Let's Get This Party Started!- Create Some Fun Part 1

I am a sucker for class parties. I love them. LOVE. THEM. For me, it's a fun way to connect with families and build rapport with parents without the pressure of discussing academics. The whole parent teacher conference thing sadly has some rather negative connotations for some families. But put the word 'party' and 'your child' in the same sentence and watch the adult facial expressions change from FREAK OUT to HOW FUN in an instant! Our school has an open door policy on party days to welcome family members of students to be guests in the classroom during celebrations. That has been a significant way for me to learn more about my students in a social setting and gain insight into their personalities as I observe their interaction with their guests. It makes me a little sad to hear some teachers moan and groan about "party day" when it has the potential to be epic. You might think from my enthusiastic support that class parties have always been a win-win proposition for me and our guests, but as with most rewarding experiences, I had to learn about having a successful party through trial and error.

I discovered that while some teachers feel they must have a parent as a party coordinator, that is not me. I have mental picture of what a successful party looks like and it's pretty unfair of me to put that pressure on another parent when they can't read my mind. Think about this: when a family hosts a birthday party with 6 friends for their kiddo in their home, it is going to look way different than a party in the classroom with 20 students and their guests. So how can I expect a parent without this experience to plan my party? So I just don't. Besides- I FREAKING LOVE PLANNING PARTIES. From the theme, to the decorations, to the snacks, to the activities (games, crafts), to deciding what's going to be the in the party favor bags... it's all a big party to me, actually! Do I have about a million other things I can do as a teacher with my time? Yes, of course. But why would I want to give up one of the things that brings me so much joy in hosting, inspires my creativity, and shows my students that I planned this fun time as a gift to them and their families? Making fun memories together related to school is key for students and parents alike to perceive a successful educational experience. If you've never tried planning your own class party, you should. Here are a few tips (learned the hard way) to pass along that might just help you with that win-win proposition.

Sending home a party guide describing your expectations will set the foundation for all of your parties to be great experiences for you, your students, and their families.

Tip #1- Clearly communicate your expectations to families beforehand.
It is possible to have a fun, yet relatively calm celebration, I promise. You just have to let people know what you expect. Using some creative problem solving, I developed a booklet to send home before the first party so parents would have a clear idea of what my classroom party would look like. A note was attached for them to sign and return letting me know that they read and understood the "Party Survival Guide" (that's really important) and could keep it at home to reference as needed during the year. Newsletters might not even get a second glance as they pass from the folder to the trash can, but, by George, a party guide has everyone's attention!
<<Download Editable Party Survival Guide>>

<< Download Party Survival Guide - PDF >>

Tip #2- Let families know the party plan and exactly what you need. You know how difficult the party project should be, how 'wild' the game can get, and what theme would interest them, because YOU KNOW YOUR STUDENTS. Go ahead and take charge of the plan, decide what supplies you need, and then share it. Don't be afraid to spell it out. (I've even included pictures of the brand of the item on the donation signup list if it was important to get a specific thing.) It's a sure-fire way to guarantee you won't end up with 12 dozen varieties of cupcakes and nothing else.

<< Download Party Plan and Signup Sheet >>

Tip #3- Send home a confirmation/reminder slip and let families know what donation they are in charge of providing and when you need it. I find the remind.com resource to be exceedingly helpful in sending out group texts to parents as reminders or notifications that something special (like a party note) is coming home in the folder. I include the info on joining reminder on the back of my party guide.

<< Go to Remind.com >>

The groundwork has been laid for a killer party. It's all up to you to ADAPT the plan for your celebration, EXECUTE the activities, and ENJOY the successful festivities and making a memory with your families! I hope to share some fun ideas for an upcoming party in the next post "Let's Get This Party Started!- Create Some Fun Part 2.