Tag: Birthday

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.

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.

Animal Party ideas

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Have you ever wanted to pet a kangaroo, or get up close and personal to a monkey? One of the most fun birthday party themes is animals! We all love them, and whether your child is into snake or bunnies, you can add some live animal fun to create a party they’ll never forget!

1. Exotic Animal Petting Zoo

If you’re looking to spice up your party with something a little more exciting, try looking for Exotic Animal children’s parties! You and your guests could be face-to-face with a Sloth, kangaroo, or a giant rabbit before you know it. Learn about the animals in a way that a zoo could never do! To round out the jungle vibe, decorate the tables with bright green vines and bamboo and serve colourful fruit skewers.

2. Reptile Entertainment

Some of us get a little squeamish at the thought of reptiles, but you may have a child who loves snakes and lizards. They’re the next best thing to dinosaurs, so why not bring a live Reptile Show to their birthday? Trained professionals will give an educational demonstration on all kinds of reptiles like snakes, iguanas, turtles, insects, and sometimes even alligators or crocodiles!

3. Farm Animal Petting Zoo

Maybe fluffy bunnies, goats, and baby calves are more your child’s thing? Try a traditional Petting Zoo! Bring the farm to your backyard and let the children spend the day cuddling baby farm animals. Keep the refreshments simple with lemonade and a barbecue. Decorate with table cloths and red or white plates and cups, and buntings and you’ve got yourself an adorable animal farm themed party.

4. Pony Party

If you have a little cowboy or cowgirl on your hands, a Pony Party could be the perfect fit! Some pony parties are mobile and can bring them right to your home (of course that is if you have a huge back garden.) Let the little ones go on slow-paced rides with gentle, friendly ponies and it’ll be a party they’ll never forget. Hand out cowboy hats or handkerchiefs as souvenirs, and have a hot dog and marshmallow campfire!!

Pony party ideas

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Your child’s birthday is just around the corner, or maybe you’re in charge of throwing an amazing school summer holiday party, but you’re not sure where to start. Why not have a Pony Party? Now, you’re probably thinking that this sounds complicated? But be assured It isn’t complicated.  So we have put together 4 essentials for any Pony Party to be a great success:

1. Ponies

You can’t have a pony party without the ponies! There are many organisations who will provide the ponies, trainers, and all the other bits for you! All you have to do is contact them, set up a date, and let them do the rest. Now, how easy is that?

2. Crafts

Of course all children like to draw, colour, and make their own arts and crafts. Setting up a craft table is a great way to keep the children busy when it’s not their turn to ride! Plus, with the right crafts, it’s easy to tie in your children’s party theme. How about getting some recycling bits of cardboard boxes and toilet rolls etc., as well as paint and googly eyes and get your guests to make a pony. Each child makes their own pony and at the end of the party the best one wins a prize. Don’t forget to give everybody a little token for taking part though!

3. Costumes

What would a Pony Party be without cowboy/cowgirl costumes? Get some fancy dress for the children while they ride! Hire a Photographer to capture the priceless sights!

4. Food

The children will have worked up an appetite after all that running around. Time to feed them! Here are a few simple treats. Keep with the pony theme by slicing up apples and carrots, and serve some mini shredded wheats (hay) set them out on a picnic table. But what would a children’s birthday party or any party be without sweet things? Ask your cake decorator to help you keep the theme with a cake or cupcakes!

Follow those directions and your Pony Party should be fun, easy, and totally memorable!

Spend less on your children’s party

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Gone are the days when a sandwich, bowl of jelly and a game of pass-the-parcel were enough for a jolly children’s party. Social media bragging and peer pressure have upped the ante.

Some parents admit to spending £800 on their little one’s birthday bash, with £300 being the average cost, according to a poll by Mums Show Live!

Extravagant parties include an entertainer for three hours at £435 (£145 an hour); catered food and drink for 30 at £3.95 a child (£118.50); hire of a hall at around £100; birthday cake £64.90 and party bags for everyone at £3.25 each add up to £97.50. Grand total: £815.90.

One mum recently moaned she had to do it three times over – goody bags at school for the 30 pupils in her daughter’s class, a children’s birthday party, and another for adult friends and family.

Here are simple ways to stop your party parting you from your money.

Invites

Email invitations or download them for free from websites.

  • A fun idea from is to write the details on an inflated balloon, let the air out and ask the nursery or school to hand them out after class.
  • Share the party with one of your children’s friends with a birthday around the same time and keep it short, say two hours rather than three. Keep numbers down by making it clear that guests’ brothers and sisters aren’t invited.
  • If you can’t face having it at home, or don’t have enough space, summer parties can be held in a local park or free outdoor play area with a picnic and energetic party games.
  • If you don’t want to take a risk with the weather, get a quote from a soft play centre or local hall. Avoid peak times – weekends, school holidays and half terms – when admission charges are higher. Babies often get in for free. Ask if you can bring your own food.

