Party Planning Guide

When planning parties for little ones I often encounter parents that are at a loss as to where they should start or simply lack time to properly organize without becoming totally frazzled.  My advice for parents is to do what makes party planning the least stressful and the most fun for your family, especially the birthday child. Since 2009 I have had the privilege of helping countless families plan their child's birthday celebration.   From the very simple play party to the most extravagant birthday blowout my staff and I have helped to create the "par-tay" magic! As my favorite shirt says: "I LOVE Parties" and nothing makes me happier than to help a parent create a day that they or their child will not forget.  Whether you are planning a birthday party at Amaya Papaya or another venue let me share my advice on planning the best celebration of your child's birth.

Who...       
            Who are you planning to invite? Maybe you want to have a close family-only event, or maybe you want to invite 25 children (and their adults) to the party. If your child has a BFF, make sure you include them. Sending invitations out four to six weeks out usually ensures a good turnout to your party.
 
What…
            What is your budget? Decide on a budget for your party. If you are looking to spend $100 or $1,000, you can create a memorable party for your little one. If you are looking at a venue to host your party, calculate the components of the party package within your budget. For example, at Amaya Papaya, half of our party packages include invitations, paper products and balloons, so you could deduct these items off your "to purchase" list.

            What are you going to do? Themed parties can be so much fun! If your child has a favorite character, movie, or television show, you can use this to determine the theme. Discover your creative side to develop a theme, or you can peruse sites, such as Pinterest, to give your creative side a kick-start! In addition to a theme, you might want to add entertainment. Balloon artists, face painters, bounce houses, characters and a DJ might be fun to add to a party. Make sure you contact your entertainment at least 6 weeks out from your event; they might require a deposit. Certain venues, like Amaya Papaya, are the entertainment. If your budget is tight, put your extra money toward your food and drink. Your guests will enjoy your party better.
 

When…
            When will you start your party? One decision is weekday vs. weekend. On a weekend, more of your scheduled guests will be able to attend. For older children, a weekday party might be preferred; it stays clear of Saturday sports, rehearsals, etc. The time of day matters as well. If you plan to serve a meal, have your party during lunch or dinner times. If you are not planning to serve a meal, then plan your party between traditional meal times.

Where…
            Where do you want to hold your party? Home parties can be less expensive and you are not confided to time restraints. Venues, like Amaya Papaya, can be fun, exciting, and they make your job a lot easier, especially the cleanup.  Local parks can be a fun place for a party. Make sure you contact the local Parks and Recreation Department to secure the location. When choosing to host your party at any venue, reserve your spot as early as possible to ensure you are able to get your desired time and location.

Why…
            Why are you hosting a party? Parties are supposed to be fun, so don’t forget the fun items such as: goodie bags for each guest, party games like a piñata or pin the tail on the donkey, and a fun music play list that gets the party going. Throughout the entire process, don’t lose sight of the reason you are hosting a party: to celebrate the birth of your child with family and friends. Make sure you take plenty of pictures to remember to have fun!

I hope this advice has been helpful and that it makes your party planning stress free. This year for my daughters birthday she opted on a destination party after having countless parties at Amaya Papaya over the years.  My husband and I planned every activity yet left room for alterations in the schedule. It was a fabulous day for her and her guest. My husband and I left the party happy also. 

On the Move

Daily Specials

Mellow Mondays - Wear an Amaya Papaya t-shirt or purchase and Amaya Papaya t-shirt and get in for 1/2 off!

Terrific Tuesdays - Happy Hour 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. all kids get in for 1/2 off!

Wiggly Wednesdays - Wear an Amaya Papaya t-shirt or purchase and Amaya Papaya t-shirt and get in for 1/2 off!

After School Thursdays - Treat the kids to a visit at Amaya Papaya for a job well done. All kids 1-5 get in for $7.99 between 3 p.m.- 6 p.m.

Fun Family Fridays - Pay regular price for the first child and each additional child in the same family gets in 1/2 off!


It has been over a month since we opened the doors to Amaya Papaya and I am very grateful for the community that has welcomed us with open arms. We have had over 1000 children visit the play lounge and I look forward to meeting even more children and there families in the near future. If you have not had the chance to come in to PLAY we are open Monday - Thursday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and on Friday from 11:30 a.m. -7 p.m. **We are open on Saturday's if we DO NOT have private parties or events booked.

****WE WILL BE OPEN THIS SATURDAY 9/19/09 FOR OPEN PLAY 1P.M. - 7 P.M*****

Not a Kids Gym

We have had many inquiries about the play lounge over the past month. With Amaya Papaya being a new concept in play places for the 5 and under crowd in central Florida we wanted to be sure that you could help us spread the word about OUR place and help the community understand just what going on here.

We are not a kids gym...we will leave that to the experts! We are a play lounge...simply put we are an OPEN PLAY indoor play space in which families can visit anytime during the day on there schedule without a reservation or membership. We are specifically for the little people 5 and under, which means you have no big kids running around and all of our toys are geared specifically for your infant, toddler and preschooler.
We have no video games or BIG play equipment that may be over stimulating for your child.

