Category: Plan

Children’s Party Venue

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Are you looking for venues for your special children’s party in the coming weeks? Looking for the right location is almost always problematic, unless you know who to ask! Thankfully, we have some of the answers when it comes to organising an amazing children’s party and we’re here to help.

Looking for a Top Venue

There are many reasons why you wouldn’t want to host a children’s party in your own house. Either you don’t have enough room in your house for a whole classroom of children, or you don’t want your house to get damaged. Perhaps you don’t have the time to clean up after a party.

Getting your party organised in the right location is of great importance. Organising a party that is too far from anywhere is not a good idea, as other parents have to consider the cost of transport. Other considerations for your setting may include disabled access, the size of the hall itself and the cost.

Where:

Consider church halls, or community centres that have their own kitchens so you can cater too. Decide how much space you will need. Do you want outside space too? Some of these venues mentioned are quite reasonably priced.

How much?

If you would like to find out how much a centre costs, you should ask the centre first if they charge by the hour or by child. Some centres do charge per person and this can become very expensive if you are looking to host a large number of friends.

Look on our directory.

If you have found the best location for your children’s party, then why not look on our blogs for amazing ideas. We’ve plenty of knowledge and experience in giving inspiration to your little one’s party.

4 Party Themes

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The chances are that your child and their invited guests will already be pretty excited about the prospect of a party, but if you really want to get them looking forward to the day itself then adding a theme could do the trick. A themed birthday party gives the kids a chance to dress up whilst also giving you a great topic for which to base your decorations, food and entertainment around.
Pirates and Princesses;

This has to be one of the most popular children’s party themes and always goes down well with the little ones. It’s so easy to pull off as well and you can make it as minimal or as full on as you like. Pirates can either turn up fully decked out in attire or with a simple eye patch. The girls will also be really excited about being able to don their favourite dresses, adorn themselves with a tiara and greet their royal subjects!

When it comes to food you can also integrate your theme here too. Mini pizzas could become ‘Cinderella’s carriage wheels’ and fish fingers could become ‘pirate planks’ that lily-livered sailors have to walk.

Space

Space is a great theme for both boys and girls as it really allows the children to let their imagination run away with them. Will they come dressed as a strange alien from the planet Zog, or will they arrive in a spacesuit ready for their latest adventure into the unknown voids of the galaxy. You could even ask half of your guests to dress as aliens and the other half as astronauts and then use these teams within your entertainment.

Food could include various twists on party classics, such as ‘asteroids’ instead of meatballs and ‘moon rocks’ in place of chicken nuggets. The venue could also be decorated to look like a strange planet with stars, moons and spaceships on the ceiling.

Circus

Having a circus themed kids party can be a great way to give the children a chance to learn a few new skills whilst they are having fun. They could have a go at learning to juggle, or fooling around like their favourite clown. The circus is not just about the guy with the red nose and big shoes though, and so the children have plenty of options when it comes to fancy dress. There’s the ring announcer, the gymnasts, the lion tamer and the strong man; to name just a few.

At the circus, tomatoes can easily be renamed as ‘clown’s noses’ (you might even persuade a child to eat one when they would otherwise turn their nose away to a vegetable!) and similarly, cheese puffs can be transformed into ‘juggling balls’. To really add that finishing touch, why not turn your venue into a Big Top with some multi-coloured fabric.

Wizards and Witches

This theme has always been a firm favourite, particularly at Halloween, but has grown in popularity since the rise of a certain boy wizard. Your little guests can dress as their favourite character from the film franchise or as a wizard or witch from their own imagination. The beauty with this theme is that it doesn’t take much to transform an ordinary child into a wizarding genius; just a hat and wand in most case.

Plan a Treasure Hunt

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Give your child an adventure from your own home with an exciting treasure hunt! It’s a great way to get them exploring and using their imagination, with lots of treats and games thrown in! They require a little preparation to plan the perfect clues, but they’re a great addition to any children’s birthday party and it will all be worth it when you see their little faces light up every time they find a clue or prize!

Planning the Clues

You could just have a free-for-all like a traditional Easter egg hunt, where there are no clues and the kids just explore the house and garden for small hidden sweets or prizes, but we think it’s more fun when the kids get together in teams to work together and solve a puzzle. Then the excitement can really build whilst they work their way to the grand finale!

