Notes from Pat

-By Patrick Duffek and Jennifer Reynolds

A HEALTHY BLEND
At Balloon Creations, we provide a healthy blend of entertainment with these essential ingredients: laughter, professionalism, and connection. We also believe in work-life balance by offering a super-clown blend that matches your private party needs. From the most basic to the more extravagant, we have it all, and are committed to meeting your party needs.

ALL NATURAL
The latex balloons we use are all natural. Fact: Did you know that latex is a renewable resource like maple syrup? It comes from the sap of Maple Trees. In the same way, Latex balloons utilize natural rubber. They are biodegradable, having a break down rate similar to that of an Oak leaf. In contrast, the venomous foil balloons known for their non- biodegradable quality and ability to conduct electricity, despairingly catch in power lines. If you decide to befriend the foil balloon, remember to be responsible and tie weights to your balloons to prevent their release. For more information about balloons and the environment, visit this link: www.balloonhq.com/BalloonCouncil/

PAT GOES GREEN
Pat in the Hat is looking green these days! We don’t mean that he sports a green suit or is making Leprechaun appearances, but he preserves the environment in his business practices. Like the popular Greens Restaurant in San Francisco, we believe in giving our customers excellent service and care from the start to the finish of your party. His three companies model environmentally friendly practices.

BIOFUELED MACHINE
“My car exhaust is very clean, but smells of French fries,” says Pat regarding his bio-fueled car. NO, Pat does not purchase the fuel…he recycles and mixes his own fuel HIMSELF. Pat’s favorite veggie oil is from a local ethnic restaurant! He says, “Its a bit of work, but worth it for the eco-friendly savings.”

RECYCLE CYCLE
He even recycles his office supplies and guarantees papers will be reused at least twice before surrendering them to the recycle bin. E-contracts and correspondences reduce paper usage. Many office commodities including water, bottles, cans, and magazines, are recycled in his office.

LATEX BALLOON LOVERS
Did you know that the latex in balloons comes from the rubber tree farms in the rain forests? The trees produce several gallons a day. The tree plantations produce both a renewable resource AND contribute to oxygen production. Our balloons are still high quality and completely biodegradable. Thanks to our latex balloon lovers who contribute to the sustenance of the rain forests and prevention of deforestation, as they need living rubber trees to provide liquid latex. The balloons we use biodegrade as slickly as an oak leaf.

ENERGY BOOST
At Balloon Creations, we offer an energy boost to your party like the one you add to your smoothie. Why not maintain your energy use by hiring an entertainer for a much-needed mental retreat. You can trust that our clowns monitor their own energy use. The Office Administrator, Jennifer Reynolds testifies to this as she is usually wearing her coat inside when working. Pat strives to keep his electrical and gas to a minimum-no clowning around here!

PARTY DETOX
At Balloon Creations, we believe that party entertainment is not only for your amusement, but is also good for your overall health. Many people spend their greens on catering or bounce-houses, but why not put your greens on something that will last. Our performers don’t just make balloons, they connect with their guests and create lasting memories.

“GREEN TEAM”
Have you had your greens today? Research shows that not only is a healthy diet imperative for good health, but laughter and relaxation improve your immune system and your stamina for work. When you’re planning your next party, contact our Balloon Creations’ “Green Team” at 408-364-9633.

We have taken the time and thought to make sure that our clowns are warm and approachable, in regards to both what they wear (costume and clown face) and how they interact with children. Our clowns wear fairly light and charming clown makeup, and personality is key! They know how to warm up shy kids and have been fully trained to handle a variety of situations with children who may at first be tentative around an entertainer. (Folks, it may seem fun to surprise kids with a clown, but believe me the anticipation of knowing ahead of time that an entertainer is coming works out far better.)

We specialize in preschool, elementary and special needs children, and our clowns are all asked back for repeat bookings with our clients. So don’t worry! The one guest who has expressed concern about their child can enjoy from the back of the room until he or she warms up. Sit back and enjoy the entertainment!