We do offer classes, however they are not those that you will find in your traditional enrichment class centers. We strive to offer classes that are unique and non-traditional. After much marketing, research, feedback and request(yes, we listen to YOU) we have decided to offer our classes on a drop in basis rather than committed scheduled classes until further notice. We have found that in a setting such as Amaya Papaya families need flexibility. Most of our classes will be offered on a drop in when you would like basis and will allow families to not feel the pressure of having to commit to a weekly session if they are not able to attend or need a break.

Our parties are fantastic, just ask our most recent party families. Our parties allow your little ones to have FUN in an unstructured environment. We can facilitate an activity if you wanted one... but we are sure that your party goers will be fully entertained during the entire party in our 7 themed play areas! Our parties range from doing it all your self, doing a little bit with our help or you simply doing nothing but showing up to party and letting us take care of all the details for you!


Grand Opening


Our grand opening was GREAT! We had over 300 people show up! It was so nice to be able to share Amaya Papaya with all of you. After months of preparation we finally got to have the PARTY that we had been dreaming of for 2 years! Amaya had a great time in her custom made tutu and headband. Thomas and I were amazed by all of the wonderful people that we met!

We would especially like to thank all of the LOCAL vendors that contributed to our giveaways and would like to congratulate the families that won prizes!

$25 Gift Certificate from Once Upon a Child
Laura W.

$25 Gift Certificate from Discovery Toys
Jodi R.

A Halloween Tutu made by Doodle and Goo:
Amy C.

Complimentary Session from Andrea Richburg Photography:
Jen M.

25% Off Gift Certificate from Andrea Richburg Photography:
Toshiko G.

50% Off Gift Certificate from Andrea Richburg
Melissa B.

Estate Planning Package from Murphy & Co.
Mandy P.

Complimentary Session Erick Hopkins:
Elizabeth O.

50% Off Portrait Session Erick Hopkins:
Lee-Ann H.

Free Amaya Papaya T-shirt:
Troy G.


Your Office Away from Home

Are you in search of a place where you can get some work done while your kids are entertained? Well look no further....Amaya Papaya is the perfect place for work from home parents, college students with young children or someone with a young child that simply wants to surf the web or read a book for a few moments. We have FREE wi-fi and plenty of toys to keep your child entertained while you work. Stop by your local coffee shop, bring the kids a snack and come prepared to get some work done. * ask for the wi-fi access code at the front desk.


Remember the importance of Play,

Yolonda,
Amaya's mom

What does that mean?

As we take time to reflect on the importance of Mothering I would like to share with you my inspiration for the Amaya Papaya name and logo. AMAYA PAPAYA is a TERM OF ENDEARMENT FOR MY DEAREST DAUGHTER (and best business partner ever) Amaya, whom just happens to be so Fabulous and we LOVE her.

When I was pregnant with Amaya I dreaded the thought of getting STRETCH MARKS!! It was not until 2 days before I gave birth that the first stretch mark appeared, from that moment on they spread like wild fire! I was devastated (or so I thought, vain I know).

Once Amaya was born my favorite song to sing to her was MY GIRL by the Temptations. The first line was so true..."I got SUNSHINE on a cloudy day".... Amaya was truly my SUNSHINE in the mist of anything that I was going through as a new mom.

When Amaya began to speak she would ask me about the boo boo's on my belly. I would tell her that they where not boo boo's at all. I began telling her that the stretch marks where SUN RAYS that I was blessed with when she was inside my belly.

As I began to think of a logo for Amaya Papaya I thought that nothing would be more fitting than the SUNSHINE to represent Amaya and every other child that a parent has been blessed with.

Ask Amaya....she will tell you how she put the SUNSHINE on mommy's belly!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Party

Amaya Papaya will be designed to fulfill a child’s dream celebration! Guest will have access to the “Play Lounge” and be able to enjoy a private or semi-private celebration. Amaya Papaya will be available to be rented for private use after hours or on Saturdays and Sundays. Amaya Papaya will also be a great space for baby showers, clubs, churches, organizations and businesses looking for a unique party space.

Amaya Papaya will provide a variety of party packages to meet your needs.

Party packages CAN consist of:

2 Hour Private Party or 1.5 hour semi-private party
1 Party Coordinator
1 Free Visit pass to Amaya Papaya for Party Child
Decorations ( birthday banner, plastic table cloth, balloons - optional)
Amaya Papaya branded paper Invitations or *Eco-friendly electronic Invitations
Generic solid color paper products or themed paper products (napkins, cake plates and utensils)
*Eco-friendly party favors/goody bags
Amaya Papaya branded paper Thank You cards or *Eco-friendly Electronic Thank You notes
Juice or water for children
Activity


Add ons - Amaya Papaya will partner with local vendors to offer:
Pizza
DJ services
Photography services



Party Times
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday
(TBA)

Saturday
10am-12pm, 1pm-3pm, 4 pm-6 pm

Sunday
10am-12pm, 1pm-3pm, 4 pm-6 pm