01 June 24 - Top tips for planning a child's birthday party

Planning a child’s birthday party can be hard work, I sometimes speak to parents who say they will never do it again. Have you done that?

However, it can be straight forward and simple! There are many effortless ways that you can make it easier for yourself beforehand and on the day. This will save you a lot of stress, give your child and their guests a fabulous time and even save maxing out your credit card.

Take a look at our top party tips and start planning an amazing kids party!

Planning before the day

• Outsource the entertainment. Keeping a group of children entertained takes a bit of work. Party games are great but they take a lot of organising. You also need to provide equipment such as music, prizes and props. Crafts are also great but can be messy and leave you tidying up for hours afterwards. Why not hire a bouncy castle to keep the children entertained? You can do 1 or 2 games alongside, but you won't need to be responsible for running games for 2 hours.
• Set a realistic budget. Gone are the days of the £30 party (if they ever existed). There are areas that you can save money (see below) but make sure you include the costs of the venue, entertainment, food, cake, decorations and party bags. We find a budget of £200-£250 is a good starting point.
• Give your child a couple of party options. It is their party so ensure that they are on-board with what you arrange. It is a good idea to give them a couple of choices so you can control the budget and the activities. Don't give them a free reign of the whole party, or they will be disappointed when you say you can't take the whole class to Disneyland to celebrate!

On the day

• Get help from friends and family. Don't be afraid to ask for help. If there are other parents staying at the party ask them to help bring the food out, clear the table or make a drink for the adults. They will be happy to be given a simple job.
• Don’t use paint or glue on a craft table. If your child likes crafting, this can be a great activity. However paint and glue can be very messy. Why not use colouring pencils, stickers and glue dots instead? Our friends at 'Red Beau' have some great crafting kits that are eco-friendly and won't create a mess.
• Have a plan with timings for the party. There is a lot to fit in and you don't want to run out of time. Ensure you plan when you will serve the birthday tea, sing happy birthday, cut and serve the cake, run any party games, and give out the party bags. Make sure your guests have time just to play too. A 2-hour party can go very quickly.
• Plan activities, but be flexible. Some activities will take longer than you think, or they can go a lot faster. Have a game or activity ready in case your guests are ready for a change. Here are a few party games that can help to fill a gap.
• Open gifts after the party. A party is busy and you don't want any gifts to get mixed up in the rubbish. It is nice for your child to open them at home and have the time to appreciate each gift.

Venue

• Hire a venue. Having a party at home can create a lot of extra work. If you hire a venue you don't need to worry about redesigning your house to fit the party inside and dealing with the huge clean-up operation afterwards.
• Make sure you have the right space, that works for your party. When hiring a venue think about the activities you are planning and the number of people. A party in a room at your local pub might seem a nice idea, but if you are wanting a bouncy castle, where will it go? Also, are the kitchen facilities suitable for what you need? Is there parking and enough of it? Are there a lot of steps that would cause problems for pushchairs? If you would like help deciding on the best venue for your party, take a look at our Venues guide. We have provided items at 100's of venues across South Cumbria, North Lancashire and the Lake District.
• Book your venue early. The best venues get booked early. Make booking the venue and the entertainment your first priority.

Party at Home

• If the party is at home, remove any breakables. If your favourite vase gets broken the party will be ruined.
• Set boundaries. If you don't want the party guests going in your bedroom or playing with the new puppies make sure your child knows before the party and let the guests know where they can and can't go when they arrive. Setting up some activities in the areas they are allowed to play is very useful.
• For a party at home put any toys that your child won’t share out of the way. This is the easiest way to save any arguments.

Party Décor

• Don’t use confetti balloons. They look beautiful but when they burst the confetti gets everywhere and is impossible to sweep up. If it gets wet the confetti can also stain any fabrics it gets stuck to.
• Don’t fill party bags with plastic tat. These items will last a few minutes before breaking. Why not send the children home with a craft activity, a pack of seeds or a book? This doesn't need to cost any more than sourcing plastic yo-yo's, bouncy balls and mini bubbles but will provide lots more fun.
• Colourful, unthemed decorations can be reused. Some bright pom-poms can be used for boys and girls parties and so can some colourful banners. Decorations that match the theme of the party might be redundant the following year when their favourite character has changed and the old one is 'babyish' so invest in a few generic ones. See the cost-saving tips below for some more ideas.
• Invest in some personalised fabric bunting. A fabric garland featuring the birthday boy or girls name will be a great feature for a party. It can be used every year, will provide something personal to the festivities and will become a special family tradition.

