The Magic of the Sorting Ceremony — Live at Your Event

Step right this way, witches, wizards, and the occasional confused Muggle…

Picture the scene: a hall full of excited faces, a mysterious stool at the front of the stage, and the unmistakable presence of Professor McGonagall herself presiding over a most important Hogwarts tradition — the Sorting Ceremony.

During my live Hogwarts Sorting Ceremony shows, children (and occasionally brave or unsuspecting adults) are called to the stage one by one to sit upon the famous Sorting Stool. The room goes quiet. The audience leans forward. The hat is lowered…

And then something rather extraordinary happens.

The Sorting Hat begins to speak.

But here’s the delicious secret: the participants have no idea that the Sorting Hat already knows a little something about them. Somehow it knows their favourite songs and hobbies, their quirks, their hidden talents, and sometimes even their mischievous tendencies. The audience watches in delight as the hat reveals these magical “insights,” leaving the participant wondering if they’ve just been truly read by an enchanted artefact from Hogwarts.

The result? Gasps. Laughter. Wide-eyed amazement. And the occasional adult looking slightly concerned about how much the hat really knows.

The show is designed to feel like stepping straight into the Great Hall itself — full of wonder, humour, and just a touch of theatrical magic. It’s interactive, fast-paced, and wonderfully unpredictable, because no two witches or wizards are ever quite the same.

Our Hogwarts Sorting Ceremony shows are perfect for:

Private events – birthdays, celebrations, and magical gatherings where guests want something unforgettable.
Schools – an engaging, imaginative experience that gets everyone involved (and yes, teachers must be sorted too…).
Comic conventions & fandom events – where devoted witches and wizards can finally discover where the Sorting Hat believes they belong.

Whether the hat declares “GRYFFINDOR!”, “RAVENCLAW!”, “HUFFLEPUFF!”, or “SLYTHERIN!”, every participant leaves the stage feeling like they’ve just had their own moment at Hogwarts.

So if you’re planning an event and fancy adding a touch of theatrical wizardry, a dash of mystery, and a whole lot of laughter, perhaps it’s time to host your very own Hogwarts Sorting Ceremony.

Egg-citing times ahead!

An Eggs-tra Special Easter Visit (With a bouncy Bunny that’s full of fun!)

This Easter, we’re bringing a little extra sparkle to your celebrations…

Because the Easter Bunny is coming to town. 🐰✨

Not the wave-from-a-distance kind — the knock-on-your-door, giggling-on-your-doorstep, “did-that-really-just-happen?” kind.

Each visit lasts around 20–30 minutes and begins with Springtime Susie arriving in a flap… The Easter Bunny is out delivering eggs… but oh dear… he’s gone missing! Can your family help find him?

What follows is a joyful mix of silliness, songs, stories, surprises, and of course plenty of chocolatey treasures. Once the Bunny is found, there are Easter eggs to deliver and often a little hunt to complete too.

It’s gentle, playful, and completely personal — designed to feel like the Bunny has popped by just for you. And honestly, that’s our favourite part.

Seeing children’s faces when they open the door. The disbelief. The whispers.
The “HOW did they know my name?!”

Those little moments of wonder never get old.

Here are just a few things families have said:

“I can't thank you enough for the visit — you were fantastic! Izzy was totally amazed. You made her day.”

“You really put a smile on Billy’s face — thank you so much.”

“What a fantastic visit! We loved how personalised it was.”

“The kids absolutely loved it. Please can we book again next year?”

Because just like our Santa visits, these moments aren’t about big productions — they’re about small, magical memories that children talk about for years.

Our Santa visits tend to book up quickly, and Easter is starting to do the same — so if you’d love a doorstep visit this spring, it’s worth getting in touch soon.

We promise it’ll be egg-citing, egg-ceptional and just a little bit egg-straordinary. 🐣✨

The Perfect Party Is the One Made Just for Them ⭐

There’s something really special about being trusted with a child’s birthday.

