we have a beach party in january, right after the kids come back to school. We have a local radio station come out to dj (they actually host the event) and we provide drinks and snacks (normally popcorn) We do the decorations also, we went to a carpet store and got 10 of the cardboard rolls and made palm trees (my husband built the base) We bought some lei's from Oriental Trading Company and handed them out also. Beach parties are a blast!

our school had our first block party last fall, the second day of school. the staff cooked the hotdogs and provided all the food. There was a DJ that did alot of contest for the kids and alot of dancing, the pto had a booth and also each child received a free book. We didnt have any games but it was still a GREAT way to kick off the year and it sent a HUGGGGGGGE welcome to new families!!

Everything is a go with the Principal, as long as I will be in charge of it.

I'M SO EXCITED !!!! My hubby and i took a walk up to the school so he could plan out where the music will be set up. He's a communications electrician and deals in AV so he's going to create a "rack" on a trailer.

The night before will be "meet the teacher night" and school will start two days later.

PTO is going to provide soda and water and hot dogs. We're going to have a beach theme with beach music including the electric slide and cha cha slide.

Families can bring lawn chairs/tables with umbrella's.

We've got 4 relay races and a hula hoop contest which we'll reward the winner with movie passes, restaurant gift cards or video rental gift cards. I've alse sent a letter to our local WB tv station requesting promotional items to give away as prices as well.

THANK YOU for all your ideas on getting this first ever event going!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm hoping this bring excitement back to the families up at our school. It's been such a negative place for so many years.

When we first started this, each family brought their own food and PTA supplied the desserts. Since then it has grown so we now it it differently. As for teh races it's 4 teams for each race.
1. Clothes pile- race down get dressed run back, undress, next person up.

2. fill the bucket with water from a sponge

3. egg on spoon race

4. sack race

5. obstacle course

6. tug of war

7. skooter basketball- every who plays has to be sitting on a skooter.

8. skooter races.

These were done in the past but we change them around every year. Hope this helps you out.

I should clarify this . . . ..we are not allowed to bring in homemade food TO BE SHARED, but I'm wondering if each family brought in their own picnic food to eat if that would be okay???? we'll see????

I'm sure supplying the drinks wouldn't be a problem for out PTO. Asking for a donation would turn our families away LOL, that's just how they are LOL>

Our new executive committee is meeting Tuesday night go get things started for next year.

Our school district does not allow "home made" food to be brought in (hepatitis reasons) so we MAY have to make the food ourselves at the school. Our challenge with that is that we want to do this BEFORE the 1st day of school and we're afraid that we won't be able to get the number of volunteers to pull this off.

The relay races sound like fun . . .what types of races do you do?