Kids Archives - Page 9 of 21 - Adventure, baby!

Kids

Photography Tip: Get Better Photos By Taking More

November 4, 2014 / Family, Kids, Photography / 4 Comments

Today’s photography tip is something that is super simple and yet is often how I get my best photographs.

Just take more photos. That’s it. And I don’t mean take more photos every day in general, I mean when you’re trying to capture a memory in a single moment in time, just keep your finger on the shutter and keep taking photos.

The photographs that you’ll end up loving the most of your family in particular, are those that are candid and show you all just having a blast. These photographs can’t be posed, and, when you’re working with small children (or unwilling participants, not naming any names, Husband), the only way to get natural photos that show everyone basically having a good time is to set up the shot, and keep on shooting.

Shoot 50 frames, or 100, if you need to. You’ll end up discarding about 90-95% of the photos, which is fine (hooray digital photography!) but all you’re after is just one, single, great photo that reflects how wonderful that moment in time was.

I pulled together some outtakes below to show you a typical photo sequence of little Missy E. She loathes photographs in general, so I try and make her laugh at me, tell her silly things so she finds it all entertaining instead of a chore. If you watch her face as the photos progress, there’s a great mix of wacky faces, and then, at the end, a single great frame with a huge, natural smile on her face.

Technical tip: You want the camera to be shooting quite fast to capture crisp images with no motion blur (particularly with facial expressions). The easiest way to get this is by shooting in bright, natural light. If you’re using an SLR, set the ISO a bit higher to make the camera more sensitive to the light (I usually set mine around 400-500). This helps the camera capture the images faster.

Are you trying to take better photos? What would you like more tips on?

Halloween in Sydney

November 1, 2014 / Family, Kids, Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 4 Comments

The past three Halloweens we’ve been in New York, so this was our first Halloween experience in Sydney with little missy E. While we’d been away, the Halloween tradition really spread with a vengeance. A dear friend invited us to spend Halloween with her family, so we eagerly drove up to the leafy North Shore area to trick or treat with friends.

The big question is always who or what to dress up as. E is hugely into Disney princesses and changed into Cinderella and Anna outfits before settling on Tinkerbell.

The day before Halloween, a flyer was placed in mailboxes with a black balloon, letting residents know that trick or treating would be happening the following afternoon. Anyone who wanted to participate was asked to tie the blown up balloon to their mailbox. The kids very excitedly ran up and down the streets on the look out for the next balloon.

On Halloween day in Sydney, the weather was a sweaty 30 plus degrees, making for some hot and thirsty work. With daylight savings already having started, the afternoon was super bright even after 6pm, when we decided to call it quits and take our sugar-high kids on home.

How was your Halloween? Did you go trick or treating?

Top Books For Tots

October 28, 2014 / Family, Kids / 10 Comments

I love books, and I love sharing my love of books with Missy E. Since she’d sit long enough to pay attention, I’ve read her books. Short board ones to begin with, and now that she’s three, longer ones.

Here are some of our favourites to read together – maybe you’ll find a new book to try in our list!.

Not A Box by Antoinette Portis
A book encouraging imagination, where a simple box is a key to a fantastical world.

Meet Snugglepot And Cuddlepie by May Gibbs
This book is a sweet introduction to May Gibbs’ endlessly endearing gumnut babies. Join Snugglepot and Cuddlepie as they go on an adventure into the Australian bush and encounter a human.

The Cat In The Hat by Dr. Seuss
The troublesome Cat shows up of at the house of Sally and her brother one rainy day when their mother is away.

Pouch! by David Ezra Stein
A baby kangaroo seeks independence one hop at a time, just like a toddler slowly gaining confidence and exploring their new world.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
This little caterpillar literally eats his way through the book, and then turns into a glorious butterfly. My daughter’s current absolute favourite book.

Who Sank The Boat? by Pamela Allen
A cow, a pig, a donkey, a sheep and a tiny mouse go for a row. One of them sinks the boat – who was it?

The Story Of Growl by Judy Horacek
Growl is a little monster who loves to growl. When her growling causes trouble for her neighbours, she’s banned from growling. How will she get her growl back? This adorable story teaches accepting others for who they are, the importance of community and of considering others as well as yourself.

Where Is The Green Sheep? by Mem Fox and Judy Horacek
There are red sheep, blue sheep, scared sheep and brave sheep. But where is that green sheep?