It’s not just about balloons and cake — it’s a family celebration. Celebrating a whole year of growing up, changing, discovering new passions. So, when families ask us to create something completely bespoke, it always feels like a privilege.

Recently, we planned a party for Phoenix.

I’ve known him since he was teeny tiny, so getting to be part of his tenth birthday felt extra lovely. Over the years I’ve watched his personality shine brighter and brighter — and in recent years the thing he’s loved the most is TV game shows.

Not just a casual interest mind this is a passion!

The buzzers, the music, the hosts, the catchphrases… all of it.

Told you our Shane was an absolute technical wizard!!! How good does this look?

So, what better theme for his birthday party than to give him his own gameshow to host! Shane, our technical wizard, designed a completely interactive version of all his favourite gameshows to put up on the big screen so that Phoenix and his friends could take part together, cheer each other on and feel right in the middle of the action. It was loud, chaotic and full of laughter.

And the best part was seeing Phoenix absolutely in his element — front and centre, running the show.

Anyone can plan a ready-made theme. But when you really listen to a child and build a celebration around who they are, something different happens. It feels more personal. More joyful. More them.

Those are the parties we love creating most.

If you’ve got a child with a big idea or an unusual theme in mind, we’d love to help you bring it to life.

Because Susie Sparkles, so you can create magical memories.

Freebie Friday in the Zoom of Requirement

We’ve absolutely loved giving the Home Ed community a little taste of what we offer inside The Zoom of Requirement — where education meets imagination!

Our last two Freebie Friday sessions were both K-Pop Demon Hunter themed (of course they were!), and when it came to choosing what to explore next… we simply couldn’t decide. So, we asked you to choose our next adventure!

Here were your options:

  • Choice One – Lord of the Rings Quest

  • Choice Two – The Famous Five on Kirrin Island

  • Choice Three – The Nevermore Mystery

  • Choice Four – Game Show Paradise

And the winner was…

✨ An adventure in Middle-earth! ✨

Hobbits, Dwarves, Elves, and Wizards are all welcome!
This quest will follow the journey from The Fellowship of the Ring — so no worries if you haven’t finished the trilogy (no spoilers ahead!). And if you’re completely new to Middle-earth, don’t worry at all. Every adventurer brings their own unique strengths to the fellowship. Prepare to tackle puzzles and challenges that will put your knowledge and problem-solving skills to the test!

If you’d like to join us, just send me an email so I can send over the Zoom link on Tuesday, ready for our quest on Friday 28th November at 10:30AM.

We can’t wait to see you inside The Zoom of Requirement for another unforgettable adventure!

100 Sleeps until Christmas!

Hello!!
We hope this news brings joy, not stress,
And leaves you glowing — nothing less!
If you’re counting down, then here’s the score…
Just 100 sleeps ‘til Christmas — no more!

Your family's right at the top of the Nice List,​ 

A visit from Santa? Too good to resist!

We begin our rounds on December 6th,
And 13th & 14th are full of St. Nick’s tricks!

To keep the magic strong and bright,
We’ll be visiting again before Christmas night —
From December 20th to 23rd, hooray!
To help you feel the festive way.

Let us know which dates are best,
And we’ll take care of all the rest!
We sing, we dance, we bring gifts too —
And Santa’s book? Knows all about YOU!

And if this sounds too good to be true why not read our magical Reviews:

"Their outfits are so authentic, with every tiny detail! The Nice List book is real — and the way they know each child? Magical!"
"Best Santa experience ever! Sparkles the Elf even sings AND plays an instrument — pure magic!"
"Billy said, 'It must be Santa — he knew things no one else would!' Thank you for making it so special."
"You’re so inclusive, warm, and magical. Lennie adores you!"
"You brought the magic back — my oldest believes again!"
"The ACTUAL Father Christmas” 

“Thank you so much for the Santa visit it was amazing ! Everyone loved it so much and was beyond any of our expectation… was just perfect! See you next Xmas for sure ! X”

“ All the adults said it was far superior to the Santa days out we have done in recent years. Have a wonderful Christmas xx”

All of this holiday joy comes at just £40 per visit
And for memories like these, you just can’t miss it!