Entertainment

Professional children’s party entertainers are expensive. There are horror stories of the family pet savaging the magician’s rabbit and little ones being left in tears by grumpy clowns. Keep the stress and cost down by doing it yourself.

You can always organise traditional games such as blind man’s bluff, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and musical chairs.

Catering

Young ones typically don’t eat much, so don’t go overboard. Sandwiches, crisps and ice cream with a flake should be enough. Or ask family and friends to bring a dish and bake your own cake.

If you’re not a baker, and don’t know an enthusiastic amateur, buy plain fairy cakes and get the kids to decorate them.

Borrow a tablecloth and decorations from a friend. Or get a plain white paper cloth, scatter crayons and stickers on it and get the children to draw on it. Balloons are always popular, especially if you customise with glitter.

Party bags

These are a real bone of contention and thinking up what to put in them can be stressful. Even if you buy loads of plastic toys from a pound shop this can quickly add up.

One idea is to buy a set of books such as the Mr Men series and let the children choose one to take away. A book will last far longer than a tatty toy that will be broken by bedtime. Or do a lucky dip.

If you must have a going-home gift, decorate brown paper bags and buy seeds, multipacks of sweets and stickers to fill them and a slice of cake. Or fill a jar with sweets and tie a ribbon round it.

There are lots of ideas on the internet on how to throw a great party on the cheap. We are sure if you stretch your imagination it will be a real success!!

Planning Children’s Parties

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Children’s party entertainment is something that many parents lose sleep over. Where do you find something that will keep your kids busy and engaged for the whole duration of the party, and something that they haven’t already seen before? It’s a challenge most parents would gladly forgo, so Red Masque is here to help. We have access to an eclectic mix of party games, party entertainers and a fund of children’s birthday party ideas that are new and different.

It’s quite challenging thinking up every year of something ‘special’ and different for the right reasons for your child’s/teenagers birthday this is why Red Masque hold the key to taking the stress out of trying to think of something unique.

Why not look on an entertainment directory, where you can hire only the best children’s party entertainment, for any age group, which can thrill, enthral and astound the audience; from balloon modellers to magicians, street dancers to caricaturists and even green screen photography entertainments, plus a whole series of indoor and outdoor games which include:

Indoor –

Dance Machines, 

Photo Booths, 

Table Football, 

Air Hockey and Skittles.

Bubble and Smoke machines

Karaoke

Balloon Modellers

Face Painters

Outdoor – 

Funfair Stalls, 

Giant outdoor games Connect 4, Kerplunk etc.

Giant Scalextrics.

Bouncy Castles

Fairground rides

Make sure you check out the entertainer’s policies so everything runs as smoothly as possible.  Looking on an entertainment directory, you will be spoilt for choice and it will definitely give you ‘food for thought’ there will be something for everybody’s tastes!!

Top entertainment ideas for kids

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Entertaining children at a party is hard work, especially if you’ve got a range of ages attending, they all want to play, and you’re trying to set up the food! So, why not let a professional children’s party entertainer, entertain and enthral your children and their friends, while you relax and wonder how 20 kids could possibly eat all that food in one sitting. (Don’t worry, they will!) 

Here’s our top entertainment ideas for children’s parties that will please the kids and impress their parents too:

1. Blow up a storm with balloon modellers     

Balloon modelling is fascinating to watch; as long thin balloons are inflated then twisted at lightening speeds into anything from a monkey to a jetpack! The great benefit of hiring Balloon Modellers for any kid’s party is that every child gets something to take home, be it a hat, custom-made balloon jewellery, a backpack or a favourite cartoon character. 

2. Face painting for children’s parties 

Transform your little VIPs into wild animals, butterflies, superheroes with the skill and artistry of expert Face Painters.  Professional face painters will only use safe, water-based and hypoallergenic materials, so kids can wear their new look all party long and parents can restore them to angelic normality before bedtime!

3. Memorable Mime Artists 

If your kids like Mr Bean, they’ll love live mime. Children just can’t take their eyes off a mime artist, fascinated as they conjure a world from thin air and pure imagination. Mime Artists offer traditional style mime and also a silent clown act, for a wonderful show full of slapstick and comedy.

4. Marvellous Magic with Close-Up Magicians 

Magic is really popular for kids, thanks to the new wave of TV street magicians, so a close-up magic show is perfect for a birthday party. Often combining conjuring tricks with an infectious sense of fun, a children’s magician will give your kids a show that’s amazing, amusing and absolutely unforgettable.

5. Superb Storytellers 

Once upon a time, there was a children’s party where every child was spellbound by the power of a great story. And that party can be yours, a wonderfully relaxing experience for both guests and parents that is hard to find in today’s busy worlds. Now that’s a true happy ending!

6. Game On! 

Remember those party games you loved as a child, like Musical Chairs, Musical Statues, Pass-the-Parcel, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Egg & Spoon, Sack Races, Simon Says? Let a professional children’s party entertainer delight the children with these oh-so-simple-but oh-such-fun games, plus their modern counterparts, Karaoke and Dancing Games, for a party that’s active, fun and stress-free for you, the host.

