Category: Birthday

Get the entertainment right

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There are loads of different options to choose from to make it a fun occasion but it’s important to choose what is right for your child and what you know they will enjoy.

When planning a children’s party, one thing that will be firmly on your list of things to do is ‘hire the entertainer’. However, with so many different kinds of performers available, how do you go about choosing the perfect person to keep your little guests engaged for the duration of the event and to take the stress off you?

The Magician

A brilliant magician can really add a sense of wonder to your party. Watch as the children are left amazed at the seemingly impossible tricks performed in front of their eyes and then encouraged to get involved in some of the magic themselves. It can be a lot of fun for parents too, particularly seeing how baffled kids are by how the magic is done.

A magician is usually great for children around the age of 4 and above. This way they will be old enough to understand what is going on but still young enough to be mesmerised by the idea of magic.

Science Parties

Science Parties are a relatively new but very exciting kind of children’s entertainment and something extremely varied and engaging for the kids and suitable for ages 4- 12. They are perfect if you are looking to mix fun and excitement with learning all about just how fantastic and fun science can be.

Kids get to watch really colourful and visual science demonstrations as well as fun experiments. Plus, science related games. This is another great option for parents as it’s very different from what you see at most parties. But we’d only recommend this if you know your kids are into science.

Mickey Mouse party ideas

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Does your little one love to sing and play along with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and the rest of the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse? Well, make him or her feel like a real Mouseketeer by throwing a children’s party with our Mickey & Minnie Party Ideas!

Planning & Invitations

In addition to basic Mickey and Minnie Party supplies, like plates, cups, napkins, and decorations, you may want to consider purchasing, borrowing or hiring the following items for your Mickey or Minnie party:

  • Mickey Mouse Ears

  • Several pairs of white gloves

  • Air walker Mickey Balloon

  • A Mickey Mouse

  • A piñata

Mickey & Minnie Party Invitations

If you have the time, it can be fun to make your own invitations, especially if you make it a family activity! You can be extra creative with homemade invitations as well, giving your guests a sneaky peak of the fun that will be had at your party. Here are some suggestions:

  • Cut the shape of Mickey Mouse’s head out of black construction paper (big circle face with two circular ears on top). In silver pen, write the birthday child’s name on the left ear and “is turning [age]!” on the right ear. Write the party details on the main part of the cut-out.

  • Print out a picture of Mickey, Minnie, and friends and paste it to the bottom of a section of cardstock. Write the party details above the picture. Run a glue stick around the outside of the paper and sprinkle with red glitter.

Mickey & Minnie Party Decorations

Decorations that match your theme makes a party even more fun and exciting, so for this party, transform your party space into a Disney funhouse!

  • As each guest enters the party area, give them mouse ears to wear! You may even want to hand out white gloves to the boys and big pink hair bows to the girls.

  • Cut large Mickey Mouse heads out of black construction paper and tape them to the walls. To add to this, write one guest’s name on each cut-out in big block letters. This will make all your guests feel special!

  • Set out Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and other stuffed animals that your child already owns. Group them together for a great centrepiece or stack them on one corner of a blanket that you set out for free play.

  • Set out large cardboard boxes with door flaps and windows cut out. Let the children decorate the boxes to look like their own clubhouses!

Mickey & Minnie Party Food Ideas

Serving food that fits your theme can be a fun way to keep the party exciting! If you have the time to make some Mickey-themed treats, consider these ideas:

  • Serve Mickey Mouse pancakes! If you don’t have an iron that makes them for you, just make three circular pancakes, one big for the face, two little for the ears.

  • Make a cheese and crackers tray using circular crackers and cheese cut into circles. Lay them out in a Mickey Mouse shape on a platter, with one stack of crackers in the middle and two stacks of cheese circles making ears.

Have fun and use your imagination and create a mouse specular party!!!

1st Birthdays

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Let’s be honest, Baby’s first birthday is more for the family and friends and less for the guest of honour. However, when you look back on this milestone birthday celebration together, your little boy or girl will be able to relive the special day. Babies are a handful, but planning a party perfect for them doesn’t have to be. We’re here to help with first birthday party ideas!

Girls 1st Birthday Parties

They say girls are made of sugar, spice and everything nice so the best way to celebrate her first birthday is by throwing a bash sweet and frilly. Show everyone that’s she’s your little princess with pretty pastel colours, lace and flowers, and plenty of sparkles.

