Hocus Pocus – Here’s How To Throw a Covid-Safe Halloween!

Hocus Pocus – Here’s How To Throw a Covid-Safe Halloween!

With Halloween and the end of lockdown here in Sydney just around the corner, we thought we’d give you some tips and “tricks” on how to have a Covid-safe sweet & spooky Halloween with the kids!

It’s no secret our little ones have missed out on many celebrations during 2021. And so it’s a miracle it’s looking like trick or treating with friends is back on the cards!

Why not?

  • Decorate your front yard by stringing up lollies (the pre packaged individually wrapped kind to be extra covid-safe) on pegs with a please take one sign!
  • Buy costumes for your little ones
  • Have a halloween themed picnic with easy spooky and sweet treats like these pretzel and cheese broomsticks, mummy toast or the classic frog in a pond or as we like to call it this time of year “frog in a witches potion”
  • Have a movie night with your household with the above snacks and a fun halloween movie (for example Monsters Inc, Coco, The Nightmare before Christmas, Coco, Caspar, Harry Potter, Hotel Transylvania, The Adams Family)
  • For a very extra and covid-safe celebration throw a Halloween virtual party package designed to guarantee the kids will be “screaming” with laughter, full of ghoulish games, witches magic, zombie dancing and more!

“When witches go riding and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers ‘Tis near Halloween”.

 

Halloween Themed Character Ideas

Monster High (Clawdeen Wolf & Draculaura)

Vampire

Witch

Harry Potter

Ghostbusters

Black Cat

Monsters Inc

Disney Zombies

It’s important to stay Covid-safe, so…

  • Practice social distancing trick or treating (e.g. have lollies on pegs hung up so kids can just grab and go while staying outside)
  • Hand sanitise
  • Make sure you’re adhering to all government guidelines where you are

Finally, however you decide to celebrate Halloween this year we hope you and your little ones have a sweet October with loved ones whether together in person at a picnic or virtually because without a doubt, you deserve it.

 

Feedback for our Virtual Parties

Children With Cancer UK – Harry Potter Party

Hi Simon,

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for doing the zoom party this morning.

Simon, you were great and I was almost convinced you were the real Harry! The children all had a really great time and I’m sure we’ll get some great photos and feedback which I’ll share with you.

Thank you again. It was perfect.

Katie R.

 


Virtual Book Week Ideas

How to have a spell-binding virtual book-week in lockdown

Double double, toil and covid-related trouble… are you a librarian, teacher, educator who wants to celebrate Book Week but are in lockdown? As Alice says “Why sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast”. Using a little creativity and imagination you can have a virtual book week that’s sure to spark the kids imagination and take them out of this world while at home!

Our virtual parties can be tailored to any age and classroom. Take the kids on a magical adventure through interactive storytelling led by one of their (or your) childhood favourite characters. With themed games, storytelling and more we know the kids will have as much fun with our entertainers as if thing one and thing two were running amok!

Below are some of our favourite kids book characters. All of these characters are available for a virtual party. We know juggling working from home and remote learning can mean the idea of making a costume seem like a mammoth task, so we’ve partnered up with costumes.com.au and linked helpful pages for you! Simply click on the character to find an array of costume and decoration options to help set the scene! 

Book Week Character Ideas

 

virtual-party-bookweek

Get in touch today to personalise a quote for your classroom or library by sending us an email to info@stardustkids.com.au.

We hope to speak soon but until then we’ll leave you with one of our favourite quotes which we hope during this time might inspire you to take a little break and enter a “world of pure imagination”…

“You can find magic wherever you look, sit back and relax, all you need is a book!” – Dr Seuss

Children With Cancer UK – Harry Potter Party

Hi Simon,

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for doing the zoom party this morning.

Simon, you were great and I was almost convinced you were the real Harry! The children all had a really great time and I’m sure we’ll get some great photos and feedback which I’ll share with you.

Thank you again. It was perfect.

Katie R.


Christmas Party Packages To Make Even The Grinch Smile 

Have Yourself A Merry Little (or Big) Kids Christmas Party

It’s no secret Santa’s elves spend their whole year preparing for Christmas and our Elves do as well, filling our Kids Christmas Party packages like a stocking, or turkey! With Christmas in July here in wintery Australia only 5 days away it feels like the North Pole (just without the snow) although our elves have told us there has been a sighting of snow in Aus just not in Sydney.

We truly believe Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. And being in lockdown here, we only have more time and reason to plan the biggest and most holly jolly festive season yet. 

With something for everyone, whether it’s a private party for family and friends, a fun-filled festive learning experience for your ELC or OOSH or your corporate Kids Christmas Party we have Christmas all tied up in a bow. 

Options include:

If there’s something you want you don’t see, do let us know. We do work with Santa, elves, fairies and superheroes and love to personalise all our packages so love to make magic!

If you’re looking at the Virtual option and you’re looking for more ideas on how to really up the ante see our other blog post on how to throw a Zoom Kids Christmas Party  here 

 

Kids Christmas Party - Christmas Elf

Reserve Bank of Australia Christmas Party

The Reserve Bank’s Children’s Christmas party was a huge success. The StarDust entertainers were wonderful! A special thank you must go to Teigan. She managed her team well and kept me informed all day of the status and timing of activities. Three parties in a row was a big ask, but your team maintained their energy and motivation to the very end. They worked with our Santa to ensure the kids were happy and each party remained on time. I would be happy to provide a verbal referral to potential corporate clients, should you be approached in the future. Looking forward to working with you all again this year. Regards.

