How to Survive Game Time At Your Child's Next Birthday Party

The Birthday Dad ShipponyHere are a few tips to help you survive the birthday games portion of your child's next party.

Here are a few tips to help you survive the birthday games portion of your child's next party.

Every kid birthday party is different.

Indoors, outdoors, five guests, fifty-five guests, boys, girls, Army theme, Princess Theme. But one thing's for sure - at some point they'll be playing birthday GAMES.

Now, I'll decorate, I'll bake, I'll wrap all the gifts and hand-deliver all the invitations. Heck, I'll even clean up after everyone leaves.

Just don't put me in front of a throng of kids when it comes time to entertain them!

At least that was my initial reaction when first faced with the BIG question - how am I going to survive an entire hour (at least) trying to entertain a mob of children at my daughter's birthday party?

I had two options:

Either PAY an arm and a leg and have a professional entertainer do it for you.

Or, take a deep breath, prepare myself as best I could and do it myself (and risk the loss of an arm and a leg in the process.).

If you're a devout adventurer and choose the latter (like I did), here are a few observations (e.g., survival tips) that may come in handy next time you take on the challenge:

Prepare in Advance

During the party you'll have so much on your mind that it's best to prepare as much as possible in advance. Make a list of birthday games and write them down in the order you plan to play them. If any of the birthday games involve music (like musical chairs, hot potato, etc.), prepare the music ahead of time with the stops so that you don't have to deal with it during the party.

At www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties youll find the BIG list of Kid Birthday Games with over 200 birthday game ideas (way more than you'll ever need.) organized into easy-to-find categories and themes, but...

Not Too Many Birthday Games

Don't be tempted to play fifty birthday games in sixty minutes. Kids'll usually become bored quickly if they are asked to play too many games. You'll need only a handful of birthday games, so choose those that fit your party theme, and.

Stick to the Classic Birthday Games

Creative and original birthday games are fun, but they may also be a bit risky because the kids are required to learn something new. I'm not saying DON'T play new games, just make sure there are a few classics in your arsenal. Musical Chairs, Hot Potato, Pass the Present, etc., were around when we were children. And they work. So don't be concerned that you'll ore the kids with the usual birthday games. You can always add a special twist to make them look and sound more attractive.

Now that you've got a list of birthday games and the music is ready, how do you make sure the kids participate and have fun?

It's a Birthday Party, Not a Democracy

Avoid asking the kids if they WANT to play any of the birthday games. They may just say NO. Tell them what the next game is - without any questions and without any options or room for deliberation - and make it sound intriguing. For instance, what sounds better?

Who would like to play Hot Potato?

or

Our next contest is Blazing Potato where you can all win some great prizes just by sitting in a circle.

And if they still object.

Be Firm

One child voicing his objection to a certain game can become an instant epidemic. And suddenly you've got a group of little protesters on your hands. The first time this happens, be firm (in a kind sort of way) and just let them understand that they were invited to the party and they need to play. This may sound a bit too harsh for such a fun gathering, but it lets the kids understand that you're in charge and you're not about to let them ruin the fun by sitting out and distracting the others.

And now that you've got everyone ready to play, remember one of the most important factors to making the birthday games work.

Don't Rush

Give the kids ample time to play each of the birthday games and that way you don't need a zillion birthday games. Take Hot Potato for instance. The kids all sit in a circle and the hot potato is being passed around to the sound of music. Let the music play a few beats before it stops. Sometimes, because you may be nervous to get things going, the music is stopped so fast that the kids don't have time to enjoy. Choose music that the children know and can sing along and have them pass the potato under their arms, above their heads, across the circle, etc. Find ways to make it fun and you'll be able to turn this classic into a long-lasting game.

But there's one thing you should beware of.

The 'Danger' of Sit-Out Games

Let's go back to Hot Potato. The kids pass the potato and whoever is stuck with it when the music stops is usually out. And as the game goes on, there are more and more children sitting around just watching (if you're lucky.). And that may translate into trouble. So instead, you can play the game without anyone being out. How? Place a bunch of giveaways in the center of the circle and the child who is stuck with the potato when the music stops gets to choose a prize. This way you also have control over the length of the game because you can finish whenever you like and not when only one kid remains.

(If there's a game in which you can't work around having the kids sit out, turn them into judges and have them help.)

