I was thinking about this last night and I dont think I've ever done such a young birthday party, I've done infant school disco's but there was 130 kids running round screaming so wasn't the hardest disco. Lookin for any song and games to play, The mum tells me theres going to be about 50 kids there, what games can you play with 50 kids???

Help

took a bookd 5th and 7 th birthday.they asked us to play chico,what time is it .other songs we will play will include action songs like music man and chart stuff.this might help with games
http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3101

I don't do many for this age group and will only take a booking if well known to me, but I'd suggest, quite apart from those 'action songs', that you simply play happy, upbeat music. The audience isn't going to be particularly critical about what you play, they just want to run and jump around.

Bear in mind that most won't know the actions they are supposed to be doing anyhow.

As for games, I have found that kids of this age group can get a bit upset with things like musical chairs, as they don't quite grasp that losing isn't a big issue. I suppose a bit of deft mic work may persuade them that it really is just for fun and losing isn't the end of the world, but be prepared for some tears - I have seen kids hitting and pulling hair over that last chair!

This officially is an ideal party....

I have a 7th on Sunday and will be doing similar games/music so:

These gigs are very different from normal adult functions...

You can stop the music and talk to the kids for ages, as long as you keep their attention. For example get a vocal processor (if you can) to change the kids voices into pinky and perky... Very funny and takes lots of time up.

Also, if you know how to do a dance show them and get them to mimic what you are doing....

If you have a snow machine, take it and get them to scream if they want snow - Kids will.

Music - Crazy Frog (it sucks, but they still like it), witch doctor by Cartoons, barbie girl (specially if there are a lot of girls there), anything from High School Musical, amarillo, busted, mcfly - the possibilities are endless (a bit like recycling!)

Just to add - if you do intend to use devices such as bubble, snow machines, make a note of the floor surface before commencement.

A DJ agency in the south east area which aimed services towards children's entertainment experienced a lot of grief as a result of one gig.
The younger audience at the function were sliding all over the place.
Thankfully, there were no serious accidents on the day but it didn't help with one or two attending adults sliding all over the place either, apparently.
The performing DJ also managed to slide across the floor to the amusement of the remaining kids and parents as he was de-rigging the disco.
He fractured his hip and thigh bone and couldn't honour the rest of his gigs for months, which is how I found out about the incident due to providing gig cover!

Please be careful.

Have said this before, there are all sorts of games you can introduce for interaction - age orientated, age suitable and do not require the DJ to physically become involved with the audience in our over the top political correct society.

From experience, for great success, the attention of all the kids needs to be grabbed in the first 5 minutes, or the rest of the function could drag / be hard work.
Too many games during the function or too much music will affect interest.

Refreshments need to be gauged, especially right after the first 5-10 minutes and during the function.

For the ideal birthday party, the function can be viewed as having two halves separated by 'a break' which is the food and cutting of the cake time / happy birthday to…. - to allow the adults to prepare the party bags. Again, gauge the function. You don't commence with an energetic 'mad' game after the food.

If you encourage the attending adults to interact and become involved, the kids will love it, the adults will have a good laugh and you will generate more bookings, without doubt especially in the second half.

Thanks for all the suggestions, the gig didnt go that great to be honest they had also hired the biggest bouncy castle i've ever seen, it even had a slide on the side (how could I compete with that?),
We split the kids up into 2 groups cos there was about 50 of them. played games, limbo and danced with the first group whilst the others were on the bouncy castle then swapped. over near the end we had a karaoke comp that worked quite well. One of the parents asked me for a card at the end but overall I thought it could have been better.