Where have all the children gone?

Recently, my assistant Simone passed on an article about the decline in school age children (ages 5 and up) in San Francisco proper.

As a person who works with children on a daily basis, I find this a bit disturbing. First, it’s children that give a city life, energy, and vitality. I know there is a portion of our population who would disagree, but you’ve got to admit, the visage of a child running with a kite flying behind them at Chrissy Field, or looking wide-eyed into the sky as the Blue Angels pass overhead, or ecstatically enjoying an ice cream cone from Bi-Rite Creamery, cannot be surpassed. The pure expression that comes from a child who is “in the moment” is one that should be captured, nurtured, and applauded. People need to see moments like that in their day, and without kids, a lot of that energy just dissipates. Without kids, a city loses its heart beat.

It also worries me for the kid’s sake. As more and more families move out to the suburbs, our kids lose the joys and challenges of living in a city. City life makes you mingle, makes you flexible, makes you work. It brings you together with folks from all different walks of life. Move out to the suburbs and you’re going to spend a lot more time isolated in your car!

I hear the concerns though. I hear it from all walks of life, from my clients, to the folks in the library system -- the schools need help. The local schools are overcrowded, understaffed, and improperly maintained. And the private schools aren’t much better. Everyone, it seems, lacks money and inspiration. I’m not sure how we begin, but we’ve got put the feelers out there now, we’ve got to figure out a way to keep our families in the city, embrace them, and give them a reason to stay. Otherwise we might as well become Vulgaria from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.


To learn more, read:
Parent Dish: San Francisco - A Town Without Kiddies?
SF Gate: S.F. losing kids as parents seek schools, homes

Tuesday links: parties galore!

With my company, Sophie's Stress-Free Soirées, children's parties are my life! Crafts, games, and activities join with décor, food, and friends to make a child's big day special. For this week's links, I thought I'd highlight some awesome parties I've seen lately in the blog-o-sphere -- as well as one article that really makes you stop and think about extravagant children's parties...

Craftzine has a really cute bird-themed birthday party. Children love animals, and if your little one wishes she had wings, take a peep -- I mean, peek at these ideas!

The Party Times blog has a wonderful pictorial of a birthday party held at New York's Firefighter's Museum. It looks like they had a blast! It also reminds us that venues can really go a long way in deciding a party's theme and activities. Many museums around the country are available for private parties, and hosting one there can make for a fun and educational experience.

Our friends at GigMasters are reading our minds! I love having what I call "slumberless slumber parties!" GigMasters calls them "sleep unders," but the idea is the same: if your child is too young to stay overnight somewhere, you can still have a pajama party! Check it out to get some great ideas.

Now, Jennifer at Playgroups Are No Place For Children was faced with a dilemma a lot of parents have: she dreaded throwing her kids' birthday parties! I guess I'm used to it by now, but through working with my clients I can completely see how daunting it is! Still, Jennifer put together an amazing Mario themed birthday party -- and reading her post, you can see how you can, too!



But now to explore the dark side of children's parties... Mollie at Mommyish has a thought-provoking article about how children's parties often turn into competitions between the parents, leaving children feeling hurt and left out. We have to remember that parties are to celebrate our beloved kids, and not to impress the other mommies and daddies.

Science with Jake - making magnets! (Video)

Our friend Jake the Science Teacher is back! Today he explains some of the magic behind magnets, and shows you how you can make your own out of everyday metal objects!

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook!  All of our other YouTube videos can be found on our Sophie's World YouTube Channel, so check them out!

Be a volunteer!

My parents have always volunteered at various organizations over the years. Ever since I was a kid, they would donate some portion of their time. Whether it was Habitat for Humanity, Migrant Ministries, Meals on Wheels, you name it, they donated their time and talents.

Recently my folks, Al and Sue, moved from the East Coast to Sonora, California. They immediately got involved in their community, and the first thing they did was find ways to volunteer. Once a month they go into the Tuolumne County School District and do an after-school art program. The kids just love it! I love that the feedback I get from my parents about their work is the same as the experience I have in the classes I offer through the San Francisco Public Library System!

Let me explain my philosophy about crafting and art in general, a view that is definitely shared by my parents. I believe that art should be an exploratory journey, in which one uses the materials in a way that the materials inspire them. There is no right or wrong way to create. You just need a basic idea of what you are creating, and the access to the materials that can make that happen. If you end up making leg warmers when everyone else is making sock puppets, more power to you!

