Children of all ages are no longer satisfied with the simple at-home parties where the whole family get involved, let their imaginations run wild and plan the big day. They don't want the simple, home-made cakes or decorations. They find the traditional party games boring and uncool. And as for the presents..........forget inexpensive, these days they want all the newest technology available, which ultimately comes with a hefty price tag. So, how do you overcome the budget problem while still accommodating your kid's enthusiasm for all the newest and coolest options available for their parties?
With strategic planning and a little help from all of us here at Kids In Australia.
Simple Steps To Planning A Kid's Party
Step 1 – The Presents
Lay-by your kid's presents as far in advance as your budget permits, the earlier the better. By doing this you will eliminate one of the most costly elements of your child's birthday without breaking the bank or compromising on your child's happiness. It will also lower your stress levels as you will not be worrying about how on Earth you are going to afford such expensive items. Most good stores offer this service usually on an 8-12 week basis with a 10% deposit and will also give an extension if required.
Step 2 – Guest List
After the presents this is the next most important step, without this you will have a hard time making preparations and determining the most cost-effective solutions for your personal circumstances.
If your child is old enough to know all their class mates, then sit down with them and right down a list of the one's they would like to invite to their party. For those children who are too young, you can ask their teacher or day care leader for a list of the kids in their class or group, they may also be able to tell you which kids in particular your child seems to be friendly with rather than having to invite everyone on the list.
Step 3 – Party Type
Now it is time to decide what type of party your child wants. Do they want a theme-orientated party where all the party hats, plates, decorations etc are centered around a favourite TV show or movie character? Do they want to dress up? Do they want to have a slumber party? Or is it going to be a mixture of things? The possibilities are endless, all it takes is a little imagination and you can come up with some very exciting party ideas.
Some ideas for age-specific themes are as follows:
· 2-4 yrs Fairies, Dora The Explorer, Thomas The Tank Engine, Bob The Builder
· 4-6 yrs Magical, Clowns/Circus, Dress-up parties, Bratz, Reptiles, Farm Animals/Petting zoos
· 6-8 yrs Disco parties, Mad-Scientist parties, Spooky parties, Cars parties, Sports parties
· 8-10 yrs Cooking parties, Slumber parties, Football parties, Backyard camp outs
· 10-12 yrs Pamper parties, Slumber parties, Movie nights, Mystery parties, Dinner parties
Once you have determined the amount of children to be invited and the type of party which appeals to your child, it is then time to decide which venue would be the most suitable to accommodate them; home or a party venue.
Listed below are a number of factors which you may need to consider before making a final decision. You may need to make a few phone calls and do a bit of research, but it will be worth it in the long run.
1. Do you have enough room at home for the number of kids on the guest list? (Even though everyone invited may not come to the party, it is best to over-estimate then under-estimate)
2. Will you have enough supervisory help? (It can be difficult monitoring kids at some party venues unless they have staff allocated to that duty)
3. If leaning towards a venue other than your own home, do they provide alternative foods for kids with food intolerances, eg. Gluten free? Or are their food selections acceptable to you? (If they don't or aren't, it may be a better idea to have the party at home where you can control the menu. More information on this in Step 6 – Invitations.)
4. Which alternative is more cost-effective for you? (Sometimes it is less expensive to have the party at another venue where all food and entertainment is provided at a low cost-per-head.)
5. What party type has your child decided upon? (You will need to check with the party venues if they can accommodate this. Some venues have a particular theme in place.)
6. Do you have enough time, or people to help you, to do all the preparations required? Eg: food preparation, organisation of entertainment, decorations, organisation of games etc. (If not it may be beneficial for you to look into party venues.)
7. Are you prepared to clean up afterwards?
8. Are you comfortable sharing your child's big day with other members of the public? (Most venues are open to the public during parties, others close off certain sections.)
9. Are you planning on hiring an entertainer or another form of entertainment such as a jumping castle? (Can your home accommodate it or will the preferred venue accommodate it?)
10. Is the chosen venue available?
If you have decided upon an away-from-home party location, ensure you have booked it before you move onto Step 6, and then phone to confirm your booking the week of the party.
Step 5 – Entertainment
Choosing to hire some form of entertainment for your kid's party can be a Godsend as it can take a lot of the pressure off you to think of things for them to do. It can also give you time to actually enjoy the party with your child and take heaps of photos.
If you plan to hire entertainment it is recommended that you try to book it as early as possible; 6-8 weeks is best as it will ensure the availability of the one your child prefers.
