BlastZone, Author at Blast Zone Blog

Mail Zone: Recommended Ages, Warranty vs. Promise, and Space for Blowers

September 20, 2016September 20, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

David Asks:

Up to what ages are the home inflatables good for? Would they be good for a 10 year old?

Blast Zone:

The recommended ages for our home-use inflatables are 3 and up, however the ideal age group for each inflatable varies. The ideal age typically depends on the size of the inflatable and the included features. To give an example, smaller inflatables like the Little Bopper Bounce House or Tropical Splash Compact Slide are designed with smaller kids in mind. Not only would these inflatables not offer much excitement for bigger kids, they are also not designed to support children over 75 lbs.

On the other hand, larger inflatables with more features tend to be more popular with older children. While younger kids can find contentment in bouncing around all day, older kids typically prefer something with a little more action. For this reason, older kids do better with slides, combos, or with larger bouncers which have enough extra space for their friends.

In general, no matter which inflatable you’re using, it is important that players in a Bounce House or other Inflatable Play Structure are evenly matched in size, age, development, and skillset. As always, use common sense, follow safety guidelines, and have a blast!

Alyssa Asks:

What’s the difference between a warranty and a “promise”?

Blast Zone:

The 2 Year Promise is, in fact, a warranty. It is similar to those on tires or a car battery, it is prorated as time goes on. However, because ours comes with a 1-year 100% warranty period instead of a sliding scale that starts on day 1, and because we feel the term “warranty” can be misleading on the front-end, we refer to it as a promise.

If you’d like to review complete details of the 2-Year Promise, you can view them here: http://www.blastzone.com/2-yr-home-promise

Peter Asks:

How much room is required for the blower tube? Where does it enter the bounce house?

Blast Zone:

A blower connects to the inflatable via a long yellow air tube. This tube is not typically included in our overall inflated dimensions because it doesn’t add anything to the actual size of the unit as much as it may require a little more space to set up. Therefore, we generally recommend that you allow at least 6 Feet for the inflation tube and blower.

On nearly all of our inflatables, this inflation tube extends directly out of the back. The exception to this would be in instances where the entrance to the inflatable is situated in the back, in which case the inflation tube will extend from the side. An example of this would be the Tropical Splash Compact Slide, or the Shark Park 10-in-1 Water Park.

Splash Zone with Blast Zone — The Tropical Splash is one of the few inflatables with an inflation tube on the side.

In our Blast Zone Mail Zone series, we answer good questions submitted by you, our great customers. Pardon us if we repeat ourselves occasionally. Some questions are asked frequently, and worth answering more than once!

Blast Zone appreciates your questions. If you’d like to submit a Mail Zone Question, please email us at mailbag@blastzone.com. For immediate assistance, feel free to call us at 877-889-4685, or email us at service@blastzone.com

Get Summer Ready With Blast Zone Inflatables!

May 16, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

Summer is coming quickly, are you prepared? Summers are often a challenge for families. Kids are on break from school and they want some fun in the sun. Taking kids to the water park each day isn’t exactly practical, so how do you ensure that your kids are making fun summer memories the way that you did growing up? What if there was a way to make family fun more accessible? What if the place to be this summer was in your own back yard?

You can make that fantasy a reality with Blast Zone Inflatables! With inflatables, you can keep your kids entertained while also encouraging fun physical activity. You can keep kids active without even realizing that they’re exercising. You can also get hours of fun each day without the admission fees associated with amusement parks and summer fun programs. Having an inflatable at home is a great way for families everywhere to get ready for summer, and with the variety available at BlastZone.com there’s an inflatable to suit any family’s needs.

What if there was a way to make family fun more accessible? What if the place to be this summer was in your own back yard?

If you’ve got a group of high energy kids at home, a huge bounce house like the Big Ol Bouncer is perfect! This large capacity bouncer is a great way for kids to expend their energy while they’re out of school on summer break. The beauty of a backyard bounce house is getting kids outside again! Because it can hold up to six kids at a time, there’s also plenty of room for friends! You might be surprised to find that the sounds of laughter and the view of a bouncer in your yard is enough to attract even the shyest of neighborhood friends!