           Brenda S 

Family Zoom Xmas Party 

Hi, I just wanted to say thank you for the amazing Zoom party this morning. You were amazing and my kids and their cousins were convinced you were  real elves! They all had such a fun time. Thanks again, and Happy Christmas!

           Charlotte K 


How to Throw a Virtual Kids Party!

How to Throw a Virtual Kids Party!

It’s the only time your little one is turning, 4, 5, 6… and you’re in lockdown for your kids party. Never fear, we’re here to help save the day. While it breaks our hearts we’re currently unable to fly by magic carpet, on broom or using wings and capes over to you, it doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun and help make memories that truly become ‘a tale as old as time’ through our virtual kids party!

Zoom parties have evolved since the beginning of the pandemic with kids more experienced with interacting through the platform and we’re finding them more engaged and excited to use technology to connect.

With magic, games, q & a, scavenger hunts and a FREE personalised birthday video as a keepsake (to bring out on their 18th or 21st) your little one can still celebrate with their family and friends. Their cousins interstate or overseas who may not usually be able to come can join in too!

virtual zoom kids party

We have over 300+ costumes and characters. Pictured (Elsa, Optimus Prime, Harry Potter, Wonder Woman, Fairy & Ninjago.

Apart from entertainment, here are some other tips and tricks to create an immersive party experience. If you see words in blue, it means we’ve linked recommended suppliers, just click on the words to go straight to them.

  • Let them eat cake! If restrictions allow, organise a cupcake drop during your allowed outdoor exercise and drop cupcakes at your guests houses
  • Look the part! and order a costume for the birthday child so they can dress like their favourite character
  • Set the scene! Decorate the wall behind where your little one will be sitting with props, decorations and balloons
  • Set the scene, part 2! You can also use virtual backgrounds so that all your party guests appear under the sea with Ariel, in Arendelle with Elsa, or in the gaming world of Super Mario or Sonic The Hedehog.

Feedback for our Virtual Parties

Liam’s 6th Birthday

“I would like to thank you for making my son’s birthday so special. We were a bit worried about his special day this year but the zoom party made a big difference and made him so happy. He really did feel as if his friends are here celebrating with him. Iron man was absolutely amazing, so nice and funny. The kids absolutely loved him.
People are still telling me how amazing this idea is and how their kids enjoyed the party.
The attached video is such a nice memory to keep.
Thank you again!” – Efrat A

Heidi’s 4th Birthday

“Thank you so much for the excellent Zoom party. It honestly exceeded my expectations. Maddie was fabulous! Heidi felt super special and thought the party was excellent. The video from Anna the other day was also great. Heidi’s face lit up and she was talking to the screen because she didn’t realise it was a video lol.” – Martina M

Kangaroo Beach Party

Kangaroo Beach Party

It’s no secret the NEW Aussie kids TV show Kangaroo Beach is increasing in popularity and we can see why, so have created a NEW Kangaroo Beach Party! Koala Frizzy is an all singing, all-dancing, fabulous triple threat. Just like him, our entertainers are all professional performers and are ready to take the kids on an adventure to become junior cadets.

Full of action-packaged games, in our Kangaroo Beach party the kids will get to get to become heroes just like your “lifeguard”. They’ll help clean the seaweed smell off the picnic blanket and run away from seagulls underneath it (parachute games). They’ll also learn how to sneak up on “The Lagoon Monster”. Just like the Kangaroo Beach crew win special medallions for every new skill they master, the kids will also have the chance to win their very own balloon prizes.

Spots are being snapped up like seagulls with chips on Bondi Beach.

 

 

 

Testimonials

Reviews on our parties:

“Carla was amazing amazing amazing. Can’t tell you much more, she had it completely handled.”

“100% enthralled from start to finish by Lyndon and had an absolute ball.

“The kids were mesmerised and falling over laughing by the end of Cypriana’s show. Some of them actually lost the ability to speak when describing how hilarious the balloon-tying was.”

 

Kangaroo Beach Party


Trick or Treat!?

Trick or Treat!?

It’s your biggest nightmare. Telling your child/ren that they can’t go trick or treating! While Halloween might look a little different this year, you can still celebrate in Style and throw a Covid-Safe Halloween party. Here’s How.

Zoom Halloween Party

Throw a ZOOM Halloween Party! The kids can still get to dress up in costume and show all  their friends their costume while keeping “spookily” socially distant! Filled with tricks (magic ones) and treats (lots of fun games), the kids are sure to have a spook-tastic time with your entertainer.

Activities Include –

  • A Spook-tacular Character of Your Choice
  • A Wonderful Welcome Show
  • Disco Dancing Games
  • Scary Scavenger Hunt or Interactive Story Time (Dependant on Age)
  • Mesmerising Magic “Tricks” and treats
  • Great Games

 

Halloween Party

 

Character Suggestions

Monster High (Clawdeen Wolf & Draculaura)

Vampire

Witch

Harry Potter

Ghostbusters

Black Cat

Monsters Inc

Plus Many More

Extra Tips and Treats for a spell-binding Halloween Party

Get Creative in The Kitchen

  • Apples dipped in melted chocolate with sprinkles
  • Mandarin “pumpkins” with cucumber stick stems (healthy and instagram worthy!)
  • Halloween jelly

The possibilities are endless.

 

Deadly Dress Ups and Decorations

Setting the scene really does help everyone get excited and in a Halloweeny Mood!

