Parents, how often do you find yourself saying, "Oh no! It's that time of year again, my child's birthday! What can I do to make sure the party is a success?" Here are some interactive, fun games and entertainment ideas that I use when I do parties. If you can't have the real "Joy House", make your own "Joy House". Moms and Dads, don't be scared. Dress up cool and crazy, have fun, let go, and be a kid again, just like Miss Joy!!

Music is the key. I have put together some play lists for dance music and party songs available to download at http://www.burnlounge.com/thejoyhouse. Joy House Dance Music is also available there. It will save you a lot of time hunting for songs kids love.

OK, let's get this party started. Kids love to dress up! Scout the yard sales and thrift stores. At the beginning of the party, throw clothes on the floor and let them go crazy creating their own fashions. If there are lots of girls, set up a make-up corner and make them feel like they are at their very own fashion shoot. Dad you can even be The Fashion Photographer! You can then have a fashion show. Put the music up and let each child strut their stuff down the imaginary catwalk. Give prizes. And, Dads, just make sure that you are ready with that camera. Digital pictures make great email party favors.

Moms, do you still remember your dance and cheerleading classes? Now you are going to become "The Choreographer"! Spread the kids out and face them. Show them some of your best moves and let them copy you (don't be embarrassed). Just make sure that the music is loud, simple moves are fine. Do you still remember the Electric Slide, YMCA, or Macarena? Well, you can do those dances to current tracks, just be creative and confident. You can even let each kid take turns leading the pack! Have prizes for the best dancers and choreographers. Next, it is time for the limbo competition. Line all the kids behind the birthday star and see how "low can they go".

By this point, the kids should be pretty tired and ready for a resting game, The Joy House "Not Another One". Have the children sit in a circle. For this game, you will have to have wrapped a gift at least 12 to 15 times with colorful paper before the party. You can use anything as a prize. Start the game by giving the present to the birthday child. Get them to stand, turn, kick, and then pass it to the next child. Whoever is holding the present when the music stops opens it, and after they unwrap one paper, everyone says "Not another one", and the present is passed on. Whoever unwraps the last wrapper wins the game.

If you have a karaoke machine, get them to sing a song that they all know. Let them all sing in unison to get confidence as well as to learn the song. Ask them all to sing "as if they were on the radio". Next, let them each have their moment to try being a "Pop Star". Remember the kids that are really shy and give them a prize, too.

Next is The Joy House Freeze Dance, "Stop and Go". First, get that music pumping, and then tell them to dance in any style, the crazier the better. Stop the music, and whoever moves has to come and tell the other kids what to do! The one who remains motionless wins the game.

Time truly does fly when you're having fun. These are just a few interactive party games that I do and know children of all ages love. At your party, your energy, confidence and attitude will keep them focused. It doesn't matter how old they are. They'll just love having fun with mom and dad. Make sure you have refreshments and drinks handy throughout. Depending on the time of day, you might want to feed the kids before and have the cake after all the games or feed them and do the cake after all the fun!

You can have prizes only for the winners, but Miss Joy suggests prizes for everyone who participates in ALL the games. That way everyone goes home happy! I am sure you will have so much fun yourself that you will soon want to do it all over again!

If all this seem like a lot of work, remember you can always book Miss Joy for your next party, but I know that there is a little Miss Joy in all of us and you can pull it off!

Good Luck and have a great party!