Tips to Hosting a #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate

Have you ever had to host a party and you did not know where to start?  Let me get you started.

I received free products in order to host a #DisneyKids Preschool Playdate.  Thanks to American Tourister, Pop Secret, Softsoap, Pillow Pets, HP, MyPrintly, Disney Parks, and Disney.  All opinions stated are my own based on my personal experience.

Throwing a party does not have to break the bank.  You do not need to pull out your hair to plan the perfect party.  The first thing I do is pick a theme.  Once you decide what the theme is, look for items in your house that go with your theme.  We love Disney and have many items already in our house.  It can be a scavenger hunt for you and your kids.  The more you look, the more you find.  Anything can be turned into décor.

Decorations-Create the perfect space with some décor.

My gameroom walls are red.  The perfect color for a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Party.  Last year, we hosted an Disney @Home Celebration where we used these Mickey faces for pin the smile on Mickey.  I saved it and added it as a hidden Mickey behind these Friends Quote because we love when friends come over and play. 

Décor can also create great photo op spaces.  The kids loved hanging out with Nemo pillow pet Under the Sea.  This was a backdrop we used for my daughter's Ariel birthday party. 

Food-Playdates call for finger foods. 

I set up all the kid's food on small tables for them to grab and go at their leisure.  I used all of my daughter's play tables including her picnic table.  One recommendation I learned was to make sure and ask all the parents for their kids' allergies before planning your menu.  I kept it simple and let my daughter pick some of her favorite foods.

Activities-You don't to over plan and you don't even have to have a schedule.  I have learned the best thing is to let the kids tell you what they feel like doing.  I had different activities set up for the kids.  Our gameroom was open for them to do as they pleased.

 Karaoke-Who doesn't love to sing catchy Disney songs?

Dress up-Photo Ops were set up all over the gameroom.  We have different hats, crowns, and so much more.  They laughed pretending to be princesses or pirates.

Sorcerer's Hat decorating, Mickey and Friends coloring sheets, stickers, etc...  It was not hard to keep them entertained.

We had a wonderful time at our Disney Kids Preschool Playdate.  The best part of all was that all the kids had a lot of fun.  You can find Mickey and Friends decorations and paper good at the Dollar store also. 

Here are more pictures from our party:

 We watched Moana and we all sang along.  It was a fun time.  Everyone left with all smiles.

#DisneyKids Preschool Playdate 2016

What do you do when your kids are out of school and the daycare is closed?  You coordinate a playdate. 

I was chosen to host a Disney Kids Preschool Playdate.  Thanks to BSM Media, Disney Parks, "I Love To Create", Banfield Pet Hospital, all, Glad, and Nesquik for all the free goodies we received in our party kit.

My daughter was so excited to host her playdate.  She helped get everything ready.  The first thing we had to decide was the menu.  We kept it simple, fun, and snack size.  We served some of my daughter's favorite foods like popcorn, animal crackers, rice krispie treats, and cake pops.

Hot Dog, Hog Dog, Hot Diggity Dog...of course we had a Hot Dog Bar.

We greeted our guests one by one as they arrived.  We had everyone sit down to grab a bite first before the fun times began.

Our fun started with some arts and crafts. The kids decorated white paper bags with their favorite characters. We had to call "Toodles" for some help. Our first tool we needed was crayons, and glitter. We also needed some scissors and Toodles came to the rescue again.

We then headed on a treasure hunt.  Mickey and Minnie handed out treasure maps, jewels, and crowns.  The kids headed to the backyard where we had hidden treasure all over.

The kiddos had a blast finding their treasure.  They got to keep all their loot.  We then headed back inside because the Lion Guard was waiting to take us on a Safari.  On the Safari, we shared pictures from our trip to Disney's Animal Kingdom and everyone got Lion Guard tattoos.  This was the perfect time to have story time.  I read "My Very, Very Smelly Breath".  This book is Banfield's Pet Hospital's second children's book.  It is a scratch and sniff book that the kids really enjoyed.  There were some stinky smells and some yummy smells.  The book helped the kids understand the importance of brushing teeth.  It talked about caring for our pet's teeth.