The options for this is endless, Prices vary, and we are sure you will have no trouble finding something that fits your budget.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
· Fairies
· Magicians
· Balloonists
· Clowns, Pirates
· Reptile zoos
· Petting zoos
· Jumping Castles
· Pony rides
· Chefs
· Beauty Therapists
Step 6 – Invitations
Plan to have the invitations out at least 3 weeks prior to the big event. This will allow other parents time to organise their side of things.
When purchasing your invitations it is advisable to also purchase the rest of your party supplies; such as hats, plates etc (if having the party at home), especially if it is to be a themed party. By doing this you will most often save on money and avoid disappointment if those particular items are unavailable later. A quick trip or phone call to your local party supply store should resolve this issue for you without too much chasing around.
Some party venues will supply you with their own invitations and it is included in the price, so if this is the option you have chosen it is just another way you have saved money.
Once you have your invitations and have filled in the required fields, we recommend also asking the parents if there are any particular foods their children can't or are not allowed to eat. Give them a phone number to call to discuss this with you, it is better to be safe than sorry.
When sending the invitations to school/day care with younger children it may be advisable to ask the teacher or group leader if they could place the invitations in the child's school bag before they leave for the day, or give them to the parents when they come to collect their children.
Step 7 – Birthday Cake
If you have completed the previous steps, then the biggest decision you will have to make here is whether you make the cake yourself or have someone else do it for you.
If you have a mind, and the time, to try your hand at making the cake yourself then there are a lot of cake decorating books and websites out there to help you on your way. You can even buy or hire cake tins that can make things a little easier for you to make an absolute masterpiece with which to impress your child and their friends.
If baking is not up your alley, or time is limited, then an alternative is to pick up the phone and give your local cake shop a call. They can do almost everything these days and usually have many popular-themed cakes and designs which are readily available to you. If they don't have what you want, just ask, they may be able to do it for you. Try to order your cake at least 2 weeks in advance to ensure it is ready in time.
If you are having your kid's party at a particular venue, ask them about the cake as it is also usually included in the price. Let them know if you would prefer to supply the cake yourself.
Step 7 – Party Games/Prizes
A kid's party just wouldn't be complete without the party games and the prizes which are usually awarded to the winners.
Your child's input here will be invaluable as many kids aren't into the same things we used to be and the traditional games we used to play just might not cut it or may just need a bit of jazzing up.
Here's a list of popular traditional games that you and your child may be able to jazz up or adapt to suit them and their friends:
· Egg and Spoon race
· Sack races
· 3-legged race
· Musical Chairs
· Musical Statues
· Pass The Parcel
· Hot Potato
· Duck, Duck, Goose
· Tug-of-war
· Treasure Hunt
· Poor Kitty
· Red Rover, Red Rover
· What's The Time Mr. Wolf
· Balloon Pop
· Stuck in The Mud
· Pin The Tail On The Donkey
As for the prizes, in sticking with the budget-conscious it is usually best to try and buy things that come in packs; such as cars, fake jewellery, yo-yos etc. This way you get more prizes for less money, and they are especially handy for those team events.
Step 8 – Party Favour Bags
Your options here are endless. One of the most cost-effective ideas is to buy multi-packs, much the same as you did for the party-game prizes. This way you are not spending a lot of money on singular items. Even chocolates and lollies come in multi-packs.
Another option is to buy a Pinata which is filled with lollies and party favours. Have the kids share them out amongst the their party bags. Make sure when using a pinata that there a at least 2 adults supervising to ensure no-one but the pinata is hit with the out-of-control child with the stick.
Step 9 – Food
It is better to keep the menu simple for a kid's party with a mix of healthy, sustaining food as well as the expected treats such as chips and lollies. Finger foods such as mini pizzas, party pies and sausage rolls, chicken and vegetable nuggets, fairy bread, sandwiches cut into shapes, and cup cakes are always popular. Also include some fruit and cheese to help balance out their choices. Low-sugar drinks are usually best for kids parties, you don't want them any more hyped up than they already are.
Step 10 – Decorations
Making the decorations can be a fun activity for you and your child to do together. Even if you don't have time to make them, putting store-bought decorations such as balloons and streamers up can still be fun to do together. And don't forget the “Happy Birthday Sign”!
You won't be short of ideas or options regardless of the way you decide to go.
We hope that you and your child enjoy the big day you have planned and that it is one of the coolest kid's parties ever!!
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