Are you planning a children’s birthday party and in need of inspiration? Throwing a children’s party can be exciting but if you’ve never done it before it can also seem daunting and potentially stressful.
At The Jelly Bean Factory, we think parties should be fun even for the grown-ups organising them and in this blog, we’ve got some top tips on how to throw a good children’s party.
Decide On A Party Venue
The first step to throwing a good children’s birthday party is to decide on a party venue. Do you want to have the party at home or at another venue? Birthday parties at home are perfect for very young children as it’s a familiar environment for them and everything you need is to hand. However, as your children get older (and bigger!) you might run out of space.
If you can’t pack a group of overexcited kids into your house – or you don’t want to – then church halls or community halls are ideal for DIY parties, or if you’d prefer to hand over the reins, lots of venues offer children’s party packages and often these will include room hire, entertainment and even catering.
Plan (And Book) Ahead!
Once you’ve decided on your party venue, you’ll need to set a date and get your invitations sent out. Try to do both of these things well in advance as many popular venues and entertainers will get booked up ahead of time. Booking in advance avoids disappointment and means you can invite your guests ASAP. This reduces the chances of your child’s favourite friend not being able to make it on the day and gives the other parents and carers more time to make arrangements.
Pick A Party Theme
One way to throw a good children’s birthday party is to pick a party theme! Younger children love a themed party and there are loads to choose from. You can go with something generic like pirates, princesses, football or dinosaurs or choose something specific that they love, whether it’s a particular TV show, film or game.
Having a theme helps you tie all the aspects of your party together and can help with inspiration for the food, décor, costumes and games.
Older children might enjoy a themed party too but it’s best to ask for their input. You could suggest a movie party, karaoke party or glow-in-the-dark party or see what ideas they come up with. Not every party needs a theme so don’t stress if they don’t want one, you can still have a great party without a theme!
Don’t Overcomplicate It!
When it comes to throwing a good children’s birthday party, it’s important not to overcomplicate it! You might want to throw the best children’s birthday party ever but if you give yourself too much to do and not enough time to do it all, then you’re only going to end up frustrated.
That idea you saw on Pinterest might look great but realistically do you have the time and skills to make it work or are you just adding stress and risking disappointment?
If children have their friends with them, something fun to do and something tasty to eat, they’ll be happy and far too busy having fun to notice anything else!
Have A Flexible Schedule
When thinking about how to throw a good children’s birthday party, set a rough schedule for the party itself. Know how long your party will be (about two hours is perfect for most ages) and decide when the entertainment or games will start, when the food will be served and what the party guests will do after. Will there be a birthday cake? Do you need to allow time to open presents?
Keep some flexibility in your party schedule as some of the games may go on longer than anticipated and activities can run over. Plus, there’s usually at least one guest who arrives late or whose parents turn up early to collect them so it’s best not to be too rigid with your timings.
Think Outside The Party Bag!
Children love having something to take home with them after a great party but you might not want to go with the obvious choice of traditional party bags.
Filling party bags with goodies is time-consuming and can get expensive. The contents are usually made of plastic so aren’t good for the environment and most of the items will only end up as clutter.
Why not choose a more environmentally-friendly alternative that kids will still love? There are lots of great, eco-friendly alternatives to party bags, such as books, colouring books and pencils, and even packets of seeds and flower pots.
Sweetie cones are a popular choice of alternative to party bags and one that children absolutely love. You could fill your sweet cones with deliciously juicy gourmet jelly beans in all the colours (and flavours) of the rainbow for an eye-catching and mouth-watering treat for your guests. Plus, you can relax knowing that The Jelly Bean Factory jelly beans are allergen-free, free from artificial colours and flavours and are also halal, kosher and suitable for vegetarians, so your party guests will be happy too!
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We hope this blog has given you some great tips for how to throw a good children’s birthday party.
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