Of course, Toodles still had a mystery tool for us to use on our playdate.  It was a Piñata. 

Everyone had a great time.  I tried to keep the kids entertained and I kept them busy having fun with all the activities and goodies that were sent in our kit. 

Saying good bye is always hard when you get a bunch of kiddos who are having too much fun.  My daughter was so sweet and she walked each of her guests out.  She handed them each a swag bag as they walked out the door.

Things I learned from the planning and hosting of this playdate:

1)  Keep it simple.  Break the rules, don't break the rules.  It is a PLAY date, not school. 

2)  Kid Friendly.  I used kid's tables and chairs, instead of big grown up tables and chairs. 

3)  Plan group activities.  This will keep everyone together.  Better to keep an eye on everyone.

4)  Work Stations.  Kids get bored really fast.  You can have different activities for those that work faster or make them helpers.

5)  Have fun!  If you have a schedule, be ready to break it.  Kids are on their own schedule. 

Disney Side @Home Celebration 2015

***Disclosure-I was selected as a Disneyside @Home party host.  I received a party kit.  Any and all opinions stated are my own based on my personal opinion.

Last year, we hosted and showed how we, Texans, show our Disneyside.  Our Celebracion de Disneyside was so much fun.  And this year was no different.  From the moment this box arrived:

  The pixie dust was sprinkled on this package.  My daughter was so excited to check everything that came.  And then it was time to plan our party.  Our invitations went out and our guests could not wait.  The party prepping started at our house.

We played put the smile on Mickey, Disney Parks Bingo, Disney word search, and even worked together to complete a Minnie Mouse puzzle.

One of the fun things we got in our box was the Duff Tie-Dye cake mix.  Instead of me preparing it for the party.  I let some of the kids work together.  The kids had so much fun baking, and decorating the Mickey Mouse cake for everyone to enjoy.

While we waited for the cake to be ready, we watched pictures from our recent DisneyWorld 2014 trip.  We visited 3 Disney Parks; DisneyWorld, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom.

We did Disney trivia, talked about our favorite things to do while at Disney Parks, and answered questions.  The girls got manicures and their nails painted by my daughter.  She is such a good host.  Everyone loved the Disney luggage tags that were hand delivered by our very own Prince Charming.

Thanks to Disney Parks and Mom Select for this wonderful opportunity.  You too can show your Disneyside by using the #Disneyside hashtag on social media, you may be featured on the website DisneySide Celebrations.  There are recipes, party ideas, and activities.

A Royal Princess Birthday Party

It is really crazy but just as one birthday is finishing my brain already starts planning the next.  My daughter was turning 3 this past December.  Her birthday is 3 days away from Christmas.  So I always like to celebrate her birthday before the Christmas holidays begin.  So invitations were created by my friend and she got it just right.

Next, I need to think of the decorations to convert my house into a castle.  Everything a Royal Princess should need...Her theme was Sofia the First.

 A small candy station to greet the guests at the entrance.  A #3 and a crown cut out of corrugated.

 I bought this wonderful background from the party store for only $5.99.  It came with 5 plastic signs.  These are perfect for using at the party and in her room decor after the party is over.  I also found some place mats at the dollar store.

 I also used my daughter's comforter as another decoration piece.  I hung it over the curtain rod.

I used my daughter's fairy tale princess canopy for the backdrop for the cake table.  My coworker made my daughter's cake.  We used my daughter's Sofia the First doll and made the cake around it.  She made a wonderful base.  I used my daughter's Sofia the First table to prop the cake on top of.  She also made me Princess Amber and Prince James cake pops.  These were a great hit with all the kids and parents.   

And my princess had a great time.  For information on my chalkboard wall, check out this post:  Birthday Chalkboard Wall.

