Wanting to spread the creative play cheer but not sure where to begin? Here's some top tips from my experience of organizing a play party for 80 Kindergarteners.
This post contains affiliate links. Safari Ltd. products are automatically linked with a 20% discount code, and the Edx Education Sand & Water Table with a 10% discount code.
Jumping in at the deep end...
Volunteering to get involved with my son's Kindergarten class has been such a great decision. I am so grateful that his teacher has welcomed me with open arms and been enthusiastic for me to run a few creative play activities throughout the year. It has helped me to build a sense of community with the school and staff, as well as getting to share fun activities with a lovely group of kids. Towards the end of the year I had an idea to put on a play party for all of Kindergarten (80 kids). It was an absolute blast! Here's a few tips and an outline of the activities I included in case you ever want to offer something similar.
Things to consider...
My biggest piece of advice is to be well prepared. Make sure materials are well organized (use lots of trays and containers!), check that the play area is clean the day before the party, and keep communication lines open with staff and helpers. These things made for a very smooth event on the day. Here are some more tips:
Who - make sure you arrange for some helpers on the day! It made a huge difference to have a parent at each Play Zone to help the kids and to also just have fun with them. Also be sure to keep the staff informed of the logistics.
What - decide which activities you want to include and how you will organize them. I decided to create 4 Play Zones which the kids rotated around. I made sure there was a fun selection of activities at each zone so that kids were not isolated if they did not like a certain type of play.
When - the end of year is perfect for this type of event as the teachers are winding down and the kids really deserve some fun play time too. The other thing to consider is the timing of the event. To keep groups smaller we decided to split Kindergarten into two groups, so two classes came to the party for an hour and then switched with the two other classes. We split the hour so that each group rotated round the zones and got 15 minutes at each one.
Where - we decided that the best location for the play party was outside as it helped to avoid getting the classrooms messy and it also meant we could spread out the Play Zones.
Why - decide want you hope to achieve from the play party. For me I really just wanted all the kids to enjoy some extra hands on play time after a year of working hard. I also felt it was a great opportunity to enable kids to experience new play materials which they otherwise would not be exposed to.
Activities to include...
As I mentioned earlier, I split the activities into 4 Play Zones which were spread out on the concrete area of the playground and on pic nic tables on the field. Within each zone there was a choice of activities. I think that providing a choice is very important for both engagement and inclusion purposes. I also ensured that the kids understood they needed to stay in their zone and be respectful of the materials (they did an amazing job!).
Play Zone 1: Water Beads & LEGOs
Water Beads were a huge hit at the play party. Be sure that you only use them with older children who know not to eat them. We had two water bead play options. The first was a sensory ocean in the large Edx Education Sand & Water Table. This had blue water beads, some water, Safari Ltd. Coral Reef toys and a selection of Dollar Tree tools and containers.
The second water bead play option was rainbow water beads, scoops and muffin tins (no added water). The kids loved sorting the colors and making water bead cupcakes.
In case there were kids who weren't keen on water beads, I set up our DIY LEGO Compatible pic nic table (IKEA children's pic nic table and Creative QT tan Peel 'n Stick Baseplates). This was used by every group, I think they enjoyed the novelty of building on a different surface.
Play Zone 2: Sensory & Small World Play
I always love making themed sensory and small world bins. I was sure to offer a variety of textures and themes to appeal to all the kids. There were 5 bins in total.
Red, White & Blue Cloud Dough Castles - made using flour, vegetable oil, and colored with food coloring. I also supplied little USA castle flags, buckets and sand tools.
Lemonade Rice Bin - rice dyed yellow with food coloring and a splash of white vinegar (I even added some lemon scent too!). I then provided cups, spoons, plastic lemons and lemon slices and some jugs.
Colorful Mermaid Bin - a combination of dyed rice and dyed chick peas (dyed using acrylic paint), as well as some toy mermaids and bright fake flowers.
Buried Treasure Bin - blue Crayola play sand, coins, sea shells and glass pebbles teamed up with cauldrons and scoops made for some excited digging and discovering!
Bug Box - a combination of beans and rocks, infiltrated by insects and some fun tools for catching and studying them. All of the bug accessories were from Dollar Tree.
