Monday, July 17, 2006

Kids in the office Day

Friday 14th July
About 3 months ago I was at Matty's house helping set up Vivien's suprise birthday. At that time I told him how the social committee at work needed someone to organise Kids in the office day, I wanted to volunteer but I was scared that I wasn't up to the job.
Matty told me "If anyone can do it you can Em!". Maybe the success of Vivien's party gave me the little push that I needed, but a week later I put my hand up to head Kids in the office day 2006.
So after 3 months of planning, organising registration forms, insurance matters, volunteers, quotes, lining up entertainment, finding professional carers, organising food, lolly bags and much much more! The day finally came.....(did I mention I've been really sick?)

7:30am: Got into work early to blow up 150 helium balloons, set up the cups & saucers and made sure that the fresh muffins arrived for parents during registration.

8:30am: The kids started to arrive! (since when did they make them so small???) There were 41 kids aged between 4 and 10 and we kept them entertained with our hand made activity books.
Me: "Don't forget to write down your name!"
A little girl: "But I can't write"
Me: Oh....."

10:00am: Cool Dan the MoOoogician arrives and hysteria erupts!! He was awesome! And put on a great show for young and old.
10:45: Morning Tea

11:00am: Balloon show, arts and crafts, biscuit decorating & face painting.
Do you know it costs $330 an hour for a professional face painter?!?! I thought to myself forget that! and asked a few of the HR girls to do it.
Instead of decorating the biscuits some kids started to eat the icing right out of the bowl! I even saw a few kids scull the little tubes of freckles that were suppose to go on the biscuits....but I was too busy stopping a kung-fu match between two 7 year olds to stop them.

12:30pm: Lunch
Lunch was a lot harder than expected; a lot of the kids had restrictions/allergies on what they could and couldn't eat. No nuts, no sugar, no soft drink or vegetarian only. So I kept it simple and easy - sausage rolls, basic sandwiches, cheese pastries & party pies. Whilst the volunteers and parents had gourmet finger sandwiches with turkey, snow peas, pumpkin, brie cheese, roasts beef etc. and salads.
1:00pm: Scavenger hunt
To get parents involved we prepared a scavenger hunt for the parents and kids to participate in together. It's a good idea for kids to get to know where mummy and daddy goes every day.
1:30pm: Insect & Reptile show!



We had insects, scorpions, lizards, turtles, frogs, a crocodile

And a big snake! *shivers*

The day wrapped up at 3:00pm and I was exhausted!! Everything went so well... Wow! What a day! I'm off sick today but I have so many thank yous to send out to all the volunteers who helped in making it all happpen.

12 comments:

noodles said...

looked like a great success!! and kids are hard to please..

the harder the task the better the satisfaction =) so congrats

Ayako1984 said...

Hey we had a insect & reptile show at work last week for the school holidays too! Maybe it's the same people =D

Anonymous said...

excellent job yet again at planning and organising an event. viv's thing was excellent and this looked like a great success as well. good on ya :)

and i have to mention this - but wow, eight years! that's awesome and i can't even imagine that! consider yourself lucky that you didn't have to go through what i did :P

Riss said...

that looks like it went off without a hitch!

why couldn't my mum's work have kids day when i was younger, if it was anything like yours i would have had a ball!

Veruca Salt said...

Wow, good work! How do you do it all?
Looks like everyone had a fun day. Next time could you steal me the green tree frog? He looks gorgeous. Brave kid holding the snake.
Where are all the cute Asian kids?

reverendtimothy said...

So, umm, do you actually do any WORK at your job? Or just plan children's parties for the other employess? :-P

I kid, I kid! Haha.

Looks like a fun day... but I can't help noticing you didn't bring any of your own? Did someone start feeling a little clucky on the day? :-P Hahahah

PiCkLeS said...

Muz: true..the whole thing was a bit daunting, i was scared everyone would judge me base on this if it turned out to be a boring day.

Matty: You are Matty you are...how could i ever doubt you.

Amanda: There's so many animal shows! who would have thought..next year IF i volunteer again maybe i can get farm animals.

Joe: Thanks and yeh it's a great feeling reaching 8 years but still the whole "having an ex" and the etiquette around it facinates me.

Helen: ahhaha i think this email summarised what you just said

"Just a quick note on behalf of William and Sophie to thankyou so much for the terrific day last Friday. They enjoyed themselves so much, however are now under the impression that I sit around stroking spiders and frogs all day for a living.

Would you kindly also pass on my many thanks to the others in the 'team' who were so patient and thoughtful on the day."

Riss: ahhaha even at my age i LOVED the moogician! I laughed so hard!!

JC: well i think the stand in face painters did quite a good job...though there were a few strange looking spider men around the place.

Veruca: This was very new to me, but I just had to think about what i enjoyed as a kid and do research from there. Lucky for me my firm was very generous with the budget i was given.

Tim: You're just jealous that you didn't get lollies and balloons at your work! And no i did not feel clucky....I think one of the partners sumed it up for me when he said "This Kids day is the best form of Contraception!"

SoRMuiJAi said...

OooOoo!! Great job ems! I just hope you had the animal show in a sealed off board room...because if the lizard or frog got loose and got near my desk......there will be hell to pay! Think of Ally Mcbeal and the frog in the toilet scene!

trish said...

oh so cute! every workplace should have one of these! i want to get my face painted :)

we should have a face painting party :)

tytty said...

wow. even i felt entertained from just looking at your pictures. - tian

Victoria A said...

Emily, by the looks of it, I agree with your friend. "If anyone can do it, YOU CAN!!!" That's a lot of hard work & effort you've put in there. Excellent job!!

PiCkLeS said...

Lils: You know before this day I was petrified of snakes and after Kids day...i think i overcame my fear..i even wanted to touch it.

Trish: yay to face painting!

Tian: hahha thank you!

Victoria: I'm just glad i did it..even if there wasn't a reward at the end.q