Magical Tim's Magic Shows!

Answers To Common Party Planning Questions

What's appropriate for different age groups?

Overall Information

It has been my experience that for younger children, you should invite as many guests as your child's age in years, plus 1. Example: 1st Birthday - 2 guests, 2nd Birthday - 3 guests, and so on. Many parties for 1 & 2 year old children have guests of mixed ages, often ranging from 1 to 10 or 12 years old.

1-2 year olds

Keep the party short with individual cupcakes for each child and choruses of a few well-loved songs.

Preschoolers

Preschoolers love easy games, grab bags, simple treasure hunts and moving to music. Themes are very popular and the guests love to come in costume.

5-7 year olds

Children in this age group can handle slightly more complicated games, relay races and team efforts. They still enjoy themes based on popular movies, books and their imagination.

7-10 year olds

Elementary school-age children are slightly more sophisticated. They may be asking for slumber parties with two or three friends, more elaborate treasure hunts or parties that revolve around a specific activity like skating or baseball. As kids get older, they are often relieved to be able to celebrate their birthdays with a special event shared with just a few good friends. Ask Tim about a party package for this age range, that offers teaching. The children can learn how to do magic tricks, or twist balloons. Kids in this age group love to learn new skills that they can show off to family & friends!

Where should I have the party?

Overall Information

Magical Tim will adapt himself to any area selected. However, for your own sake, and that of the children, give it some thought. If you have a tile or linoleum floor play room that is the obvious place to have the party. In summer, a lawn or patio is nice, provided it is not in the full glare of the sun. Neither the children nor the performer will do well with a stay under the bright sun. Provide some sort of shading, if there are no trees. If the party is in the living room, remove all breakables, ornaments, and easily tipped over items. It will only take few minutes and your mind will be at ease during the party. Magical Tim doesn't need much space to set up (about the same amount as two adults standing next to each other), just make sure there is enough space for all the children to sit facing him on the floor. Keep in mind the light source also. Position the guests so their back is to the sun or indoor lights, and Tim if facing the light. By doing this, your photos & videos will be much clearer when the Tim brings up the birthday child to help.

Home

If your party is at home, it usually means cleaning before and after the event, but you have all the prep time you need. Some moms let the birthday child get involved with the party planning, decorating the house, and preparing the refreshments. It’s a fun way for them to learn all about being a good host or hostess. Another nice thing about home parties is all the choices you have for entertainment: characters, magic, music, ponies or bounces can be brought to almost any home.

Restaurants

Some restaurants are perfect for a children’s party. Many places like pizza restaurants have special party packages. Advantages to booking at a restaurant are that they take care of all the food, and the cleanup, and sometimes you can even order a cake from them. You will want to see if they have a private party area or if your group would be sharing space with all the other patrons. You often have to deal with a high noise level. Some pizza parlors don't allow outside entertainers. If you do hire an entertainer to perform for you, make sure there room for the children to play games or will you need to choose activities that don’t require much space.

Other Locations

There are also special children’s activity centers which offer special programs for parties. For example: your local children’s museum, gyms or dance schools. They often have organized programs of games and activities suited to the age of the children, and the group is well chaperoned. However, there are limitations. Many limit the size of your guest list. Some will allow you to bring in a clown, character or magician to enhance your party, some will not. Also you may not have the luxury to linger longer than the time you reserved. When your time is up, you’re expected to clear out and make room for the next group. For older children you might consider a bowling or skating party. The facility often has a party package which includes skate/bowl time for each of your guests plus there is often a party area available for you to eat, open gifts and even have some special hired entertainment. Note: If your party is in a public place you may need more adults to help chaperone your group.

What should I know about inviting?

Overall Information

Do not send out your invitations until you have confirmed a date with Magical Tim. Sometimes he will be working another party within a short distance of your home and could take care of you if you could change the time of your event. This is easier to do if the invitations have not yet been sent.

What's the best time to send invitations?

Make the invitation very specific as to what time the party begins and ENDS. Some moms take advantage of a birthday party to leave their child there for a time before and after the party -- so they have time for shopping or whatever else they want to do. The invitation can specify, "The party will be over, and your child will be ready to be picked up at 4:00pm" Then, if the parent does not come for them by 4:15pm, you can safely call to find out why. Most people will get the idea and be there. Ask for a definite response to the invitation (RSVP) and check the list with your birthday child. A written invitation is better than a phone call, because the guests have the day, the time, the place, etc. before them to avoid errors.

Do you have invitations I can use?

Yes I do. And they are free for you. They are available to download in the store.

What should I know about putting the party together?

Overall Information

The vast majority of parties follow a simple sequence that works very well. Let's assume the invitations say the party starts at 1:00pm. It usually takes about a half hour for all the guests to arrive, during which time games or toys will keep them occupied. Tim starts his show at 1:30pm, and finishes at 2:00pm. From then until about 3:00pm are the refreshments (including cake), presents and perhaps more games. That makes a total of about 2 hours, which is plenty for a child's party. Children don't eat as much as adults and they eat faster, especially when excited at a party. Don't make the mistake lots of parents do in ordering 10 large pizzas. For the average sized party (8-15 children), 2 to 4 pizzas will suffice (unless there are lots of adults around).

A checklist can help

Here are some checklists

A typical party outline

Pre-planning

Start of party

Games or toys while guests are arriving

Magical Tim and his Magic Show!

Refreshments (Cake, Ice Cream, Pizza)

A game and/or opening of the presents

Time for the guests to go home

What should I know about hiring a magician?

Overall Information

Be sure to make your phone call or email request to Magical Tim well in advance of the date you want. Saturdays and Sundays are busy days for him because they are the days almost everybody wants for their party. If you allow three weeks time, you stand a good chance of getting the day and hour you want. If you call and get to leave a message, please mention the date & time of the party, so Tim can check his calendar immediately. If he is unable to schedule your party, he will be glad to refer you to another high quality children's entertainer. Usually it's best to have Magical Tim arrive 20-30 minutes after the party has started.

How soon should I book a magician?

Most children's birthday parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons between 11:30am and 4pm. If you are having entertainment or renting a facility, keep in mind that these time periods book up the fastest, so make your reservations as much in advance as possible. If you are having the party during the week at your child's school, the entertainers may not have other shows booked, but probably have other commitments, so it's still advisable to book at least a week or two in advance.

Can the performer help with a cake ceremony?

Sure! Just ask ahead of time, so the show can be adjusted to allow for it. If you want the entertainer to be there for your Cake Ceremony, it's a good idea to do that in last 5-10 minutes of the scheduled time. He or she will lead everyone in singing "Happy Birthday" and that's a great time to pose for photos too! Then your performer can say goodbye and leave as your guests sit down to enjoy their cake.

What's the best time for a magician to come to the party?

Unless you are having the entertainer stay for the entire party, don't have them scheduled to begin at the same time your guests are due to arrive. Generally, allow at least 30 minutes for most of your guests to arrive before your entertainment begins. (Fifteen minutes is okay for very short parties.) One to two hours into the party is recommended if your party will go on for many hours.