Finally, a post not asking a question! I've been asking for advice for the last who knows how long, and now I want to contribute something back! Hopefully you'll like it...

I've come up with a Snowstorm routine that gets children involved. Plus it's a great ending to your show. The only thing I haven't come up with is a patter. You'll have to come up with your own, but that shouldn't be too hard. Before your show, or just before you perform the Snowstorm in China, hand out small pieces of tissue paper for each child. Make sure they are quite small. When it's time to perform the effect, ask each child to tear up their piece of paper. Some might manage to tear it into four pieces, others only two. Tell them that it's okay if they could only get two small pieces, because less is more! As you are talking, have a small piece of tissue paper for yourself. Pick it up and tear it into two, whilst concealing the packet in one hand. Take the two tiny pieces in one hand (with the packet) and tell the children to toss their tiny pieces into the air on the count of three. One....two....three, and fan your two pieces, along with the packet, over their heads as they magically see hundreds of pieces fly around them! Really build this up, so they get excited about it. Some might even jump around in the snowstorm you have all just created together!

Hope you enjoy. Have fun with it!

Where do you intend on performing this? It's totally unsuitable for home birthday parties, but you knew that right.

I do it silent...set to music.

What? Unsuitable for home birthday parties? Oh crap! Well there goes my entire friggin act! I'm just buggin' ya! I love it when my wife reminds me or tells me something so blatantly obvious it's ridiculous! I tell her I just LOOK stupid!

Anyway, no, there are places meant for larger parties. Where I live there's a place called the Fun Factory. And yes....I've already been given permission to use their building!

I make a large part of my living performing for kids, and last year I think I did 2 home parties.

There are other places to perform besides birthdays! : )

Depends on who is cleaning up. Here most people have maids and it would seem the parents will tolerate more mess.

So always check with the parents / buildings managers first.

In the Uk most Professional children's entertainers perform each and every day in Halls, schools, hotels, theatres , swimming clubs, festivals out door and indoor, scout huts ,etc.

and probable do very few house parties as these days it is more practical and Trendy? to hold the event somewhere else budget permitting.

They generally DO NOT HAVE "MAIDS" to clear up, long ago when I did children's shows full time I would clear the mess up myself as it stated in my contract.

Nice idea Decibel33, I'm sure lots more will come up with more ideas thanks for sharing,

But as an after thought for out door shows could it be possible to do Snow storm with rice paper or any other eco? friendly, Biodegradable paper?

Regards
Lee

I heard someone was working on making a environment friendly version of this so it can be performed outdoors.

Decbel,
If you have found a way to make the kids think they are making the snowstorm happen, it will be a big hit. This will also make the kids very excited, so have a way to get the kids back to their seats afterwards unless it is the grand finale.

Mike

Yeah, it would actually be an ending. They could dance around and have fun in the falling confetti! Might make sick children quite happy.

You could lay out a large sheet or lightweight rug before you start. You use the sheet/rug as a performing area, then after you are done, it is easy to clean up any mess from the snowstorm by rolling up the sheet/rug or pulling it together at the corners.

I just did this at an in-home birthday party. It was amazing! The kids all got up and started dancing around in the confetti! Perfect ending to the show! The mom was aware of the confetti ahead of time, and even she thought the show was great.