Build a birthday shop
Here are our top tips on creating a great children's party. Start planning 4-5 weeks prior to the birthday party. This allows for time for on-line shopping and browsing, and for the cake order to arrive.
When you're planning your party, there are several things you
have to think about first.
1) Birthday Party Theme
Has your child got a favourite toy, activity or colour?
Sometimes the theme is the easiest thing to decide, but other
times it may take a little thought. Either way the rest of the
party is much easier to plan once you have a theme to work to.
Some of the best parties I have seen are the less common themes
that inspire your creativity.
2) Birthday Party Budget
Do you have a budget to work to? The biggest factors affecting
the budget are the number of guests you are inviting and what
activities you plan.
3) Number of Party Guests
Often I get asked how many children should be invited to your child’s party. This differs for each child and family, as some families include both family and friends, whereas others may have separate parties for each. It’s often difficult to decide who should or should not be invited. Where do you draw the line? Our recommendation is that you make a rule and stick to it. One suggestion is to take the child’s age, then add one (or two), to determine the number invited (up to age 8). Alternately, make the decision that only children who have had a play date with your child in the last six months can be invited. (It’s surprising the number of children that “come out of the woodwork” at party invitation time.
Ultimately you will know what works best for your child,
family and budget. Don’t forget to consider the size
of the group and how you will be entertaining them. Do you want a
more relaxed party with less guests or are happy entertaining a
large group of children?
4) Birthday Party Date and Time
The best party times are 1 to 3pm or 2 to 4pm, as you
won’t need to serve a meal. For the littlies, 10 to 11.30am
works well around nap time.
5) Get Help!
Friends and family can help the smooth running of the party.
You could even offer a few dollars to a local teenager to assist
on the day or contact us as we are happy to help.
6) Party Activities and Games
Children remember what they did at the party. It's always a good idea to align your activities with the theme of the party. For my daughter’s Penguin Party, we went to the local swimming pool, followed by themed food, including an ice cream cake with Penguin lollies. Try setting up your party in activity stations to lead the children in the direction of the party focus. The stations need not be fancy or expensive. The birthday child can pick what they want to do: blocks at one station, a dollhouse at another, playdough at another. You should not need more than four stations. (Suggestions are included in ALL of our Party themes) Make sure you prepare ALL of the activities and games before the party begins. This will mean you can focus on the kids!
For a stress-free fun party, hire a Party
in a Box with party plan, games and activities ready to
go.