We realize that some adults have had bad experiences with clowns from their childhood. Or adults and older kids have been exposed to scary clowns in movies like Stephen King’s It, Poltergeist, or Chuckie the Clown, but try not to spread your fear to your kids. Children are intrigued by a happy, cheery clown, and they take a special delight in us.

This just in!! In January 2008, a University of Sheffield England study was released and erroneously jumped to the conclusion that all clowns are scary. Decorating children’s wards with paintings of clowns to create a nurturing atmosphere could backfire, research suggests. The study stated that the 250 children, aged four to 16, widely disliked the specific images. The researchers said the findings, reported in Nursing Standard magazine, highlighted the importance of consulting children in hospital design. This research truly omitted saying how nice the pictures were, and that most children in the hospital are naturally nervous and out of sorts anyway. When the local radio station KRTY reported this news story, the DJ’s Gary and Julie stated, “Well, Pat in the Hat is not scary!!” Nice end to the story.

Here are some stories to consider directly from our performers:

One performer retold, One parent told me several times that her 3 year old birthday child was frightened of clowns, so I better be careful. This little child ended being my best volunteer within a short period of time! He performed in front of everyone, and the family will certainly have fond memories and photos for years of this child’s performance.

Another clown mentioned that one mother insisted that we not wear any makeup to her event, so we honored her request. When our performer arrived at the party, the kids were disappointed saying, “Hey, you are not a real clown – you don’t have a red nose! To adults, it can look as if the performer was second-rate or lazy if not fully attired as a clown.

So please let us do what we do best–entertain both kids and adults with funny, approachable, professional clowns! We are reaching a whole generation of kids who didn’t get to see Bozo or Red Skelton on TV. Sure, they have the Ronald McDonald and the Jack in the Box clown (but we don’t see them much in person). We can honestly vouch that our DVD, “Here Comes the Clown,” is very popular with kids. The kids who have seen this DVD have been magnetized by the clown characters and story line. Kids from ages 1-13 have watched it repeatedly with lots of laughs, so enjoy our clowns and the smiles they will bring!

Copyright 2008 Balloon Creations

We want you to have a SUCCESSFUL Birthday Party! It’s not hard to achieve a party that keeps the kids (and parents smiling). Follow these ABCs to Birthday Party Fun!

A! Deal with the “APPETITE” first. If you have an luncheon party, or even a party in the afternoon without a formal lunch, feed those tummies so that you will have attentive kids for any games or entertainment that you arrange.

The key here is to creatively manage the sugar intake so that you don’t fall off of the other side of the energy coin: Kids who are amped up on too much simple sugars can bounce off the walls. There are a lot of food options besides sweets.

Consider this as a good flow plan:

12:00 Noon-12:30 pm Arrival window. Have simple games like Twister ready to play until most of the children arrive. Enlist an older child or parent to lead these. As mentioned in a previous blog, kids do like to play and interact, so let them have some space to warm up during arrival time.

12:30pm-12:45pm Hands Washed and serve the Lunch! Check out the numerous food websites for ideas of simple healthy recipes to serve OR keep Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals cookbook on hand to get some great party food ideas.

12:45-1:15 Lunch and clean-up. Kids who eat fast can wait for a few minutes for their friends. Have something they can do at the table: Silly putty for older kids or a basic coloring sheet. It really helps to teach the children respect by waiting. Once most kids are done eating, they can do some free play for a few minutes.

B! Be ready for fun!!!1:30-3:00 Games OR entertainment. OK I’m biased -I love the entertainment we can provide. Generally, the guideline for up to 15 children is an hour to an hour and a half of entertainment. Remember to have the kids thank the entertainer for coming. Good manners strike again.

C! 3:00pm-3:30pm Presents and CAKE. I know this is a bit different sequence of events, but it seems unfair to sugar the kids up and then have them sit and watch while the birthday child gets to open the presents. IF POSSIBLE, serve the cake and dessert last and then have free play time OUTSIDE.

Here are some neato healthy alternatives to cake:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/282004/birthday_party_food_for_kids_10_healthier.html

Well, there you have it. I’ve run several nice sized birthday gatherings with the ABC format and everyone (including me) had a great time!

