Birthday parties are supposed to be fun, but if you’re the parent planning them, they can be stressful and time-consuming. Here are some tips to make sure that your kids’ birthday parties run smoothly and you all have the time of your life!
Ask Your Child What They Want
Every child is different and although many of them love to have all the attention and focus on them, some are still developing their social butterfly wings and might be anxious about inviting too many people. Talk to your child and ask them what exactly they want – maybe they might want a children’s entertainer to take the focus off them, or they’d rather not invite too many guests. Remember, it’s all about what makes them happy!
How To Do Food
On your party invites, make sure to ask parents to let you know if their kids have any dietary requirements. Then you can start planning. Maybe your venue provides buffet lunches or hot meals like burgers and fries, but if not, you can make your own lunch spread. Keep it simple – sandwiches, mini hotdogs and pizza slices work well, along with bowls of potato chips and snacks like cheese straws and baby tomatoes. Provide juice boxes to prevent any spillages from overturned cups, and don’t provide any snacks with nuts, like peanut butter sandwiches, just in case of allergies. If you’re a good baker, you could even make your own birthday cake!
What Entertainment To Provide
Unless you’re a party entertainer yourself, it’s usually a good idea to sit back and let a professional show you how it’s done. Elsa and Anna impersonators usually go down a storm with Frozen fans – the resulting Let It Go singalongs might give you a headache but the kids will have a great time! If you’d rather branch out and do the games yourself, traditional activities like pass the parcel, scavenger hunts and musical chairs always go down well. Make sure you’re fair to all the kids and give them all a chance to win. Your birthday boy or girl will be getting plenty of gifts – they don’t need to win all the party games too!
Let Your Kids Have Their Own Fun
A lot of the parties we remember most fondly from our own childhoods are the ones where we were allowed to let loose, run wild and entertain ourselves. If you want to splash out, rent some amusement rides from Mad Cow Entertainment. You can also hire a bouncy castle, fairy floss and popcorn machines to turn your venue into a fairground for the day and create an unforgettable birthday for your son or daughter. Make sure you keep an eye on them when they’re bouncing – and maybe wait until after they’re done on the rides to serve lunch!
Wait Until You Get Home To Open The Gifts
It’s tempting for your child to tear into them straight away, but everyone will be happier if you take them home and open them there. It’ll stop any awkward moments like duplicate gifts from being an issue, and remember that not all parents have the same amount of money to spend on birthday gifts. Save them until you get home and not only will you prevent anyone from feeling bad, but your child will get to appreciate and enjoy each gift fully.