If a little variety is what your family craves, we have several combos with multiple features. The Sidekick Bounce House, Ball Pit, Slide and Hoop combo is always an exciting way to spend an afternoon. The colorful combo features a bounce area and a ball pit so kids can bounce and play until they’re legs get tired, and then crawl into the ball pit to practice their hoop skills. The multiple features of an inflatable combo mean that even if your little ones have different interests, there will be something for everyone to do!

Spray N Splash 2 — Bring the Water Park Home with You!

We all know that summer is all about staying cool in the heat, and if that’s your goal for the summer you are probably wondering, “what about water?” With the Great White Wild Slide, kids can beat the heat and really impress their friends! Water slides use much less water than a swimming pool would, making them a more economic option for summer fun as well. If sharks aren’t your thing, there are a bunch of fantastic slides to choose from, ranging in themes and color schemes.

If you’re looking for something to blow their minds, look no further than an incredible play park, with a bouncer, a water slide, a climbing wall and crawl tunnel all in one! You won’t need to pay to visit a water park again with an inflatable play park in your back yard. These exciting inflatables allow your kids and their friends to beat the heat and stay entertained all summer long! Because they can be used wet or dry, your family can enjoy them even as the seasons begin to change and the weather cools down.

No matter what kind of summer you’re planning, Blast Zone can help you to get summer ready with an inflatable perfect for you and your family!

Recap:

Summers are better with Blast Zone Inflatables!
With inflatables, kids get fun in the sun and plenty of exercise.
Having your own backyard inflatable cuts down on entertainment costs.
A huge bounce house is perfect for entertaining groups of kids.
Inflatable Combos give everyone something to do!
Water slides are an exciting way to beat the heat.
Inflatable play parks bring the amusement park to you with multiple features!
With a variety of choices, there is an inflatable for every family.

Plan a Memorable Birthday Party for Your Toddler

May 13, 2016May 9, 2016 BlastZone 3 Comments

When people plan birthday parties they are planning a special day not just for their children, but also for themselves. Children grow so fast, and a huge part of sharing your life with a young child is trying to slow down from time-to-time and enjoy it, even for just a day. You and your guests will surely remember the party for years to come, and look back at those early parties with fondness. Not only will your child remember more than you might expect, but those early positive experiences can have a lasting influence.

Memory and early childhood amnesia are still being studied today. While there are plenty of theories, the rules of memory retention in children have not yet been entirely decided. Just how much of life will your Toddler remember in the long run? Some say that children cannot retain memories until fluent language develops. Others suppose that young children cannot develop memories until they have developed a sense of self. A child’s memory improves as the section of the brain known as the hippocampus develops. While the average age for an adults earliest memory is around 3 years old, there are still plenty of people who report having earlier memories intact through adulthood. The capabilities for very young children to retain memories is still being studied and debated.

While your toddler may not be able to remember the explicit details of their lives before the age of 3 in the long run, the implicit memories still have a huge impact on children as they grow. Throwing an unforgettable birthday party for your toddler means that not only are you creating early childhood memories for your little one, but also that you are introducing them to new traditions which will repeat each year.

When you begin planning your Toddler’s birthday party, look to invite family and friends with children in the same age group. While younger children may not seem particularly social, it is important to introduce them to their peers so they can learn to socialize in the comfort of their parents’ presence. Inviting other toddlers also gives you the opportunity to socialize with other parents, possibly building life-long friendships for your kids.

The beauty of entertaining toddlers and young children is that you don’t need as much structure to keep them engaged. Toddlers typically do better with free play. Especially with mixed ages, many of your guests may be at different stages of play. While your toddler might enjoy playing with other children, some younger kids tend to prefer parallel play, meaning they play on their own beside other children.

You can plan for some party games, but be sure to keep them simple and easy to understand. When you are thinking of games keep in mind that your party guests will likely have varying degrees of sensory and motor development. For this reason, it is a good idea to make sure that games are fun without putting much emphasis on competition or prizes. Games like “pass-the-ball” or “follow-the-leader” are classics, but you can also experiment with group activities instead of games, such as coloring pages or easy crafts like paper masks.