And one last note regarding the..

Prizes

Prizes don't have to be large and expensive. They can be trinkets or sweets. It's the challenge of winning the prize and not the prize itself that most appeals to the kids.

Consider handing out the prizes at the end of the party instead of right away. Show the winner their prize, and just tell them that it'll be put in their favor bag. This way, the prize won't become a distraction during party time. And, at the party's end, everyone gets a prize - the favor bags - so if a few kids have a few more goodies, it really doesn't matter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elad Shippony is the father of two little girls and two BIG kid party Websites. www.Coolest-Kid-Birthday-Parties.com provides parents with the largest selection of free kid party ideas, games, recipes, printable invitations, and every bit of birthday info youll need all in one place. www.Coolest-Birthday-Cakes.com is the Webs largest gallery of homemade birthday cake photos and how-to tips. Both sites will blow you (and your candles) away.

Online GamesFragging On The Net

Online games ? spoken casually or formally ? normally refer to video games that are played on a computer using an Internet connection. There are video games that are played online using devices such as video consoles (Playstation, X-Box) and mobile phones, but online games generally mean PC games that can be played only when you are connected to the Internet. These games kicked off in the 1980s even as Internet connectivity was slow and expensive. The earliest versions of these games were simple multiplayer text-based games. In the 1990s these games started getting popular, and today they feature high-end graphics, virtual communities, and lots more.

Types Of Online Games

Online games can be of the following types ? (1) First-person shooters: Here the players battle with each other head-to-head. In most first-person shooters games, there are online components that allow deathmatch/arena style play. In these games the view you see in the gameplay is the one seen from your character's eyes. (2) Real-time strategy games: These are games where you have to develop a combat strategy or gameplan by building resources and making a strong army so that you are able to fight with other Internet players. (3) Browser games: These are simple, small, and quick pastime games that can be played on your browser. They are developed using the popular Shockwave or Java technologies. (4) Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPG): These are online games that can support thousands of players from all over the world simultaneously, playing with or against each other in a giant virtual world and also interacting with each other. Here a person has to keep leveling up till he reaches the maximum possible level written for the game. These games can keep a gamer engaged for months or even years!

How Online Games Make Money

Today, every game is playable online. The question before the company that is making these games is how to make money. Most companies make single-player games that can be played at home. In these games the player has to overcome the artificially intelligent enemies. These games feature an online multiplayer gameplay model, using which a user can play with or against other Internet players. These companies make their money by selling their game CDs/DVDs [Examples: Warcraft 3, Counter Strike. The browser game companies survive by revenues generated from advertising and promotions. Many MMORPG companies keep adding content by developing new patches in their games and they charge a monthly fee from the players [Example: Everquest 2, World of Warcraft. Some of them do not, and survive because of their CD/DVD sales [Example: Guild Wars.

One last thing about the title: Fragging in game jargon stands for finishing off a player or an artificially intelligent enemy.

To read more visit http://www.internet-marketing-dot-com.com/onlinegames

For more information on online games uses try visiting http://www.internet-marketing-dot-com.com/onlinegames/finalfantasy.html, a popular website that provides online game tips, advice and resources to include information on online gaming.

Fall Into Action

1. What American city is recognized as the cradle of modern professional football?
A. Canton, Ohio
B. Chicago, Illinois
C. Muncie, Indiana
D. Rochester, New York

A. Canton, Ohio
QQ: Today, Canton is recognized as the cradle of modern professional football. The Pro Football Hall of Fame, dedicated in 1963, is located there, but the real reason is that a 1920 meeting led to the formation of the American Professional Football Association.

2. The English organized the game, which they called hockie and the French called hoquet, and instituted most of the modern rules. However, the stick and ball game called Field Hockey can trace its routes back to three ancient civilizations. Which of these is NOT one of them?
A. Egypt
B. Greece
C. Persia
D. Rome

D. Rome
QQ: Field hockey, a stick and ball game related to ice hockey and lacrosse, originated in ancient Egypt, Persia, and Greece and assumed its present form after its spread to Europe.