Boys 1st Birthday Parties

Your little guy is probably just starting to be mobile, so that means he’s getting his hands in everything. He’s probably got a favourite toy or favourite character and you can bring it to life for his 1st birthday bash. No matter what he’s into, from sports to playing outside, there’s no denying that your little one is bursting with energy. Capture his essence with vibrant colours, fun party games and don’t forget the cake.

Party Favours

No matter how young, or old, your guests are, everyone loves a goodie bag. But when you’re doing something as special as planning a first birthday party, it might be the last thing you think about. You can get crafty and DIY something special for your guests or you can purchase already put together kits. You can even go the extra mile and personalize them to make sure your bash is an event no one will forget.

Party Games & Crafts

We know the main event of any first birthday party is when you let the guest of honour get his or her hands on their very own cake. And maybe some of us are hoping that cake smashing was socially acceptable for all ages…However, don’t forget to keep your guests entertained for the rest of the time with some fun party activities. From DIY keepsakes or crafts to pass down to your baby as he or she gets older, to games that get your guests moving, the possibilities are endless.

Fit for a Princess

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Make your daughter’s dreams come true by throwing her an amazing princess party! You bring the enthusiasm, and we can provide the tips, and together we can plan the party your princess has always imagined!

Before you can dive into planning a fantastic kids party, you’ll want to pick a theme. Although a princess party may seem pretty self-explanatory, there are still decisions to be made! Will this be a fancy dress party? Or maybe centred around your daughter’s favourite princess? There are lots of options to choose from! Talk to your princess to find out which theme will work the best for her.

Your next step will be to set a date. Check your calendar and try to find a date that works for the birthday girl’s friends and family. If nothing conflicts with her actual birthday, you’ve got yourself a date! If not, try to pick a day as close to your daughter’s birthday as possible and make it an extended celebration.

Finding the Castle​

Now that you’ve got a theme and date, it’s time to find a perfect venue for your party. A budget friendly option for location is to transform your home into the princess castle. If you’re looking for a change of scenery, start the search for a local venue that is large enough to accommodate all of your guests and free of commitments on your party date. Keep in mind your potential decorations when choosing your location to make sure set up will be as easy as possible.

The Royal Announcement

With the major details in place, you’re ready to announce the royal event by sending out invitations. These will get your guests excited about your theme even before the party begins! If crafting isn’t your thing, order custom invitations. Whatever your method, be sure to include the basic event info, including the date, time, and location. If you’ve decided on a fancy dress and would like the guests to arrive in their princess gowns, add this information to the invitation. Give it the royal touch by using language such as, “Princess Sofia invites you to attend her 6th birthday party” or “Join us in celebrating a royal affair…the birthday of Princess Sarah.” Send the invitations well in advance (around 3-4 weeks) to give your fellow parents time to RSVP between helping with homework and driving to soccer practice.

Decorating the Castle​

Now for the real fun, decorating your princess castle! Make a list of supplies you’ll need and start shopping early to make sure you’re able to find everything you need. From balloons and streamers to piñatas and tiaras, the decorations ​make the party. Talk to the birthday girl or take her shopping with you to find the perfect decor for your ideal princess atmosphere!

Entertaining Royalty​

Treat your guests like royalty with princess-themed activities! To really wow your guests, have your daughter’s favourite Princess attend the party. Set up a craft table or the princesses to make their very own tiaras. If your guests didn’t arrive in their own princess attire, having a dress up area with gowns and accessories is a great addition to the party! For the full princess transformation, have a royal makeover station complete with faux jewellery, makeup and, of course, glitter! To take the makeover to the next level, book a Makeup Artist or Face Painter to run the station. A favourite babysitter is another great option and budget friendly!

If your location allows, bring in the big guns with a castle bouncy house, princess carriage rides, or pony rides. You could also look for a local farm that hosts pony parties with carriages, as this will generally be a cheaper alternative. Whatever the activities, priceless memories will no doubt be made. Be sure to capture them with lots of pictures! If you’d rather not be on photo duty, book a photographer so that you can kick back and enjoy the fantastic party you’ve put together!

Party Bags

Send your guests home with princess-themed treat bags to remind them of your amazing party! Fill them with everything a princess could need, from tiaras and wands to a makeup or jewellery sets. Bring the birthday girl in on the party bag fun and have her pick out all the treats she’d love to receive at a party.

Budget saving Birthday Parties

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Children’s birthday parties don’t have to break the bank. In fact, you can throw a successful and fun birthday party for your child, no matter what the age, in your very own home.