Maple by Lori Nichols
A little girl and her tree grow up together, in this story of a free spirited and nature-loving child and her new sibling.

Hi, Koo! A Year Of Seasons by Jon J Muth
26 haiku poems about the four seasons, with Muth’s famous panda, Koo. A great way to introduce youngsters to simple poetry and beautiful illustrations.

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Williams
Set in our old Brooklyn neighbourhood, Trixie, Daddy, and Knuffle Bunny take a trip to the neighborhood Laundromat and leave somebunny special behind. Told through a combination of black-and-white photos and bold illustrations, this funny book tells a tale about what happens when Daddy’s in charge and things go very wrong.

Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Scott Magoon
Poor Spoon. He thinks Fork, Knife and Chopsticks all have it so much better than him. This enchanting book is about embracing what it is that makes you special.

Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
For all the mischief makers out there, join Max and the wild things in their rumpus. A classic book for a very good reason.

The Colour Thief by Gabriel Alborozo
Zot lives in a world without colour. He sees Earth, sparkling with brilliant colour, and sets off to steal some of that colour for himself.

Who Are You, Baby Kangaroo? by Stella Blackstone and Clare Beaton
A curious puppy goes on a journey to discover what a baby kangaroo is called, and learns what all kinds of baby animals are called along the way.

Llama Llama Time To Share by Anna Dewdney
Sharing is hard, but Llama learns that it can also be fun.

What are your favourite books to read with your kids?

7 Ways To Get Mums In The Picture

October 23, 2014 / Family, Kids, Photography / 18 Comments

I’m the picture taker in the family. Are you? Between my iPhone, DSLR and snappy camera, I always have some device in hand recording precious moments. While this results in gorgeous photographic memories for my husband, daughter and rest of family, it means I’m usually not in the shot unless I beg my husband to take one.

A photo posted by Christine Knight (@christine.knight) on Sep 9, 2014 at 7:34pm PDT

The resulting images are predictable. One toddler who hates being photographed, combined with one husband who hates taking photos, and the photos are usually blurry, forced, or feature one very angry toddler.

I absolutely love photography. One of my biggest joys is in capturing moments for those whom I love. I also would like to be captured in moments too, however. When my daughter is older, I want to be able to hand down images of her childhood with us all enjoying life together, not just pictures of her with everyone else.

I want her to see herself and her mum, smiling, having fun, playing games and goofing around. Just the simple daily lives we lead that are precious to me, but that she won’t remember. So, what’s a mum to do? I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, and have been working on ways to include myself in the picture in ways that are natural but still telling our story.

A photo posted by Christine Knight (@christine.knight) on Oct 10, 2014 at 4:50am PDT

1. The selfie
My daughter is 3 and now enjoys a good selfie. While she dislikes having her photo taken as a general rule, she adores when we take selfies together.

A photo posted by Christine Knight (@christine.knight) on Sep 9, 2014 at 3:11pm PDT

2. Little rituals
Our daily family rituals include babyccinos made by Daddy, and ice tea drunk by Mummy.

A photo posted by Christine Knight (@christine.knight) on Jan 1, 2014 at 6:35pm PST

3. Activity shots
Ask someone to take a photo during a “Mummy & Me” class. Cute shots guaranteed when a certain someone doesn’t notice the camera is on them.

A photo posted by Christine Knight (@christine.knight) on Oct 10, 2014 at 11:14pm PDT

4. My shadow and me
My tiny sidekick loves shadows and is delighted when the sun is in the right spot to throw her shadow long and forward.

A photo posted by Christine Knight (@christine.knight) on May 5, 2014 at 12:50pm PDT

5. While you were sleeping
I spend a lot of time strolling my child to sleep when it was the only place she would nap. When she was finally down I would reward myself with a treat, like this delicious ice cream.

A photo posted by Christine Knight (@christine.knight) on May 5, 2014 at 2:01pm PDT

6. Toddler portraits
My budding photographer enjoys pointing the camera back at me now. While she is slowly learning technique, the results are so entertaining, and I adore seeing how I look through her eyes.

A photo posted by Christine Knight (@christine.knight) on Aug 8, 2014 at 1:30am PDT

7. Make them laugh
When I ask my husband to take a photo with me in it now, I try and make a game of it for my toddler to get her over the hating to pose mood. In this one, we were dancing around the room and I pulled her down into a backbend just as my husband snapped the button.