Build a Race Track - not all kids love sensory play, so I set up our Way to Play Roads and some cars as an invitation to build a race track. This got lots of creative play!
Play Zone 3 - Slime & Play Dough Kits
This Play Zone definitely got lots of excited squeals! I had so much fun making all of the play dough kits! I stored them in IKEA GLIS boxes and used trays to help set a play area. Each kit consisted of a few colors of playdough (Mama Papa Bubba has the best recipes!!), and some loose parts and toys.
Pirates: sand play dough, blue and green play dough, Safari Ltd. Pirates, glass pebbles, coins and eye patches.
Rocks & Diggers: sand play dough, different types of rocks and some diggers / trucks.
Fairy Garden: glittery play dough, Safari Ltd. Fairies, selection of glass pebbles.
Potting Flowers: green, pink and purple play dough, silicone pots and Safari Ltd. Flowers.
Insects: sand play dough, green play dough, chocolate play dough, rocks and logs loose parts, and Safari Ltd. Insects.
Invitation to Make Cupcakes: chocolate play dough, Kool Aid play dough, cupcake liners, candles and confetti. The kids loved the smell of the play dough in this kit!
On a separate table I had 8 bins of slime set up. I purchased pre-made slime (Cra Z art) as I wanted it to keep its stretchy and not-too-sticky consistency. In each bin I added a tool, a bowl and a spoon. The dish racks were super popular as the slime slowly dripped through the wire gaps!
Play Zone 4 - Beading, Toys & Games
With so much sensory play at the other stations, I wanted to offer a slightly calmer set of activities here. The beading area consisted of pipe cleaners and a fun selection of beads. One of the Mom helpers came up with the idea for this activity and it was such a hit- the kids loved making necklaces and bracelets. We also had a pic nic table with a variety of loose parts and building toys for the kids to play with. It included Keva Planks, GeoStix, Wedgnetix and Plus Plus Big.
The final option in this zone was Blocks Rock! which is a fun block building game. The kids enjoyed playing the game properly, but were also happy to just flip the cards and copy the builds, or even invent their own!
This set up worked really well. Having options within each zone meant kids were able to follow their play passions whilst also experiencing new play materials. Working in groups of no more than ten also meant that the zones were never too crowded. I loved walking around the zones and hearing all of the excited squeals and meaningful conversations. I feel that because the activities were open-ended and the kids had a choice in their play, engagement levels stayed high throughout.
I just absolutely loved being part of this and cannot recommend it enough. The kids will enjoy the activities and it is a great way to be part of your child's school community. Happy playing!
Things to consider...
My biggest piece of advice is to be well prepared. Make sure materials are well organized (use lots of trays and containers!), check that the play area is clean the day before the party, and keep communication lines open with staff and helpers. These things made for a very smooth event on the day. Here are some more tips:
Who - make sure you arrange for some helpers on the day! It made a huge difference to have a parent at each Play Zone to help the kids and to also just have fun with them. Also be sure to keep the staff informed of the logistics.
What - decide which activities you want to include and how you will organize them. I decided to create 4 Play Zones which the kids rotated around. I made sure there was a fun selection of activities at each zone so that kids were not isolated if they did not like a certain type of play.
When - the end of year is perfect for this type of event as the teachers are winding down and the kids really deserve some fun play time too. The other thing to consider is the timing of the event. To keep groups smaller we decided to split Kindergarten into two groups, so two classes came to the party for an hour and then switched with the two other classes. We split the hour so that each group rotated round the zones and got 15 minutes at each one.
Where - we decided that the best location for the play party was outside as it helped to avoid getting the classrooms messy and it also meant we could spread out the Play Zones.
Why - decide want you hope to achieve from the play party. For me I really just wanted all the kids to enjoy some extra hands on play time after a year of working hard. I also felt it was a great opportunity to enable kids to experience new play materials which they otherwise would not be exposed to.
Activities to include...
As I mentioned earlier, I split the activities into 4 Play Zones which were spread out on the concrete area of the playground and on pic nic tables on the field. Within each zone there was a choice of activities. I think that providing a choice is very important for both engagement and inclusion purposes. I also ensured that the kids understood they needed to stay in their zone and be respectful of the materials (they did an amazing job!).