1. Invitations

These are fairly cheap on their own, and you can usually find some fun options at your local newsagents. But if you’re more into customization, online printing services like Vista print are a great option, and usually have a fast turnaround time. If you’d rather get crafty, go to your local hobby craft store and pick out some fun paper and stamps to put your own personal touch on them. This may take a little more time and isn’t the most budget-friendly, but are definitely has a personal touch!

2. Venue

Obviously the cheapest venue will be in your own home. If your kids party is in the warmer months, definitely take advantage of any outdoor space so everyone can run around. If you’re stuck inside, try moving many of your bigger pieces of furniture out of the main area to make room for activities. Line the edges of the walls with chairs and tables with refreshments. Or set up a buffet in the kitchen or dining room and shuffle the guests into the main living area to enjoy them. Be creative with your space. If you’re willing to use a little more of your budget on the venue, have a look at your local bowling alley, soft play, or go-cart companies, that help you avoid the mess at home!

3. Decorations

This is definitely the fun part, and where you can let your thrifty creativity shine through! You can save money by choosing solid colours for plates and cups, rather than spending a lot of money for 10 Frozen paper cups. Streamers and balloons are a great traditional choice for decorations, and won’t break the bank. You can even get creative with construction paper to make birthday banners, party hats, and more!

4. Entertainment

Children’s party entertainment is the best place to spend your budget, since you’ll be hiring professionals to make your party amazing. Balloon twisters or face painters are great additions to any party, while a visit from a princess, super hero, or favourite character can take it to the next level! There are other interactive options like children’s musicians, puppet shows or magicians, too. For kids with endless amounts of energy, try a bouncy castle hire.

Being creative with your budget can help your party go a long way! After all, what will the kids remember more…the Cinderella party plates or that Cinderella actually showed up at their party? It’s all about the memories and we’re here to help you make them.

Party ideas for growing up kids

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So your kids are still young enough to have a children’s birthday party, but old enough to have a party that is not embarrassing for their age. The important thing is to get the balance right between planning a  children’s party and something a little more grown-up. Here are some tips to help you get it right.

Celebrity Party

A celebrity themed party is a great way to bridge the gap between child and teenager. Ask the kids to come dressed as their favourite diva or guitar hero, or alternatively, a glam rock theme can be a big hit.

Essential Activities

  • Air guitar competitions and karaoke, of course.

  • Party Bags

  • Any self-respecting rock star has an impressive array of tattoos.

  • Spa Party

For many (not all) girls, it’s their tweenage or early teenage years when they first develop an interest in fashion and beauty. If this is something your child is interested in, a spa party could be the ideal theme.

Create a calm, clean and relaxing environment, with plenty of towels, seating, easy access to a bathroom and different ‘stations’ for activities. You could also play relaxing music and provide healthy snacks, such as fruit smoothies.

Essential Activities

  • Facemasks with cucumber slices for the eyes, foot spas, manicures and makeovers.

  • Party Bags

  • Fill your spa party pack with lots of girly pampering products, face masks, lip balm or bath bombs.

  • Cinema Party

What could be better than a party including all of your favourite films? Get all of the children invited to suggest an age-appropriate film, and then vote on the ones they want to watch. All you need to do is provide a comfy seating area and plenty of cinema-themed snacks, such as popcorn, hot dogs, and pick n mix sweets.

Activities

  • Film watching! You could also play a movie trivia quiz and movie-themed Pictionary.

  • Pizza Party

The great thing about teenagers and tweens is that they’ve reached an age where they can do more complex activities – still under supervision, of course. Throwing a pizza party is great fun and it results in lots of yummy home-made snacks.

Get the guests to form teams and design their fantasy pizza, using any toppings they like. Once all the pizzas are cooked, get everyone to try each other’s – whichever team’s pizza is voted the most delicious, wins.

Activities

A pizza making competition! You could also put together a quiz on Italy – the homeland of the pizza, or try blindfold pizza tasting to see who can guess the toppings.

General Tips

– Give them some space – early teens and tweens are at an age where they’re going to want some privacy when they spend time with their friends. Make sure you’re nearby and available if there’s a problem, and pop in every now and again to make sure things are OK.

– Don’t treat them like children – OK, so they’re not grown-ups and still require a certain level of supervision, but suggesting children’s games such as musical statues probably isn’t going to go down well.

– Get an extra pair of eyes – monitoring a teen/tween party without making them feel babied is a balancing act. Make sure you have someone to help you – if you know a trustworthy older teen, they could be a great asset.