What about you? How do you like to sneak into the picture?

30 Problems Only a Three-Year-Old Would Understand

October 12, 2014 / Family, Kids / 0 comment

Being three is tough. You’re not a baby any more, but you’re not a big kid yet, either. You’re expected to do what you’re told, but now you have mind of your own. Uh-oh! Here are 30 times when, for a 3-year-old, the struggle is real. #firstworldtoddlerproblems

When there’s no whole milk left, only skim.
When Netflix is down and there’s no more Barney.
When you want a banana and there are no bananas left. And no, you don’t want a pear/grapes/apple. Yuck!
When you drop the last goldfish on the ground and your parents won’t let you eat it.
When you take your shoes off but can’t put them back on.
When your head gets stuck in the t-shirt hole.
When the iPad runs out of batteries.
When you want to keep playing but mom says it’s dinner time.
When you glue your art project to your pants.
When your latest artwork (with pens and furniture) gets you in trouble.
When you wanted an Elsa doll and got Anna instead.
When your pants tag itch your skin so much that you need to take your pants off.
When you’re strapped in the stroller and drop your lovie.
When you peed in your pants because you didn’t want to stop playing to go to the potty.
When you drank full strength juice and bounced off the walls.
When you fell asleep in the car seat and woke up epically grumpy.
When you didn’t nap at all and were even grumper.
When you have hanger all. day. long.
When your lovie gets so worn it falls apart.
When you wanted to press the elevator button and someone beat you to it.
When Mom turned the TV on when you wanted to do it.
When you want to wear a blue tutu to school and you don’t even own a blue tutu.
When your night light goes off in the middle of the night.
When you get your hair brushed.
When you have to share your toys.
When someone else sings your song, “Let It Go”.
When you only want to eat rice crackers and your parents feed you vegetables instead.
When you get served peas for dinner.
When it’s too hard to decide between a ponytail and a braid.
When no one can understand what you’re saying but you’re speaking loud and clear.

This article was first published on MommyNearest.

Gunners’ Barracks: Sydney’s Best Afternoon Tea Spots

October 7, 2014 / Cheese, Mosman, North Shore, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

The Gunners’ Barracks has been one of my favourite afternoon tea venues for a long time. Alec and I were even married there almost five years ago because we just loved it so much. I’ve been to many, many tea venues over the years and I can’t think of any that can match Gunners’ for their delicious food, efficient staff and stunning location.

Our return was to celebrate my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary. Gunners’ is really the kind of venue that is perfect for special occasion like this. The staff really go out of the way to elevate a simple afternoon tea into an unforgettable event.

First: tea selection. I chose a white tea on this occasion. The tea pot gives around two full cups of tea, and the obliging staff stop by later to refill your pot if you’re low on water. How gorgeous are the real silver pots, by the way?

While Gunners’ do have a Children’s Traditional Afternoon Tea on the menu, it’s really for older kids. At $18pp, it’s too pricey for a toddler who will only pick at one of two things (it includes petit pastries, finger sandwiches, scone, jam and cream and a choice of hot chocolate, soft drink or juice). Instead, we ordered Miss E a chocolate milkshake ($7) and let her try a bit of anything from our platters that struck her fancy. During the week there is a more varied menu for children that has a more reasonable afternoon tea option.

I want to note here that I was a little concerned that Gunners’ was not the most appropriate venue to take a very active 3-year-old, but I was so pleasantly surprised with how charming the staff were to my child. When we entered the dining area on the balcony, Miss E was greeted personally by a member of the wait staff, who inquired before we had even sat down if he could get something for her. Outstanding service.

My family all ordered the Traditional Afternoon Tea ($45pp). It included three finger sandwiches per person (my vegetarian ones were salad, egg salad and mozzarella, tomato and basil). The sandwiches were perfect. Light, fresh, no crusts, and absolutely more-ish fillings.

The savoury platter included one large scone, a chickpea samosa and mushroom tart per person. I gave my mushroom tart to Alec as I’m not a mushroom fan, but I really loved the tiny samosa and fluffy scone. The scones were served with thick fresh cream and tart raspberry jam.

