According to recent research, a parent spends an average of £191 on their children’s birthday party. And whilst they can, occasionally, go without a hitch, more often than not they are full of hiccups and tantrums galore. And that’s just the parents.
For nearly £200 a pop, that’s a whole lot of stress! As the guys at Closer say “Children’s parties – fun in theory, an absolute bloody nightmare in practice’’ and we couldn’t agree more. That said, such events aren’t all doom and gloom, and with the proper planning and preparation, they can even – whisper it – be fun. With that in mind, here’s how to throw the best garden party for kids.
Have A Theme
The first step of planning any children’s birthday party is to choose a theme. Having a pre-arranged theme can pull an event together and allows you to create a backdrop against which you can choreograph the finer details. In many ways, rather than being restrictive, a themed party focuses the mind of both organiser and attendee, eliminating that dreaded ‘paradox of choice’ from the costume and culinary choices, equally.
Plan the theme around your kid’s latest interest, be it Dora the Explorer or Postman Pat. Alternatively, something broad and generic allows for a looser interpretation of the brief which can be liberating for all those parents out there who don’t have the time to pull a dedicated outfit together. Here are just a few ideas:
- Mad Hatters Tea Party
- Mini Olympics
- Teddy Bear’s Picnic
- Circus Extravaganza
- Pirates
- Jungle or Zoo
To really pull your theme, hire in some people and props to keep the kids entertained. Speaking of which…
Hire In Props & Enteraintment
Why not hire some people to provide the entertainment for you? Not only will it make your life so much easier, but it will definitely be popular with your pint-sized guests, too. In fact, according to the guys at Metroparent, doing so has become something of a status symbol. They say that “having party performers is practically the new pinata or pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey when it comes to the most brag-worthy birthday party attractions.”
The children’s entertainment industry for parties is huge and you can hire in a professional party entertainer to suit any niche interests, hobbies and tastes. As the Guardian reports, the business “providers of specialised themed parties for children aged three to 12 years is booming. Popular themes have included the circus, princesses; superheroes, pirates; zombies, and Mamma Mia, with a team of trained performers on hand to bring the party to life”.
Very Well Family suggest that “When hiring an entertainer for your child’s party — whether you have it in your home or another location, ask key questions like how long their performance is, how much space they need and if they will be in costume the whole time. (Some companies have their performers change costumes mid-party, which can be confusing for young children.)”.
You can even hire prop party packages in a range of exciting themes, from Circus Circus to Alice in Wonderland, with bouncy castle packages available to add that extra bit of excitement. Have all of the kids wear themed boys and girls’ fancy dress to suit the entertainment, and you’ll create an unforgettable experience.
Yes, these elements can be expensive, and may feel frivolous even, but they represent the magic dust you’ll be sprinkling over kids birthday party, so pull no punches here.
Let The Games Begin
Traditional party games never go out of fashion; from pass the parcel to musical chairs and our personal favourite, sleeping lions, they’re the bedrock of any great children’s party. Whilst you might put the majority of your focus into the snacks and refreshments, in the end, the quality of the games is what determines whether or not the party sinks or soars, stinks or roars. Some of the best games include:
- A treasure hunt
- Scavenger hunt
- Pin the Tail on the Donkey
- Simon Says
- Musical statues
- Duck, duck goose
- Egg & spoon race
This isn’t something you should simply freestyle. A child’s birthday party demands organised fun. That said you need to be flexible with your party plans, especially if the party is for pre-school kids. The folks over at Very Well Family say “Spontaneity is always fun, but for a preschool birthday, scheduling (with some wiggle room) is the way to go…try planning activities over a short time span — 10 to 15-minute intervals.”
Oh, and to avoid waterworks, make sure you have prizes for all the kids!
Invitation Info
This needs to include all the basic info and anything else that parents might want to know. The essentials are:
- The time and location of party
- Pick up times
- If the adult is also invited to stay
- The RSVP details and deadline
- The birthday party theme
- Parking suggestions near your home
- Asking if the invited child has any allergies
- If food will be provided
Remember that if the parents leave the kids with you – don’t panic! – make sure you have their contact number in case of an emergency. And if you haven’t received an RVSP, do bear in mind that parents are busy and sometimes invitations get lost in all the chaos of family life, so follow up with a friendly phone call if you don’t hear back – they’ll probably appreciate the reminder, too.
Invite The Adults Too
Inviting adults will make your life considerably easier, rather than having to keep an eye on a cabal of marauding little ones all on your own. Having other parents, friends and relatives to help guide activities and clean up the mess can reduce your stress levels several notches, so do remember to mention this on the invitation if you’re keen to share the load.
Co-hosting the party with another parent who has a child’s birthday coming up can lighten the load even further, particularly financially.
Finger Food & Cake
Chances are the kids will be too excited to eat, and so eager to play that they won’t be able to stay in one place long enough to have a ‘meal’. And that’s a good thing; at least they’re having loads of fun! But they will need to eat, so prepare easy, accessible finger food for everyone.
You can’t go wrong with pizza, cake, ice cream and sausage rolls, though not necessarily in that order. Basically, anything which can be held in one hand and isn’t too messy is perfect.
If you’re inviting adults, ask them to bring a dish to the party to share. That way, every child’s esoteric, fussy tastes will be taken care of!
Be Ready For Rain Or Sun
Last summer, we saw a heatwave with temperatures reaching highs of near 40degrees in some parts of the country. These sticky, sweltering temperatures certainly aren’t ideal for the little ones, so make sure you have lots of shade provided, which will also cover for any rain, too!
Consider hiring out a gazebo and arranging games that involve water; think paddling pools, water slides and activities that accommodate bursting balloons! Be sure to have plenty of sunscreen on hand, too. If it’s going to be too hot – or rainy – for the little ones, be flexible and have a backup date on the invitations planned.
Speaking of backup dates, every outdoor party needs a rain plan, too. Either have an alternative ‘rain date’ on the invitation, or consider moving to an alternate indoor location. Hey, we said this thing needed precision planning!