The Party Experts are Here to Help!
If you are in the midst of party planning, then you have got here just in time!
Throwing a kids’ party can be challenging, as there are often a lot of different parts to juggle. So, I’ve pulled together some tips from the experts, to help you ensure your child’s celebration is a success, without you tearing out your hair. Whether it’s a pamper party, or an afternoon on the football pitch, these tips will help you plan the perfect party for your child.
Plan Ahead: For late August/earlySeptember babies, send out a save the date/heads up before they break for summer, so that parents can add it to their diaries! Then follow up with an ‘official’ invite a couple weeks before. (Ashleigh – Photo Party London).
Book Early: Don’t leave it to the week before and hope to get exactly what you want. Most of our bookings are made 6 weeks beforehand. So, book early to ensure you can get exactly what you want. Oh and relax – the party will be fine! (Rock It Inflatables)
Keep it Simple: My top tip would be to not underestimate the value of simple things like colouring in and games like musical statues and pass the parcel. Sometimes it’s easy to over complicate parties, but I’ve realised that children still really love these things just as much as we did when we were younger! (Tring Pamper Party).
Less is More: Don’t try to cram too many activities into a two-hour party. Plan for one or two activities and some food. Anything more will likely be ignored or wasted. (Holmes Chapel Waste-free Party Hire).
Bigger isn’t Always Better: Small parties are fine! Kids will have just as much fun with 10 friends as they do with 30. (Heather – Rainbow Tiger Face Painting).
Outside Parties: If you are hosting a party outside, a gazebo can be really useful to offer shade on a hot day and is also a drier spot for activities on drizzly days. If it looks like it is going to be a sunny day, ask parents to apply suncream before they drop the children off at the party. (Rachel – Buttercup Learning)
Cutting the Cake: It takes a lot longer than you think to cut the birthday cake! Blow the candles out early so that you have time to cut & wrap for the party bags. I’ve seen too many frantic parents trying to get it done before the kids leave. (Danielle, Red Beau).
Be Prepared: When having a party in a hall/venue, always have a back up plan for the music, just in case your speaker or the hall sound system does not work – there is nothing worse than a party with music played from a phone that’s not loud enough for people to hear (Dancing Dinocorns).
Get the Set-up Right: Following my Sleepovers, most parents tell me just how much the kids enjoyed just being inside the tent itself! So if you’ve looked at Sleepovers thinking they might be boring, I’d think again! My tip with Sleepovers is to always make sure the tents point to the TV so they can have a movie night inside their tents. (Sarah – Just Jim Jams)
Admin: Pay your balances before the party, it will give you one less thing to stress over. Especially when you’re already trying to coordinate the chaotic end of party cake cutting, party bag distribution, thanking guests etc. (Heather – Rainbow Tiger Face Painting).
Joint Parties: Are great way to share the workload and the costs and you can even get a joint birthday cake! (Adrienne – Oh Crumbs – Cake Couture)
Suppliers: Check with your entertainment services if they are compatible before you book multiple suppliers. For example, if you are going to book a bouncy castle, check that they allow kids to bounce if they have face paint on, before you book the face painter too!(Heather – Rainbow Tiger Face Painting).
Throwing a successful kids’ party requires some careful planning (which is why many parents understandably outsource it!). By keeping it simple, limiting options, planning ahead, choosing the right entertainer and venue, you can ensure that your child’s party is a memorable and enjoyable event for all. For more party planning tips, check out my blog posts Children’s Party Planning Checklist and Top Tips for Planning Children’s Parties.