Ahhh on to desserts. They were: panacotta with raspberry, vanilla macarons, lemon cheesecake, orange and almond cake and a chocolate coconut slice with raspberry. While every dessert was delectable, my favourite was the cheesecake. It was so tangy and light, with a crunchy perfect base.

The Gunners’ is right next to the Georges Head lookout, perfect for taking kids before or afterwards to run off any steam (or sugar!).

Last bite: The perfect afternoon tea venue. The Gunners’ Barracks is very popular, so book a few weeks in advance.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

Gunners Barracks
End of Suakin Drive,
Mosman NSW 2088
Phone: (02) 8962 5900
Prices: $$$
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Sat-Sun 10am-3pm
Online
Get Directions

10 Things I Want My Child To Learn By Age 10

October 7, 2014 / Family, Kids / 0 comment

My tiny girl is growing up so fast. She’s just three, and while some days she still seems like a baby, others she is already showing signs of the big kid she’s quickly becoming. Raising a girl is taking me back to my own childhood and bringing up memories—both good and bad—of how fun, wonderful and also difficult it can be navigating the move from child to tween. There are so many things I want to teach my daughter and show her as she grows into a young lady, ready to take on the world on her own. Here are ten things I hope she learns by the time she turns double digits.

To be a good friend
Right now I’m trying to teach the concept of sharing. She has no trouble attracting little friends at this stage, and I hope that as she gets older she will keep friends close to her heart. Friends will support her throughout life when family can’t be there, and fill in the place of the siblings she doesn’t have.

To stand up for herself
Growing up in Brooklyn playgrounds, this kid has no trouble standing up for herself if another kid tries to grab a toy out of her hands. But it’s a world of difference in the grade school and tween years, when kids can get mean and catty and form cliques. I hope that by helping our daughter realize her self worth, she will be able able to keep her confidence high and stand up to bullies.

To stand up for others
I also want my daughter to use her strength to help others in need, to speak up for people who can’t speak up for themselves. Sometimes we need to be a voice for those who aren’t able to use their own. A little empathy and kindness make the world a better place for everyone to live in.

To develop her own voice
It’s so easy to follow others and ignore what makes you special so you blend in. It takes a great deal of personal character and strength to really be yourself and follow your own heart. I hope my fearless girl will continue to stand confident in her own values and embrace being unique.

To be bold
When we’re little it’s easy to be brave. As we get older, though, fear starts to get in the way of us fulfilling our potential. I want my girl to keep her sassiness and fearlessness, and continue to be the brave girl who has forged her own way since birth.

To be her own style icon
There’s no need to copy other people’s styles and trends when you can create a unique look that’s perfect for just you. I hope to see many adventurous outfits and hairstyles on my daughter as she becomes a tween. Crazy hair? Sure, bring it on!

To be kind to animals
Animals need us to watch out for them—to champion their causes and to pick them up when they’re hurt. My daughter already loves animals. The next step is teaching her to show all creatures empathy and give them help when they need it—whether it’s bringing home a stray kitten or telling us she’s found a bird with a broken wing that needs aid.

To keep trying
We’ve all been there—sometimes it feels like it’s easier to just give up. Take riding a bike, for example. It may seem hard at first and not worth to trying (especially when you can just scoot or walk instead), but it is. What’s important, though, isn’t the bike riding (although having your own transportation is awesome), it’s the trying and persisting that builds character. I know this will ultimately help my daughter succeed later in life.

To dream big and work hard
We all start with big dreams. Huge, lofty, crazy dreams about the way we want our lives to go. But how often do we follow through on these dreams? They don’t magically come true—dreams require a lot of hard work and persistence. So keep on dreaming big, little one, and get ready to work your butt off to make them a reality.

To find the joy in each day
Some days are not joyful. They’re downright hard and sometimes sad. It’s not realistic to ask anyone to be happy every day of their lives, but I hope that my daughter is able to find at least a small moment of joy in every day, to help her keep loving life even through the tough times.

This article first appeared on MommyNearest.

Afternoon Tea By The Sea: House Eatery By George

October 6, 2014 / CBD, Cheese, Circular Quay, Sydney, Sydney Food / 2 Comments

After seeing the show Fluff at the Sydney Opera House recently, we stopped at the new House Eatery By George to try their afternoon tea. With a killer view and perfect location for shows at the House, it’s the perfect place for a nice lunch if you want to make it a special day out.