It would also be a great idea to have some open play areas set up for the kids who may not be ready for guided play, or who don’t get into the party games. An easy way to do this is setting up a soft play area or a bouncer like the the Magic Castle Bounce House, which is a staple at many toddler parties. The Magic Castle is perfect for toddlers. It is also nice and compact which means it can be used indoors or outdoors. Because the Magic Castle can support three kids at a time, it makes for a great way to entertain your toddler and their friends. If you have a larger space for your party and are looking for a bouncer to accommodate more children, the Big Ol Bouncer is another great option for a toddler’s birthday bouncer.

When it comes to feeding your toddler-guests, easy finger foods are your new best friends. Keep things cute by cutting sandwiches into cool shapes using cookie cutters. You get food in fun shapes, and sandwiches are generally easy to make in a variety of flavors. Other easy toddler-friendly foods include pizza, bite-sized fruits and veggies, cookies, crackers, and juice boxes.

When it comes to a toddler’s birthday party, a big concern for hosts is entertaining the adults. If you have a bounce house set up, the toddlers will likely entertain themselves. It would be a good idea to have some entertainment or good conversation lined up for the parents, as well as some better food. Most of the time parents will keep themselves entertained on their own, by interacting with children and other grown-ups as well. Even so, it can’t hurt to think proactively and try your best to make sure that between the toddlers and the adults everyone has a good time. And as always, adult supervision is important in monitoring safe play, with or without a Bounce House.

Recap:

Toddler Birthdays are about making memories.
It is possible to plan a party that your toddler won’t forget.
Invite other toddlers.
Toddler parties don’t require as much structure to keep kids engaged.
Keep any games or activities simple.
Finger foods are your friend.
Be sure to keep your grown up guests in mind.

Mail Zone: Choosing an Inflatable, European Sockets, and Ship Times

May 9, 2016January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

Adrienne Asks:

I’m looking for an inflatable but I’m not sure what to choose. Can I get a few recommendations?

Blast Zone:

We are always happy offer recommendations. Because all of our products are made equally to the highest quality, ultimately the choice does come down to your personal preference.

There are several things to consider when shopping for inflatables including your application, desired features, your budget, and the amount of kids you’ll be entertaining. Another consideration is the reason for the purchase. If it is a gift, you may want to take the preferences of the giftee into consideration when making your choice. For example, a child interested in animals might love our series of Shark or Crocodile inflatables. If the gift is not a surprise, you might find that kids are often excited to be included in the buying process. You can try asking them to pick a few of their favorites or give them two options to choose between.

You can view the product features and specifications for each item by clicking though to the individual product pages. When shopping for your desired features, try out the compare tool on our website for a visual comparison. To use our compare tool, simply add a few items to the compare list and then at the top of the website, click “compare”. In a new window you’ll see the items you’ve chosen side-by-side with a comparison between the features and descriptions of the items.

For further assistance with choosing the best inflatable for you and your family, give our customer support team a call at 877-889-4685. We would be happy to assist you!

Laszlo Asks:

Are your products compatible for use with a UK electrical socket?

Blast Zone:

All of our blowers are ETL certified and designed for use in the US and Canada. Our blowers run off of a standard US 120v outlet. Unfortunately we are unable to recommend any converters for use with European electrical sockets, but they are available.

Bette Asks:

If I place my order on a Friday and select 2-day shipping, will my product arrive on Sunday?

Blast Zone:

Because orders can only be delivered on business days, an order placed on a Friday would not be delivered on a Sunday. If your order is placed on BlastZone.com and 2-day delivery is selected, your order will be delivered after 2 business days. Because our expedited shipping service only runs on business days, a 2-day order placed on a Friday before 2:00 pm will be delivered the following Tuesday.

If an order is placed before 2:00 pm PST (or 5:00 pm EST) it will ship out the same business day. Orders placed after that time will ship the following day. When an order ships out, it is picked up by the carrier at the end of the day and sent to a local sort facility where it will be routed for delivery. The first transit day is the following business day.

MS Walk Donation

April 11, 2016May 9, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

Blast Zone is pleased to support the Walk MS Foundation, a charity walk series that takes place in over 550 locations with more than 330,000 people participating annually.

