How to Arrange a Children’s Party

The pressure to make a children’s party “special” can be huge but it’s actually far more important that it's fun. Here are a few simple steps to make sure your child has a lovely day with the minimum of fuss.

Invitations

The key: Make them clear but also colourful and fun.

Involve your child with homemade invitations. Let them decorate one side of A3 card using collage or colouring pens. Put the details on the other side. If they are younger, use stickers or rubber stamps to personalise the invites.

Include:

The name of your child
How old they are
The date of the party
The start and expected finish time
The party address
A contact number

Don’t rely on the invitations to confirm attendance. Speak to parents at least 2 weeks in advance then give the invites out a few days later.

Party bags

The key: Keep party bags simple

As well as the obligatory slice of cake, pick 4 items from this list:

Small bag of jelly sweets
Chocolate coins
Balloons
Party poppers
Small fake flowers
Small toy car
Bouncy balls
Marbles
Pipe cleaners
Small colouring book
Finger puppets

Don’t make different bags for girls and boys as, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to please everyone. Just make sure there’s a good variety in each. You can buy the bags themselves in most party or card shops. If you’re pressed for time you can buy ready-filled bags online but it does rather spoil the fun.

Party food

The key: Avoid lots of sugary treats

Sugar overstimulates children, causing the dreaded mid-party tantrum. A cake or jelly, some sweets in the Pass the Parcel and something for the party bags are plenty. This doesn't have to
limit you to a bland assortment of carrot sticks and water biscuits. Crisps and unsalted nuts are fine within reason. Some other easy-to-make, child friendly snacks are:

Homemade pizzas
Small sandwiches - cucumber, ham and cheese, and banana are especially good
Cheese on crackers
Samosas or pakoras
Chopped fruit pots

Party games

The key: Offer a mix of noisy and quiet games and don’t plan too many

Five is plenty. Pick two games each from the noisy and quiet lists, plus one extra from either:

Noisy games

Pass the parcel – make sure there are enough layers for every child at the party, and that they all get a chance at unwrapping
Freeze Dance
Simon Says
Musical Chairs
Treasure hunt – good for spring and summer parties

Quiet games

Sleeping lions
Statues
Colouring in/drawing
Storytelling
Face painting

If you sense the children are getting tired or distracted, don’t feel obliged to play all the games you’ve planned. If they want to be left to their own designs, play some music and call dance time.

Good luck with your party and remember if all else fails, keep it simple.

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