You can make riddles and rhymes to point them in the right direction of the next clue, and you can vary the difficulty of the clues depending on the age group of the party. Perhaps you could try a word game where each location has a riddle with the first letter of each answer spelling the location of the final treasure.

Themes

Basing your treasure hunt around a theme all adds to the fun and gives the adult planners some inspiration for coming up with the clues and prizes! Here are some examples of how you can incorporate a theme, or take a look at the themes of our children’s parties here for more ideas.

Pirates

A pirate theme is a classic where the kids have to find clues to take them to the final treasure chest, which is full of treats, party food, and more games to play. You could try making a map on tea stained paper of all of the clue locations and then they have to work out the final location from the clues.

Fairies

Make a list of clues to find lots of fairy friendly items and whoever collects all of the items first wins a prize, with runner up prizes for the rest of the kiddies. Some things they could look for are little toy fairies, flowers, fairy dust, leap frogs and magic bracelets.

Magic

Have the magician conjure the first clue to unveil the treasure hunt and then get the kids to find the pieces of their own magician outfits. They could find magic wands, top hats, capes and toy rabbits. The winner is the first person to get dressed!

Science

Split the kids up and get them to look for different ingredients and when they’re all found they can form part of a science experiment! Or you could use food ingredients which get stirred together to bake a cake or make some cookies which the kids can eat later on in the party!

Family fun won’t break the bank

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Do you need an inspiration on some fun filled family days out for the family to enjoy without breaking the bank? Here’s a list of some amazing attractions across the UK… all for £25 and under (based on 2 adults and 2 children)!

 Liberty’s Owl, Raptor & Reptile Centre, Ringwood

 

Discover one of the South’s largest collections of birds of prey, reptiles, creepy crawlies and more at the Liberty Centre near Ringwood. The flying displays with take your breath away and we can almost guarantee that you’ll learn something exciting and new about the animals you meet. After you’ve looked around, why not stop for a bite to eat at the cafe and the kids can blow off some steam in the play area and sandpit. 

 

Illuminasia, Blackpool

 

Visit the world’s largest indoor illuminations and see wonders from around the globe light up before your very eyes! Combining traditional Chinese lantern methods with the latest in lighting technology, Illuminasia creates a family friendly, educational and awe-inspiring day out. 

 

Adventure Wonderland, Christchurch

 

With over 30 rides and attractions, there’s so much to be had at Adventure Wonderland for all of the family! Battle it out on the Battle Boats, go on the Dragon’s Drop Mega Slide or even go see some adorable animals in the Cuddle Corner Farm! You might even get to meet some of the park characters including Alice, the Mad Hatter and The White Rabbit. 

 

The Viking Saga Boat Trips, Maldon, Essex

 

Step aboard the Viking Saga on Maldon Promenade for a relaxing cruise. With a few different options for where to go on your viking saga cruise you will definitely have plenty of choice. Starting from a 40 minute cruise and going up to 3 hours you can spend as much time here as you please.

 

Windmill Hill City Farm – Bedminster, Bristol

 

This small community farm has loads to offer and is a great day out for kids of all ages. You’ll be able to meet loads of animals, such as goats, sheep, pigs and chickens, and learn all about farming. There’s also a kids play area when they can run around while you refuel with a coffee.

 

 

Toddler parties on a budget

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Let us help you find budget-friendly alternatives to an over the top toddler birthday party..

1. Sensory Party
If your tiny guests are in the early stages of exploring, consider throwing a fun children’s party centered around helping them explore. Find large, shallow clear boxes at your local diy shop. Fill them with different textures and colours, such as shaving cream, sand, water, marbles. Anything you can think of. Place them in an area that will be easy to clean, hand out plastic art jackets and let them go to town.

2. Princess and Superhero Parties
There is no doubt that you have glass slippers or capes haunting your dreams right now. That is one of the many perks of toddler parenting. Even though you’re well aware that they may not remember their early years, you still want to make their birthday special. Cut your budget by making your own crafts!