The first time the kids saw the materials and heard the ideas presented by my parents, they were a little hesitant and scared. They didn’t want to “mess up” and they weren’t used to this notion of “free form” art. They felt unbalanced, and most of them just tended to try to recreate the example... That is, until one kid broke the mold.

In all of my teaching, I’ve found that it only takes one kid who thinks outside the box, and uses the materials in their own way to give the rest of the kids the “permission” to go for it. I think it takes a bit for kids in a structured environment, like school, to feel free to push the boundaries. But once they do, it’s awe-inspiring.

By the third session the kids were pros. They would greet my mom and dad with cheers when they entered the room, and beg to help set up the supplies. They were eager to see what the basic idea was, and then just as eager to take off in a completely different direction. It’s like the time I was making fleece hats with my library kids, and somehow, one kid got the idea to turn it into a dog sweater... We could have opened a fashion boutique that very afternoon!

Kids need this sort of outlet, and if you are a crafty person and have the extra resources to provide materials for kids to use, I encourage you to approach your schools, shelters, and community centers. The art programs in the schools today are being decimated. Kids are rarely encouraged anymore to explore their creativity through art...

Do you sew? Do you knit? Do you paint? Do you work in wood? These are all skills that kids would love to learn. The kids will get so much from what you can offer, and believe me, what it offers back is immeasurable. My parents get so tickled at the end of the sessions when the kids declare, “This was the best craft yet!”

To top it all off, my folks were awarded the Volunteer of the Year for 3 Counties in Sonora. They got a trophy, a cake, annnd... the real capper... testimonials from the kids! My mom said it was one of the best days of her life. My dad said he was really taken aback when one little boy stood up and declared that he wanted to give my parents a dollar for all their hard work and to help cover the supplies!

Isn’t that too much?

Congratulations!
The kids have already put in their orders for what they want to do in September. It seems that one of the first crafts my parents did with them, a personalized journal, became their favorite activity. The teacher would let them write about whatever they wanted once a week, and the kids were almost through with their books and needed new ones. Who says that art isn’t useful? You tell me of the last time an entire class of kids requested time to write?

If you’ve got the skills, or you have a hobby or something that you are passionate about, please, I beg you: share it with our youth. You may not end up with a trophy or a cake, but I guarantee you’ll get the love and respect of a child, which is something you can’t put a price on.

Mama said there'd be days like these, part 2

Just another day at the "office"...
So, after getting through the cold park party I mentioned last week, I headed out to meet my team at the Fort Mason Firehouse in San Francisco’s Marina District. We had a Bat Mitzvah that evening, and my crew was already in the process of transforming the space.

The Firehouse (Image via Fort Mason)
We had been warned that there might be parking problems because there was also an oyster festival that day, but I think the weather was on our side. (I mean, who wants to eat oysters in the wind, cold, and fog?) Parking was a breeze. “Score,” I thought. “This day is going to be great -- one supposed ‘hurdle’ down!”

When I got there, the team was already in full swing. Lights were being hung, the activities were being set up... Everything was going smoothly. That is, of course, until I got there. Now, I don’t want to say that I’m a jinx or anything, but sometimes I do think I have a little pixie that follows me around and likes to wreak a little havoc at my expense. It started not fifteen minutes after my arrival...

Tuesday links: Parent Hacks, Spanish-language crafts, food trucks at events, and displaying your kids' art!

Happy Summer Solstice, everyone! Here in the Bay Area, you can really tell that it’s finally summer. Did it rain just two weeks ago? Sure! But it’s hot now, so I’ll take it!

Speaking of summer, Parent Hacks is a website where parents can swap ideas to make their lives easier. They have tons of tips and tricks from everything to cleaning and organization, crafts and games, running a household, saving money -- everything that can make being a parent easier. Check out this entry on their best summer “hacks!”

As you know, I spend a lot of time in Mexico. That’s why I was thrilled to find a Spanish-language kids’ crafts blog, El Hada de Papel! (Okay, it’s also in English and German, so I can read the English when the Spanish loses me. Also -- how amazing is the multi-lingual author, Hilke?)

Over at CafeMom’s The Stir, Kim Conte talks about a catering trend in weddings: having food trucks. Well, as a kids’ party planner, I can tell you that they’re also big hits at Bar Mitzvahs! I think they’re a great idea -- what do you think?

Finally, I’m sure that you’ve got piles of artwork from your kids! (At least, I hope so!) Babble’s Family Style blog has a slideshow of really cute ways to display your kids’ work. Forget putting their drawings on the fridge -- turn your home into a Museum of Modern Kids!