With the right theme and some tactful supervision, you can get the balance right at your teen/tween party.

Hold a Minions party

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Despicable Me is a great film for any age, and the Minions were cute little helpers with a limited vocabulary, but they are ever so cute, that’s why kids love them (and adults)

However, if you’ve never heard of these ‘Minions’, the only thing that you really need to know is that kids love them. And if you’re planning kids a party, ‘Minions’ is guaranteed to be a popular theme. Here are some great ideas.

You’ll sure to find Minion merchandise in all the shops at the moment for you to copy:

Minion Food

When it comes to party food, you can really get creative with a Minions theme. Some great ideas include:

Minion Birthday Cake

Simply cover a sponge cake in white icing and then mould the Minion figures and shapes from coloured fondant.

If you’re not a confident baker, this single Minion birthday cake is the perfect choice. Simply coat the cake base in coloured frosting before decorating with black piped icing and fondant.

Minion Decorations

Minion decorations are all about the colour scheme. A great example is:

Blue, White and Yellow Table Decorations.  A blue table covering and yellow, white and blue tableware is the easiest way to get the look. On a side note, we also love this blue and yellow popcorn idea!

Minion Games

No party is complete without some fun games and activities – don’t forget to hand out prizes.

Stick the Goggles on the Minion;

A twist on the classic ‘stick the tail on the donkey’, ‘stick the goggles on the Minion’ is guaranteed to be lots of fun. First, draw a Minion on a large piece of paper (minus the goggles, of course!) and then draw some goggles on a piece of card and cut them out. Place some double sided tape on the back of the goggles, blindfold each child in turn and see if they can guess where to stick the goggles on the Minion!

Minion Fancy Dress

Fancy dress is always a popular party activity and Minion fancy dress is a great opportunity to get creative. The simplest outfits only require a long sleeved yellow top and dungarees. However, if you want to go all out, making goggles and decorating yellow hats will be lots of fun.

A Minion party theme is guaranteed to be popular with the kids – plus you can have lots of fun creating the food décor and activities.

A Princess party

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When your little princess has asked for a princess party, you have only got to give them the best. The colours you may decide on could be pastel palette of pale pink, icy blue, yellow and lilac, and you could use a princess silhouette and our custom patterns throughout your whole party.

When guests arrive, they can be greeted with two princess towers made out of balloons flanking the front door. A horse-drawn carriage will be the ultimate surprise and give the children rides around the venue. These ideas will create such a magical experience for the children and your beautiful princess will love every minute of it.

Rose centrepieces can be put on tables and your guests can be invited into the “Fairy Godmother’s Dress Shop” where dress-up clothes, magic wands, jewels, crowns & tiaras, can be worn.

The princess’s table can be decorated with a striped table runner with the princess silhouette on each end, white chairs can be accessorized with colourful stars, and a centrepiece that can be magical: dense rose vases (wrapped in gold glitter paper. Milk bottles can be dressed up with glitter, and each place-setting says “make-your-own-necklace” kit on our cellophane bags with custom bows.

Guests can be treated to a delicious lunch buffet, set up in the dining room.  Decor can include a large princess silhouette cling on the mirror, large rose centrepieces in white vases.

The dessert table will steal the show!  The table can be draped in pink satin, and flanked by two oversized pink balloons with hanging tassels.  The custom fabric backdrop featured our pastel star pattern with your little princess’s name on with a glittered crown. A princess cake will take centre stage, with candy necklaces and bracelets, colourful cup cakes, cookies, and various sweets.

Get creative this Halloween

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Lots of kids either have a craft side or simply enjoy making something, regardless of the end result and Halloween is a perfect time to go this.  There are hundreds of different craft ideas for kids around the theme ranging from simple pot decoration to more complex activities.

For the little ones, painting a pot is a good idea.  Cover a pot in some white paper the day before, stick it down and leave it to set for a blank canvas.  Then the kids can paint it orange, cut out some black eyes, nose and mouth and add a stalk and leaf in glittery paper to make a cup pumpkin lantern.  Or paint it luminous green, draw on some face features as well as a big black gash with stitches then paint the rim black.  Add a couple of metallic T-shapes on either side and you have a Frankenstein pot!  Once decorated, they can fill them with sweet to give out on the night to trick or treaters or for a party.

If you’re having a party, a Halloween decoration or ten are compulsory.  For the younger kids, you can start simple.  Buy some wooden blocks, one for each letter of Happy Halloween.  Let them paint them orange or whatever colour they want then write a letter on each in a black marker.  Either glue them together to form the word or if you are handy with a drill, drill holes through them and string them onto some thick cord.

