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Few things are as exciting to a parent as their little one’s first birthday. We asked singer-songwriter and actress Katharine McPhee Foster all about her son’s safari-themed first birthday to get some ideas and advice. (BTW, if you’re wondering where she got her roar-some invitation from, yep, it’s an Evite!)
What's the best day and time for this type of party?
I definitely think weekends are most convenient for baby/kid parties (and parents are always looking for something to fill their kids’ day on here weekend). For us, the best time was 11:30 to 1:30. With little ones, it’s best to start wherever you think it's best for your son or daughter's wake window. Most likely, it won’t be too different from that of some of the other little ones attending the party. The other kids usually have a more flexible schedule.
Any food recommendations (for kids and adults)?
So, I got food from my best friend's restaurant (Sweetsalt) and I know the menu well—I did 2 salads, one vegan and one regular, and an array of 3 different sandwiches. For the kids, I did grilled cheeses (didn’t matter if it didn’t stay hot), P&J sandwiches and fruit salad. Then, I had lots of juice boxes (Honest Kids brand) and snacky-type things like Goldfish crackers lying around.
Which activities for the kids (and siblings/older kids if there were any) did you opt for?
Target is a lifesaver for a baby's 1st party! The night before Rennie’s bday, I was walking the aisles, and I found these great wooden tiger heads (the party was animal safari-themed). I bought a bunch of them and some paint and brushes for the kids to paint/decorate during the party. And it was a big hit!
The bigger hit of the day was the soft play area I had. I hired a company called MESH kids co. It was absolutely perfect. It was an enclosed area where the kids could be observed, watched and safe at the same time. The older kids loved it too because there was a ball pit. What we all loved the most is it kept the older kids from running all over the room and kept some semblance of peace.
Where did you go for takeaways/party favors?
I went to Tom's Toys in Beverly Hills. Tons of great silly little trinkets for the kiddos at a great price. You could find similar things on Amazon to fill a little baggy. It doesn’t take much to get the kids excited.
Were there any items in particular from Amazon that worked well with your theme?
Jungle Animal Headband: I gave these out to the kids and adults to wear when they arrived.
Jungle Temporary Tattoos: I had these alongside the painting station with the tigers’ heads for kids (and adults!) to wear. Who doesn’t love a cute animal tattoo?
Inflatable Safari Animals: Sometimes you just need some cheap blow-up characters to fill the space. They did the trick.
Your guest list—did you go big or small?
I personally went medium size. But it really depends on how much space you have to host. We used a communal space in our condo building, and we had about 35 people. For me, that was more than enough and felt like the right amount. More than that would have been overwhelming.
What are your thoughts on gifts for this age?
I said no gifts for Rennie’s birthday lol! But not many people listened! I just really don’t have much space for anything in our condo and he’s so little and is mostly obsessed with opening and closing doors. I just don’t think the little ones need much.
When it came to deciding on the theme, why did you choose safari?
Safari was really a decision based on what my hosting space looked like. It had a lot of earth tones to the space, so I just thought it would look nicer. And what kid doesn’t look cute next to a bunch of stuffed animals?
What was something you learned from throwing this birthday that you will apply in the future?
Ask for help! I sort of tried to do all of it on my own 'til the last second. Thankfully, I have a great mom and great friends that asked on the day if they could come early and help, and I’m glad they just showed up. Because there would have been no way I could’ve gotten everything done in time for the party.
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What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from other signup tools?
Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than other signup tools:
- 100% free: SignUp Sheets are free to use.
- Ad-free: No popup ads ever! Our signup sheets remain clutter-free, keeping your volunteers focused on signing up.
- No extra login required: Seamlessly use your Evite account to create and manage your signup sheets, keeping all your events in one convenient location.
- Automatic reminders and notifications: Stay on top of your event with automated reminders and notifications for you and your participants. Perfect for busy parents, teachers and anyone juggling multiple commitments.
- Customization options: Tailor your signup sheets to your specific event, whether it's a school fundraiser, potluck, volunteer opportunity or team activity. Add custom tasks, time slots and requirements for smooth coordination.
- User-friendly experience: Our intuitive interface makes creating and sharing signup sheets simple for everyone, regardless of tech experience.
- Real-time updates: Get instant notifications whenever someone signs up or makes a change, so you always know where things stand.
Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!
What is a SignUp Sheet?
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, SignUp Sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
How do I create a SignUp Sheet?
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
- Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:
- Signup sheets for one day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
- Signup sheets for single or multiple day events (with time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing concession stand volunteers, fundraisers, parent-teacher conferences, meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
- After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
- Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
- After creating your slots, you can then add a wish list from any retailer or include supply suggestions from Evite’s retailer partners. These are to help your volunteers find and purchase supplies quickly and easily.
- Finally, review your sheet, copy your shareable link and send it out to everyone on your list! Every time a volunteer signs up for a slot on your signup sheet, Evite will email you. We will also send reminders to you and your volunteers before your event so no one will forget about it, and we’ll even let volunteers know if you remove their slot or cancel your event sheet so you don’t have to!
What information should be included on a SignUp Sheet?
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
- A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
- When and where the event is taking place.
- The organizer’s name and phone number.
- Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete.
When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
What are the benefits of using a SignUp Sheet template?
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
- A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
- Shareable links for quick and easy sharing.
- No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
- The option to add a wish list to help your volunteers out.
- Automatic reminders—we’ll remind everyone on your behalf.
- An easy-to-use experience with eye-catching guided templates.
- Clean, modern designs with no pop-up ads.
With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.