“We’ve been walking since 1988 and to date have raised more than $920 million to drive groundbreaking research, provide life-changing programs and guarantee a supportive community for those who need it most. When you participate in Walk MS, you help ensure no one ever has to be diagnosed again.”

Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. It is thought to be an immune-mediated disorder, in which the immune system incorrectly attacks healthy tissue in the CNS.

“Ending multiple sclerosis for good will take all of us. It’s why Walk MS matters so much. And it’s why you matter so much. Walk MS helps us team up with friends, loved ones and co-workers to change the world for everyone affected by MS.”

The wonderful people working with the Walk MS Foundation address the challenges of each person affected by MS by funding cutting-edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, collaborating with MS organizations around the world, and providing programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward.

We’re thrilled to continue our ongoing support of this deserving cause. We encourage anyone interested in getting involved in the fight against MS to donate or volunteer!

Learn more about Multiple sclerosis, options for managing symptoms, treatments, and healthcare answers by visiting the National MS Society’s website.

Together, we become a powerful force. Together, we will end MS forever.

Spring Staycation: 5 Ways Inflatables Make Spring Break Even Better

March 14, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

5 ways inflatables make spring break better!

Spring break is coming up quickly, are you ready for it? When it comes to spring break, fun-and-sun is the name of the game. The seasons are turning and the weather is slowly beginning to warm up. While some families use spring break as an opportunity for travel, many opt to use this time for a little at-home adventure also known as a staycation. A staycation means staying local and enjoying your vacation time from the comfort of your own home.

These days families are busy and their schedules are not always perfectly in sync. While most school aged children receive a spring break each year, getting time off isn’t always as easy for adults. Staycations are an excellent way to accommodate families when their schedules don’t perfectly align, or when travel expenses become too much of a burden.

Staycations are typically lauded by parents but dreaded by kids. Why? To some, “staycation” is seemingly synonymous with “Boring!”. When kids think of the word “staycation” they may be imagining an uneventful week in front of the TV, but with an inflatable you can change the meaning of the word.

During spring break, kids want to get outside and enjoy the warming temperatures. What better way to facilitate that than turning your own backyard into an amusement park with an inflatable? School will be far out of sight and mind the minute your little ones lay eyes on their bouncer or inflatable play park. If it’s warm enough, a water inflatable can make spring break feel more like summer.

We’ve got 5 ways inflatables can help make this year’s spring break staycation more fun! Grab your camera, because with the help of an inflatable you can make your family’s staycation one to remember.

Inflatables mean kids have a reason to get out of the house. A week or two off from school means a couple of things. It means sleeping in, it means no homework, and for some it means all of the TV and video games a kid could dream of. To some extent, there is no harm in a little on-screen entertainment. TV and video games aren’t entirely unproductive, but there is a whole world outdoors that goes unappreciated by plenty of young people. With an inflatable at your disposal, kids can spend some quality time outdoors bouncing and soaking up some vitamin D.

Parents save on travel expenses. A spring vacation is a great time to travel, but with a family in tow the costs can really add up. With an inflatable you can skip the admission costs altogether because you’ve got your own amusement park in your back yard! With an inflatable like the Shark Park 10-in-1 play park by Blast Zone, kids can spend the day bouncing, sliding, crawling, and climbing. Bringing the amusement park home with you means fun for your family without lines or crowds of people to slow them down.

There is room for friends. For a lot of kids, one of the highlights after a school break is sharing their experiences with their friends. Kids will typically offer excited retellings of their spring break happenings, but the best way to share the fun of spring break is to experience it together. With most Blast Zone inflatables, especially the larger ones like the Magic Castle Ultra 12 or the Ultra Croc, there is room for company! Because these inflatables can support several children at a time, and the eye-catching colors never fail to draw people in, friends and neighbors flock toward the fun!

Kids stay active while on break. There is a certain temptation during school breaks to place a large emphasis on relaxation. While yes, spring break is absolutely about taking a break from school and homework, it is also a great time to get moving. While television and digital media are great ways to spend some of your staycation, with an inflatable you might find that kids have better things to do than watch videos all day. An inflatable is a great incentive to get kids to stay active, and most of the time they don’t even realize they’re doing anything other than playing.