So send us the dates that suit you best,
And your postcode, so we can handle the rest!
We’re counting down to the big festive day,
And can’t wait to bring Christmas magic your way!

With jingles, joy, and festive cheer,
Sparkles the Elf & Santa Claus are near!

Hogwarts for Home Educators

Join us in The Zoom of Requirement where education meets imagination

With a holistic approach to education our primary aim is to engage your child’s imagination through creative play and transfigure muggle teaching topics into magical classes.

Our lessons are informative, magical, and entertaining, complete with accompanying information books and optional post-lesson challenges that allow children to truly immerse themselves in this enchanting world.

Although all our current classes are fully booked, please get in touch to enquire about availability for our next intake, running on Monday afternoons from 1–2pm, starting 5 January 2026.

Each student will receive their very own Hogwarts acceptance letter before the course begins, inviting them to join the adventure! And don’t worry if you can’t make a class—we’ll send you a full recording to enjoy whenever suits you.

The cost of the course is £84, with a sibling discount available. It is ideal for children aged 8–12, though exceptions can be made.

So, gather your robes and wands and prepare for an educational experience like no other!

If Hogwarts isn’t your thing, you’re welcome to join us on Fridays for our free themed sessions, which take place anywhere from Middle-earth to a galaxy far, far away. For more information about these adventures—and to get a behind-the-scenes look at the Zoom of Requirement—follow us on Facebook by clicking HERE!

“Can I just say how utterly glorious it is to have some feedback for and to Gracie-Mae that is positive and encouraging… what a difference from the little girl who first turned up hidden under a huge hat and glasses and cloak and barely visible, certainly not audible.  There are no words except to say such a big thank you. You two are amazing. With gratitude and admiration”

“Thank you so much for another wonderful lesson! Your lessons are all Noah talks about! He loves them so much and we just live in a countdown to the next one! Thank you!”

“The Home education lady that comes to assess him has said how much of a difference it's made. He wouldn't go near a video call etc and he doesn't usually talk to people. He loves been on with you guys though. Thank you so much for being so amazing”

“Thank you for what you do, as I don't truly think you know how invaluable it is, and how fabulous to see someone who doesn't connect with stuff well, connecting and looking forward to things. It proves 100% its the approach :)”

“Think you know how much Tabitha has LOVED the classes, she doesn't want it to end. Thank you so much, for an amazing experience, it really has been fabulous... The children are so lucky to have experienced Hogwarts with you. Even if in 5 years time you ran more classes I think Tabitha would be ready to sign up!”

“Thank you for everything. You both have been amazing and we have both loved The Zoom Of Requirement. It has really helped her blossom with confidence. You both have been a vital step to her achieving her wish of attending school again. Thank you. Xx”

“They really do get transported to Hogwarts on a Monday!”

“Can’t recommend highly enough. So creative and so much fun!”

“Jacob has loved his time in the Zoom of requirement. He has asked if he can do some more sessions if you have any other classes he can join? Thank you for your amazing classes, they have all been great”

FAQ’s

Is it all on zoom? And will they be expected to keep their cameras on?

Yes, the Zoom of requirement sessions are all on zoom. The children usually keep their cameras on and unmute when they want to contribute. Some of our students, however, prefer to be off camera and muted for the sessions and once we've been able to get to know them a little we have no problem with them doing whatever makes them most comfortable. Many choose to still contribute through the chat function which is fab.

We do not however allow our students to be off camera without having met them first for safeguarding reasons. A solo session can be arranged before the start of term, for no extra charge, if this would be helpful.

How many children are there in each class?

Each new class starts with 15 children

What subjects do you cover in the sessions?

