Birthday Parties

[Kempojujutsu]

For you out there that may do b-day parties, what do you charge, what kind of activities/games do you have for them. Was thinking this could be a good way to promote your school and get some new students. Especially if you give each guest a free pass for say a week of classes. Does anyone have any ideas?
Bob:asian:

 

[Damian Mavis]

!.....how does a martial arts school do birthday parties?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[J-kid]

I went to my Judo contest with my friends and got second. Then with my friends went to hooters , Then went to a mixed martial arts fights, They had submission wrestling . kickboxing it was fun!@

 

[dsp921]

I had my son's birthday party at his school just a couple
months ago. It was $10 per kid, 10 kid minimum (not real
strict about that), and $75 for the use of the dojo, they
put up some decorations and had table and chairs, and they
did all the clean up. We brought the drinks and cake.
Two instructors were there, they did basic strikes and kicks
on pads, a couple simple self defense techniques, gave the
speech about not using any of it on friends and family, etc.
I think one kid from the party started taking classes.
Oh yeah, it was two hours, one hour for "class" and one
for presents and cake.

-Dave

 

[lvwhitebir]

There's a site called www.goshinproducts.com that sells a birthday party agenda. Never used it myself, but was thinking about it.

I've heard a lot of pros and cons about doing it. But it seems like it would be cool; for just a few hours of work you get a lot of possible prospects and some cash in your pocket.

WhiteBirch

 

[Elfan]

Birthday parties are definantly a good way to promote your school. I can think of 3 that do it off the top of my head. Two charge some fee for it (don't recall what) while the third does it for free and uses it as his main form of advertising.

 

[Nightingale]

just make sure you get a signed waiver from each kid's parents to CYA.

 

[lvwhitebir]

I found the birthday party info I downloaded a while ago. Hope this helps...

ć Get list of names from parent for VIP passes.
ƒá Prepare ¡§goody¡¨ bags with VIP pass, candy and little toys, stickers, & pencils. Tie with curling ribbon.
ć Order cake 3-4 days ahead of date. (vanilla)
ƒá Order pizza day of party to arrive at 3:00 PM. (Cheese Pizza from Petti¡¦s)
ć Check supplies for party: balloons, pop etc.
ć Schedule SWAT members to assist.
ć Send a note 3 days ahead to birthday child.
ć Send Thank you immediately following the event.
ć Set up obstacle course ahead of time.
ć Have focus pads, boppers, and other equipment ready to use.
ć Arrange for a short demonstration at 2:45 PM.


PARTY GAMES & FORMAT

2:00 PM ¡V Welcome guests. Reward birthday child with special belt. Explain attention stance, bow, ready stance, at ease, and listening position (take a knee).
2:05 PM ¡V Explain & play ¡§Reaction¡¨ (musical chairs) using hand target pads & stereo. Play twice if it goes well the first time.
2:15 PM ¡V Split group into 2-3 teams for Dragon Pop Balloon game. Each child receives a balloon that they need to keep off the floor to the end of the mat where they sit or step on the balloon to pop it. Then they race back & tap the next team member to start.
2:30 PM ¡V Learn the High Block. Have host child demonstrate. Use boppers to practice. Teach kiai.
2:35 PM ¡V Explain & play the ¡§Ninja Noodle Game¡¨. They must duck under or jump over the noodle or use the high block to cover their head.
2:45 PM ¡V Demonstration of katas, weapons, self-defense, & skits.
3:00 PM ¡V Serve Pizza & Pop.
3:10 PM ¡V Open presents. Present a gift from the school (dog tag, mug, T-shirt etc.)
3:20 PM ¡V Learn punch. Have host demonstrate. Practice on hand targets & bags. Then toss a hand target to each child and have them punch it back 4 to 6 times. Remind them of using kiai and punching straight to return the pad straight.
3:30 PM ¡V Learn Front Kick. Have host demonstrate first. Practice on body shields and bags. Divide group into 2-3 teams for a relay to the bags. Kick right, then left & run back to tap the next team member.
3:40 PM ¡V Serve cake with a karate figure on top.
3:50 PM ¡V Obstacle course ¡V Have each child run the course twice and use the best time.
4:00 PM ¡V Distribute ¡§Goody¡¨ bags and say ¡§Come again!¡¨ Host receives leftover pizza and cake.

Post ¡V Party Clean-up:
ć Dust mats.
ć Sweep floor in lobby.
ć Clean off tables.
ć Put away supplies & equipment.
ć Pay assistants (12 & under $5 / 13 & over $10).

Other Games To Add Or Substitute:
¡§Gladiator¡¨
¡§Sensei Says¡¨
¡§Teamwork ¡V Clean-up Drill¡¨
¡§Blind Man¡¦s Bluff¡¨
¡§Dragon-Dragon-Lizard¡¨ (Duck-Duck-Goose)

 

[c2kenpo]

Originally posted by Kempojujutsu

For you out there that may do b-day parties, what do you charge, what kind of activities/games do you have for them. Was thinking this could be a good way to promote your school and get some new students. Especially if you give each guest a free pass for say a week of classes. Does anyone have any ideas?
Bob:asian:

We do bday parties about 3 per month and growing even more. We keep a base charge for the use of facilities and the clean up nothing more the student can bring up to 30 guests. Average turn out is 10-20 guests. Each guest signs a waiver and sheet with name and address and phone.