Inflatables last beyond spring break. When you consider an inflatable to ramp up the fun during spring break, you should keep in mind that the beauty of buying a bouncer is having it at your disposal for future events as well. This is especially significant considering that when spring break hits, it means that the warm summer weather is on its way! If you think inflatables make spring break better, just wait until summer vacation hits!

Once you have your own bouncer, it’s yours to use as you wish. This means birthday parties, family gatherings, or even just a little after school or weekend bouncing is made possible without any need to plan ahead or make reservations. You’ll never need to rent another bounce house again, and in the long run it really pays off.

Planning an epic spring break doesn’t have to be a burden. You can skip the travel planning and the associated costs without leaving your family stuck in the house with nothing to do. With inflatables, spring break is full of fun and it’s easy too. Setup is a cinch and inflatables typically pay for themselves after just a handful of uses. Before you know it, you’ll be watching your little ones bounce and slide in the sun. You may even be tempted to join them!

Throw a Princess Themed Birthday Party

March 1, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

When you’re young, a birthday is that one day a year where your family treats you like royalty. If you’ve got a little princess with a birthday coming up, you can make her big day extra special with a princess themed birthday party. Princesses are like celebrities to young girls. They look up to fictional princess characters in awe and admiration. Hosting a princess party for your girl means she and all her friends get to be something like a celebrity for a day.

Princess Parties are a treat for your little princess and all of her friends as well. While Princess-themed parties are fairly common, the beauty is how flexible the theme is. A great princess party can come in the form of a daytime bash or a sleepover. The details are key. As long as you’re able to put a royal spin on things, you’re set.

Start of by choosing a date and a venue. Typically themed parties are easiest to accomplish at home, but you may find a venue willing to work with your theme and help make the party magical. You’ll want to create a guest list and send out invitations about 3 weeks ahead of the party, giving guests plenty of time to RSVP. Be sure to inform guests of the theme and let them know if costumes are allowed or encouraged.

Once you have the “who?”, “what?”, “when?”, and “where?” decided, you can officially start planning for decor. Knowing the layout of your party space will allow you to plan your decor according to the princess theme. When it comes to a themed party, the decor is essential in helping party-goers get into character. It helps to create a plane of imagination where party guests really are princesses, and you want that feeling to last as long as the party does. You can use tulle, streamers and balloons to transform your room, with accents and details to focus the onto the princess theme .

For a princess party, simple ways to keep your theme are to utilize a royal color scheme. Gold or Silver with accent colors of your choice is a great way to capture the elegance and luxury of royalty while still decorating with a color scheme that your little princess will love. Pink is a popular color among princesses, but unless you’re throwing a surprise party, ask your princess for her input!

Your little lady may be more enthusiastic about decision making that you’d think. Ask her to help with decisions regarding decor, food, and activities. This allows her personality to really show through. It ensures that she’ll love her party, and allows her friends to get a feel for who she is and what she likes. You can have her help choose the food or simply serve her favorites. The beauty of a princess party is that you can choose pretty much any food. At a princess party, presentation is everything. You can find plastic great party ware that mimics the look of fine silver or check for fancy-looking serving trays at thrift stores.

Entertaining your princesses doesn’t need to be difficult. Give them the royal treatment. Recruit some helpers if possible and create a glam station. Use body glitter, stickers, barrettes and stick-on jewels to help guests get into character. When guests get settled in, they can be transformed into princesses with party favors like crowns or tiaras and DIY wands made with art supplies like popsicle sticks and construction paper. You can keep princesses entertained with games like pin-the-kiss-on-the-frog-prince and pass the poison apple (think “hot-potato”). Classic party games like musical chairs can also be made to fit the theme with the right music.