Another decoration is a nice witches broom to hang above the fireplace but using the real broom can be a bit heavy.  Instead, take the inside of a roll of wrapping paper and get the kids to paint it black.  Wrap a few sections of yellow around it and you have the stick.  For the broom, take a piece of cloth and either stick or stick a load of threads on it then wrap it around the stick and glue it.

Costume Ideas

Going out trick or treating means that a costume is compulsory.  Some kids choose to just go with a favourite character without regard for the time of year but others want something special to Halloween.  You can buy lots of them in the shops but if you want to make something unique and spend time with the kids making it, you can create your own.

The scary spider is a simple option and all that is needed are some plain black clothes to start with.  A hoodie, trousers and black shoes are the basis for the outfit.  Take two pairs of black tights and stuff them with the content of an old pillow or some bubble wrapping.  Stitch them onto the top and tie loops at the end so that kids can move their spider legs with their arms.

Perhaps one of the easiest costume options is the Grim Reaper.  A black hooded cloak that goes all the way to the ground is all that is needed along with a white swimming cap to hide their hair.  Face paints to make their faces white and add big black eyes and a cardboard scythe finish the outfit.

For the girls, a witch is a good choice.  Pick up a witches hat from the shop and decorate as you like.  A feathered scarf is a good addition to the outfit and a coordinating top and skirt to match the hat colour is needed.  You can cut out paper or cardboard stars and other shapes to stitch onto the clothes for that witch chic.  Then some makeup or face paints will finish the look.

Children’s Party Food

With all the elements of Halloween it is easy to find food that can be transformed into something spooky or gory.  For instance, Dracula cookies are an easy quick option.  Take some chocolate chip cookies and cut them in half.  Put some red jam on one side of each then stick some white marshmallow pieces in to resemble teeth.  For the fangs, slide some slivers of almond between the marshmallows – instant vampire cookies.

For cupcake fans, the ideas are endless.  Green icing and some witches’ legs sticking out is one design while spider’s webs iced into a flat cake is another great look.  Using biscuits to make grave stones and have them sticking out of crumbly chocolate icing works well for spooky cemetery cakes while a simple iced face on a white cake makes for a ghoulishly tasty snack.

If carving a pumpkin is a bit too much for you, why not make oranges into carved lanterns instead?  Cut the top off the orange and scoop out the middle then cut out eyes, a nose and a funny mouth.  You can even add jelly inside them and leave to set before carving the face.

Black and Orange Halloween party ideas

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Looking for a festive and fun kids Halloween party theme this year? Throw a black and orange themed children’s party, complete with pumpkins, spiders and witches! Here are a few tips on how to get started:

Invitations: Send perfectly themed Halloween invitations that feature the black and orange colour scheme and will appeal to kids. Don’t forget to remind your guests to wear their costumes! Free online invitations are the easiest, fastest way to invite guests to your party.

Treats: Serve up some delicious black and orange snacks and desserts that kids will love! Make pumpkin shaped Rice Krispies treats with orange frosting, Oreo cookie spiders using thin pretzel sticks for legs, or dark chocolate-dipped apple slices.

Drinks: No Halloween party is complete without a signature punch! This black-coloured punch goes well with the overall black and orange party theme, and can be served over dry ice for an extra spooky effect. Try this quick recipe to impress all your witches and goblins!           

Witch’s Brew Punch

• 1 can grape soda
• 1 can frozen orange juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 litre of ginger ale
• 2 pints of cold water

Mix all ingredients together, and serve over ice in a large punch bowl.

Games: Incorporate black and orange themed games into your Halloween party! Play Pumpkin Ring Toss, Pin the Spider on the Web, or have a Monster Mash costume parade around your neighbourhood or garden!

Decorations: Use creative Halloween decorations that complement your colour theme. Pumpkins are a natural choice to incorporate orange into your party, and they provide both decoration and an activity. Encourage guests to decorate them with markers, paint, glitter glue, and more. No carving needed! You could also draw spooky faces on orange and black balloons with black and white paint markers! Place them around your party space at various heights for an easy way to decorate.  If your party is in the evening, hang orange glow sticks from the trees for a creative backdrop to all the fun!

This classic Halloween theme allows for a lot of creativity as your plan your child’s party.  Use these spirited ideas to help bring your party theme to life, and enjoy the haunts and thrills with your little ones this Halloween season!