Parents: Responsible for food/drink and party favors.
Studio: Responsible for games staff and clean up.

Two hour time frame for the party. Games and lesson vary for age groups

A lot of good ideas down here that I can add. THANK YOU ALL!
Email me for mine...I have 6 programs for different groups....too much to list here.. But at the end of the bday give each student a card for free classes for whatever you decided.

TIP:: Not all parents stay. So run bday party a little late till a good amount of parents are there to SEE what thier kids have learned.
I use a concentration game in the beggining of the party and close with it when the parents are picking up kids.

Times up
Dave

 

[Damian Mavis]

What is the concentration game?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[c2kenpo]

Originally posted by Damian Mavis

What is the concentration game?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

Kids love to try to keep up. And it is never about who wins just having fun.
We do the attention stance, sitting hands on knees, laying on your backs, laying on your bellies, back to hands on knees and then the attention stance. We even toss in duck and jump from time to time.
Speed the game up and watch how the kids are locked in to every thing you say and do. This is why I end the bday party with this parents love to see thier kids paying ATTENTION to someone.
Also at the end of the party I sit the kids down and tell them to tank the guest of honor and tell them thank you for coming. While the kids are getting ready to go I announce to the parents that if there are interested in any of the programs that we have feel free to talk to be before they leave.
We are getting 3 bday parties a month and 3 new students so far.
Hope this helps!

Dave

 

[Shinzu]

i know our school does birthday parties. it's a good way to bring in new students and to expose others to what your students do in the dojo/dojang.

i'm not sure what the cost is but the kids seem to have a good time playing games as well as training.

 

[teej]

I can also use some advice on hosting a birthday party please. Pricing, format, games, etc. I had a parent ask me yesterday to do one right after Christmas. Not much time to prepare with all the holiday stuff coming.

Thanks for your help
Teej

 

[Sin]

Birthdays???

::shakes head::....americanized McDojo

 

[Satt]

You know what's great about birthdays in a dojo??? You get to give "Singapore" style spankings!!! :whip: J/K LOL.

 

[Flatlander]

Birthdays???

::shakes head::....americanized McDojo

What is it about holding a birthday party at the dojo that reduces it to a "McDojo"? Would you care to elaborate? I can certainly see why some who have contributed to this thread may find that disrespectful. Perhaps if you clarified your position, you could reduce that likelihood.

 

[teej]

Americanized McDojo???? Well this is what I would expect from a 17 yr old beginner. But look at it this way. If my students parents are going to spend money for the skating rink or bowling alley to host their childs birthday, why shouldn't they pay me to do it?

I also do not want to be primarily a birthday party host. But I would like to offer it to my students only, as being available to them for being a member.

Any of you out there that are parents like I am are used to hosting kids parties already. Now we have the option to do it and get paid.

I do understand the McDojo thinking, I also want to train my students to survive in todays real world. However; as a business owner, I am open to trying different ways to generate income to be able to keep my doors open so I can train my students as well as provide for my family.

I for one did not take the McDojo comment personally. This young man as he is training for real world encounters outside the dojo, is just beginning to experience the other threats out there in this world. Being responsible for and paying your bills. :ultracool

Teej

 

[MartialMom]

It just so happens that I had my 7 year old's birthday party yesterday at our Dojo. The turnout was good and the kids had a blast running drills and learning techniques rather than stuffing their faces with pizza and spending their parents money on video games.

As a Mother and a Martial Artist I am glad to see Dojo's offering more than classes to the young martial artists. Too often are the places our children frequent lacking in structure and over abundent in the "stick them in front of the TV or video game and let them stuff their faces into blissful obesity" mentality.

Birthday parties, after school programs and kids fun parties are not "Mc-enizing" anything they are opening opportunities for children to enter the Martial Arts world through a fun yet structured environment where they may have never been introduced to it.

Someone asked about cost. I paid $190.00 but all I had to do was set a time and show up, everything else was taken care of for up to 20 children. I had the option of paying $140 and purchasing my own cake, drinks, etc.

SDA

 

[Kempojujutsu]

Well, I was the one who started this thread. I was just wanting to know how others handle and run birthday parties at thier schools. I agree with Teej & MartialMom on their comments.

Today martial art owners have to come up with new ways to attract students. Just because you hang a sign up people are not just going to drop in. Marketing is everything. Even the good ones Market themselves.

Wow $190.00 bucks. I charge about a 1/4 of that. Have to look into changing prices.

 

[teej]

Kempojujutsu, call your area's skating rink and bowling alley, etc. and ask what they charge for birthday parties as well as what they provide. This will give you a better idea of what to charge. It seems that you are rather low with your price depending on what you provided.

Teej