Our partners at costumes.com.au have a wide range of costumes (for both kids and adults alike) and decorations and you can even get a discount if you sign up. We’ve linked them below!

https://www.costumes.com.au/theme/halloween-costumes-2020

https://www.costumes.com.au/theme/halloween-costumes-2020/props-decorations

After the Party

Wind down and spend time as a family, maybe get some “scary” popcorn and watch a Halloween themed movie together.

Here are some of our picks!

  • Hotel Transylvania
  • The Addams Family
  • The Nightmare before Christmas (okay so this is more of a Christmas one – but it has skeletons and pumpkins?)
  • Room on The Broom (for the littlies!)

 

Some Feedback for our ZOOM Virtual Parties

Children With Cancer UK – Harry Potter Party

Hi Simon,

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for doing the zoom party this morning.

Simon, you were great and I was almost convinced you were the real Harry! The children all had a really great time and I’m sure we’ll get some great photos and feedback which I’ll share with you.

Thank you again. It was perfect.

Katie R.

 

 

 

 

 


ELC & OSCH Virtual Christmas Party

Attention: Educators! Are you looking to host a Virtual Christmas Party or are you perhaps in lockdown and looking for a way to keep your families connected?

Our elves have been busy in Santa’s Workshop ensuring the magic of Christmas can still be shared this year in spite of the Grinch’s (Covid-19) best efforts. Our Christmas virtual party packages are perfect for any ELC or OSCH Centre and can be personalised to suit your exact needs!

With party packages designed in the North Pole for all ages as well as specialised packages for Tiny Tots (Tinselly Tiny Tots Room) and Older Primary students (Christmas at Hogwarts & Jingle Bell Disco Rooms), you’ll be sure find something tinsel-tastic for your centre. Plus, while all our Christmas party packages are FUN, FUN, FUN, as an added bonus you can also link them into a learning outcome from the EYLF or MTOP.

First things first. It’s simple!

  • Set a date and time
  • Call us to book your ZOOM Christmas Party
  • Let your educators and families know

 

 

 

Here are a couple of extra tips and tricks for a Holly Jolly ZOOM Christmas Party for all!

Pick a theme e.g. Winter Wonderland or Silly Santa Hair so the kids can all dress up for the party and feel a sense of community

Implement Christmas themed experiences with the kids in preparation for the party e.g.

  • Cut out paper snowflakes to stick on the walls
  • Make snow people paintings using cotton balls (babies and toddlers)
  • Create Christmas themed stained glass windows with coloured cellophane and cardboard!
  • Have the kids work together to make a cardboard box post box in which they can write letters to Santa

 

Elf - Virtual Christmas party

 

Virtual Party Packages

Click on the headings for more info!

Perfect & Petite Virtual Christmas Party

Looking for the perfect present this Christmas? Give the gift of joy with our virtual Christmas. Hosted by one of our wonderful elves (or any other character of your choosing), the children and adults will get to go on an amazing adventure filled with interactive games, dancing, magic and much more.

Big & Bold Virtual Christmas Party

Have a large team? Looking for something for all ages? Invite your staff and their children to explore a whole host of exciting virtual party rooms. Each room is unique and filled with fun games and activities to keep little and big kids alike entertained. This jolly pick and mix package allows you to choose from a host of room options listed below. We are also able to create a personalised room, “stuffing” it full of festive fun to suit your unique entertainment needs. All you need to do is ask!

  • Funky Festive Games Room
  • Santa Grotto Meet & Greet Room
  • Jingle Bell Disco Room
  • Silly Santa Science Room
  • Tinselly Tiny Tots Room
  • Christmas At Hogwarts Room
  • Plus Many More

The Jolly Pick and Mix (Create Your Own)

If you don’t see what you are looking for, our friendly team will be more than happy to work with you to create a customised zoom party package that will suit your entertainment needs. So all you have to do is ask!

Extra Stocking Fillers!

If you’re looking for little stocking fillers to make the day extra holly jolly, you can pick a theme for the kids (it could be for the whole centre or different ones for each room) so the kids can have fun dressing up and feel a sense of community (think EYLF Outcome 2).

We’ve linked some options below that could be fun to give the educators on your team!

Santa hats, hair clips or reindeer headbands are a great option for parties
Ugly Sweater & t-shirts are a different twist on the traditional Santa suits.
For those wanting to dress up as Santa

We know that at Christmas, money can be tight, especially in the ECEC industry so we have restructured our pricing with shorter packages available and if you sign up to costumes.com.au you can get a discount on any of the linked items!

We are also running Covid Safe on-site parties and would love to fly over Santa or an Elf or two along to your centre from the North Pole. For more information on our on-site Christmas parties click here. 

 


Why Not Throw A ZOOM Christmas Party?

It’s no secret that this year has definitely changed the way we work. This includes the way we go about work events. The really good news is that just like ZOOM can be used for staff meetings, it can also be used for staff kids parties such as family Christmas parties and bring your kids to work day. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at StarDust Kids (or The North Pole as we like to call it come Christmas time) as we’re busy making sure that you can still throw a tinsle-tastic Company Christmas Party!

Our elves have been busy in Santa’s Workshop ensuring the magic of Christmas can still be shared this year in spite of the Grinch’s (Covid-19) best efforts.

Here’s how to have a Holly Jolly ZOOM Christmas Party for all!

First things first, it’s simple.

