When it comes to children's birthday parties, parents want to provide their kids with the best birthday possible. This involves designing and hosting a party that everyone enjoys, from the games to the cake. One way to make sure that your child really has a blast is to create a custom mascot just for the party.

Why Go Custom?

There are always the old standby's provided by party companies, Mickey Mouse, Woody, etc. but the truth is .. . these are old news and kids love new and original. Imagine taking a drawing or sculpture of your child's imaginary creature and then having it come to life, to entertain at the party? Or perhaps a favorite character from a bedtime story that you've told many times.
Whether you opt for something more obvious from a book or movie or go with a mascot that is completely imagined, having something so unique is sure to thrill your little ones and their friends. The memories will last a lifetime.

Another great use for these characters is a party business. If you have a business that provides party planning for children, then having your very own custom mascots could be very handy and provide a unique experience that can't be found anywhere else.

Designing Your Mascot

Most people aren't able to spend the time necessary to create their own life-size character, but that doesn't mean you can't design it and have someone else do the hard work. All you need are some ideas and the ability to describe what you have in mind. It isn't even necessary to be able to draw what you want, although this certainly speeds the entire process up.

Writing down what your character should look like will help greatly when dealing with the artist. Here are a few things to consider:

• Type. Do you want a person, animal, alien?

• Colors. What color should the hair be? The skin?

• Clothing. Will your mascot wear an outfit? If so, describe what it looks like.

• Hair. Do you want your character to have hair and if so, what type?

• Eyes. Look for a cartoon character to compare the eyes with, as this will be easier for the artist to work with.

• Size. Are you looking for a simple suit that anyone can wear or do you want something oversized?

• Material. If there is a specific type of material (fur, plush, hard plastic, etc.) that you want used, then make a note of this.

The next step, once you have the idea in your head and the specifics written down, is to find someone to execute the design. This can take quite a bit of time, so if you are aiming for a specific party date, be sure to plan ahead and work on the design far ahead of time. Talk to the designer about how long it will take to actually create the design. Depending on the number of orders that they have, this could be months, from the concept drawing to completion.

Custom mascots are always a huge hit at children's parties and they can be used over and over again. Most are built sturdily enough to last long after your kids have outgrown them, but there are plenty of other uses for them, too. Why not try taking yours to a fair or turn use it to help draw customers at the next soccer fundraiser? They aren't just for birthday parties, though this is definitely a great use of a fun idea.