We cover a wide variety of subjects. Each lesson is different and taught by a different member of the Hogwarts staff. For example, Professor Sprout, after showing the class how to re-pot their mandrakes, gives the class a presentation about magical muggle plants with the help of her talking plant Jeffrey. Charms class is a drama class encouraging imaginative play and, since so many of Rowling's magical words are based in Latin, the class is also a fascinating exploration into etymology. Dragons with Hagrid is also a geography class. Our defence against the dark arts teacher is a vampire who gives a presentation about blood. Astronomy obviously looks at planets and constellations. Arithmancy looks at wand angles, and the golden spiral amongst other topics. Safe to say the classes are a strong mix of magical entertainment and real world teaching topics.

How much would it cost for both my children?

A single child is £84 and you can add a sibling for £60. So you would pay £144 for both for the term.

Is there homework?

There is always a student presentation in the next lesson following each subject featuring anything the children produced and sent to us during the week, but the children decide on how they are involved or even if they are involved. Many choose never to be involved. But it's very much on their terms. One of our wizards often sends us a video of him singing about his classes. Others prefer to craft and make art work about the topic or even use minecraft, one of our witches loves any excuse to make a stop motion video and she is getting really good at it! There is no obligation to produce written work and we like to think we create a safe environment for the children to express themselves however they want to without fear.

How long does the course last?

We have new material to cover 2 years should your witches and wizards wish to stay with us for that long. This is split into four 12 week terms that run January to March and September to November. There are also two 6 weeks courses that run April to May. Your commitment will only be to one term at a time as after each term you will be given the chance to sign up to continue. And there is also the opportunity to change the date and time of your session should your original time not be working for you.

Halloween Hijinks

Some of our Halloween Hosts!

The jack-o'-lanterns are burning, glowing in the night

And here at Magic and Mischief we love to give you a fright!

We sure love Halloween, it's one of our favourite times of year

Don't believe us? Meet our party hosts! We promise there's nothing to fear

 

Witches, vampires, even zombie game show hosts

Dave of the Dead will throw parties for all your little ghosts

Our friends Trick and Treat are quite the mischievous pair

And Jack Pumpkinhead will certainly give your party spooky flair!

 

And don’t forget things are never a bore

At the spooky school of Nevermore

 

So never fear it’s not too late

to give your Halloween parties an extra scare

Give Susie Sparkles and friends a call

We only scare because we care!

Santa Claus is coming to town!

With the end of Summer drawing near

Our attention has turned to Christmas cheer!

Your family are top of Santa’s nice list again

And we hope you’d like a visit from your bearded friend

On the 17th and 18th of December we’ll start our tour

And on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd we’ll do visits galore!

Let us know what dates are good for you

And we’ll let you know what we can do!

We sing and dance and bring presents too

And Santa’s book knows all about you!

If you don’t know how good our home visits are

Then allow us to quote some of our reviews so far!

I love their authentic outfits and attention to detail. He has a proper Santa’s book with the nice list in it. They swot up on each child and honestly the kids faces is so magical - I’m still buzzing from it xx they make every single visit so personalised - I love it xx

That visit was amazing!! So many little details - made it magical xx the best Santa experience ever!! Who else has a Sparkles Elf that can hold a tune & play an instrument xx kids have no clue who either of you are still!! After all these parties!! This is why I swear by you guys - only the best for my little munchkins xx

Thank you so much for today, you really put a smile on Billy’s face, he said it must be Santa because he knows things about me, that no one else would know, much love and a massive thank you xxx

You guys are amazing! You are so inclusive, engaging and all round wonderful people. Lennie loves you

You spread so much magic! Well done and thanks again. made my oldest believe again

Big thank u again this has been the first year kira has been excited for santa and not screamed when she's seen him the fact she said bye Santa as u left melted me. Even asked for more santa after you’d gone

Wow! The ACTUAL Father Christmas and an elf!

Sounds amazing I think you’ll agree

And all that magic for a £30 fee!

So tell us the dates you like and give us your postcode too

And we’ll start planning how to bring a merry Christmas to you!