  • Set a date and time
  • Call us and book a zoom party
  • Let your employees know

 

 

Zoom Christmas Party Packages

Simply click on the headings for more info on each package.

Perfect & Petite Virtual Christmas Party

Looking for the perfect present this Christmas? Give the gift of joy with our virtual Christmas. Hosted by one of our wonderful elves (or any other character of your choosing), the children and adults will get to go on an amazing adventure filled with interactive games, dancing, magic and much more.

Big & Bold Virtual Christmas Party

Have a large team? Looking for something for all ages? Invite your staff and their children to explore a whole host of exciting virtual party rooms. Each room is unique and filled with fun games and activities to keep little and big kids alike entertained. This jolly pick and mix package allows you to choose from a host of room options listed below. We are also able to create a personalised room, “stuffing” it full of festive fun to suit your unique entertainment needs. All you need to do is ask!

The Jolly Pick and Mix (Create Your Own)

If you don’t see what you are looking for, our friendly team will be more than happy to work with you to create a customised zoom party package that will suit your entertainment needs. So all you have to do is ask!

 

 

Extra Stocking Fillers!

If you’re looking for extra festive tips and tricks for an extra holly jolly party here are some ideas straight from the North Pole.

Wanting to elevate your company Christmas party? You could send your team members a fun Christmas themed dress up item or decoration! Dressing up and creating themes really helps people get into the Christmas mood! And by picking a theme it can help everyone feel part of a team!

Here are some of our favourites;

Santa hats, hair clips or reindeer headbands are a great option for parties https://www.costumes.com.au/theme/christmas/santa-hats
Ugly Sweater & t-shirts are a different twist on the traditional Santa suits and could be fun for a themed event
And for those wanting to go the extra mile and dress up as Santa

We know that at Christmas, money can be tight, so we have restructured our pricing with shorter packages available and if you sign up to costumes.com.au you can get a discount on any of the linked items!

We are also running Covid Safe on-site parties and would love to fly over Santa or an Elf or two along to your centre from the North Pole. For more information on our on-site Christmas parties click here. 


How To Host A Zoom Party

Attention Parents: Here’s how to throw a ZOOM kids party during lockdown!

Today, more than ever, it is so important to keep a sense of “normal” for our children, bring joy and laughter to their lives and keep them connected with family and friends. If you’re like most parents, you’re probably wondering how to make sure your little one feels super special on their birthday while remaining safe. So why not throw them a ZOOM kids party?

Below we have put everything you will need to know about throwing a fun-filled kids birthday party whilst still social distancing.

Here are our top tips for throwing “Virtually The Best Party in Town!”.

Getting Ready For A Zoom Kids Party

It’s simple.

Set The Scene

Decorations are an easy way to make the party magical and feel as “real” as possible.

We know as a busy parent, your time is precious! You can easily outsource and simply order the decorations online. Costumes.com.au has a wide range of quality yet budget friendly party supplies, many of which are ready to ship within 24 hours. For example, you could get Elsa and Anna Frozen party hats for all the kids to wear or transformer tattoos where the kids can all show each other their cool Bumblebee or Optimus Prime tattoos while on ZOOM. Once receiving these you could make a special trip with your child dropping these round to their friends houses or send them through the mail (every kid loves receiving something in the post!).

If you’re looking to have some fun and make your own decorations see our previous blog post for some  fun, easy and cost-effective ideas we wrote up in our last blog. They are also perfect for those much-needed creative breaks from home schooling if you’re just looking for some fun for the kids.

Dress to Impress

A simple way to make your child feel extra magical is through dress ups! Costumes.com.au also has a wide variety of quality costumes for every party theme imaginable. You can also encourage your guests to dress in the theme just as they would for an on-site party!

 

Food for thought!

What’s a kids party without kids party food!? Have fun making some themed food with your little one/s like jelly in colours that match the theme or cupcakes the birthday child can ice. Traditional party food like fairy bread is always fool proof too! Some parents like to make/order cupcakes to drop around to their guests, others just like to make one cake and then have the kids simple sing Happy Birthday over ZOOM, whatever works! Baking is another creative way for your kids to de-stress and take a break from any everyday stresses such as home-schooling.

ZOOM Kids Party Entertainer!

Whilst Elsa may be staying out of the cold in Arendelle, Superman in his fortress of Solitude & Unicorns stuck somewhere over the rainbow, they still love to party . Using ZOOM our team of professional performers will appear on a theme specific virtual backdrop taking the kids on an amazing adventure.

With personalised packages filled with fun and interactive games, dancing, magic and much more, the kids will love this unique and memorable experience. Here at StarDust Kids we know that many people may be experiencing some financial stress, which is why we have restructured our packages and pricing to make sure our “new virtual kids party”, is affordable. And, for a short time only, receive a FREE bonus video message (usually valued at $35). We run parties every day and it’s quick and easy to book which means that you can even book a party in for the very next day!

 


How To Host The Perfect Virtual Party

Virtual Kids Party

How to throw an extra special virtual kids party for your little one from home!

We know there is a lot going on at the moment. But that doesn’t mean your little one needs to miss their special day! It is so important, now more than ever, to keep a sense of normalcy for our children, and celebrating their birthday is a big part of that. So why not throw them a virtual kids party!

We know that many parents are stumped for what to do for your little one’s special day this year. But never fear, StarDust Kids have come up with some helpful hints and tips to make sure your child isn’t disappointed on their birthday this year.