PS: If you plan on having more than 6 children, do try to have extra help on board: Those extra hands and eyes come in handy!

Copyright 2008 Balloon Creations

Wow, I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard this comment from potential clients. I would start a retirement fund for clowns (just kidding). Jesting aside, please consider the following valuation.

Hiring a live entertainer will add energy and fun that nothing else will. I’ve been to very elegant events and many large, large parties. The food and friends were great, don’t get me wrong, but when a balloon entertainer, clown or magician walks in the room, there is a super-charge and pizzazz that you just can’t get any other way. My friends tell me that their kids talk about the clown or magician for years and years after the event, plus the photo opps when you hire a gifted balloon twister or face painter are truly priceless!

Think of it this way, for the price of a fancy date night with your significant other, a boutique haircut/color (ladies, you know what I’m talking about here) or the amount it costs to get your car detailed, you can hire a professional with talent who has devoted themselves to the art of humor, performance and celebration! You just can’t slap a clown outfit on Uncle Louie or have Aunt Alice face paint your guests and get the same impact (although admittedly Uncle Louie would be funny for about 5 minutes).

Most folks out there don’t know that our performers go to conventions or classes on a regular basis to improve their craft. They invest a considerable amount of time and money to develop their amazing skills. If you doubt me, check out this website: Westregionclowns.org– it will astound you!

Recently, my friend wanted to celebrate his wife’s birthday with their 2 kids at a simple dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe, and that bill was $100, without appetizers or dessert! When planning important life markers such as a 1st birthday with 100+ guests, 5%-10% of the whole party tab is a reasonable price for the performer who will have everyone delighted!

I’ve been in the entertainment biz for over 15 years and run thousands of events, and trust me that you don’t want to scrimp when it comes to providing variety entertainment!

That old adage still holds true: Ya get what ya pay for!
Pat

Copyright 2008 Balloon Creations

Pre-planning and doing your preparations is going to pay off at your party. And yes, you’re going to have to pay for good entertainment. Whether it’s a birthday party with 50 kids, a non-profit event with 300 kids, or a corporate event with 2000 kids, we have recommendations because we’ve been there countless times, and shined. First off, only a skilled performer can plan to make balloon sculptures or face paint *creatively* and *gracefully* for a few to several hundred kids in an afternoon. A parent or low-budget performer won’t shine.

One skilled performer won’t be able to make balloons and face paint for 30-50 kids per hour, honestly. Please do the math, that each child takes 2-4 minutes each for each of these things. The more time the performer has, the more impressive they will be and the more fun everyone will have.

Here’s some budget saving measures: If you don’t want to pay for the time it takes for balloons and face painting, consider a show instead. Get the kids laughing for 30-45 minutes and have a great time! A comedy show with balloons and interactive routines can be just as fun as having each child get a balloon.
Consider our entertainment and your budget before your food budget, site budget, and decoration budget is all spent and the party day hasn’t arrived!
Pat in the Hat

Copyright 2008 Balloon Creations

Throwing parties is definitely an art! Here are a few tips we’ve learned in our many years of helping others throw parties since we started 15 years ago. We’re now doing over 700 parties a year.

Allow enough time for the kids to play! Children need play time to interact, relax, and have fun in a new setting. It usually takes the kids five minutes to eat a meal, because they are too excited to eat. They won’t need an hour to eat, so don’t allow too much time there. Parents often don’t plan a spare minute for the kids to run around, and it’s how they party!

Parents are thinking the question: What am I going to do with all these kids?? Parents, especially first timers, have many of these fears and many questions about how to ensure that their party goes well. Oftentimes, we see parents trying to plan too much to occupy the kids every minute of their child’s party. They plan a craft every hour, a bouncy jump for every spare minute, and want the performer to accomplish 6 different activities. LESS IS MORE! Children are experts in taking pleasures in little things. Balloons have a special way in making everyone happy, no matter what age. Balloons are magical in themselves, and balloon fun is simple and unforgettable. Balloons, laughter and smiles are the best way to get the wiggles out!
Pat in the Hat

Copyright 2008 Balloon Creations