3. Lacrosse, an outdoor game in which two teams using netted sticks compete to throw a ball into the opponents' goal, is similar in tactics to ice hockey and soccer. A national sport of Canada, lacrosse has grown in popularity in the United States, Australia, England, and Ireland. Who invented the game?
A. Canadians
B. English
C. Huron Indians
D. Irish

C. Huron Indians
QQ: In 1636 a Jesuit missionary in North America observed Huron Indians playing a game with a hide-covered ball carried and hurled from a curved stick with a pouch at the top. The Indians called the game bagataway, but the curved stick resembled a bishop's crosier, or la crosse in French, from which the sport takes its name.

4. Where did the sport of rugby originate in 1823?
A. The Rugby School in England
B. The Rugby School in Australia
C. A Scottish parochial school in the parish of Rugby
D. No one knows for sure, but rugby is much older than 1823

A. The Rugby School in England
QQ: Whether in legend or in fact, rugby is said to have originated in 1823 at the Rugby School in England. A stone marker at the gates of the school commemorates the event when William Webb Ellis with a fine disregard for the rules of football as played in his time, first took the ball in his arms and ran with it. The game being played was soccer, the ancestor of both rugby and American football.

5. Soccer evolved from centuries of different ball games, but the modern-day version of soccer is known to have started in England, and the first ball reportedly was the head of a dead Danish brigand. The game was already incredibly popular in the 14th century despite being prohibited by King Edward III. Why did he ban it?
A. He preferred golf and wanted it to be more popular
B. It interfered with military preparedness
C. They would never let him play
D. The Danish brigands lodged a formal protest

B. It interfered with military preparedness
QQ: King Edward III prohibited soccer in 1365 because of its excessive violence and for military reasons playing took time away from archery practice. However, the game had become too popular to be curtailed.

6. How often would typical lacrosse matches last among the Indians?
A. A few hours
B. A few days
C. A few weeks
D. A few months

B. A few days
QQ: Lacrosse among the Indians had few rules. Training was rigorous, and the contests between tribes often lasted two or three days with scores of players on each side.

7. Rugby is played in more than 80 countries. Which country has the most players?
A. Japan
B. Britain
C. New Zealand
D. Argentina

A. Japan
QQ: Just another demonstration of the sport's widespread popularity. Japan has more rugby players than any other country, and the game is as popular in Argentina as in Britain or New Zealand.

8. American football slowly evolved in the 19th century. What sport, which was a prelude to this popular pastime, was banned at Harvard in 1860?
A. Field hockey
B. Lacrosse
C. Rugby
D. Soccer

C. Rugby
QQ: Any number of theories exist about the evolution of American football, but most historians agree that it is a modification of the English game of rugby and of soccer. Football made its first appearance at the intercollegiate level. As a prelude to what would become an American game, collegians played rugby, but the sport was so grueling that it was barred at Harvard in 1860.

9. How far back can we trace soccer's roots?
A. 500 B.C.
B. 200 B.C.
C. 200 A.D.
D. 500 A.D.

B. 200 B.C.
QQ: The earliest evidence of soccer dates from about 200 B.C. in China, where a form of the game was played that emphasized the ability of players to dribble a leather ball. The Greeks and Romans also participated in a variation of soccer that permitted ball carrying.

10. When the American Professional Football Association (APFA) was formed in 1920. How much did franchises sell for?
A. $100
B. $500
C. $1000
D. $5000

A. $100
QQ: Franchises at $100 each went to Canton, Cleveland, Dayton, Akron, and Massillon in Ohio; Rock Island, Decatur (George Halas's Staleys moved to Chicago to become the Chicago Bears before the APFA changed its name in 1922), and Chicago (Cardinals) in Illinois; Hammond and Muncie in Indiana; Wisconsin; and Rochester, N.Y.

11. Introduced to the game by the British Army, India later adopted it as its national sport?
A. Rugby
B. Soccer
C. Polo
D. Field hockey

D. Field hockey

QQ: In the 19th century, the British Army introduced the game to the Commonwealth countries, and India later adopted the game as its national sport.

12. In 1869, two New Jersey universities, Rutgers and Princeton, played what is considered the first intercollegiate game in the United States of what sport?
A. Football
B. Soccer
C. Rugby
D. Field hockey

A. Football
QQ: However, the game they played hardly resembled modern-day football, or even the football that was played at the turn of the 20th century. There were 25 players on each side, and the scoring was decided by goals, not touchdowns, conversions, and field goals. Rutgers won that first game, and Princeton won a rematch a week later. Before long, other universities began taking up the game Columbia in 1870, followed by Yale 2 years later.