Below we have put everything you will need to know about throwing a fun-filled kids birthday party in one place whilst still social distancing; to ensure safety and minimise stress while maximising smiles!

Here are our top tips for throwing “Virtually The Best Party in Town!”.

 

Getting Ready For A Virtual Party….

First things first.

  • Set a date and time
  • Decide if you are keeping it more intimate with immediate family only or want to have a bigger party with extended family and friends (with the power of technology it can be as big or small as you like)
  • Send out your invitations via social media or email
  • Decide on a theme
  • Decide on some games and gather equipment

If you don’t know where to start and would rather sit back, and leave the planning and party hosting to someone else, book a StarDust Kids virtual kids party today.

 

Be Creative Cool Cats!

Be creative with your decorations!

  • Cut out paper snowflakes for a Fabulous Frozen Party right out of Arendelle (https://kinderart.com/art-lessons/seasons/winter/paper-snowflakes/)
  • Make party ready Star Wars Light Sabers out of sticking household items together (make use of all those empty toilet rolls by sticking together several rolls using silver duct tape [black tape or sharpie for the details if you want to be extra] at one end and coloured duct tape on the rest of the toilet paper rolls) (https://frugalfun4boys.com/duct-tape-lightsabers-craft/)
  • Dim the lights and put digital disco lights on the screen to set the dancing scene for a fun & funky disco party  – (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zymRNmdzF2k)
  • Make Princess cardboard or paper crowns for a Disney Princess Party
  • Set up soft toy dogs for a Paw Patrol or Bluey party
  • Pick out a virtual background you and your guests can use during a zoom party – (https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/210707503-Virtual-Background)

All these activities are cost effective, easy, fun to do together and can be done as party preparation or as activities during the party itself. They are also perfect for those much-needed creative breaks from home schooling!

 

Virtual Kids Parties

 

Eat Me, Said The Cake to Alice!

Food for thought!

You can get creative with the food while still keeping it simple. an example might be simply making some jelly with your child in colours that match the theme. Or baking some yummy cupcakes and then having the birthday child ice them.

It’s great to have the kids help with the making of the party food, as baking is another way for kids to de-stress and have fun.

Popcorn for a movie night party is another easy option.

 

Keep Them Busy!

Great games and awesome activities.

It’s important when hosting a virtual kids party not to forget the games. Here are some great ideas to keep the kids active and make sure the party is full of fun!

  • Musical statues
  • Colouring competition
  • Karaoke
  • Online games competition
  • Mini spa day

 

Virtual Kids Party Entertainer!

Does your child maybe love Elsa the Snow Queen and has seen the new Frozen 2 movie more times than you care to admit? Moana of Moto Nui and has been standing at the edge of the water for as long as you can Or wants to fight baddies like Romeo like Owlette or Catboy from the PJ Masks Crew?

Or do they maybe aspire to be the next Famous Hogwarts Student like Harry Potter or the next Jedi Knight to defeat Darth Vader like Luke Skywalker?

Having a virtual entertainer (their hero right on your screens) is an easy way to make them feel extra special and important. It also means you can have magic, dancing, games and other activities at the party whilst self-isolating and without having to do a thing, and friends and family can all join in easily from their homes.

Many of you would already be familiar with the zoom platform we use from your child’s school but we send you step-by-step instructions as for you and your guests as well.

 

It’s Party Time!

At the end of the day, kids just want to have fun! Put on some of your child’s favourite music, play the chosen games and spend time as a family!

If you have booked a virtual party host, let your virtual party entertainer do the work for you. Just remember to have a cake ready beforehand if you would like the entertainer to help sing happy birthday.

 

Don’t Break The Bank!

Here at StarDust Kids we know that many people may be experiencing some financial stress, which is why we have restructured our packages and pricing to make sure our “new virtual kids party”, is affordable. We have also only included activities in this blog that use easy to source items you likely already have in your home.

So what are you waiting for? Enquire today and let us help bring some much needed magic to your child’s next birthday.

 


Throw an Epic Avengers Party for your Little Avengers

Avengers Party

Children of all ages just love superheroes! And they make an excellent theme for a birthday party. However, where do you start – Spiderman, Iron Man, or the Hulk? You might feel a bit overwhelmed at where to begin to plan the perfect event. To help you out, here are some ideas to help you organise a fun-packed Avengers themed party.

Which Avenger Does Your Child Like Best?

The main Avengers are Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Spiderman, the Hulk, Black Widow, Ant-Man, Wasp, and Thanos, who is the ultimate supervillain. These are the main characters in the Avengers films, and you’ll find it relatively easy to source party products featuring these superheroes.

However, bear in mind that there are dozens more Avengers, and your young one could well favour one of the less famous characters. If your kid has a favourite Avenger, you might want to plan your party around that particular character.

Party Decorations

When you book your party and send out your invites, consider whether you want to ask your guests to dress up as an Avengers character. You don’t want to exclude anyone, so you could suggest that any superhero will do, or that any fancy dress costume is also OK. It will certainly add to the party atmosphere if everyone is dressed up in capes and masks and comes to the party bearing shields and swords!

Decorate your venue with Avengers’ posters and balloons to create a lively scene and fire up their imaginations. Avengers party decorations are easy to come by, and it won’t cost a lot to buy matching cups, plates, and party bags.