2015 Disneyside @Home Celebration Kit Reveal

 ***Disclosure-I received a Disneyside @Home Celebration party kit.  All opinions stated are my own.

So excited that I once again got picked to host a Disneyside @Home Celebration.  Last year, we celebrated by hosting a Cowboy Mickey/Cowgirl Minnie party.  Did you miss my post, click here?  The inspiration came from one of my daughter's favorite episodes - Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey and Donald Have a Farm.  We had so much fun planning and getting ready for our party.  And I am so excited to be planning this year's party.

But you can't get started without a party kit, do you want to know what is in our kit?

But you do not have to receive a kit to show your Disneyside, you can show it too...Disneyside is in all of us.  We are all big kids at heart.  How do you show your Disneyside?

Character Meet and Greet Tips

Last August we took our daughter to Disney World for her 1st visit.  We were so excited for our family to all to share this moment.  One of the things that we enjoyed doing with her was the Meet and Greet with the characters.  She did not know was about to happen when it just happened.  Each time it left her so stunned, and or course speechless.  Before going on our trip, I looked online for tips and tricks.  Here are some that we used:

1)  Autographs Books-So it was suggested to make one.  I looked online and was, like ok.  I can do this.  Then I realized I didn't have time for all that.  I actually bought plain scrapbooks but never got to do anything with them.  If you have time and talent, then go for it!  It is your book.  But it was a fail for me.  I then tried heading to the Disney store but they were all out.  Then my sister in law suggested we head to the souvenir shops in Florida when we got there.  BINGO!  We found some really cute ones and super, dirt cheap.  

2)  Autograph Pen-So I found some cute little permanent markers at the dollar store.  They even came with little hooks to hook on.  They had different colors and I thought these are too cute.  Until we got to the park and we tried to get a signature.  The characters have to be able to hold these.  Some characters were not able to hold these little markers. 

3)  Lanyards-I found some really cute lanyards at Dollar Tree.  They different characters to choose from.  I bought one for each family member.  These were very useful.  I hooked the autograph book and markers to mine.

The Meet and Greets are so awesome.  The characters really give you their undivided attention when it is your turn.  They do not rush you at all.  Here are some tips I learned from our experience:

4)  Be ready-The is not their first day doing these.  They are ready for the crowds day in and day out.  You need to be ready when it is your turn.  A-because you need to be considerate for all the rest of the people in line.  B-Because it is finally your turn, take advantage fully of all your time.  

5)  Assign Jobs-No I don't mean real work.  It was 5 of us in our group.  So grandma had the card for the photographer to scan.  Yes, there is a photographer that will take your professional fancy photo at every meet and greet.  I had the autograph book and pen.  Daddy had our camera ready.  Yes, they will take pictures for you on your camera or phone.  Again going back to above-BE READY!

6)  Entertainment-The lines are long.  Depending what character you are going to meet, it may be an hour, or two, or three.  Bring activity books, coloring books, or gadgets for the kiddos to play with while in line.  

7)  Dining-Make sure you fill up on your drinks like water bottles before you get in line.  If you have small kids, you know they are always thirsty.  Also, bring snacks for the little kids.  We brought plenty of things for our daughter to munch and crunch on.  

8)  Potty Breaks-Do use the restrooms before getting line.  Wherever we were, we always knew where the nearest restroom was at.  

9)  Schedule/Maps-Check the schedules and maps before heading into the park or right when you get there.  We totally missed Minnie at Disney World because we did not find where she was at.  We did one big circle and got all the characters but we missed Minnie.  Minnie was at the back of the park.

10)  Buttons-You can go to City Hall and get a 1st visit, birthday, etc...button.  We totally missed it because we saw the castle and ran to see the performance at the castle.  We almost missed getting our buttons.  City Hall is at the front right when you enter.  Get these first.  These button identify you and your special trip.  

Have fun and enjoy your trip!  I hope these tips help you have the best Meet and Greet experiences.

Travel Thursday-American Tourister #Disneyside

Thanks to MomSelect and Disney Parks, I was selected to host a Disney Side Celebration.  And what a celebration we had, did you our party?

  Celebracion de Nuestro Lado Disney Did you watch my reveal kit video?  In case you missed it:

Did you see the American Tourister luggage that the entire kit came in?

