The ongoing pandemic and preventive lockdowns have changed our way to connect, celebrate, engage and record memories. ZOOM and GOOGLE MEET are no longer corporate communication tools. Previously physical presence was necessary to be part of the event videos, photos and, more importantly, be a part of party engagement and games.

Now not anymore! Digital party engagements are more fun, scalable, and pocket friendly with the wide acceptance of digital tools and the level of comfort using such tools at all age groups.

Magic Show

A virtual magic show is on the top-notch priority list of any event planner or host as it brings joy and wonder to your screen. Dazzle your friends and family with some feats of wonder over Zoom, Skype or Google meet. Do you know what’s best happening here? Now a Bengaluru or Mumbai based local magicial has an audience at Jamshedpur, Patna, Bhopal or Lucknow, where you have connections and families. 

Things to remember before hiring a local magician for a digital party:

• A magician must be interactive, bilingual and comfortable doing digital shows.
• Try to keep the show between 20-30 mins to avoid attention failure of the audience.

One Minute Games

If you are an extrovert and love engaging with people, you must try this under the DIY exercise. You don’t need to be pro to host virtual gossip sessions for one minute to win it. Start with the most common games under Indian scenarios like 

1. Name, Place, Animal, Thing: To play, pick a letter. Each player has to list a famous person’s name, a place, an animal, and a thing that begins with that letter—the first person to type them into the Zoom chat wins.
2. Virtual Trivia: To play trivia on Zoom, open this random trivia generator or fun trivia and start asking questions. Have each person send their answer in the Zoom chat at the same time

Or start with silly games like saree draping, marble and spoon, face the cookie, dictation etc.

Fun With Science 

There are plenty of engaging and fun science experiments you can do at home with the materials lying in the kitchen and around the house. You can identify the experiments well in advance, make a science DIY kit with all essentials and courier it to the participants as an advance return gift. If you do not wish to take such pain, you can order the ready-to-use science experiments kit or keep it so simple so that you don’t need one.

Sample science experiment at home:

What You Need:

• Latex Balloon
• Matchsticks
• 200 ml water

What to do?

Step 1: Put water in a balloon using a tap and tie the knot.

Step 2: Inflate the other balloon without water.

Step 3: Hold a lit matchstick under the balloon that does not have water. IT WILL BURST.

Step 4: Now, hold a lit matchstick under the balloon with water. It won’t burst.

What just happened?

The water absorbs most of the heat in the case of the second balloon. The reason why the water inside the balloon becomes hot, but the balloon does not burst.

Fireless Cooking

Cooking without fire will be engaging, fun and accident-free. Make sure to list down the menu and ingredients to the parents of participating kids well in advance. Here’s are a few of my Indian origin personal choices for your next kids birthday party.

1.  Mixed Sprout Chaat: This recipe needs sprouted grams (channa), cut tomatoes, cut onions, coriander leaves, half lemon, salt, chaat masala, coriander powder. This preparation is healthy, tangy, and quick.
2. Sweetcorn Salad: This preparation is easy, fast, and customizable as per the kids. The main ingredient is the boiled sweet corn (the boiling process is for the parents), and you can add onion, tomatoes, cashews, chaat masala, coriander as per kids choice.
3. Fruit Chaat: The secret of my fruit chaat are dry fruits, fresh cream, and chaat masala. You can add fruits of your choice like banana, watermelon, grapes, kiwi, pomegranate seeds, cashews, raisins and walnuts, along with my secret agents to make your yum bowl.
4. Jhal Muri: This is my favourite of all. The undercover agents of this recipe are mustard oil, tamarind pulp paste, and chanachur (Bengal snack). Add sliced boil potatoes, grated carrot & coconut, finely chopped cucumber, tomatoes, onion, salt to taste, peanuts, along with my undercover agents mentioned above. I am not recommending red chilli powder or chilli being a children engagement. 
5. Bombay Sandwich: The most common preparation of any kids cooking get-together is a Sandwich. But we will add a little twist to it with the Indian version of it- Bombay Sandwich. Bombay sandwich main ingredients are slices of boiled potatoes, coriander green chutney, and aloo bhujiya. Spread green chutney and butter over bread slices, add sliced potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, and capsicum, sprinkle chaat masala and salt, cover the filling with another piece, add grated cheese and aloo bhujiya over it. 

Talent Show 

Host, a talent show friends and family, can participate and have a good time. Everyone has their talent, and this is the time to showcase and enjoy themselves. Dancing, singing, mimicry, standup comedy, or storytelling can come up together, and it will be an exceptional success for your party.

If not a talent show, you can provide local talents to perform at your party. You can hire and promote local skills, amateur talents from online platforms or local references. Some suggestions for party entertainment and performances will be a puppet show, mimicry artist, sing along with guitarist, clown show, storyteller and more.

I wish my creative subscribers and well-wishers will try these virtual entertainments and engagement for kids birthday parties or virtual get-togethers. Do share your engagement ideas in the comment below.