Party Games

  • Instead of Pin the Tail on The Donkey, ask your guests to pin Thor’s hammer in the right place, or Captain America’s shield, or the Hulk’s fist.
  • Your little Avengers could make their very own hammer, sword, or shield. You provide the cardboard, glue, and paint, and then let them use their imaginations and creative skills. You could even let them use tin foil and glitter if you can cope with the mess!
  • Kids could colour in cardboard masks; print out superhero templates for them and set out the crayons, pens, and the elastic they will need to hold their masks in place. They’ll love wearing their masks and running around showing them off.
  • Host an Avengers quiz. You will need to do a bit of research on the characters and the films so you can write questions that aren’t too easy or too difficult for your contestants. Have them work in teams so no one feels awkward if they don’t know the answers.

Superhero Party Food

When it comes to food at your superhero party, you want bright and bold superhero snacks and lots of superhero figurines to decorate the table to stay in line with your Avengers’ birthday theme. Ice some cupcakes with Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer, or Iron Man’s face. Add green food die to some cupcakes, ice them with green frosting, and then use black icing to create the Hulk’s face.

Create a tray of fruit in the pattern of Captain America’s shield. You can use strawberries, marshmallows, and blueberries to create the red, white, and blue rings.

Wherever you are located in Sydney, Australia, if you would rather leave the party planning to the experts, then get in touch with StarDust Kids. We can take the kids on an amazing adventure, training them up to be just like their favourite Avenger. All of our entertainers are hand-picked, fully trained, and thoroughly checked so you can be sure that you will be getting the very best. We’ve got stacks of Avengers theme party ideas to make your party go with a superhero swing.

You can also check out our other characters and themes party ideas for inspiration. If you can’t find what you are looking for or you would like some advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us.


Recreate the Magic of “Alice in Wonderland” for a Birthday Party

Whether or not you know the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland well, you’re sure to be familiar with the characters. Children love them! We’re talking about the grinning Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the bad-tempered Queen of Hearts, and of course, lovely Alice herself in her blue and white pinafore dress.

Children have been enjoying Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s adventures in Wonderland for more than 150 years, and a birthday party centred around the theme and characters of the story is certain to be a huge success. Here’s how to host your very own Alice in Wonderland themed party.

Host a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

Naturally, it has to be a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party for your Alice in Wonderland party! You can incorporate this theme into your invites and your party decorations with nonsensical signs pointing every which way, teapots and teacups, and a giant top hat.

Decorate your party venue in the colours that are synonymous with Alice in Wonderland. You will want balloons, bunting, tablecloths, plates, cups, and serviettes in bright, primary colours. Choose red, white, and pale blue, or a darker blue if you can. Or, you can buy Alice in Wonderland merchandise, including plates and cups. Instead of party hats, make rabbit ears using headbands and cardboard.

For your food, decorate your plates of sandwiches and sausage rolls with ‘Eat Me’ cards. Make some strawberry jam sandwiches with white bread, but before you put the top slice of bread on your sandwich, cut little red hearts into it. The red jam will show through. Cut your sandwiches into little triangles and display them on a plate.

Top cookies and cupcakes with white icing and red hearts, and have plates of jam tarts and bowls of red jelly and vanilla ice cream for dessert.

Party Games for Your Alice in Wonderland Themed Birthday Party

It’s easy to come up with some fun games and activities to keep your guests entertained. Consider the following:

  • Instead of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, set up a game of Pin The Grin on the Cheshire Cat, or Pin the Tail on the White Rabbit.
  • Choose a Pass the Parcel Prize to match your Alice in Wonderland theme, such as a copy of the book. Whatever ages your young guests are, it won’t cost you very much to buy age-appropriate versions of the book.
  • Set up a craft table for your guests. They could paint their own teapots and teacups, colour in pictures of the characters, or stick cotton wool balls on a template of the White Rabbit.
  • Let them run off their excess energy in a scavenger hunt. Hide a toy cat, a pocket watch, a teacup, some playing cards, or chess pieces. You’ll have them hunting high and low for the hidden treasure.

Another way to ensure that your Alice in Wonderland birthday party is fun and memorable is to ask StarDust Kids to take care of everything for you. We specialise in birthday parties centred around a variety of characters and themes for children of all ages in and around Sydney, Australia.

If you can’t see the theme you want on our website, don’t worry – just let us know, and we will do whatever we can to help. Alternatively, you can contact us on 02 9557 9772 or by using the details on our Contact Us page. If you fill out our online form, we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Stardust Kids Entertainment specialises in providing the best children’s entertainers and parties in Sydney for birthdays, weddings, christenings, or corporate events. We’d love to help you host an Alice in Wonderland party.


Spaceships, Laser Beams, Lightsabers: Throw a party for your Young Jedi

Who would have predicted back when Star Wars: Episode 4 (A New Hope) came out, that decades later, the franchise would still be a huge cultural phenomenon. Although there are many new, important characters – Rey, Kylo Ren, BB8 – the staples we grew up with are still as popular as ever. Our kids love Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Yoda, and the rest of the gang as much as we did growing up. Star Wars theme parties are all the rage again, so if your child wants one, think of it as an opportunity to relive a bit of your childhood too. Here are some ideas for the ultimate Star Wars theme party

In a Galaxy Far, Far Away

Get your Star Wars themed party off to the proper start with impressive invitations. You can either purchase premade Star Wars invitations from a party supply store, or for a more personal touch, you could design and make your own. The possibilities are endless.

