PLAYHOUSE PARTIES
OUR 10 TOP TIPS FOR A KID’S BIRTHDAY PARTY:
Having hosted kids’ parties for over a decade, I have picked up a few tips along the way to ensure the party can run as smoothly as possible. I am very excited to share them with you today. If anyone has any other tips, they have discovered, please do get in touch!
Here are my top 10 tips to help you throw a kids birthday party, without too much stress!!! Lots of these points are transferrable but some of them are specific to parties where you are booking an entertainer for (after all, stick to what you know!!!).
1- SEND OUT INVITES, EARLY!!
Let’s admit it – our little ones have a better social life than we do. With Playdates, classes and parties it is a hectic schedule to keep up with and plan. Sending out your invites early will give you the best opportunity of having everyone you want at the party there. (Of course, the opposite is also true – if you wanted to cut your numbers down – send out invites a little later. I didn’t tell you that though!!!)
2- BOOK A SUITABLE VENUE OR CONSIDER PARTYING AT HOME.
Find a local venue that suits your needs. Consider the number of guests you have, the number of grown-ups that may stay to ensure you have enough space. If you are catering the party yourself, make sure the venue has a kitchen that you have access to. Overall, make sure the venue is safe for Children and has enough space for the activities you have planned. (Please note that a lot of the Village and Church halls are run by volunteers. This can make getting hold of them a little tricky at times, make sure you factor this in).
Also, if you are happy and brave enough you could also host the party at your home?!?!?
3- DO YOUR RESEARCH ON ALL SUPPLIERS BEFORE BOOKING.
Hosting a kid’s party is a big job and you will, possibly, bring in a few suppliers for Cakes, entertainment, Decorations, face-painting, etc. A search online will give you hundreds of options for each of the above, all with fantastic websites/ socials and reviews. So who do you choose?
I always say that a personal recommendation from a friend/ family member is the best way for you to decide who to get in touch with. Finding someone that they have personally used and would use again will save you lots of time and worry.
If that isn’t an option, I would trawl through websites and reviews of potential suppliers. Paying particular attention to the reviews from other Parents/ Carers.
4- BOOKING AN ENTERTAINER
From my point of view, this is the most important decision when it comes to a birthday party. Having a great entertainer, or a not so great one can make a real difference to your entire party. If you want to guarantee availability – I recommend enquiring with entertainers about 12 weeks in advance of your party date. All entertainers may have last minute availability, so it is always worth enquiring with them, even if it is less than 12 weeks to your party.
How do you find the right entertainer? Again – my first port of call would be personal recommendations from a friend or family member. You should also, always be on the lookout for great entertainers – if you come across one at another party or a public event, ask them for their contact details. Again, if this isn’t an option a search online will give you lots of options to look through. Once you have a shortlist – go through the website, socials and reviews for each of the entertainers. Once you are happy with your choices, send them an enquiry or call them up to discuss you party.
5- BOUNCY CASTLES/ INFLATABLES WHEN YOU HAVE AN ENTERTAINER.
Who doesn’t love a Bouncy Castle??? Literally – no one! Having said that, from an entertainer’s point of view having one of these at your party whilst I am entertaining is not the best thing to do. They are noisy and a massive distraction to the Children – meaning they won’t get the most out of either the show or the Bouncy Castle.
If you want both an entertainer and a Bouncy Castle, I will always ask that it is turned off whilst the show is on so that the Children can enjoy the show and I am not having to be super loud to be heard over the noise.
If you are concerned about this, I would recommend you choose between either an entertainer or a Bouncy Castle. Whichever suits your party best – having only one will avoid any issues and also save you money.
6- DECORATIONS.
Decorations are great but bear in mind that they take a long time to set-up. Having decorations, and to what level, is purely a personal choice – there is no wrong or right answer.
You may want to get in a balloon supplier, often they will display your balloons as well as delivering them – saving you some time.
Decorations can be fully themed too. Lots of themed decorations and tableware can be found online or at a local party shop.
Often at parties I see these wonderful displays of balloons, etc – but 15 minutes after the guests have arrived, they have been pulled apart/ run around the room and often burst by the Children. If you know that your Children may get over-excited and do this, I recommend saving the time and money and not doing too much on the decoration front. This is especially true of balloons on the floor of the venue – yes kids love them, but they will get burst and will be a distraction from the show. Again, if you do this it is entirely up to you – it is just so you know.
7- PARTY THEMES.
Themed parties are great and a lot of fun. Choosing a theme can help you with ideas for Décor or Tableware and even your entertainment choices. We always recommend choosing a theme that the Birthday Child loves – that way it is special for them. Any good entertainer can make a theme fully accessible for both Boys and Girls.
Having said all of that – you DO NOT need to have a theme for your party. All your decisions should be led by what is best for the Birthday Child.
8- GET FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO HELP.
There is a lot to do on the day so enlist some help from Family, even if it is to watch your Children whilst you do party prep. Also, don’t say no to the offer of help from that one Parent/ Carer that arrived super early – get them laying the table!!!
9- CAPTURE THE MOMENTS.
Make sure you have your Phone/ Camera ready to capture the moments. I know that the Parents/ Carers will be flying around doing a million things – in that case get a friend/ family member to oversee capturing the memories for you to enjoy later!
10- TRY AND ENJOY IT!!!
Yes – it is stressful and yes, the Candles and Lighter were forgotten for the Cake but remind yourself to take a moment to stop and enjoy the fun. Maybe go and watch a bit of the entertainment with your little one or have a boogie with them on the dance floor! After all, there is always time for a Boogie!!!
Contact Us
I hope you have found these tips helpful and that they mean that you have a slightly less stressful time planning your little one’s party, then I am glad to be of assistance. Of course, if you have any more questions or to discuss your event please get in touch:
Email: daniel@playhouseparties.co.uk
Call: 07793 766 478