• Reinforced corners defend against the harshest travel conditions.
• Multiple exterior and interior pockets keep you well organized.
• Push button locking handle.
• Four multi-directional spinner wheels for easy mobility.
• Weight: 6.8 lbs.

We have been planning for our Disney trip but one thing we had not thought about was the luggage for our trip.  The old luggage I had did not have all these pockets, and did not go everywhere I went.  I love the way this luggage skates through the airport, especially when you are running late to your flight.  It fit perfect in the overhead bin.  I fit all my clothes, shoes, boots, and souvenirs too.  I just went online to visit their americantourister.com and fell in love with the American Tourister Colora 20" Spinner in Lime.  That color just pops. I also like the American Tourister Color Your World 21" Spinners that come in 3 different colors.  I really like the Teal Wave.  

There is a SALE tab in case you are on a budget, and free shipping right now on orders over $99.

Celebracion en Casa con Disney a Mi Lado

Gracias a Disney Parks y MomSelect.  Yo recibi productos para tener uns celebracion - Disney Side @Home Celebration.  Las opiniones expresadas son unicamente miyas.  Tambien muchas gracias a HP, Craisins, ABC's The Chew, Hanes, and American Tourister.  Ahora quieres saber como nos fue en nuestra celebracion?

Nosotros vivimos en Houston, TX.  Aqui los Tejanos son vaqueros todo el año y un Dia al año todos celebramos juntos Go Texan Day-El Dia Vamos Tejanos.  Ese dia decidimos tener nuestra fiesta.  Tambien pensando en la fiesta que a mi hija le encantan los animales y Mickey tiene una pelicula que se llama Mickey's Round Up.  Ayi es como agare la idea para como mostramos nuestro lado Disney.

Para mostrar nuestro lado Disney necesitamos las decoraciones para que todos los invitados esten listos para celebrar estilo Tejano.



Mi kit que me llego venia con todas las decoraciones que necesitabamos y yo le di el toque Tejano con unas cositas extras.  Ahora para la comida para nuestros invitados:

Esta teniamos una area lista para que los vaqueritos decoraran sus magdalenas, incluyendo galletas, galletas saladas cuviertas con chocolate, y Coke floats.

Ahora les presento a mis vaqueritos y vaqueritas: 

Esta area la designamos para las fotos, y todos se fueron con sus fotos gracias a HP.

Comensamos la celebracion con una marcha (parade) a la cancion - Hot Dog.

Despues todos agarraron una camisa gracias a Hanes para decorar y enseñar su lado Disney.  Y el ganador se gano un premio de cosasitas Mickey y Minnie. 

 

Nuestra familia esta planeando nuestra primera visita a Disneylandia con toda la familia de mi esposo como una reunion familia en el mejor lugar en el mundo.  Que bueno que nos llego el dvd para planear muestra vacacion.  Tambien les demonstre la maleta American Tourister que llego con el kit.

Siguendo con la celebracion los nenes comensaron el concierto con los instrumentos de Mickey y Minnie.  Todos los nenes les encanta la cancion de Hot Dog y esa es la cancion que tocaban.

Los nenes se divertieron mucho coloreando, dibujando, decorando, todo para enseñar nuestro lado Disney.   

Tambien en nuestro kit nos llegaron posters de cortesia de ESPN #OnTheRoadToDisneyParks para echarle porras a athletas entrando a carreras de cual quier estilo.  Un dia quiero correr yo una carrera en los parque de Disney pero por ahora seguimos corriendo y entrenando para ese dia.  Aqui estan unos de los pósters que decoramos en la celebraccion: 

Usamos estos pósters el proximo dia para echarle porras a todos corriendo la carrera del Rodeo de Houston.  Este año mi esposo y yo no participamos en la carrera pero llegamos a echar porras a todos los que si participaron.  Y despues nos quedamos para la desfile y todo ensenando nuestro lado Disney.  Gracias a todos los invitados y a todos los patrocinadores nos disfrutamos mucho celebraron estilo Disney.  Sigue la celebraccion y muestra tu lado Disney siguendo #Disneyside.