When to have the party

• Choose the day and time that works best for your family life. Do your little ones still have a nap, does Dad want to watch the football in the afternoon or is Grandma only able to bring her gift around in the morning? If you hold the party on a Saturday, you have Sunday to recover. If you hold it on Sunday, you will have Saturday to prepare.
• Two hours for a party is long enough. It can be tempting to plan a longer party to give the children longer to play and you to catch up with your guest's parents and friends. Children get tired through all of the excitement, and when they are tired they can get grumpy and fall out. Any time after 2 hours can be a downhill struggle.
• Avoid special days like Mother’s Day or Easter weekend. These are often family days and some of your guests will be unable to attend. The summer holidays can also prove difficult due to family holidays, but you could hold your party before the schools break up, or when they start back.
• Make it clear if siblings are invited. Knowing the numbers is important so you can ensure you have enough food, seats and party bags. If you are able to accommodate siblings (or not) let your guest's parents know. Some families might not have somewhere for the other siblings to go and will need to bring them to the party or your guests might not be able to attend.

Invitations

• Don’t feel you have to invite everyone. More guests are more work, and if your child doesn't get along with some of the children in their class they won't enjoy the party as much. Also if your child has been invited to a party you don't have to return the invite.
• Let your child help with the guest list. They know who they play with and who their best friends are. They might have a friend in a different class or someone at one of their after school activities they would like to invite that you haven't thought of.
• Don’t forget to send invitations, not just a text or What’s App message. Paper invitations are still needed. They can be stuck on the fridge as a reminder of the date and time. I have attended a few parties where guests have turned up early, late or even on the wrong day and a visual reminder helps to prevent this.
• Chase RSVP’s. You need to know who is coming for the catering, entertainment and party bags. Don't be afraid to chase people for a reply.
• Include the end time of the party if parents aren't staying. Most parties are 2 hours, but if your party has a different duration ensure this is clear. You don't want your guests collected too early, or too late.

Catering

• Employ a professional to make the cake. Baking it yourself always sounds like a good idea but it is a lot of work and can work out more expensive by the time you have brought the cake tins, ingredients, icing and decorations. A professional can create something amazing and all you need to do is make a phone call. If you need a recommendation for a supplier contact us.
• Keep the food simple. Pinterest will give you lots of inspiration for elaborate party food. One of these food creations might make an amazing centrepiece to the birthday tea table, but don't try and do them all.
• Ensure there are plenty of soft drinks. Your guests will be running about and getting hot. Have a few soft drink options available for them to grab.
• Cater for any parents that will stay. A cup of tea and a bit of cake will be appreciated (especially if you are asking other parents to help with the party). You can also offer them some of the birthday tea or even a glass of wine or beer depending on the venue and the time of the party. This will be appreciated but anything beyond a brew is a treat and not essential.
• Check for Allergies. There are many gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options available in all supermarkets now. If you know you need to adapt a food choice for a child, their parents will be happy to point you in the right direction if you are not sure.
• Drink cartons are less likely to spill than cups. Saves clearing up spills on the floor or across the tea table.
• Use recyclable paper plates. No one wants a pile of washing up at the end of the party and some recyclable paper plates will really help. A few reusable party platters are a great investment. These will need washing but can be used at every party and are a great way for transporting and displaying the food.
• Ditch the sandwiches. They are a hassle to make and kids don’t eat them. Why not have cocktail sausages, pizza and crisps? Choose foods that the children will want to eat, and that doesn't take you all day to make.
• Don’t try and feed the kids just fruit and veg. All they want is junk food to keep them going. Accept it will be an unhealthy meal.

Cost Saving

• Have a joint party. If there is a friend with a birthday a few weeks apart why not join forces? You can split the work and the cost and the kids will have a fabulous time.
• Helium is expensive, so avoid these balloons. Children love to run through normal balloons scattered on the floor, and these are a lot cheaper than helium balloons that won't be played with.
• Plan the party away from a mealtime. If you have a party that runs over 12 noon, you will need to provide lunch. A party in the afternoon from 2-4 pm would just need some snacks.
• You don’t need prizes for every game. Choose a few games that can just be played for fun such as Simon Says or Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
• Ditch pass the parcel. This is a cost that you don't need to incur. There is the gift in the centre which needs to be worth winning, a variety of wrapping paper, and a small prize to put between each layer. Also, this game can be very stressful to run, and I often see a child crying as they have had to wait for their turn, or haven't won the main prize.
• Keep the decorations simple. A few unthemed colourful decorations placed at the main points in the venue can have a great effect and not break the budget.

I hope that these tips have helped you to plan an amazing party. If you need any more help finding a venue, deciding what the best entertainment options are for your child or putting together a budget don't hesitate to get in touch.

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