bounce. I was about thirteen - far too old - when I saw one at Leisureland in Galway on a wet summers day in the late seventies. I had never seen one before, and I loved it.

We were less sophisticated back then. My father had an old projector and a silent reel from Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein. That was our birthday entertainment every year, and how we looked forward to it. Live entertainment was unheard of. Bouncy castles were something they had in America. Then Leisureland got one.

Around this time of year I get my castles ready for the summer. It is not difficult. I blow the thing up, and if it needs repair, I ship it off to an expert. If it doesn't, I turn the hose on it, spray it liberally with detergent, then myself and the kids have a water-soaked afternoon of fun. Standing in one and trying to bounce high enough to scrub the roof is still a blast.

That first time in Salthill, when I was thirteen, I did my best to do a complete somersault . Every time I failed. I landed flat on my back. This week I will be taking advantage of the fine weather for a spot of castle cleaning. And I know at some point the urge will become too strong, and I will take a quick run and try another somersault. And I will fail again. And as I lie on my back looking up at the sudsy roof, I will remember all the years of fun I have had with bouncy castles.

If you hire a bouncy castle for your child's party - or even just for an impromptu bit of fun on a hot day - you will be giving them memories for the next forty years. Not bad for a simple phone call.

Halloween - its a special time

10/27/2011 01:56:00

Halloween is my favorite time of the year. The leaves are turning, painting the hills in a beautiful patchwork. The weather (apart from the last few days!) is crisp and cold. And you can almost feel the magic in the air.

Even as a child I was fascinated by the legends - the ghosts, the vampires, the witches and warlocks. I even became one myself.

That magic makes Halloween so special. We live in a practical age, where children have access to more information by the age of ten than we managed to accumulate in three times that duration. Technology has removed much of the magic from life. We don't sit around a flickering fire and listen to the old stories any more.

But at Halloween all that changes. For a day we go back two centuries, to a time when ghosts walked our streets, vampires haunted our dreams, and wolves howled at night. That injection of imagination is vital for our children. So we should all make an effort to encourage it. If you are with me on this, let's all wear a good costume on Monday, and go door to door. Or if you have no kids (and it would be creepy without them) at least put on a costume and have a bag of sweets and nuts ready for when they call.

Long live Halloween, and - BOO!

Leave them laughing

09/29/2011 13:31:00

I got hooked on variety acts as a child. I loved magicians, circuses, puppet theaters. Those were the things that lifted me out of the ordinary world and threw me into a world of the imagination, where anything was possible. Books were great (still are) and movies were all right. But nothing topped a live act.

As we get older we get fossilized, and we stop believing that the world is full of wonderful opportunities. But children still have that sense of infinite possibilities. That is why it is such a joy to entertain them.

I believe a good magic show for children is not about the magic, but about what comes with the magic - the stories, the laughter, and the fun. I try to create my own world, where nothing works the way it should and everything is a cause of merriment. If the laughter bounces off the walls, interrupted occasionally by a disbelieving Wow! then I know I am on the right track.

Thanks to all the people who have invited me into their homes, and allowed me to try and make my vision a reality.

Theme your entertainment

09/27/2011 01:46:00

I had an interesting show over the weekend. The birthday boy loves vampires, so I was asked could I do the magic as a vampire. Of course I could. I wore a tux, and a long flowing black cloak, and adjusted my patter. I brought a werewolf instead of a taking dog, and painted the faces as vampires, wolfmen, ghouls, skulls, etc.

On Wednesday I am doing a mad scientist at a party. In the past I have been asked for pirates. It is all possible. If your child has an interest, why not ask whoever provides the entertainment if they can accommodate that interest.

I know I will always do my best. Sometimes it won't be possible - I don't make a good fairy, for instance! But if it is possible, it could be the touch that turns a good party into a party your child will remember into their childhood. And isn't that what we are aiming at for our children?

Happy Days!

Crepe-a-lola - have a pancake party

06/09/2011 11:32:00

Here's a neat summer idea - have a pancake party. My friend Laurent is the best crepe man in Cork. A native of Britanny, you might have seen him flipping the pancakes at Mahon Point or the Douglas Shopping Centre at the farmer's markets. Now he is brancing into the private market, and is available to give a Gallic flavour to your party.

