It themes as though we've got just about everything covered...
Here at Nutty’s we are very proud of the variety of parties that we have on offer: Discos, Arts & Crafts, Classic Party Games and Drama Workshop Parties to name just a few. But it is the Adventure Parties that are most frequently requested and we love delivering them!
We have adventure party themes to cover just about everything - and the list continues to grow! So, how does each theme come about? Who are they best suited to? And how might a potential client go about choosing one?
Firstly, it is important to say that we firmly believe any party theme can be enjoyed by any child. Yes there are some which are particularly suited to certain ages, some with links to television programmes or films and I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise that the fairy and princess adventures, for example, are more popular with girls rather than boys. But as important as the themes are, in many respects they simply provide a backdrop to the party; a shape and language to work with. What is most important is that every child - and particularly the birthday child - has lots of fun, has their imagination challenged and is thoroughly entertained!
Our adventure party themes can, broadly speaking, be split into two categories: those that are attached to a specific piece of popular culture and those that are not. For example, Detective Dan & the Pokemon Adventure is obviously aimed at Pokemon crazed children of all ages. Whereas Pirate Dan’s Treasure Hunt is more generally related to all things pirates, treasure and swashbuckling adventures rather than a specific television programme, film or game.
The more broader themes have been with us since the beginning. These include Pirate Dan’s Treasure Hunt, Super Dan, Explorer Dan and the Fairy’s Journey. These parties can be a great place to start for younger children of three to five years of age. The character which the entertainer presents is fairly broad and recognisable in nature and the reasonably straightforward narrative allows for input from the imaginations of the children participating.
Then there are a handful of themes which give a nod to popular films or television programmes. Wizard Dee is linked to Harry Potter, Danijel the Space Warrior has a Star Wars vibe and Submarine Dan is a great one for Octonauts fans. Again, these are not exclusively for children who enjoy these pop culture references - far from it. For a start, the stories and characters involved are not adaptations of the aforementioned films or tv programmes but are instead original narratives. This is not just because there could be copyright implications but more potently because, at Nutty’s, originality is what we are about! When ‘checking in’ with a client prior to a party, it is not uncommon for them to say something like “please don’t lean into Harry Potter too much as not all of the kids will have read the books or seen the films”. This is of course a valid point to raise and useful to know. But my response to this is always the same - something along the lines of: “don’t worry, not every twist and turn in the adventure is Harry Potter related. There is plenty for everyone to enjoy”. Alternatively, if the client wants us to go big on the Harry Potter/Star Wars/Octonauts details then that’s fine too!
There are a couple of themes which are more intrinsically linked to contemporary crazes and these include Detective Dan and the Pokemon Adventure and Ninja Danka (for the many lovers of Ninjago Lego). They are suited to all ages but I think they work particularly well for children of six years and over. These adventures are more task based with some questions and puzzles to solve. But, as ever, not all parts of the party are based around the pop culture element - there is something for everyone.
So, perhaps you’re considering which theme to choose for your child’s birthday party. As we know from the above, there is plenty to choose from! But what if the kind of thing you’re looking for isn’t amongst our existing themes or perhaps your son or daughter has requested something super niche? No problem - just drop us a line and ask for an added ‘twist’! The ‘twist’ element of our parties is very common. This is basically where we layer a client’s requested element over an existing theme. For example, you might choose Pirate Dan’s Treasure Hunt and request a Peter Pan twist. The entertainer can embed the twist to whatever extent the client would like - maybe just the odd reference here and there or perhaps it will be more woven into the specifics of the story or adventure. I (James) am doing these sorts of parties most weekends. Recent ‘twists’ include pyjamas, Roald Dahl, Dora the Explorer and big cats - quite a range!
When a requested twist becomes a regular occurrence, we will often consider turning these into a theme of its own. This will often happen when a recently released film or game is all the rage. For example, a few years ago we were being asked for so many Ninjago parties we thought it was about time we introduced a relevant theme. And thus, Ninja Danka was born. And depending on what is happening culturally, certain themes tend to go in peaks and flows. For example, whenever a Star Wars film is released, lo and behold, Daniljel the Space Warrior has quite a number of outings! It certainly keeps the team up to speed with what ‘the kids’ are into at present!