3. Dance
Toddlers love to dance and parents love to watch. Hire a Children’s Musician for a birthday celebration that will keep a smile on everyone’s face! Since it’s a Dance Party and the centre of the party is music, you don’t really need a theme. Go to your local party shop, grab some brightly-coloured party supplies and arrange them on a white table cloth to bring it all together. Give your cake a musical theme and congratulations, This party is a success!

4. Circus Party
Even without elephants or acrobats, you can still bring the circus to your garden! Think small-scale entertainment and keep decorations simple with a red, white, and yellow theme. Frost your cupcakes with red and white icing and arrange them into coordinating stripes, then top them off with tiny yellow flags made from toothpicks and card stock. Create your own Puppet Show stage using cardboard boxes and paint. There will be so much to do that toddlers can run free and have a good time! Hire a Face Painter or a friendly Clown.

No matter what your budget is, it is always possible to have an extra special fun party. With a little hard work and some creativity, use your budget savvy to make the best party of the year and still have enough leftover to treat yourself. You’ll need it! Make your kid’s birthday one you will all remember and include some birthday traditions.

Imaginative days out in the summer

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Oxygen Free Jumping, Various Locations

Kids will be jumping for joy after a visit to this brilliant indoor trampoline park! They’ll get to bounce sky high in open jump sessions and burn off lots of excess energy.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Portsmouth

Come and learn all about the Royal Navy as it is today and get an insight into what the future holds! Step on board historic ships such as HMS Victory and HMS Warrior 1860. You won’t want to miss the new‐look Mary Rose museum, which gives insight into Tudor life!

KidZania, Shepherd’s Bush, London
Kids can let their imaginations run wild at KidZania as they test the out real jobs in this mini city, such as being a pilot, firefighter, radio presenter, banker, police officer and many more! After all that work they can use their hard earned ‘KidZos’ to buy themselves some treats!

Longleat Safari and Adventure Park, Warminster

There is so much to see and do at this amazing safari and adventure park! Take a ride on the wild side with their Safari Drive, as well as walk with penguins, visit the meerkats and hop on a cruise to see the gorillas on Gorilla Island. You’ll be given the chance to feed some Rainbow Lorikeets, deer and even giraffes

AirSpace Trampoline Park, Glasgow/ Wolverhampton

Spend a session bouncing, flipping and jumping at Air Space! This brand new attraction has over 100 interconnected trampolines all waiting for you to spring about on. As well as freestyle sessions you can join in with games such as dodgeball, football and basketball – just bouncier

GoApe! Various Locations

Swing, zip, balance and jump your way through the trees on the Tree Top Adventure courses, suspended high above the forest floor. Younger adventurers will love Tree Top Junior, a lower and easier version and great children’s entertainment for a fun day out.

Explore the Holidays

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The days are getting longer, the theme parks are re-opening and warmer weather is hopefully on the way, making it a great time of year to get exploring. Plus, with the Easter holidays just around the corner too, adventure most certainly awaits.

The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, Buckinghamshire

Situated in the village that the famous author lived in and wrote for 36 years, you can explore 40 interactive displays bringing his enchanting stories to life. On selected dates this month, kids can make heads for Hornswogglers, create Boggled Box Beasts and fly a Kicksy Kite – it’s a truly gloriumptious day out for the whole family.

Tim Peak’s Spacecraft at Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester

Rewind back to June 2016 and you might just remember Tim Peake returning back to Earth following his space mission, and now you can see his space capsule up close at the Museum of Science and Industry! Landing in Manchester, you’ll be able to take a closer look at the Soyuz TMA-19M, complete with scorch marks from its re-entry through the atmosphere. With 15-minute presentations, every weekend, the out of this world adventure takes place here.

Lambing season at Umberslade Farm Park, Warwickshire

Head to your local farm park this month, and chances are you’ll come face to face with some very cute newborn animals, and Umberslade Farm Park is certainly the place to do just that. Kids can meet the new lambs and even have the chance to help with the bottle-feeds. As a real working farm, there’s always something new and exciting to see too, and don’t miss the tractor and trailer ride for a fun tour of the site.

Exhibitions at the V&A Museum, London

There’s always some kind of exhibition in London, as the Victoria and Albert Museum showcases the finest children’s exhibitions. Whether you’re bringing a young child or older ones, there’s something to entertain all ages.