It is great fun for the kids, because they get to see their pancake being made, from batter to completion, and they get to choose from a wide range of fillings, both sweet and savory.

Now you can feed the kids with no effort on your part!

An Easter Treat

04/21/2011 16:19:00

Summer is here with a bang. The weather is beautiful, and the kids are off for Easter. Why not give them a treat that won't cost the earth? Hire a bouncy castle for a day or two (special two days offers are available). A bouncy castle or a slide will make those sunny days pass so quickly.

Or invite a few friends over for an informal party and have a clown, magician or balloon-twister come in and spice up the day. Or have a wacky science party, and let the kids make a mess with household chemicals.

We're turning the corner on the recession and we all need cheering up. So why not give it a try?

Fun ideas for a bouncy castle

04/05/2011 10:57:00

Cork is due a great summer - and I don't just mean the footballers. If you have a bouncy castle ordered for your communion party or a birthday, you could get so much more out of it if the weather permits. Here are some ideas my own kids love.

Wet and Wild. If the day is particularly hot, have everyone in their togs and turn a hosepipe on the castle. Have water bombs (balloons filled from the hose) and go wild.

Foam Party. Spray some Fairy Liquid on the castle and turn on the hose. Soon the castle will be covered in slippery foam. As a bonus, you'll have cleaned my bouncy castle for me!

Slippery slide. If you have ordered a bouncy slide then you can spray the top half of the slide with Pledge or any furniture polish. A brief spray is all that's needed. The slide will become super slippery. Don't spray the entire slide, unless you want the kids to fly off into the bushes!

Paddling Pool Plonk. Put a paddling pool at the end of the slide, and allow the kids to slide down and into it.

But remember, whatever you do, be careful. Bouncy Castles and Bouncy Slides are great fun, but if you are going to involve water, make sure there is adult supervision all the time. Have fun.

Keeping it safe - rules for Bouncy Castles

03/31/2011 00:35:00

Bouncy castles and slides are so soft and yielding that we all think there is no place safer for a child. And we would be right; but some common sense rules need to be observed when using bouncy castles and other inflatables.

Here are some of the most obvious.

Supervise the children, especially if there are a lot of them.

Never let them climb onto the roof or walls of the bouncy castle.

Never let the adults in - especially if they have had a few drinks!

Never bounce in shoes - particularly golf shoes or runners spikes!

As long as you use a bit of cop-on, bouncy castles are a great way of whiling away the hot summer days. We deliver them all over Cork and surrounding areas.

Communion Entertainment

03/30/2011 14:47:00

May is communion season, and the bad news is that you might already have left it too late to book some communion entertainment. But maybe not - it is worth a phone around to see who has some availability. At this age children are moving beyond the clowns and puppets, but still love a good magic show. They also enjoy bouncy castles. Some of the bouncy castles have a slide as well, which makes them perfect for those warm summer days we hope Cork is going to experience!

A good idea might be to hold a private family celebration on the Saturday of the communion, and a proper party the following day. By Sunday most of the parties will be over so you will have the pick of entertainers and bouncy castles.

Another good party idea is to hold your party later in the evening. The kids are old enough, and they are not going to school the following day. Have a barbecue for the parents and have someone come in to do the children's entertainment around eight or so. Again, you will find it far easier to find an entertainer that way.

Bouncy Castles and inflatables.

03/27/2011 01:23:00

Coming into summer everyone loves a bouncy castle or a bouncy slide. And why not? They are great fun. You can watch the kids bounce around in complete safety, and let the adults enjoy themselves without distraction. In hot weather it is great outdoor entertainment. Turn on a hose and turn it into a water park.

If you are going to have lots of kids, or older kids, you could go for a slightly bigger castle with a slide.

Just follow a few safety rules. No climbing on the walls or roof. No shoes (especially stilettos). No food or drinks (especially pint glasses). And don't let the adults jump on the castle after they have had a few!

We have a good range of standard garden size castles, slides and inflatables for delivery all over Cork city and suburbs, like Douglas, Rochestown, and Bishopstown, and surrounding towns such as Carrigaline, Passage, Ringaskiddy, Middleton, etc. All our castles come with a good rain cover, and are secured to your garden in case of gusts! Great fun for everyone.