Play Zone 1: Water Beads & LEGOs
Water Beads were a huge hit at the play party. Be sure that you only use them with older children who know not to eat them. We had two water bead play options. The first was a sensory ocean in the large Edx Education Sand & Water Table. This had blue water beads, some water, Safari Ltd. Coral Reef toys and a selection of Dollar Tree tools and containers.
The second water bead play option was rainbow water beads, scoops and muffin tins (no added water). The kids loved sorting the colors and making water bead cupcakes.
In case there were kids who weren't keen on water beads, I set up our DIY LEGO Compatible pic nic table (IKEA children's pic nic table and Creative QT tan Peel 'n Stick Baseplates). This was used by every group, I think they enjoyed the novelty of building on a different surface.
Play Zone 2: Sensory & Small World Play
I always love making themed sensory and small world bins. I was sure to offer a variety of textures and themes to appeal to all the kids. There were 5 bins in total.
Red, White & Blue Cloud Dough Castles - made using flour, vegetable oil, and colored with food coloring. I also supplied little USA castle flags, buckets and sand tools.
Lemonade Rice Bin - rice dyed yellow with food coloring and a splash of white vinegar (I even added some lemon scent too!). I then provided cups, spoons, plastic lemons and lemon slices and some jugs.
Colorful Mermaid Bin - a combination of dyed rice and dyed chick peas (dyed using acrylic paint), as well as some toy mermaids and bright fake flowers.
Buried Treasure Bin - blue Crayola play sand, coins, sea shells and glass pebbles teamed up with cauldrons and scoops made for some excited digging and discovering!
Bug Box - a combination of beans and rocks, infiltrated by insects and some fun tools for catching and studying them. All of the bug accessories were from Dollar Tree.
Build a Race Track - not all kids love sensory play, so I set up our Way to Play Roads and some cars as an invitation to build a race track. This got lots of creative play!
Play Zone 3 - Slime & Play Dough Kits
This Play Zone definitely got lots of excited squeals! I had so much fun making all of the play dough kits! I stored them in IKEA GLIS boxes and used trays to help set a play area. Each kit consisted of a few colors of playdough (Mama Papa Bubba has the best recipes!!), and some loose parts and toys.
Pirates: sand play dough, blue and green play dough, Safari Ltd. Pirates, glass pebbles, coins and eye patches.
Rocks & Diggers: sand play dough, different types of rocks and some diggers / trucks.
Fairy Garden: glittery play dough, Safari Ltd. Fairies, selection of glass pebbles.
Potting Flowers: green, pink and purple play dough, silicone pots and Safari Ltd. Flowers.
Insects: sand play dough, green play dough, chocolate play dough, rocks and logs loose parts, and Safari Ltd. Insects.
Invitation to Make Cupcakes: chocolate play dough, Kool Aid play dough, cupcake liners, candles and confetti. The kids loved the smell of the play dough in this kit!
On a separate table I had 8 bins of slime set up. I purchased pre-made slime (Cra Z art) as I wanted it to keep its stretchy and not-too-sticky consistency. In each bin I added a tool, a bowl and a spoon. The dish racks were super popular as the slime slowly dripped through the wire gaps!
Play Zone 4 - Beading, Toys & Games
With so much sensory play at the other stations, I wanted to offer a slightly calmer set of activities here. The beading area consisted of pipe cleaners and a fun selection of beads. One of the Mom helpers came up with the idea for this activity and it was such a hit- the kids loved making necklaces and bracelets. We also had a pic nic table with a variety of loose parts and building toys for the kids to play with. It included Keva Planks, GeoStix, Wedgnetix and Plus Plus Big.
The final option in this zone was Blocks Rock! which is a fun block building game. The kids enjoyed playing the game properly, but were also happy to just flip the cards and copy the builds, or even invent their own!
This set up worked really well. Having options within each zone meant kids were able to follow their play passions whilst also experiencing new play materials. Working in groups of no more than ten also meant that the zones were never too crowded. I loved walking around the zones and hearing all of the excited squeals and meaningful conversations. I feel that because the activities were open-ended and the kids had a choice in their play, engagement levels stayed high throughout.
I just absolutely loved being part of this and cannot recommend it enough. The kids will enjoy the activities and it is a great way to be part of your child's school community. Happy playing!
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