3rd birthday party

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Just landed one.

It's only 2 hours and the dough is decent enough but I've not done a kids party for a few years.

I can usually get kids that age dancing playing new chart stuff and cheesy guff like Gangnam Style, Cha Cha Slide etc... but is there anything else I should be getting in just in case?

What about games?

Any other times I've done parties it was via agencies and the games were taken care of by the parents but in this case I think they want me to come up with some ideas.

Anything else I should take into consideration apart from a few rottweilers to stop them poking and prodding my scrims.

[paulg]

Games are very hard at that age. The children are at least a year from being developed enough to get what's going on. You might get away with pass the parcels but the little ones won't understand why they have to pass on what looks like a perfectly good present! Hokey Cokey with mum and dad will be OK. Plenty of balloons helps - they will play with them for hours.

I'd rather be at home with my feet up rather than do that sort of gig so I tend to advise that a disco is not appropriate and mum and dad should stick to a few children around the table at home with Cbeebies on the CD, potted dog sarnies, balloons, jelly and ice cream and a cake with some candles........ahhh...memories.

[leelive]

I have been to a few kids parties at my wee son's school.

The dj's doing their parties have followed some simple rules:

1. Don't use any Graphic EQ.... just turn up the volume and max the treble so that it bounces off the walls and pierces everyone's ears.
2. Don't bother with digitally controlled lighting... Just have random patterns and lasers spinning in all directions.
3. Stick to one style of music.... even if no-one is dancing.
4. Finally, play "musical bumps" at the last minute.

Good luck.

Lee

[chrisj]

I've done a couple of 3 yr old parties this year but then I am a children's entertainer and magician, member of Anglian Magic Society. I must agree they may be ok with Gangnam as the last one I did was but she had a 10 yr old brother and was therefore into it. Yes I did pass the parcel provided by the parents but many children would not pass it. I did use a bubble machine but had to limit the amount of bubbles as I always do to stop floor getting slippery.
I use Rosco bubble fluid which is very thin and almost dry. http://www.rosco.com/fog/bubsfluid.cfm I think it is around £28 for 1 gallon delivered.

I gave then a 45 minute Magic Show but some just were not interested as the attention span is so short at that age.

I suggest you contact the parents and ask what the child is interested in as I cannot see much chart music working unless of course there are older children at the party.

I have been to a few kids parties at my wee son's school.

The dj's doing their parties have followed some simple rules:

1. Don't use any Graphic EQ.... just turn up the volume and max the treble so that it bounces off the walls and pierces everyone's ears.
2. Don't bother with digitally controlled lighting... Just have random patterns and lasers spinning in all directions.
3. Stick to one style of music.... even if no-one is dancing.
4. Finally, play "musical bumps" at the last minute.

Good luck.

Lee

Great thoughts Lee but it is a 3 year old party not even school age. At 3 yrs old they do not need it to be too loud as the best thing is lots of interaction. I will not do a 3 yr old party for more than 1 hr unless they have 25 - 30 minutes for food and cake with a Magic Show included which is normal for me. I would honestly hate to do a 3 yr old with just games and music They are not old enough to know the Cha Cha or Macarena. Even some 5 yr old parties don't know those tracks and I do 5 - 6 yr olds twice each month.

[Jim - Scotland's Party DJ]

Christ I'm regretting this already. I have to stop doing favours for people.

What kind of music would you suggest then? I had a bunch of toddlers running around enjoying Rihanna, Nikki Minaj etc...(clean versions of course) before getting the 60s and 70s stuff going on Saturday night.

[leelive]

Great thoughts Lee but it is a 3 year old party not even school age.

None of my suggestions were serious. I hated the kids discos..... but came to realise that at £50 the school got a bargain.

Lee

[paulg]

music:

Cbeebies
Nursery rhymes - old mac donald, ten green bottles etc etec
all the holiday kids clubs hits - chocolata, chiuahaha, hot potato etc etc
black lace - superman, hokey cokey, conga etc. I'd give gang bang a miss.
poker face and that sort of sickly pop

Stick to this and you'll do fine

[DazzyD]

Christ I'm regretting this already. I have to stop doing favours for people.

What kind of music would you suggest then? I had a bunch of toddlers running around enjoying Rihanna, Nikki Minaj etc...(clean versions of course) before getting the 60s and 70s stuff going on Saturday night.

music:

Cbeebies
Nursery rhymes - old mac donald, ten green bottles etc etec
all the holiday kids clubs hits - chocolata, chiuahaha, hot potato etc etc
black lace - superman, hokey cokey, conga etc. I'd give gang bang a miss.
poker face and that sort of sickly pop

Stick to this and you'll do fine

I'd also add in that you should try and your get your hands the current season's Tiger Club / Rory & Bradley CDs /FunStars (these are the Haven Kid's Club stuff) and these always go down well at kids parties. For the last 2 years, "Naughty Ned" has used the Taio Cruz track Dynamite as part of the "DJ Ned" shows and I've found that this goes down well at kids parties. Also, Katy Perry's Firework is usually popular.

As for games, then unless you have some experience of what goes down well, I'd have to advise you to pass this over to the parents to organise. I mean, have you ever tried to tell a 3 year old that he must sit down as he moved during Musical Statues?? {shudders} And I do do kids parties!!! For a bunch of toddlers, you're better off just realising a load of balloons and letting them get on with it!!

[Shaun]

I couldn't even contemplate doing a 3 year old party. Most are still at the nursery rhyme stage, so a disco would be a complete waste of time I'd imagine.

Best of luck with it Jim, I think you'll need it.

[DJ jordi J]

I do mainly teen party's but have done younger kids party's and to be honest at that age they will not be overly interested in what you are playing. My advice play off "now 83" and chuck in a couple of nursery rhyme's. roll with it and relax, no special equipment just a few moving lights for them to chase and a fog/smoke machine always goes down well.

good luck !!!