School bells are ringing and it's time for schedules and after-school activities galore! What sport(s) does your child like to play? Often a favorite activity is great inspiration for a fun party. This month we showcase party themes for cheerleaders, gymnasts, and other sports enthusiasts. As school gets underway, your tweens and teens may be going to dances too. How about suggesting a retro 50s-style dance party to keep them sock-hoppin'! Finally, did you know that some schools are asking kids to not talk about their weekend parties in the classroom? Do you think it's enforceable?

Make sure to check out our giveaways this month too:

 

Until September 13th: Birthday Banner

Football season (both Pee Wee and High School) is well and truly under way, and, of course, that means cheerleading is also in full swing.  Perhaps your kid is or aspires to be a cheerleader someday and would love to have a cheery, cheerful, cheerleading type of party.

 

You may be able to host this party at the local football stadium ... this would give you plenty of space and an authentic feel.  You may want to call your local schools and see what's involved with securing such a venue.

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A Gymnastic theme is a great party to have at an outside venue...whether that be a local gym, Gymboree Center, school gym, or a funky spa/gymnasium for parents and kids, such as Urban Monkeys, this is sure to be a lot of fun for many different ages, 3 years old on up!

If you are having it at a center, such as a Gymboree or Urban Monkeys, they often have birthday party plans all set for you to simply choose from, so all you have to do is arrive and enjoy the party along with your birthday kid and her guests.

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I hear the roar off in the distance ... football season is almost upon us again and baseball season is still in full swing. If you are interested in a sporty birthday party, or just plain old party to celebrate the season, here are some ideas for you:

Hang bunches of balloons in the colors of your favorite sports team all over the party area. You can also make "ball" balloons by drawing on them, i.e. red pen on a white balloon for a baseball and a black marker on orange balloons for a basketball, etc.

Put up signs all over the party area in sports theme language, i.e. Locker Room, Bleachers, etc. A concession stand is also a good bet to serve party food from.

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Amount of Time: 5 to 20 hours

Budget:

$150 to $500
Age Group: Best for school-aged kids, 7 to 16

Number of Guests: Large groups work best, 15+

Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor works well, preferably in a basement or other large open space.

 

Special Notes: This is an especially favorite theme for school-aged kids and is relatively simple to organize. Guests add a lot to the feel and theme of the party by coming dressed up in 50s attire. Also, many of the activities take place on the sock hop dance floor, so planning time can be minimal if that is a factor. Also, if your kid wants a lot of people to attend his or her party, this theme works well and is manageable with a large group.

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Lil Sugar discusses the new rule that schools are implementing that bans kids from talking about any social gathering that is going on outside of school.  The comments on this blog are quite interesting.

 

Although many schools have been quite clear about party invitations in the classroom, this rule may be more difficult to enforce given kids love to talk about their exciting plans for the weekend or what they did over the past one.

Do you think this is fair, or that schools are going too far in trying to avoid hurt feelings?