I’m a sucker for afternoon teas, and and on a mission to try every tea spot in every city I visit. Big goal. The House Eater Afternoon Tea consisted of three tiers, with a tray of 6 soft little finger sandwiches, two giant scones with butter and jam (no cream!), and a selection of sweets on top (two macarons, two slices of what I think was coffee opera cake and two lemon coconut cakes. The afternoon tea also included a choice of coffee or T2 tea. At $33 per person, it’s a reasonable price for an afternoon tea in Sydney, particularly taking into account the spectacular location.

I requested vegetarian sandwiches for myself and Missy E, and was told by the waitstaff that she would request it with the chef. I was not entirely sure what this meant, and if I would be served meat or not, and it looked like, when the tray came out, that I was basically lucky that some of the sandwiches were vegetarian by happy coincidence. Note to diners with special dietary needs: this is not the afternoon tea for you!

While the service was a little … spotty (for example, we had to flag down another staff member to ask for water to be brought to the table), the food was really delicious. The egg salad and cucumber sandwiches were fresh and light. The huge scones were fluffy and tasty. I would have liked cream instead of butter, but they were still great the way they were served.

I managed to get through my coconut-lemon cake (fresh and light) but that was it – I was too full for the rest. The wait staff obligingly boxed up the rest of the desserts we couldn’t finish for us to take home.

For Missy E, we ordered the Kids Afternoon Tea, which consisted of two finger sandwiches (egg and ham and cheese), a scone, mini biscuit and babycino for $7. I thought it was great value and would have suited me for tea for one. It was way too much food for Miss E to eat, but she did enjoy picking at most of it to give it a try.

After lunch, take little ones to the Royal Botanic Gardens next door to run off their energy. It’s one of my favourite spots to take Miss E because it’s one of the few places to take kids to play that makes everyone happy. Plenty for kids to do, and plenty for adults to enjoy as well.

Highchairs: Unsure.
Stroller storage: Yes – outdoors, there it plenty of room for strollers.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: Yes.

The House Eatery By George
Colonnade on the Western Broadwalk
Sydney Opera House
Prices: $$$
Hours: Open 7 days a week from 11am till late Monday – Sunday.

Addie And Me: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Hammondville, Sydney

September 7, 2014 / Cheese, Hammondville, South West, Sydney, Sydney Food / 0 comment

I’ve been taking yoga classes in Hammondville, and every time I finish a yoga class I walk past Addie And Me back to my car. I always take a peek inside and see ladies with their babies, or old friends catching up for coffee. The cafe looked so sweet, like it had sprung straight out of Alice In Wonderland, so it was only a matter of time until I found someone to try it with me. My dear friend who has a sweet tooth like me, joined E and I with her three kids for lunch on a Friday afternoon. The cafe was packed — the lovely staff looked pretty wiped out by the time we sat down and admitted it was an unusually busy day. Addie And Me is part shop, part cafe. Lining the walls are an array of frilly tulle outfits, baby gifts, and older kid toys. Signs remind parents that these are for sale and not for playing with – so definitely a bit of an uphill battle for me and my curious three-year-old who wanted to explore every single shiny frilly item in the store. Thankfully my friend and her crew turned up before I had to buy out the store. We sat down at a large table in the rear, next to another family with two small kids. Our crowd of kids were like any crowd of little kids — up and down, a bit loud, a bit whingy at times, and always in danger of breaking something. A big thank you to the staff for not batting en eyelid even when their ceramic bunnies were in danger of being smashed to smithereens. We ordered each of the kids the Tiny Tots Rabbit Nibble Platter ($7). It came with a choice of sandwich (ham, cheese, vegemite, jam or honey), savory and sweet finger food: cheese, fruit, cookies, crackers and a small plain or flavoured milk. For the adults, we ordered an Iced Chocolate ($4.50) which was DIVINE, a coffee ($3.50), and two sandwiches. While all of the sandwiches on the menu included meat, the staff very happily made me a custom plain cheese and tomato sandwich on sourdough. My friend ordered the Turkey sandwich ($7.50) with Swiss cheese, rocket and cranberry orange relish on sourdough. It was a super busy day and I expected our meals might take a while, but I was pleasantly surprised with how quick they were relative to how many staff were on and how many customers were there. Our sandwiches were simple and really tasty. Perfectly toasted real sourdough — the perfect light lunch for an outing with four kids. It’s also worth noting that when I ordered the turkey sandwich, they said they’d run out of turkey but would run up to the shops to get some more to make the sandwich — really sweet of them considering they were already run off their feet. Our trip to Addie And Me couldn’t have been better. The staff really made us feel welcome, with big smiles and an easy-going manner. Even with lots of breakables sitting on every surface and two extremely active toddlers, we had a pretty relaxing lunch (well, as relaxing as it can be eating out with multiple young kids!), with so many things to entertain the kids that they didn’t know what to look at or play with next! From the rabbit plates for the kids to the waterproof rose table cloths, every detail was thoughtfully planned with little and big guests in mind. We will absolutely be taking another trip down this rabbit hole again very soon! Last Bite: A whimsical cafe best suited to non-moving babies or older children who won’t break the pretty tea sets! A delightful lunch or afternoon tea for a special date with your little one. Highchairs: Yes. Stroller storage: Yes. Easy access: Yes. Change tables: No. Kids’ menu: Yes. Addie And Me 7 Stewart Ave Hammondville NSW Get Directions

