Childrens make a bear parties

Joannag_2

People near me drive to the next county for build a bear parties. I am hoping to start up a business having make a bear parties in the home. I am a primary school teacher so CRB checked, good with children etc, and am just wanting feedback on my plan really-

Arrive at home venue, make make/stuff own bear, decorate t shirt to fit it, birth certificate and carry box to take it home in. 2 games such as pass the parcel with a bear accessory prize, pin the nose on the teddy, hunt the teddy in the garden if a nice day etc etc, then children can have a teddy bear's picnic party food provided by the parent.
Cost would be approx £150 for 8 children. The bears are a lovely quality. Discount voucher if one of the guests books a party in the next 6 months.

Would appreciate feedback.

Thanks!

chalkie99

I don't know anything about that line of business but I have heard a lot worse ideas on here so good luck.

Thoughts off the top of my head:

Presumably this will be part time in addition to the teaching job. Make sure there is no conflict of interest contract wise and that you do not run into trouble touting for business amongst your pupils and their parents.

Insurance - Will be a must to cover yourself for any sort of claims in these compensation culture times.

Don't know what sort of area you are in. Hopefully affluent enough cough up that sort of money.

Remember that once someone sees you doing it there is a certain "oh, we could do that" mentality which might mean a lot of unexpected competition, driving prices down. On the other hand, possibly you are doing just that with the people in the next county?

If you go ahead have a small banner printed, which you can transport easily, to make sure all the parents see who you are with a card to hand to them when they collect their children, to spread the word.

Once again, Good Luck!

Joannag_2

Thanks for the positive feedback. I teach miles away so won't advertise in that area - would rather keep it separate anyway. I have young children myself and it never ceases to amaze me what parents pay for parties. If other people set up against me I would hope by then I would have a reputation for being professional, reliable, efficient etc.
Am getting quite excited about it - need to think of a name now!

paddyrg

I like the idea, price seems very reasonable - cheap, even, considering you more or less run the party for the sprogs. Perhaps consider 'add-ons' you can offer (cake you pick up from a local supplier you work out a deal with, a 'party food pack' containing a mix of snacks and carrot sticks, juice and fizzy pop, for instance, or a special monogrammed bear t-shirt from the parents). Will you need a mobile stuffing machine? Any major capital outlay?

Other advice above seems very sensible, I like your business idea, I think you can make a very decent top-up income from this and wish you well with it!

'Birthday Bears'?

Joannag_2

Thanks for that too. Superb ideas - especially the links with local suppliers.

Probably a more generic name as I could also run school holiday bear workshops.

paddyrg

'Celebration Bears', 'Ted Party', 'Bears for all Occasions'

I think the upsells will be where you can make your solid profits (eg extra bear outfits, cakes, etc) as the parents will see how much of the strain you can take - they pay one cheque at the end of it and save having the deep joy of shopping for kids party food/cake round Tesco on a Saturday...! So make sure the upsells have a solid profit margin in them :-)

Savvy_Sue

Just wondering if you've ever made a bear yourself, or been to one of their parties? I can only speak for the company which operates out of shops near where I work, and they have some fairly serious bits of kit for putting the bears together. They also have a completely formulaic approach: I had to give mine a kiss ... and give it a name. Can't remember what name I chose, and I'm not about to go and listen to the message I recorded on it because I know it was a bit sentimental, given that I was about to have brain surgery and wanted something to leave with the boys 'just in case'.

I also know someone who works there. The parties are difficult: you have one adult responsible for all these (inevitably noisy) children and their bears with, as I said, some serious bits of industrial machinery to operate. Me next, I was before you, no you weren't ...

Also if you do anything to 'step on their toes', I'd imagine they'd be onto you for breach of copyright / trade mark / 'passing off', so you would have to be VERY careful there.

I'm not saying there isn't a profit to be made here. I'm just saying that if you teach children all week, you may not find this much fun. Controlling children in the classroom is one thing, at a party is rather different!

paddyrg

As opposed to filling those bear skins you get from all those shops and franchises, how about if you pre-cut your own bear shapes from felt, and the kids can blanket stitch them around the edges and decorate them, etc?

paulwf

Have you worked out costings OP?

Joannag_2

I have run these parties for my own children as a trial and they have been great. I have a supplier for all the hearts, voice recorders, outfits etc. Of course it would rival build a bear but there isn't one anywhere near here - anyway look at the High St - you'll find a starbucks 2 doors up from a cafe nero! When I took my two to the build a bear shop I came out with 2 bears and clothes and my purse was £56 lighter. I think this is a good quality product for much less as I will have no shop overheads.
Paddy - nice idea, but I've taught kids who have taken a term to cross stitch their initial lol!

On an aside, a local lady did little girl's pamper parties (hair and a bit of nail polish) for £100 - and gave up as she was so busy she never saw her own kids!!!

jexygirl

I don't have kids, so please "bear" (:D) that in mind! But, 18.75 seems cheap for the bear per child, if you are taking YOUR kids to get one.
Paying that much per child ( I have no idea how many kids average kids parties!) seems alot, when you also have to sort the food out (again, I haven't done a kids party for a very long time food wise so am guessing another 3 or 4 quid on top per head!)
I think its a good idea, but - and again don't shoot me for my lack of knowledge! - how much does it cost to have a "bowling party" inc food, per child, or a maccy Ds one these days? I understand you are running everything for the parents, apart from food, and keeping them occupied for the duration, and they get a bear ionstead of a "party bag" *shows her age!* and I also assume this is age group specific to a degree.
I would be really careful about the copyright issues even if your nearest build a bear is miles away - perhaps contact them and see about doing it "for them" as a party plan to avoid that.
If you want to go into party planning kids parties, why not do something more original along the same lines, in that they get something they made, rather than something that sounds alot like the build a bear shops - hearts, birth certs, clothes, etc. or something like the idea of the pamper party - GENIOUS!
The idea of running a party where the kids make everything then take what they made away, I think is great, but the build a bear might be a bit to close to an existing brand.
Not sure that helps lol!
Jex