For my oldest child’s last party, I had what I considered (and still consider) the best idea ever for entertaining the kids—and maybe even their parents a little—while I struggled to whip up something resembling a meal: hiring an entertainer.
The package I chose, of course, included animals. Having done this two years ago, it’s truly a favorite—for both the young and the not-so-young. From the most harmless snake to the cutest hedgehog, the entertainer takes the time to show them to us, tell us about their habitats and eating habits, and also lets each child at the party touch or hold them. If any adults felt like “treating themselves,” the facilitator would take the time to pass the animal to the bravest among them (and here I’m referring to those who were willing to drape the python around their necks).
The second part of the activity, which the kids enjoyed just as much but that earned me disapproving glances from their parents, was making slime. With all the kids gathered around my kitchen table and the parents standing behind their children, I could see their eyes turning toward me with every ingredient. Glue… Eeeeeek. Shaving cream… Eeeeeek. Food coloring… Eeeeeek. And yet I was perfectly calm and serene!
While the kids were mixing everything together—and spilling half of it on the floor, of course (you can’t expect too much from a group of 12 little ones between the ages of 4 and 10)—I could see all the parents getting stressed out and trying to clean everything up as they went along. No matter how much I told them not to worry—that the covers on my chairs could be removed and thrown in the washing machine—no matter how much I told them to let the kids have fun and get dirty while making a mess of my dining room however they pleased, and that I’d wash everything the next day—the other parents just couldn’t let go and stop scrubbing.
I understand that cleaning up as you go is probably easier and more efficient, but at the same time, it’s much less fun than letting the kids get properly dirty and washing everything up only at the end. Kids have the right to experiment, play, and have fun while getting thoroughly dirty. By constantly cleaning and sanitizing them, I wonder if they aren’t actually too over-sanitized—and therefore more prone to catching viruses or bacteria.
So if you’re looking for an activity that’s sure to liven up your party (especially among 6- to 12-year-olds, more so than 25- to 55-year-olds), I recommend making slime. You can probably find the recipe online and buy the ingredients yourself.
Just a quick tip before letting your guests get as messy as they want: suggest that they bring a change of clothes!