Duct tape flower pens! (Video)

You know how much we love duct tape crafts! Today, we're going beyond wallets and coinpurses to make something that was first created by a child at one of our parties! These duct tape roses are a cute way to dress up a pen -- making them harder for someone to walk away with them!

Also, we're so excited -- Not Martha liked our Rubik's Cube photo collage! Megan's blog is an amazing source of craft inspiration, so check it out!

As always, you can watch the rest of our videos on our Sophie's World YouTube channel, and don't forget to like us on Facebook!

Mama said there'd be days like these... Pt. 1

As you might have gathered from reading my previous entries, some days, everything just goes wrong.

I’m not talking about horribly wrong, like “a hurricane taking your house away” wrong. I’m talking about “stupid, little, itty-bitty, stacked-upon-stacked” things going wrong. None of them in and of themselves are anything that a person can’t handle, but when you add them up, you can’t help but shake your head and laugh...

I just had one of those days (again!) -- so I thought I’d chronicle it.


Image from Jackson Fuller
This one was a princess party in the park. A lot of my clients have an undying love for San Francisco’s JK (Julius Kahn) Park. I get it, it’s a great park. There are wonderful pathways, an awesome playground, nice enough bathrooms, open fields, forested areas -- what’s not to love? But JK Park can also be windy, overcast, and bone-chillingly cold (this day, we had all three!). Plus, because it is such a popular venue, it’s often overbooked. This particular weekend we had to contend with another birthday party, two soccer games, joggers, dog walkers, and a trail hike.

Don't loot the booty! - A pirate treasure chest craft tip

Image from Disney.

Pirate parties are great fun. And now Disney has a show called Jake and the Neverland Pirates that adds a fun twist on the tried-and-true theme. As a result, we here at Sophie’s Stress-Free Soirées have been doing a bunch of “pirate and pixie” parties. They’re a fun mixture of pirate booty and fairy dust!

Now, the perfect craft for any pirate party is a treasure chest. Once the kids have decorated their boxes, you can send them on an amazing treasure hunt to fill their box with booty. It’s a great activity -- in theory.

The problem is this: kids see an empty box, and what do they want to do? They want to fill it! But what that means is that all of the supplies I use for decorating the boxes (shells, sparkly jewels, coins, stickers) end up inside the box instead of on the box. It’s a conundrum because no matter how many times you say, “Use the materials for decoration, leave your box empty for finding treasure later!” -- the kids just don’t get it. Instead, they load up their boxes with all the craft supplies. It’s an issue for us because we offer so many different items at our crafts tables, but only charge a fraction of what they cost. With our normal craft projects this works out, because kids use a small portion of what we supply, and not everyone uses the same stuff, so it’s amortized. That’s not the case when kids are piling booty into their boxes. I’ve come back from a ten-person pirate party totally wiped out of supplies. It’s terrifying... like a plague of glitter-hungry locusts.

Basically I had to come up with a way to solve this problem or I’d go broke.

The solution was actually pretty simple. I created a folded cardboard insert that slipped into the empty cavern of the treasure box. It’s amazing how the desire to fill the box goes away when there’s no space to do so. Instead the boxes end up looking beautiful, because everything now goes on the outside! The great thing is that the insert is removable, so when we’re actually ready for the treasure hunt, I simply pop it out and the kids can fill to their hearts content with the pirate loot they were meant to gather. (And yes, I always make sure the supplies have been tucked away before I remove the inserts.)

If you are planning on doing this craft at your next event, it’s something you might consider. It doesn’t take long to do, and it really will save your supplies. Here’s a more detailed look at how we do it!


First, measure the interior of your treasure chest.


Cut a strip of paper to fit the width of the interior. The strip must be at least four times as long as the depth of the box, but it doesn’t have to be exact -- it can be much longer.


Take your strip of paper and roll/fold it inside the box to create a squared-off tube that fits snugly inside.


Take the paper back out and make sure your folds are crisp. Then cut a small tab out of the side that faces up. This will allow the kids to pull the insert out easily when it’s time to fill it with treasure!


Tape your insert together so that it doesn’t unroll.


Ta da! Your insert is ready to keep your craft supplies from becoming looted booty!


Your decorating supplies don’t get plundered...


… And kids can focus on decorating the outsides of their beautiful boxes!

Tuesday links - party cameras, magnetic putty, celery stamps, personalized tote bags, and why we should be on Glee!