 

Looking forward to seeing you! Best wishes

Sparkles the Elf and Santa Claus

Enchanted by Encanto!

Here at Sparkles towers we are huge fans of all our themes. Whether it’s Disney, Marvel heroes, Harry Potter or Paw Patrol you’d be hard pressed to find entertainers who are as knowledgeable and passionate about the theme as we are but I’ve got to admit one theme has me more excited than others at the moment. ENCANTO!!!

I love it!! The songs are all fabulous, I know, I know the song we don’t talk about gets stuck in your head but Lin Manuel Miranda, who also wrote the gorgeous songs for Moana, has absolute nailed each song in the film. Or is that just the singer in me? They really are bonkers fun to sing! Surface pressure especially, you can’t help but get completely carried away with it! And we do! Every Encanto party we have has to have at least one sing-a-long!

Tunesday Encanto Zoom Sing-a-long!

We were also really excited about putting together the costumes! All those bright colours and patterns! and who doesn’t love a swishy swirly skirt with bloomers underneath!!! And our birthday boys and girls are loving the costumes too!!

But for me the best thing about performing at an Encanto themed party is being Mirabel! She is warm and funny and has such a positive vibe that you get completely caught up in her party mood! Let’s go!!! I for one hope we never stop talking about Bruno and his family! And the fiestas keep on coming!

3 Facts You May not Know About Encanto!!!

1) Clothes Make the Character

If you look closely, you’ll notice that the wardrobe of each character displays the magical gift they possess. The barbells on Luisa’s skirt are representative of her strength. Pepa, whose mood affects the weather, wears sunshine earrings. Isabella, who can make plants and flowers grow, wears a dress covered with bright blossoms. And those are just a few examples. The only exception is Mirabel, who was not granted a gift. Looking at her clothing, you’ll notice that it contains images representative of each member of her family, a fitting detail given that she is the one the family’s future depends upon.

Despite not being magical (because he married into the family) Agustin, Mirabel’s father, also has symbols hidden in his attire: a flower on his vest for Isabella, a sock with weights on it for Luisa, and another sock featuring embroidery like that on Mirabel’s dress.

2) Bruno was supposed to be Oscar!

It turns out, there was a time when no one would have talked about Bruno. The reclusive member of the Madrigal clan was initially known as Oscar. According to director Jared Bush, the team encountered a ‘legal snag’ after discovering several real people in Columbia named Oscar Madrigal, which forced them to make the change.

3) ‘Surface Pressure’ was a Highly Personal Song for Miranda

Composer Lin Manuel Miranda states that the song ‘Surface Pressure’ was inspired by his older sister Luz.

Speaking with the Washington Post, he stated, “She takes on way more responsibility than I do — I was very aware that I was the baby brother who got away with everything — so Surface Pressure is very much a love letter to my sister.” 

Eggstra! Eggstra! Read all about it!

This Easter we’ll be bringing an eggs-tra special sparkle to your Easter celebrations with personal visits from the Eater Bunny!

Your visit will be about 20-30 minutes and will start with Springtime Susie knocking on your door and asking for help. The Easter Bunny is out delivering eggs but she’s lost him! Once he’s been found you can expect silliness, a springtime sing song with Susie and of course Easter eggs and egg hunts!!

“I can't thank you enough for the visit - you were fantastic! Izzy was totally amazed by it all. You have made her day”

Thank you so much for today, you really put a smile on Billy’s face, he said it must be Santa because he knows things about me, that no one else would know, much love and a massive thank you xxx

What a fantastic visit from santa and sparkles the elf!!! Love how personalised it is and the detail that goes into each visit!!! And Caelyn said he can't believe santa knew everything!!!

You are absolutely fantastic. Thankyou very much Susie the kids absolutely loved the visit. Please may we book again for next year?

Thanks to the popularity of our Santa visits most of our slots are fully booked for Easter Weekend but there are still a few slots left so get in touch!

We promise it will be egg-citing, egg-ceptional and egg-straordinary!