Cheese Turns Three: Frozen Party Extravaganza

August 25, 2014 / Cheese, Family, friends, Kids / 6 Comments

For Cheese’s third birthday party, only Frozen would do. She loves the movie and songs, so I decided to throw her a Frozen at my parents’ house. They have a big property with lots of yard space, perfect for lots of little kiddies to enjoy running around. First step: acquiring an Elsa dress from the Disney store. This was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. I dropped by the Disney store in Times Square one day after hearing rumors that they had them in stock, and they did actually have them. Easy! I bought the dress and Queen Elsa crown both from the Disney store and saved them for her party to avoid damage. Next step was stocking up on Frozen party supplies. I bought all of mine from Partycity.com, including the plates, cups, snowy background backdrop that doubled as Arendale for the photobooth, the cardboard Anna and Elsa and an Anna and Elsa balloon, and co-ordinated cutlery, wands, tables cloths and crafting activities for the kids. The goodie bags also came from Party City – reusable cups, stickers, bubbles and clear party bags to wrap them all up in. I ordered cookies to look like Anna, Elsa, snowflakes and Olafs to add into the bags as well as put on the dessert table, from Cookie Queen Kitsch’n, a local cookie baker in Sydney. I own zero party goods, so borrowed lots from friends, like the cake stands, water cooler, kids’ trestle tables, kids’ chairs and jumping castle. Thank you girls, I really appreciate your generosity! I was worried about having lots of kids with nothing to do, so I put together craft tables. One with crayons, Frozen-themed colouring in pages that I bought from Etsy, Frozen stickers from Partycity.com and the wands. The other table had craft packs from Partycity.com that were suitable for toddlers and up – an easy project involving sticking together a foam photo frame with snowflakes and snowmen. The frame was a hit with all the kids, even the oldest guest, who was eight. For the centerpiece table, I strung up pompoms and snowflakes from partycity.com, and created a fun table for both kids and adults to enjoy. Water bottles with “melted snowman” labels from Etsy, more of the cookies from Cookie Queen Kitsch’n, Sven reindeer and snowball cake pops (homemade), jelly cups with blueberries, raspberries and fondant snowflakes on top (homemade), Zumbo macarons with homemade fondant snowflakes on top, homemade cheese, vegemite and peanut butter sandwiches cut into stars, flowers and hearts, and popcorn in boxes (boxes bought on Partycity.com with stickers added to the side). The cake was made by Sydney-based Cakes by Rosalie. The top tier was cookies and cream, and the base caramel. Delicious! In the centre of the area we had a table with fruit and savoury food, making sure we had plenty for adults to enjoy. Olaf danced over the table to keep it in theme. To entertain 20 kids of various ages, we borrowed a jumping castle. Best idea ever. The kids had so much fun flitting between the castle, yard toys, craft tables and food that we didn’t need to do any organised games, referee any fights, or soothe any meltdowns. Our Cheesy Elsa had a wonderful party. She was so happy to see her friends and spent most of her party on the jumping castle. Happy birthday darling girl! We’re so happy you enjoyed your birthday and party. Love you to the moon and back.