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Throwing a kids birthday party in Perth is no easy feat, there’s so much to consider, so much to plan and so many costs involved. Often times it can be a cause for much stress in parents’ lives, plus, not to mention the ever increasing expectations coming from the kids and their friends. Back when I was a kid, having a backyard party with the standard egg and spoon race, pass the parcel and party pies was an absolute ball, everyone would look forward to it and rave about it for weeks afterwards, but these days that just won’t cut it.
These days’ kids are looking for entertainment, they’re looking to stand out from the crowd and the parents, well, they’re looking for stress free options that won’t break the bank. Extra points for venues that offer a clean up service, so that you don’t have to hang around and do it after the party is over.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, Jennifer Shields, Co-Founder of Posh Tot Events wants us to remember that, “More often than not, kids just want to play with their friends, so don’t stress about making every detail perfect.” – Thanks for the tip Jen, we can totally get behind that!
So let’s take a look at some of the best tips to throwing a successful, stress free party for your child…
1) Budget, budget, budget
Have I said it enough times!? Decide on a budget BEFORE you start planning the birthday bash and make sure that you actually stick to it. The best way to do this is by thinking about how much you want to spend per guest (including food, drink, entertainment, venue, etc.)
2) It’s a date
Picking a date can be a toughie because let’s be honest, you’re not going to be able to please everyone… you do however want to make sure that you please the key people in your child’s life, for example, their best friend, their grandparents and cousins.
3) List it
Things appear much less stressful when you’ve got them down on paper in a list, trust me! Make sure to prioritise what’s most important so that you don’t get caught out closer to the date.
4) Venue or your home?
This is something that is entirely up to you, it definitely changes the dynamics of a birthday party but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good or bad thing! You have to do what’s most comfortable for you and your child, and your budget! Remember that by throwing a party at home you have a lot more control over how much you spend because you’re in charge of the catering, the decorating and the entertainment, but you also have to remember that you will be in charge of the pack down and clean up!
If you do decide to go with a venue, make sure that you book it in advance as kids’ party venues tend to book up quite early on.
5) Are you going to have a theme?
Having a theme is not the end-all-and-be-all of a kids’ party, but it definitely is a popular option for most families as it allows your child’s personality to shine. Make sure that you’re picking a theme that your child actually wants on not just something that you think might look cute.
6) What time is it?
Picking the time of a birthday party really depends on the age range of the attendees, for example, younger children (toddlers), do better earlier on in the day while tweens might prefer something in the afternoon.
7) Keep it short
Kids tire easily (and so do their parents when they’re at a party), so there’s no need to have a lengthy party… 1 and a half to three hours is more than enough.
8) Are the parents invited?
This is always tricky, parents often don’t know whether or not they should leave their kid at the party and come back to collect them, so make sure that you indicate this on the invites. It’s quite common that from the age of 6, birthday parties become a drop and go situation.
9) Serve classics
Classics are classics for a reason, in this case they have been tried and tested on many other generations of young party goers. You can not go wrong with things like pizza, cake, sausage rolls and fruit. Do make sure you are aware of everyone’s dietary requirements though.
10) What’s the entertainment?
It’s important to take into account the age of the children attending and the personality of the child whose birthday it is. Younger children may be frightened of clowns and magicians, while tweens will think they’re boring.
11) Save the gifts for later
Don’t bother opening the gifts during the time of the party, it takes up too much time, kids will get restless and sometimes feelings can get hurt. Whether you’re having a party at home or at a venue, put the gifts aside and open them once the guests have left.
With a little bit of planning and some research, your child’s birthday party doesn’t have to be a stressful thing to organise, make it fun and involve them, they’ll be very grateful to assist in making their special day come to life.
If you’re looking for a stress-free entertainment alternative, the Game Vault is WA’s only game truck company that offers state of the art entertainment for both boys and girls in a luxurious limousine style truck, allowing up to 16 players to play in the same game at the same time.
To find out more contact us here at Game Vault!
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