Jorden Ferney of Oh Happy Day has an entry that really speaks to me! Having an interactive photo booth at a party always makes for a great activity, craft, and takeaway gift all in one! And you know how I ranted and raved and mourned the loss of my Kodak Easy Share, and my Polaroids before that! Here, Jordan gives some of her recommendations for instant cameras and their film, complete with examples of what their pictures look like. Now those of us who were left Easy Share-less have some options...



Silly Putty is a classic toy that nearly everyone played with as a kid. But Instructables user mikeasaurus has taken it to the next level by making magnetic Silly Putty! In this step by step, Mike shows you how to turn ordinary putty into something extraordinary. There are a few cautions to take (wear a face mask so as to not inhale any of the metallic dust while mixing, and be careful that it doesn’t stain fabric or other surfaces), but this can still be a mesmerizing activity for the tween set.



This craft might be marked for “Mother’s Day,” but I think it’s a great project anytime! Babble’s Family Style blog found this celery stamp idea on Mauren Cracknell Handmade. It’s so simple, but totally genius! Who’da thought that celery stalks were the perfect ready-made rose stamps? (Image via Homemade Serenity.)



Finally, here’s a simple craft that I know is a hit at the parties I run: decorate a tote bag. Martha Stewart’s The Family Room has cute pictures from a family that tried it themselves. It couldn’t be easier: pick up a few blank canvas bags, and let your kids go to town with fabric markets and a few hot-glued gems! (Just be sure to help with the hot gluing to save those little fingers from being burned!) Your kids will love carrying around their own personalized bags -- and they’ll love to see their parents and other loved ones use them even more!

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I actually have one more quick thing for today’s post! My sister Freda saw something that we thought was just hilarious! It just goes to show that great minds... blah blah blah!

You remember our star arch, the one we had to strap to the top of Freda’s car? Well, looks like that’s a popular piece of dance decor... Although something tells me the Glee kids didn’t have to use a Ford Focus to bring it to school...


Our star...



Glee’s star
You see? I think that we should be on Glee, guest starring as the party and dance planners who can belt out a few tunes... Right?


I could be a star!


Um... If only we didn't break the star after bringing it back to the warehouse... Whoops...

Science with Jake: Un-pop-able balloons! (Video)

Our friend Jake the Science Teacher is back! This time he's bringing us a quick party trick: after taking a look at the structure of your average latex balloon, you can figure out which parts are strong enough to withstand a jab with a pin -- WITHOUT popping!

Check out the rest of our videos on the Sophie's World YouTube channel, where we've got lots of other cool science-y tricks courtesy of our buddy Jake.

Rubik's Cube photo collage

Sometimes in my job, I get really interesting challenges, like planning an entire Bar Mitzvah around Rubik’s Cubes. The family and I came up with tons of fun ideas for exploring the theme (which I’ll share some other time), but one of the best was our Rubik’s Cube photo station.

What was so awesome about this idea was that it was part interactive activity (dressing up and getting your photo taken), part art installation (we printed, cut, and placed the photos while on site, so guests could watch the cube taking form), and part take-home memory.

To make this idea a reality, I came up with a plan. I used three-inch clear acrylic photo cubes as the blocks to form a giant Rubik’s Cube. Each Rubik’s Cube is made of six sides, with nine panels per side. I would need 27 cubes and 156 photos (one of those cubes would serve as the core, so it would be all black, but we’d still need six photos per cube for 26 cubes). Each cube had the colored sides that corresponded to the standard Rubik’s Cube colors: red, yellow, green, orange, white, and blue. To do this, I created interchangeable colored backdrops for the photo sessions. We did 26 photos with each of the colored backdrops. I created a simple base to hold the first layer in place. The remaining two layers would simply stack on top of each other.

Now, here was the challenge: keeping the cubes together, and creating a fun puzzle-like aspect to the cube. I mean, part of the fun was in creating a working Rubik’s Cube -- otherwise we’d just have 54 photos that we could put on the visible sides and then glue everything together... Borrrring...

The solution was pretty simple, actually: magnets! After testing various strengths, I ended up using 14-pound magnets. Each photo cube would need six magnets (162 total); and they would need to be placed in exactly the right way, or the pieces would repel instead of attract each other. You should have seen it when the box full of magnets arrived! My assistant opened it near her computer and it made the computer screen waver; 162 14-pound magnets have a lot of pull! In fact, working with them was a bit tricky since they kept snapping together on my fingers when I pulled them apart. Turns out you actually have to slide them apart. Then, even if you don’t get them far enough apart from each other, they come flying across your work surface and snap back together -- catching whatever appendage might be in the way! I had to come up with a grid to make sure I didn’t mess up the polarity of each cube.