13. In what century did formal rules and distinctions among players of the game of soccer emerge?
A. 17th century
B. 18th century
C. 19th century
D. 20th century

C. 19th century
QQ: Soccer, which evolved from centuries of different ball games, did not always allow only the goalkeepers, or goalies, to use their hands to touch the ball. Formal rules and distinctions among players of the game did not emerge until the late 19th century. Rugby and U.S.-style football developed out of the division that came with decisions to prohibit certain actions in soccer, such as handling the ball, tackling with the arms, and hacking.

14. Which state hosted the first professional football game?
A. Ohio
B. Pennsylvania
C. New York
D. New Jersey

B. Pennsylvania
QQ: The game was first played with paid players in 1895, when a team from Latrobe, Pa., hosted a game with a team from nearby Jeannette.

15. Where did the name ?soccer? come from?
A. So many football matches result in fisticuffs where people are ?socked? out
B. Slang for ball in Italian
C. Association football
D. Saxon word for ?head?

C. Association football
QQ: Oct. 26, 1863, in London, 11 clubs met to form the Football Association, which laid the foundations for the nearly 140 modern national associations. With the advent of a national association in England, any soccer played under its jurisdiction was called association football. As time passed the word association was abbreviated to assoc., which eventually gave way to the word soccer, the game's common name in North America.

Deanna Mascle publishes two Fun Trivia ezines and several blogs featuring Trivia Questions. Find more trivia questions at FunTriviaOnline.com

Lets Play Chess

Chess is one of the most important games to play. It teaches you to think and to think ahead! In the game of chess each player commands an army of sixteen chessmen and has the ultimate goal of beating the opposing army. Some school districts are now teaching chess in class. There have always been chess clubs, but their popularity has really increased today. It's about time! With all of the mindless games to play, chess really is good for you. Best of all, it can be played with children and adults. It is actually the most rewarding game to teach to children. They remember it for life and will enjoy playing for many years. There are many wonderful travel versions of chess. Most travel versions are magnetic, so they can be played on a plane, train, bus or automobile. Nothing like a great chess game to make waiting time go faster and be more enjoyable. Hopefully, chess will become one of your favorite travel accessories.

You can enter the 21st century of computerized chess playing with the newest chess opponent game, Phantom Force. This comes complete with automated pieces that use advanced robotic technology to travel effortlessly across the chessboard. You can actually play against the Phantom, or simply sit back and watch the game play against itself. The pieces actually move correctly across the board. There are 136 levels of play in this game. A digital voice system speaks the game play out loud in three languages of your choice, English, French or Spanish. It can be used with batteries for portability or with the AC adapter, which is included. It's compact enough to tuck away in your lightweight luggage and take on vacation with you. It's challenging to play against the computer, and also entertaining to watch the computer play against itself. The moving pieces are what make this perfect for chess lovers. It captivates young and old when you watch it play against you or against itself.

A wonderful beginners set is the Kasparov Grandmaster teaching set of chess. It was designed by Garry Kasparov and is ideal for experts and learners alike. It is a unique, special edition chess set developed under his close watch. The design is unlike anything available today. It is great for beginners, collectors and experts alike. The large Spruce-Tec chess pieces are weighted to avoid accidental tipovers. The chase folds closed to fit compactly into your discount luggage and travel with you. When open this 18 hinged wooden board is attractive enough to leave out on a table in a living room, television room or den. Chess is a game that will challenge, excite and captivate you. This game will teach you all that chess involves and the deep levels of strategy and tactics.

The seven in one game set with chessboard and pieces included is a wonderful addition for the family room in every home. The board reverses to play backgammon and the backgammon pieces can also be used for checkers. The case is a rich croco-grain embossed with suede cloth lining. Silver tone hardware gives this classic case an updated look. The case is compact and holds everything neatly in one place. It can also be moved from room to room in the convenient carrying case with handle. It actually looks like an elegant attach? case. The case can be individually engraved with a family name or with an individual's monogram. It is also perfect for corporate gifts and can have a company name or logo printed on the outside. Enjoy this challenging game!

Maxine Greco has been in the luggage and travel business for over 38 years. She is currently working at Village Luggage and Gifts.