  •         Start with a simple “space” background. Those are easy to find over the Internet. There are many photo/illustration editing programs available. Write out your time, date, and other party details to look like the opening crawl from the Star Wars movie. You could also throw in a picture of the Death Star, Millennium Falcon, or other iconic craft as an accent.
  •         Have Tatooine as the backdrop for your invitations and invite the Nerfherders (guests) to a party at the station – or better yet, at the Mos Eisley Cantina.
  •         Play up some Stormtrooper humour. Make the invitation in the shape of a Stormtrooper helmet and jokingly suggest that they not “miss” the party. 
  •         Shoot for a Star Wars girl power motif and use your photo editing program to put your favourite female characters together.
  •         Play around with Yoda’s unique linguistic style with phrases like “Come to the party, you must” or “Invited, you are.”

Serve Some Awesome Space Food

Many bakeries and ice cream chains offer Star War-themed birthday cakes. You could probably also find a novelty cake business in Sydney that can make something really cool, like a Death Star or R2D2 shaped/decorated cake. If you are a proficient baker and cake decorator, you could bake your own, of course. You could also try some of these Star Wars-themed food ideas.

  •         For some variety and fun, you could always serve a platter of cupcakes instead of a standard cake. You can decorate a few like Yoda with green icing and green apple “ears”, a few like Chewbacca with chocolate or peanut butter icing and a licorice strip “belt”,  C3PO, with yellow icing and candy eyes, or any of the droids with white icing and accents in orange or blue, depending on whether you’re going for BB8 or R2. 
  •         Pretzel lightsabers are easy to prepare and fun to eat. All you need is a package of straight pretzels and different colours of icing. Separate the contents of a tub of icing, then make a few colours for the different lightsabers – red for Sith lords, blue and green for the main Jedis.
  •         Drinks are another opportunity to take your Star Wars game up a few notches. Get a few juice jugs so you can offer your guests different drinks to sample. Yoda juice could be any juice or soft drink with a few drops of green food colouring. C3PO could be represented by tropical nectar or a similarly orange-gold drink. Chewbacca can be chocolate milk, and R2D2 could be any blue drink, fizzy or flat. Have your guests try all of them and review or rate them. 

Create a World They Will Never Forget

If you want to go all out on your Star Wars party decorations, you find a place that does wall-sized prints and watch your guests’ jaws drop when they enter a scene straight from one of the movies.  That can be expensive and somewhat cumbersome to carry around, though. Thankfully, you have many other options.

  • Hang galaxy patterned fabric on your main wall, and either pin up iconic Star Wars vessels like the tie fighters, X and Y wings, Millennium Falcon (even the Death Star!) or have them hanging down from the ceiling for a 3D look.
  • If you’re in a pinch, many party supply stores in Sydney carry a large range of Star Wars-themed decorations, including balloons, banners, tablecloths, and more.
  • Play songs from the Star Wars soundtrack(s) in the background so guests always feel as if they are part of an epic adventure.
  • Come to the light side: hire amazing party staff to make it your event even more unforgettable. 
  • Buy small Star Wars figurines – Lego miniatures work really well – and make your table into a battlefield, with the snacks and utensils as geographic terrain. If you will be using your main table for activities or a “sit down” eating area, consider setting up a smaller table with all the food and drinks, and have the figures hang out there.

Out of This World Activities

With a little imagination, you can make your Star Wars themed party something that your guests – and their parents – will talk about for years. Depending on how much space you have, you can “go big or go home”.

  •         Set up an obstacle course for some “jedi training”. Pool noodles make hilarious jumbo lightsabers — simply use coloured cardstock, markers, and duct tape to make the handles. 
  •         Remember Luke’s training sequences? Find a round piñata at a party supply store or section and spray paint it silver. Convert the stick into a lightsaber and you’re good to go. If your guests are younger, fill a round paper lantern with confetti and let them use pool noodle lightsabers.
  •         Modify “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” so that you’re “pinning” Jabba’s tail on his body, Han Solo on the carbonite block, Darth Vader’s helmet onto his suit, or Yoda’s ears to his face. If you are wary about having your guests handle sharp objects, use velcro tape. 
  •         If it’s close to Halloween, make it a Star Wars-themed costume party. That way, the kids will also get to wear their costumes for the party and trick-or-treating. Encourage the parents to dress up too – many of them would probably love to enjoy the festivities too out of sheer nostalgia.

If you’re outdoors, you have even more options.

  •         Buy different coloured bubble wands – they already look like lightsabers in the sunlight – and use acrylic paint and black or silver tape for handles. Ask your guests to “use the force” to unleash waves of bubble power.
  •         Set up various targets with different point values, load up the Nerf gun, and you have the perfect set-up for a Stormtrooper shooting competition.

 

We’ve got some awesome Star Wars activities planned as part of our Star Wars-themed parties, led by some of your favourite and most iconic characters. Talk to us about hosting the ultimate Star Wars party for your kid. After all, we are Sydney’s “Force” for fun.


Planning a Frozen Themed Birthday Party for your Kid? Here are some Ideas!

ElsaIt has been years since Frozen swept the world by storm; no one is about to “Let It Go” any time soon. With the recent release of Frozen 2, every little girl wants to be Elsa or Anna again. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate the ice and snow with a magical Frozen themed party? Here are some Frozen theme party ideas and tips for throwing the ultimate Frozen experience, and for bringing Arendale to Sydney.