Many birthday parties include a bouncer and your princess party need be no different. The Princess Dreamland Bounce House by Blast Zone is the perfect scene for a royal ball. Princesses can check their wands at the door and then bounce, twirl, and dance the day away. Good luck getting them to come out before midnight! Turn on the tunes and watch them go. The Princess Castle Combo comes with a slide, and can be used with water, adding another element to their royal regalement. Of course, adult supervision is important in monitoring safe play, with or without a Bounce House.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself getting more excited about hosting the princess party than you may have initially intended. It can be a lot of fun and the magic of make believe can be contagious. Have fun with it and don’t be too caught up hosting to enjoy playing along a bit. Finally, be sure to take plenty of photos. A princess party is the kind of affair you won’t easily forget, but it is also definitely an occasion worth sharing. When you see your little princess all decked out with her favorite friends, you’ll want to take plenty of pictures.

Recap:

Themed Parties put a fun twist on an otherwise ordinary birthday celebration.
A Princess Party is a great way to make the birthday girl feel extra special.
Select a date and venue, and make sure they can accommodate a themed event.
Set up your royal food and decor.
Put a fancy princess spin on your games and entertainment.
Have fun and take plenty of photos.

#WinWithBlastZone Photo Contest and Giveaway!

February 24, 2016March 15, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

It’s that time again, Blast Zone is hosting another Giveaway! This time around you’ll have the chance to win Blast Zone’s Sidekick Bounce House and Ball Pit Combo for FREE!!

How does it work? It’s simple! Just tag two friends and then enter your photo with the hashtag #WinWithBlastZone. Don’t forget to “Like” and “Share” to spread the word!

Show us your best surprised selfie! Post a photo to your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feed showing us the reaction you would have if you won!
Create a clever caption for your “reaction” photo and tag two of your friends (tag anyone that might like a chance to win as well).
Be sure to use the hashtag #WinWithBlastZone, this is your entry to win a FREE Sidekick Inflatable Bouncer and Ball Pit!

The contest ends Friday, March 18th at 10:00 am PST. We’ll announce the winner at Noon!

Inflatables: The Perfect Toy For Toddlers

February 19, 2016October 31, 2016 BlastZone 1 Comment

Young children can be hard to shop for, especially toddlers. While there are plenty of developmental toys on the market, at the rate that toddlers grow it can be hard to find the perfect toy to suit their development for more than a few months. Between the ages 2 years and 5 years, physical growth begins to slow from infancy, while children’s cognitive development picks up. In addition, their sensory and motor skills also start to develop. Toddler Jumpers are the perfect toy as kids start to explore their space. A soft and compact bouncer is just the thing as they start crawling, walking, jumping, and climbing.

When it comes to choosing the perfect inflatable for toddlers, space and price are both things to be considered. With the Blast Zone Little Bopper, you get an amazing quality toddler bouncy house with a compact size and price. Its portable size means it can be used indoors or outside, or can be taken with you just about anywhere. As long as you have an electrical outlet nearby, you have a space for your Little Bopper Bounce House.

While the Little Bopper has a great price and a nice, compact size, there are also larger options if you are looking for a bounce house with a bit more growing room for your toddler. The Magic Castle is not only larger, but also has a higher weight capacity. While the Little Bopper can support children up to 75 lbs each, the Magic Castle Bounce House can support children up to 100 lbs each. This makes the Magic Castle Bounce House another great option for a growing toddler. The Magic Castle is still compact enough to fit inside for indoor bouncing, while being big enough to offer some growing room.

The Magic Castle and the Little Bopper can both support 2 or more children, making both bouncers perfect for times when your toddler might have company, such as a birthday party or play date. Little ones love to be active, and a bounce house is the perfect toddler toy to facilitate that. As kids start learning all of the cool things that they can do with their bodies, they’ll jump at the opportunity to test it out. With a bouncer, you can rest assured that any failures to launch will be met with an air supported bounce surface, keeping kids comfortable as they experiment with their development.

Recap:

A bounce house is the perfect toy for Toddlers.
Compact bouncers like the Little Bopper mean big fun and portability in one package.
Bouncers are great for solo playtime or for fun with friends.
Toddlers love exploring their development by walking, running, climbing and jumping.
A soft bouncer facilitates the Toddler’s sense of adventure.
A soft landing surface gives parents peace of mind while Toddlers are on the move.

Throw a Pirate Themed Birthday Party with a Pirate Inflatable

February 3, 2016 BlastZone 2 Comments

Themed parties aren’t just for grown ups. In fact, kids might actually be more impressed by a well executed themed party than anyone over the age of twelve would be. Themed parties can be just as structured and memorable as a regular birthday themed party, if not more.

