Easy, cheap kids fall birthday party tips

Got a child with a fall birthday? Autumn is a great time for an outdoor birthday party. Sometimes, fall outdoor parties are easier to manage because it's cooler. Here's an easy, cheap kids' birthday bash, suitable for preschool to elementary age children. I've included tips for food, crafts, games, activities and cleanup.  Easy, cheap kids' fall birthday party tips

Cheap, Easy Preschool Party Planner with Activity Stations

Cheap DIY Party Planner for Preschool Age Children with Activity Stations While there are dozens of adorable little girl party themes, I find it best to go with a simple, inexpensive party theme. Here's a party planner for preschool age children that's full of cheap, diy homemade fun. Based on preschool learning centers. Read More

Winter Olympics Outdoor Games Party Planner

Winter Olympics Activities and Lesson Plans for School or Homeschool
The Olympics make a great subject for study in the classroom or homeschool. Winter Olympics 2010 is a celebrates talent, athletics, health and wellness and multi-cultural interaction. Here some ways to bring the Olympics into your lesson plans. Read More

Cheap Graduation Open House Food Buffet

Cheap Graduation Open House Food Tips: Plan a Festive Graduation Party Buffet Without Going Broke or Crazy! Here's DIy guide to planning and hosting the perfect graduation open house. Easy food buffet that guests can self-serve. Great buffet and menu recipes and ideas; purchasing, preparation and serving tips. Read on

Memorial Day Party Planner -History Activities

Cheap Kids Memorial Day Party Planner with U.S. History Ideas
Games, crafts, menu, recipes for Memorial Day fun. Includes US history activities. Great for school, homeschoolers, scouts and Memorial Day fun at home. Written for 4th of July and great for any patriotic holiday!
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DIY Easter Party for Kids-Easy, Inexpensive

DIY Easter Party for Children Bunnies, eggs, baskets, candy all the Easter holiday fun! Guideline for activities,crafts, decorations, games and treats to host an easy diy Easter party! Inexpensive, interactive and fun! Read more

Epiphany Twelfth Night Holiday Party Planner

Few students look forward to returning to school in January after Christmas vacation. So why not start the New Year with a holiday party? But you just did the holiday season, right? Well, not if you live Europe, South America or some other countries. There, the holiday season has just begun! And it's called Epiphany (or Three Kings Day, Dia de Reyes, Twelfth Night). Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian churches celebrate Jan. 6 as Three Kings Day when the Magi brought gifts to Baby Jesus. People mistakenly assume the Magi arrived with the shepherds, angels, etc. But the Bible says they came roughly 12 days after Jesus's birth, so Three Kings Day is the Twelfth Night after Christmas.Here's an Epiphany party planner to use for social studies lessons.

Tell the Christmas story using a nativity manger scene. Explain that the manger scene is a sacred devotional in many lands. It's called a creche in France and Germany, a presepio in Italy and a nacimiento in Latin countries. St Francis of Assisi first used the manger scene as an object lesson in his homilies in the mid 13th century. In Catholic homes, the Magi aren't placed in the manger scene until Epiphany. Nativity figures "travel" around the room as the wisemen, Have students write a play, using the gospel of St. Luke from the Bible, to show what the Magi and Holy Family might have encountered in their travels. Act out the play.

Explore the Magi. Read "The Fourth Wise Man" by Henry VanDyke. Or watch "The Fourth Wise Man" movie version at Youtube. It's the story of Arteban, who was supposed to join the other three Magi--Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar--but couldn't because he was so busy living the gospel. Read the opening chapters of "Ben Hur" by Gen. Lew Wallace and watch part one of Jesus of Nazareth for portrayals of the Magi.

Make Three Kings Day crafts using these free printable Epiphany activities. Make a nativity set by dressing up paper towel and toilet paper tubes in fabric scraps. Use yarn for hair and draw on faces. Make crowns from recycled boxes. Cut a piece to around the head and tape in place. Cut the top edge in decorative designs. Paint the crown with metallic paint or cover with aluminum foil. Glue on faux gems, stickers, fur trim, etc.

Perform Three Kings Day ceremonies. Since Twelfth Night also commemorates the Baptism of Jesus, light your children's' baptismal candles. If they did not receive one, you can light any candle and pray a special blessing for them. Do an Epiphany house blessing. In this ancient tradition, ask the three kings to watch over your home. Write the their initials over the door that you enter and exit through.. Use chalk to write C+B+M fpr Caspar, Balthazar and Melchior. Use different colored chalk each year.

Make crowns from recycled boxes. Cut it to fit and paint the crown with metallic paint or cover with aluminum foil. Glue on faux gems or stickers, fur trim, etc. Dress up in royal (looking) robes and put on an Epiphany passion play.

Prepare a Twelfth Night King cake. A traditional New Orleans King cake is a frosted cinnamon ring filled with fruit and nuts and decorated to look like a crown. Colored sugar in Mardi Gras colors of gold, purple and green, decorates the King cake. A tiny plastic baby Jesus is placed inside. The finder is king for the day and must make another King cake to be eaten the next night. The procedure is repeated till Mardi Gras. That's a lot of cake to eat, so you could do a weekly King cake. You can make any flavor King cake you like. Bake in a bundt pan so it resembles a crown and insert prize from bottom when it's cooled. If you can't find a baby Jesus, use a Hershey's Kiss, wrapped candy, plastic coin or dried bean. Spray sugar with colored water for Twelfth Night decorations.

Thanksgiving Party Serving Guide

25 Holiday Serving Tips for Easy Parties Holiday tips from a mother of four who has hosted holiday dinners for our extended family for eight years running. You'll find serving and organization suggestions and time and labor saving ideas so that you can enjoy the holiday with less stress. View more »

Last Minute Thanksgiving Dinner Party Planner

Emergency Thanksgiving Holiday Shopping List, Menu and Recipes
Congratulations, you're hosting the Thanksgiving fest this year. Nervous? Don't be; here's an easy diy Thanksgiving dinner guide View more »

Church or School Harvest Festival Planner

How to Organize a School Festival or Party Party planner for fall or harvest festival, school festival, large group party. checklist of organizing basics. Covers activities, crafts, prizes, food, events, scheduling, ordinances, crowd control and more! Great for school events, festivals, church or scout parties. Geared toward family events. View more »

How to Plan a Large Party

How to Plan Your Work, Company or Business Christmas Party List of what to avoid and how to organize your company, business or work Christmas party. View more »

Kids Party Planning 101

How to Organize a Holiday Party for Kids of Any Age! Need ideas for holiday activities for children? Here is the definitive guide! Compiled by a 22 year veteran teacher and loaded with time, money and energy saving ideas, you can host a party that everyone will enjoy (even you!) View more »

How to Plan a Toddler Birthday Party

How to Plan a Toddler Birthday Party Birthday parties can be so much fun but they can also be disasters. Imagine tired, unhappy or bored children, crazy chaotic behavior, stressed, grouchy parents -- well, you get the picture! And a toddler's birthday is especially tricky. Here is a how-to list of party basics for the child of toddler age.Read on for more info...

All Saint's Day Christian Fall Party Planner ~ Halloween Alternative

Christian Party Planner for October Parties Religious and Christian themed party with games and activities for an October event that avoids the Halloween mentality. Includes games, costumes, decorations, activities and service opportunities. View more »

How to Host a Teen Party

How to Organize and Host a Mixed Teen Party Low-cost tips for preparation, themes, food, activities, music, clean-up, decorations, guests, indoor/outdoor options and things to avoid. View more »