Let It Snow

It’s easy to find licensed Frozen theme decorations in big box and party stores, but by spending just a little bit of time and effort, the experience you’ll give your guests will be much more enchanting. A Frozen landscape should be filled with snow and ice. Blue and white streamers make for wonderful icicles if you twist them together like long spirals. If you have white or light blue icicle lights leftover from Christmas, even better; they will emulate the glorious twinkling of ice crystals in the light. Fluffy “snow” can easily be made with cotton batting — simply pull apart some tufts and place them on table corners and other flat items. 

Get your guests involved in the decorating — we’ll revisit this soon.

Fun, Festive Food

Food is the hub of every party. Done right, it will be memorable and inspire guests (and their parents!) to look up the recipes and make some of the treats for other special occasions. Thankfully, these treats are pretty simple to make. 

  •         Many bakeries and ice cream parlours offer Frozen designs, but there’s no reason you can’t make your own Frozen cake. Start with a tried-and-true cake recipe of your own or a couple of boxes of cake mix. You will be pleasantly surprised at what a little blue food colouring can accomplish. Separate the icing into two bowls; leave one as is, and add a drop or two of blue food colouring into the other. The key is to keep the blue in the lighter spectrum. If you can pull off an ombre look for the icing, go for it. If not, you can simply make swirls in the icing to make wind gusts where the blue and white colours meet. You can even jazz things up a notch with silver balls, snowflake cake decorations, and edible glitter. 
  •         A pretty – and easy to clean up – alternative to a birthday cake is a platter of cupcakes with the blue/white icing. 
  •         Blue gelatin dessert can make excellent “ice cubes” if you cut the amount of water in half so that the gelatin is firmer than usual.
  •         If you have snowflake-shaped cookie cutters, use them to make snowflake sugar cookies that you can decorate with the same things you use for the cake and/or cupcakes. 
  •         You can also put out little bowls filled with white and blue mints, blue candy-coated chocolates, blue gummies or jelly beans.

Arendale Inspired Activities

One of the main reasons behind Frozen’s appeal is the phenomenal soundtrack — even if you’ve heard it waaaaaay too many times to still appreciate it. Kids love to sing along, so why not set up a Frozen themed karaoke activity at your party? You can rent a karaoke machine, buy a kids karaoke system, or just set up the music and plug in some microphones. Make sure you record the fun. You can even send clips to your guests after the party. There are a number of other Frozen theme party ideas you can try.

  • With candy eyes and black icing, you and your guests can make mini edible Olafs out of marshmallows and toothpicks…and then eat them, of course.
  • If your guests are old enough to wield kid scissors, look up paper snowflake patterns and make some gorgeous decorations. Jazz them up with glitter glue. You can have everyone tape up the snowflakes on the walls. Take pictures of the final display and send them around — and don’t forget to let the kids take their snowflakes home.
  • Find out who the real Frozen fans are, with a Frozen trivia contest.
  • Instead of decorating the sugar cookies prior to the party, set up cake decorating stations so your guests can decorate them the way they like. 
  • Get the best kids entertainment in Sydney. Filled with an avalanche of activities, fun games and balloon modelling, give your child a party to remember. 

Fantastic Party Favors

Everyone loves gifts. Guests feel extra loved and appreciated when you send them home with keepsakes or gift bags. Again, with the recent revival of all things Frozen with the release of the sequel, you can easily find Frozen theme stationery and knick-knacks. Your local dollar store probably stocks Frozen stickers. If you want to add a personal, creative touch, you can forego the licensed paraphernalia and find tasteful blue/silver pens, pencils, and writing paper. See if you can find blue “slime” with silver glitter, make it on your own, or turn that into a fun party activity. Send your guests home with extra cupcakes — party supply stores will likely carry little boxes and doggie bags for baked items. Of course, anything with snowflakes is fair game!

Now all you need is a venue – and maybe even Elsa or Anna to make your Frozen theme party the event your guests will be talking about long after they’ve all gone home. We’ve got Frozen theme party packages and we’ll ensure that your amazing party goes off without a hitch. Contact us today to find out more.


News

FROZEN 2 HAS HIT THE BIG SCREEN!

Snowflakes have been falling in Arendelle since Elsa and Anna premiered in Frozen 2 and ventured beyond the city into the Enchanted Forest! It’s definitely looking a lot like Winter at StarDust HQ! Here at StarDust Kids, it’s Frozen Fever as we are still buzzing with excitement from our preparations for the films release. It has been all glitter, turquoise and icy hues in our costume department! Amidst the snowstorm of icy blues, you can spot rich berry capes – property of none other than Anna!. Boxes of glitter, fake tattoos, face paints, lights, limbos, hula hoops and parachutes (Elsa’s snow cape) are ready to go, and the soundtrack to Frozen 2 has been echoing around our office!

Our Frozen themed parties are full of lots of fun and will delight girls and boys alike! Get ready to see the latest magic our Elsa and Anna entertainers have been practicing with Olaf, Kristoff and Sven, watch them sneak up on the mean Prince Hans, not to mention witness them showcasing their very best Frozen moves to the hit tunes children know and love (in between being frozen by Elsa’s snow magic of course!).

We tailor each and every package. So if there is anything at all you would like at your event – snow worries at all, let us know! We can work our ice magic and kids entertainment into any event. Olaf knows that seeing a smile on kids faces is worth melting for, and we can’t wait to bring lots of smiles and laughter to your next Frozen 2 Themed kid’s party or event.

For more information, a quote or to book in a Fabulous Frozen 2 Entertainer, give us a call on (02) 9557 9772, email us at info@stardustkids.com.au or simply fill out the enquiry form on our website!

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