Planning

The first step in planning a Pirate themed party is to select your date and venue. You’ll want to plan around other community events and any other potential birthdays. Scheduling conflicts with other parties can mean your guests only show up for half of the party, if they come at all. While for some this may be guesswork, you can try to avoid this awkward situation by asking a few of the parents you plan to invite. Throw out your desired dates to see if it would work for your perspective guests. If it seems open for the majority, it’s probably safe to start planning.

If you are thinking of holding the party at a venue, you’ll want to call ahead to confirm they’ll allow your themed decor and games. Typically, your own home or backyard is a great place to hold a themed birthday party because you have no limitations on decor or entertainment.

You’ll want to create pirate themed invitations and send them with plenty of time for guests to clear their schedules and then RSVP. For birthday parties, it is generally recommended that you send out invitations 3 weeks ahead of time and request an RSVP one week before the party. This gives people time to move things around in their schedules if needed, and you have a week to follow up with people who have not yet responded. Be sure to send a themed invitation, and mention on the invite that it is a themed party. This allows them to come prepared. If costumes are encouraged, let your guests know in the invitations!

When planning a themed party, the theme should go beyond just the decor. You’ll want to see that theme in all aspects of the party, including food and entertainment. While Pirate themed decor is easy to find at most party stores, you can stretch your budget by choosing a color scheme to go along with your theme. In addition to the standard plates, cups, and napkins, you can use an ocean theme to keep your decor cohesive. You can use blue cloths with fishing net thrown on top to create a sea-themed table covers, and use party beads or costume jewelry as treasure to be laid out strategically.

The final part of planning an amazing Pirate themed birthday party is to plan the food. You can create your own pirate themed creations or go with some pre-packaged options like Pirate’s Booty and Chips Ahoy cookies. For a fun home-made creation, try filling a punch bowl with sprite, sugar, water and coconut extract for a yummy island punch. To mimic ocean water, you can add a drop or two of blue food coloring.

Execution

On the day of the party, be sure to set up the food and decor ahead of time so that all of your guests get the full experience. Placing the finishing touches as guests arrive may help to save on time, but it can away some of the magic. You may notice their excitement building as your guests look around and see your commitment to the pirate theme. As people arrive you can pass out eye patches, pirate hats or other pirate themed favors. Passing out an eye patch for each child is great because it encourages kids to get into character. You can also hang a list of pirate lingo and encourage all guests (parents included) to speak like a pirate. Getting silly with the kids is a sure way to loosen up any accompanying adults who may feel uncomfortable, especially if you don’t know each other as well as the kids do.

A good party is nothing without awesome party games. You can create a fun pirate themed twist on most classic party games like pin the tail on the donkey. Try pin the “X” on the treasure map instead. A treasure hunt is also a fun way to get kids working together. Even games like a three-legged race can be piratized by simply changing the name! Games are a great idea for some guided fun, but you can also keep it simple with free-play or hired entertainment.

A great party needs entertainment and choosing the entertainment for a themed party doesn’t have to be a huge challenge. The standard options are still there, just with a pirate themed twist. A clown is only an eye-patch away from being a pirate clown, and balloon animals can be swapped for balloon swords! And what is a birthday party without a bouncer? A Pirate Themed inflatable from Blast Zone such as the Pirate Blaster should do the trick! With a bouncer and slide, your party guests have their very own pirate ship to play on.

When you’re throwing a themed party, the number one rule is to make sure that you enjoy it! Themed parties are sure to set the celebration apart from an ordinary affair no matter how far you decide to take the theme. It can be great fun planning and making sure that the details are on-theme, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Have fun with it and take plenty of photos! Your Pirate party is sure to be an unforgettable event for you and for your guests, and the photos will be a treat to the family and friends who couldn’t make it!

Recap:

Themed parties are fun and memorable.
A Pirate Theme is a classic recipe for adventure.
Select a date and venue, and make sure they’re Pirate-friendly.
Set up your Pirate themed food and decor.
Put a Pirate spin on your games and entertainment.
Have fun and take plenty of photos!