End of Summer Party

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What is End of Summer Party?

I always loved the events that were all about the last hoorah of summer as a kid. Since I purchased outdoor games and other supplies for our Summer Reading Kickoff, I wanted to use them again before the weather started to change. 

Event Description: Our outdoor end-of-summer bash will get you outside with our engaging games. Let's make the most of these final days of sunshine together! Please wear comfy clothing and sunscreen. Don't forget your water!

What I did to prepare

I had already purchased all the needed supplies so it was just a matter of gathering it together. I had jump ropes, hula hoops, ladder golf, giant scrabble, and giant memory. 

On the day of the event, it was pouring rain! I wasn't able to reschedule the event, and I really didn't want to cancel so I moved it inside. I kept everything I mentioned above but took away ladder golf and added coloring sheets. I found a pack of 12 balloons at Dollar Tree that I purchased because the event absolutely needed them for decor and fun. Every event I do that has balloons for decorations immediately becomes play with balloon time no matter what fun crafts I put out. 




Set Up

I had a main table where I put out calendars, coloring sheets, crayons, and leftover summer reading coupons. There were a few tables to the side for coloring and resting as well as chairs for the adults. Scrabble and memory were on one side of the room and hula hoops and jump ropes were at the back. You might be thinking "Why on Earth would you put out jump ropes in a crowded room like this, Rachel?" Great question. I just really wanted to have them! I roved around when guests first started to come in to greet everyone and tell them what was in the room. After that, I camped out at the jump ropes and made sure no one got hit. The double dutch ropes were a big draw and we had up to five kids on them at one point. It wasn't too difficult to move kids out of the way and when the parents saw what I was doing, they thanked me. 




Takeaway

I always loved attending these events as a kid so I was excited to put one on myself. I hope to be able to do this again next year and actually have it outside. It was also a completely free event to put on since I already had everything in my library. It was a blast!

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