Clutches for Less » jumping castles Perth http://clutches4less.com Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:11:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 COUNTING THE COST OF CHILDREN’S PARTIES http://clutches4less.com/counting-the-cost-of-childrens-parties http://clutches4less.com/counting-the-cost-of-childrens-parties#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:46:35 +0000 Guest http://clutches4less.com/counting-the-cost-of-childrens-parties Whatever happened to pas the parcel?Americans reportedly spend over ten billion dollars a year on birthday parties, and the games the kids are playing aren’t the ones their parents did.
Nowadays, children’s parties are supersized.With more and more money being spent on party celebrations, parents are under growing pressure to deliver an extravangaza for their own children.  Party planning has become big business, and the good old jumping castle has been replaced by entertainers, magic shows and fully propped themed events, 
We barely turn a hair when celebrities throw enormous, lavish parties.The Beckhams were said to have spent ten thousand dollars on a party for their eldest son, Brooklyn to celebrate his fifth birthday, while Suri Cruise enjoyed a second birthday party which cost her parents a cool 100 000 dollars, including a 5 000 dollar cake.  But the Hollywood effect is impacting on regular society, and the pressure on parents is mounting.
And it’s not just the celebration itself that costs.Recent findings put the average cost of a British gift bag at 7.50 pounds, which amounts to an unbelievable sum of 239 pounds a year.Candy and plastic trinkets are being shunned in favour of pricey gifts, with some goody bags even boasting French fragrance and real jewellery.
Websites reacting to this culture of excess have sprung up, with concerned parents and activists offering advice on consequences of excess and how to celebrate more modestly.  One citizen action group, Birthdays without Pressure, was formed to raise awareness of what they say is ‘parties out of control’ and to engage in dialogue about the reasons for it, the consequences and action that parents can take.
They are concerned about a number of trends, including one in which kids are given ‘half birthday’ parties every six months.Their website lists examples where parties of excessive proportions have been thrown, such as the million dollar extravaganza for a 13 year old in New York which included ten thousand dollar goodie bags! 
What are some better-value things we can do?
• Have fewer guests
* Request a charity donation rather than a gift
* use your imagination when it comes to goody bags. brown paper bag with birdseed, flower seeds, homemade cookies
* Having a theme can escalate costs.Consider having a party that doesn’t have a theme
• Outsourcing can be expensive.Have a party at home, and make sure that cleaning up becomes a fun game
• Shop for party supplies at discount stores, and look for special offers ahead of time
* Organise the party at a time when you won’t be expected to provide a meal, for example between 9 and 11 in the morning
* Involve the children. Put plain paper down on tables, and get the kids to decorate it with crayons and highlighers.
• Organise simple party games like pass the parcel, hide and seek
• Hire a jumping castle.Perth jumping castle hire company, Soxon Jumping Castles say that the traditional favourite is still a favourite, keeping kids active and occupied at reasonable cost.

And despite all the cost and the extravagance, there are still cries and complaints from spoilt children everywhere that the party ‘was lame’, or that they were ‘bored’ or that ‘so and so’s party was better.’  It’s time for the parents to stop having children’s parties for themselves, go back to basics and let the games begin. 

]]> http://clutches4less.com/counting-the-cost-of-childrens-parties/feed 0 BOUNCY CASTLES – JUMPING FOR JOY http://clutches4less.com/bouncy-castles-jumping-for-joy http://clutches4less.com/bouncy-castles-jumping-for-joy#comments Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:41:37 +0000 Guest http://clutches4less.com/bouncy-castles-jumping-for-joy Every parent or caregiver wants their child’s birthday party to be one to remember, and a huge amount of planning goes into these occasions.Careful thought and preparation ensures that no detail is missed and there’s a list for just about everything.Shopping lists, drinks lists, activity lists, lists of prizes, gift lists… the list is endless (pardon the pun !) 
But there is a list that is possibly the most crucial one, yet it’s often ignored.It’s the safety checklist. 
Many parents get stressed out abouit birthday parties, especially with the responsibility of looking after a number of kids.Children can behave unpredictably especially when they are excitable, and accidents do happen.Put your mind at ease by going through a full safety checklist before the party starts.
There’s no compromise on safety and it’s even more critical when there’s a physical activity on the go at the party, such as a jumping castle.
The following safety hints come from a Perth jumping castle hire company which has years of experience in the industry.Soxon Jumping Castles have a huge range of inflatables, including the latest licenced Disney, TV and mvie themed jumping castles and their advise was as follows.  “The majority of accidents occur through a lack of supervision or bad supervision, so it’s a good idea to print out this checklist and go through it before the party starts.”
ALWAYS
• Hire jumping castles from a reputable company
* Ask to see the safety certificate of the equipment
* Make sure there’s a safety switch to the power supply
* Ensure that a trained operator sets up the equipment and if possible, supervises the activity or at least, trains a responsible adult to do so
* Monitor the weather – the castle should not be used in winds over 25 knots
* Double check the anchorage system is completely secure
* Do a thorough check to see if there’s any obvious wear and tear on the equipment.
• Use surround safety mats at the entrance and exit of the bouncy castle
• The surface area that the castle is going on should be at least 900mm wide, ideally grass but it can be another hard surface, such as concrete.Sand is not suitable.
* The blower has to be at least 1.2 metres from the inflatable
* Make sure there aren’t any sharp objects near the unit
* Remove all hard items of clothing and accessories, such as belts, shoes etc that could cause injury or damage the jumping castle
• And the number one rule : ensure the bouncy castle is supervised by a responsible adult AT ALL TIMES
• Deflate the bouncy castle after use to avoid unsupervised use
• Ensure that the operators have public liability insurance

NEVER
* Don’t allow younger children to jump at the same time as older, bigger children
* Don’t allow users to climb up the walls of the castle
• Don’t deflate the castle while in use
• Don’t throw objects onto the inflatable
• Don’t deliberately put water on the inflatable (ie. with a hose or bucket of water). Soxon Castles advise that jumping castles can be used in the rain, but caution that the surface will be more slippery.Their equipment all has a built-in rain and sun cover.   
Soxon is also of the view that jumping castles with so-called safety barriers should be avoided.  Their opinion is that these barriers are dangerous because they collapse when someone leans on them, possibly causing injury.Their recommendation is for bouncy castles to have a step or a ramp.
These safety tips from the Perth bouncy castle hire company are bound to make your party a sky-high success!

]]> http://clutches4less.com/bouncy-castles-jumping-for-joy/feed 0