Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink...

Kids are notorious for using a cup once. When it comes to parties it's even more of an issue.  They fill up their cups, get excited and forget to take even one sip. In the mean time the abandoned cup is spilled over, stuffed on a shelf or in the garden only to have the whole process repeated when the thirsty child comes looking for their next drink.

This is where I love individually labelled water bottles. The kids love them too. Kids love to seek out things that are specially made for them. Bottles decorated with labels also look great if they match a theme. The best things, you're giving them good old plain water in a container they are more likely to hang on to. If they do leave them about, they are easy to find and bottles have lids which help reduce spills.

For more party ideas visit the My Little Party Planner website: www.mylittlepartyplanner.com

The humble rope

Would you believe me if I told you this long, skinny piece of rope was one of the biggest sources of kids fun at a recent party?  Well, it was.  One rope became a tug of war game (we tripled it over, tied a few end knots in it and marked the middle and it was good to go).

Next it was on to limbo dancing where all the kids (big and small) had fun seeing how low they could go before getting out.

A simple game of jump rope came next as kids ran in and out displaying their fitness and timing skills.

Not wanting to be out-done (apparently jump rope was a bit girly - although I noticed it didn't stop the boys joining in), the boys started playing helicopter where the person in the middle swings the rope around on the ground like a helicopter blade as those around the edge jump over it.

One rope and four games. Who would have thought? And to think, I was going to string it up and hang the shade cloth on it!  So useful!

For more party games visit the 'games' section at: www.mylittlepartyplanner.com