Detours

During COVID, I created something called “Bingo for Noise Haters.” Because when you’re trying to record content and the entire neighborhood is working on its honey-do list, sometimes you have to find a way to laugh. I’m Angie Norris, and this is Side Hustle GPS. Today, we’re stopping in Celebration Square to explore Party Activity Packs. When everyone was home during COVID, our street was full of activity. Lawn mowers. Power washers. Weed eaters. Motorcycles. Golf carts. Loud radios. Kids playing. Babies crying. My own children having fun. And me, trying to record videos. So I turned those everyday sounds into a bingo card. I sent cards to friends through email, Dropbox, or text, and we played to see who would get bingo. A frustrating situation became something we could laugh about together. That’s what a good activity can do. It gives people a reason to participate and connect. And it can be personal, too. When my best friend’s mom passed away, her family asked for puzzle books to hand out at the memorial. We created a ten-page word-search book filled with her favorite things. One puzzle featured family names. Others focused on favorite desserts, Christmas, and the birds she enjoyed in her backyard. Every page reflected something about her. We used AI to help create a cartoon-style cover of her smiling and holding a word-search book, then bound the pages together. The family loved them. People kept asking, “How did you do that?” It was an activity, but it was also a way to remember someone they loved. For my daughter’s fourteenth birthday, we did something different. I bought albums with black pages, provided metallic markers, and made custom stickers. Her friends decorated the pages and signed each other’s books. They had something fun to do during the party—and a keepsake to take home. I’ve also organized activities professionally. At a technology company where I worked, I helped run team-building events. One of my favorites was a photo scavenger hunt. We split into groups, went around town taking pictures from a list, and came back to share them. We laughed and laughed. There were prizes, and everyone had stories to tell. Those experiences are why I see so much opportunity in this side hustle. You can create bingo, trivia, scavenger hunts, icebreakers, puzzle books, or craft activity kits. For families. Birthday parties. Reunions. Company events. AI can help brainstorm themes, draft clues, and develop questions around the people attending. Then you make the activity work. Check trivia answers. Solve the puzzles. Test the instructions. Make sure the activity fits the group, the setting, and the time available. The host should be able to open your pack and understand what to do. Your first money move? Choose one audience and create a small activity pack. Include the activity, clear instructions, a supply list, and answer sheets where needed. Try it with a few people, improve anything confusing, and photograph the finished materials. Then offer it as a printable download, a customized digital package, or a physical kit you prepare. Start with one activity people genuinely enjoy. So, what shared experience could you turn into a game, a puzzle, or a reason to laugh together? Explore Party Activity Packs in Celebration Square at SideHustleGPS.com. Fun is a serious ingredient. And when you give people a way to join in, you help them build memories.