The blank cube, waiting for photos to make its colorful sides
The magnets had to be glued to the inside side of each cube photo holder, then each photo holder was wrapped in black paper to create a uniform background on which to mount the photos. The craziest part of all this was working on this project while my dad was having hip surgery -- basically, I was working on it in the waiting room of the hospital. My sister was convinced that I was going to kill my father by throwing off the EKGs with all the magnets! Thankfully, I didn’t.

I will say, that the construction of the cube was a bit tricky in that the placement of the photos was critical, and had to be done one cube at a time, one layer at a time, so that there were no mistakes. In the end, there was only one way to put the cube together... Like an actual Rubik’s Cube!




All in all, it ended up being a really cool project that made a really big impact. People were totally into watching the cube form, and they kept coming back to add photos with different colored backgrounds to make sure that they were represented as many times as possible!

Rubik's Cube cake, Rubik's Cube candleholders, and our Rubik's Cube photo holder. We certainly solved this Bar Mitzvah!

TP tube party poppers (photo gallery)

On Monday we brought you our video on how to make party poppers out of toilet paper tubes. Here's the photo gallery that goes with it, so you can see step-by-step how it's done!

Memory board

Recently a good friend of mine from Mexico passed away. We held a memorial service in his honor this past February, and I thought I’d share one of the nice little “memory” things we did.

We created a photo memory board with some pictures of our recently-departed friend doing all the things he loved: surfing, hanging out with friends, acting goofy...

The board was simple: a heavy piece of cardboard mounted on flattened cardboard boxes (it was Mexico so we couldn’t find foam core, which would have been our first choice of material). I printed a header on my friend’s computer and glued that in place with a glue stick, then I took photos of our friend and created a border by using earthquake putty to hold the photos in place (I’ll explain why I didn’t just glue them down in a moment). I bought a bunch of colorful Post-It notes, and wrote up some of the funny sayings and memories that I had of our friend, and interspersed those with the photos.




I displayed the board on an easel. On a table next to the easel I placed a bunch of pens and the remainder of the colorful Post-It notes. Folks were encouraged to add their own funny stories, thoughts, and photos.


Everyone got into the act... even the kids.



The next day, I took all the photos and the personal notes and mounted them (see why I didn’t use the double stick tape?) in the sign-in book that we had also used the night before.

When it was all done, my friend’s wife had a very simple, but very sweet memory of all the people who had attended the event, and all the fun little memories they had to share. It was simple and easy, but in the end it made a huge impact.


It’s an idea which could be used for any sort of reflective party, like a 50th wedding anniversary, a graduation, a sweet 16... It’s just a nice way to share and remember a loved one.

Tuesday links: Ice boats, airborne bounce houses, clowns, and reusable decor!

Ahoy! I love these cute ice boats (or ships, if you prefer!) from Alpha Mom. They're so simple and easy, and just perfect if you're looking for a quick way to add some fun decor to a grown-up party, kids' party, or as a part of an everyday summer refreshment!

Now this is pretty scary! Huge gusts of wind made these bounce houses go airborne, injuring 13 people, including kids. It's a sobering reminder of all the things we need to check to ensure the safety of our guests; not only do you have to take the standard precautions and take into consideration the equipment, environmental factors, safety records of vendors -- but to also remain aware that even after that, freak accidents can still happen.

Speaking of vendors... The amazing folk at GigMasters have some great pointers before hiring a clown for your child's party. We all know the stereotype of the scary clown, so here's some ways to make sure you and your kids have a positive and fun experience with yours. (Be sure to check out all of their other kid's party posts, too!)

Finally, you know how much I hate waste! Reusable party decorations are a good way to avoid having to throw out tons of decor and paper goods year after year. CafeMom's The Stir has a roundup of cute products you can purchase and make a part of your party traditions. Even better, you can look at these for inspiration and then make your own!

TP tube poppers! (Video)

Today we're showing you how to make a party classic: a treat-filled popper! All you need is a toilet paper tube, some paper to decorate, and candies and trinkets to put inside! You can have these as your giveaways at the end of your party, or even just put one in your child's lunch to brighten their day! Check it out!


As always, check out the rest of our videos on the Sophie's World YouTube channel, and be sure to friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!