Many parents don’t like having parties at home. There are different reasons why most of them don’t, like the chaos, the noise or mess, or the crowd. This is why some will prefer spending money on a venue instead of having the party in their home. What most of them don’t realize is that venue parties come with the same amount of stress, if not more. You have less control over a venue party, and this is going to be evident if things don’t go as planned. You can hire professionals to plan everything. From the venue, food and beverages to the decoration, entertainment, and everything in between, hiring a kids party planner in Brisbane is the best way to ensure all the details are covered.
Below are some tips to help you have a successful party at home:
Avoid Inviting Too Many Children To The Party
It can be tempting to invite many children, but this is not a good idea. Your children have grown out of all-inclusive class parties. They have started forming firm friendships, and they will be happy provided their close friends are there. They will not worry much about upsetting a child they do not talk to that often, and their parents will not even notice. A good estimate of children to invite is the age of your child.
The Invitations
You need to be considerate when handing out the invitations. It is not a good idea to invite a friend to dinner in front of another friend. This is the same case with invitations to your child’s party. Your child cannot do that without repercussions. Find a time away from school to give out the invitation. Children being excluded is a concern that many teachers often talk about. Emailing or texting the parents of the kids is okay, and you are going to get a response fast. Another option is setting up a closed Facebook event because the parents are going to get a push when they see other parents who have replied. Be careful with the invitations so you don’t end up making other children feel bad
Preparing
It is a good idea to talk with your child about the party they want and if they want it to be done at home. You need to do this in advance, but it should not be too far because you do not want them to grow out of the idea before the day comes. Two months is enough (the good thing is you do not have to start looking for a venue). Find out the type of party games they would like, then make a list. Does your child want a themed party? Below are some great ideas for a themed party.
What are the kids going to do between the party games? Do the kids like creative games where they can make something to take home? There are a lot of ideas you can find online: check out Pinterest, SOHOSonnet, or Red Ted Art. Many hobby shops have kits or materials needed for these games and activities. If few children are going to come to the party, then you can just use your kitchen table. It is a good idea to avoid anything to do with glitter unless you do not mind. There is a lot of options to choose from, and you can buy them online. You can choose anything, from making perfect pizzas to making chocolate lollies. Look for a simple recipe, print it, laminate it, then give the children so they can use it when measuring their ingredients. There are a lot of options to choose from, find something your child is going to enjoy.
Is it possible to hook your part to an event or particular time of the year, Halloween, Easter, or Christmas? Can the kids go for a hike for a treasure hunt? If the weather is hot, they can play with water, provided you have buckets of water and water pistols. You need to prepare for tears, slips, and a mucky floor; but the kids are going to enjoy it. Kids like it when they have time for ‘free play’ and can entertain themselves without your input, but up to a point. Make sure you have activities in place just in case they get bored or things get out of hand.
It is possible to have a tea party outdoors or have a campout? Can the kids come with something that fits the theme of the party? Can the kids come dressed in fancy clothing? You can choose a murder mystery style parties for kids. Another option is Acting the Part audio parties, which is a great option if you think your kid is going to enjoy role-playing.
Keeping It Short
A party does not have to take a long time; two hours is enough. You do not gain brownie points by making the party long. Let them go wanting more.
Leaving Your Pets To Someone Else For A Few Hours
Pets do not like sudden movements and noise; which is why it is not a good idea to have them around children during the party. Locking the pet in another room is not going to be enough, because the children will want to see the pet. The best option is having someone else look after the pet.
Having Fun With The Decoration
You should be careful not to go overboard with decoration, because this is mean for your kid, not Instagram. It is a must to have balloons, whether you like them or not. The hardest time is the first ten minutes because it is when you will be greeting the parents and telling them when they can come to pick up their children. Some of the kids will at this point be over-excited, while others will be shy. Look for something that your kid can do with the guests that do not require you to be there. Stage your own epic nighttime adventure with a few glowing novelty swords. It can be a game, setting out for later, preparing the part table, or even shopping the party bags and labeling them. Anything done at this point will mainly be about stalling.
Keeping The Food Simple
If there is lunch at the part, then try making it simple. You can choose to serve sandwiches or wraps, crisp, or something healthy like fruits. If it is an evening party, a meal could be something simple like a pizza or a pasta dish. Talk to the parents of the children attending to find out whether they have any allergies or food phobias. Set aside about twenty minutes for eating, although younger children may need even less time because they do not concentrate on something for long.
Party Bags
Keep things simple. Many children will be looking forward to sweets in their party bags (the rainbow rice sweets can be used as fillers). A balloon, a small book, a small toy, or even something you have printed like a puzzle you found online. Make sure you remember to put a slice of cake in the party bags because it is going to be eaten by the parents. Cut the cake into squares then wrap them using a serviette. Cupcakes can also be a great alternative to cake.
Opening Presents
The process of opening the presents at the party can take between 10-15 minutes. This can make the children feel bored, especially when there are a lot of presents to be opened. They will want to play with the new presents. Make sure you have a pen and notebook for noting down the presents and the people who have them. This is something many people fail to do.