Smart Sightseeing

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Sightseeing in London is so much fun to do with a smart App..

Vox City is a flexible self-guided sightseeing and tour app that enables you to explore London at your own pace. Perfect when you have kids in tow!

Simply select the city sights you would like to see then follow the app. Once downloaded over Wifi the app works using GPS so no data connection is required. It even works if you decide to take a taxi or bus! The app can even lead you to Wi-Fi hotspots and photo opportunity hotspots.

How to use the VOX City app:

Download the ‘VOX City’ App to your smartphone from The Google Play Store or App Store. (This will need to be done over Wifi.) Then login by scanning your QR code! (This can be found on your confirmation email)

Select your City (London) and then choose your language! There are 6 languages to choose from which include; English, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Mandarin. Then click ‘download’

Your map will download to the app and now you are ready for your self-guided tour around London! Enjoy the sights and keep the kids entertained, there’s lots to do for the whole family!

The Perfect kids party venue

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There are many reasons why you wouldn’t want to host a children’s party in your own house. Either you don’t have enough room in your house for a whole classroom of children, or you don’t want your house to get damaged. Perhaps you don’t have the time to clean up after a party.

Getting your party organised in the right location is of great importance. Organising a children’s party that is too far from anywhere is not a good idea, as other parents have to consider the cost of transport. Other considerations for your setting may include disabled access, the size of the hall itself and the cost.

Where:
Consider church halls, or community centres that have their own kitchens so you can cater too. Decide how much space you will need. Do you want outside space too? Some of these party venues mentioned are quite reasonably priced.

How much?
If you would like to find out how much a centre costs, you should ask the centre first if they charge by the hour or by child. Some centres do charge per person and this can become very expensive if you are looking to host a large number of friends.

If you have found the best location for your children’s party, then why not look on our blogs for amazing ideas. We’ve plenty of knowledge and experience in giving inspiration to your little one’s party.

School holiday ideas

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Knowing how to keep children amused through the school holidays can sometimes be daunting for parents, especially when things cost so much. Here are some top tips to help take some of the stress out of it, and keep everyone happy without needing to spend a fortune.

Going out and about
During the school holidays, there may be lots going on in your local area that your family can enjoy, often for free. Check the websites of your local council and tourist information centres for local days out, or scan the local papers and community centres to see what’s going on in your area. Visit your local library and look for adverts of events. Many libraries hold events such as story time, and arts and crafts days. Libraries are also a great source of activity in themselves, with plenty of books and computers to keep children busy, plus they often have storytime for toddlers and parents.

Check to see if your local council swimming pool offers free or reduced-fee entrance in the school holidays. Museums and galleries often have new exhibitions and events running in the summer. Many art galleries put on special events for children and families – this could be just the thing to stimulate your child’s artistic streak. Check out your local leisure centre – there are plenty of children’s sports and activities they can participate in.

Staying at home
Of course, on some days, you will find yourselves stuck at home, but that doesn’t mean anyone has to be bored. You could take the opportunity to spend some time sharing a favourite game or story with your children or, if you want some more inspiration, try some of these activities. Arrange a movie day – choose a couple of favourite films, get some popcorn and put your feet up with the kids.

Get cooking – pick a recipe with the kids, go shopping for ingredients and cook something together that you can enjoy eating afterwards. Depending on your child’s age and interest, this could be anything from a simple sponge cake to a mushroom stroganoff! Dig out the puzzles, games and books and give them a go. Some good old-fashioned children’s entertainment can be really fun.

Have a look in your cupboards and play dress up with your old clothes. Sort through your clothes together and recycle the ones that you never wear and the stuff your little one’s grown out of.

Encourage the kids to put on a play or a magic show. They could even use the dress up clothes and props from around the house. If you have a camera, you can even film it, for great memories. Build a den with the kids – if the weather is ok, you could even risk doing this outside! All you need is some boxes or sofa cushions, a few blankets, and a bit of imagination.

Create a scrapbook together using photos from your family album, or torn from magazines.
The great outdoors (and the garden!)

Sunny days are great for simple activities like picnics and ball games. This can be done as close to home as in the back garden!

Don’t try and fill every minute of every day. Encourage your children’s imagination and independence – let them play in their rooms or the garden.