For summer birthdays or just a fun get-together, kids love a good party! Why not take advantage of the beautiful summer weather and have the party outside? Get going with these 5 great outdoor kids party ideas! 

Happy Birthday sweet 16

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Sweet 16 is a time of coming of age and celebrating it in true style. Many 16th birthday parties are becoming quite similar these days so why not make your 16th birthday party one to remember.

Firstly, choose a venue; this could be your own house. Secondly choose a theme. Trust us, this will make your 16th birthday party that extra bit more unique and give your guests the excitement leading up to your party.

Finally, your party entertainment… make your 16th birthday party stand out from the crowd and have some of the most interesting and lively entertainment. Underneath is a variety of 16 birthday party entertainment ideas to help you!

DJ – Every party needs great music. You will not need to worry about changing songs over on your IPod when a DJ can do it all for you by using the latest technology. You can tell the DJ exactly what music you would like played so your music can be catered specifically for you!

16th Birthday Party Entertainers

Photo booth – Why not keep a little memory of your 16th birthday party night by hiring a photo booth. Your guests will have so much fun trying on colourful props and overall having fun in the photo booth. Instant photos will be available for your guests and you will receive a DVD of all photos taken on the night.

Themed nights– Give your party that Vegas feel by having your very own fun casino. Spin the wheel, place your fun bets and have a laugh with all your guests. The Fun Casino is a great way to get your friends having a laugh and the style of entertainment is top class. Nobody else will have a casino at their 16th!

Magician – A walk around hired magician is perfectly suited to a Sweet 16 party. The magician will stun your guests with various tricks that will definitely catch them out. The magician could also be a comedian on the side, so Dynamo mixed with a bit of Lee Evans will go down a storm at your 16th birthday party.

16th Birthday Party Food

Fish and Chip Van – If you are unsure of the catering you would like for your party, then why not hire out a fish and chip van. The food caters for everybody’s tastes and your guests will enjoy their very own freshly cooked food. You can tailor the food to your requirements as well, burgers, sausages, goujons… whatever you want you can have!

Overall, enjoy your 16th birthday party. This is your big night; it’s not every day you take that step from a childhood to adulthood. Your 16th birthday party will be all about you, show it off, and make sure to get the perfect entertainment for your party. But the best thing you can do is smile and create some amazing memories and plan the best 16th birthday party ideas right here!

Birthday cake from scratch

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One of my school Mum’s had never made a cake, let alone a birthday cake. Her son was quite specific about he wanted too – A Lego style theme! So the heat was really on.

When she posted the cake of Facebook we were all rather surprised how great it really was. We asked her a few questions, and this may help you decide if this is something you would like to do?

Given that you’d never made a cake before, what made you decide to make your own cake instead of buying one?

I think there’s something about making things yourself which brings about a sense of achievement and satisfaction. I knew finding a cake with everything my son was currently into would be a challenge and so I decided to take on the challenge myself and add a Mummy’s personal touch! I did have a look at the price of cakes and felt I wasn’t able to justify the expense and so found it so much cheaper ordering what I needed from the internet. I took inspiration from google images and Pinterest and thought I’d give it a go.

What was the theme and why did you choose it?

It was a mix of Lego with a little touch of football and pirates! This was part of the reason why I decided to make it myself, as I wanted to incorporate all his favourite themes onto the cake and make it extra special.

How easy was it?

I did ask a friend to help with the sponge as I am no baker! I then iced the cakes and the cake board (after a couple of goes at it) and handmade the decorations. I wanted everything to be edible and so it was (except for the little Lego men). I know the way children love to pull bits off the cake and gobble them up! I made the decorations whilst in front of the TV a couple of nights before the actual party to make it more manageable

Would you do it again?

I would definitely do it again! Once you start a challenge like this, you’d be amazed at how rewarding it is and how creative you can actually be.

What was your son’s reaction to the cake?

I was up on the last night putting together all the final touches pretty late, but in the morning I showed my son and he hugged me and told me how much he loved it! To see his genuinely sincere reaction showed me he was impressed and I had passed! It was all definitely worth it just for that.

Making a birthday cake is of course a fair bit more work than buying it, but it can be a lot of fun, and as Sarah said herself, it’s a great way to involve your child in the party planning process. It’s always nice to have your own personal cake at the end of it for your child’s birthday party.

Party Invitations made easy

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The invitations to any party are very important. This is one of the first things you should do when planning a children’s birthday party. So here are some great top tips for how to go about your invites.

Ready Made Options –
This is perhaps the perfect time to point out that you can get some great templates on the website for anyone that is stuck for ideas. Many of them can be printed off for free. 

Don’t Hang Around –

It’s important that you give your guests plenty of time to respond to your invites and so you need to get them out in good time before the event. Depending on when your party is, (busy times such as bank holidays and Christmas may need longer) about a month before the occasion is probably best. This should give most people enough time to reply and will also mean the date is firmly in their diary should anything else come up.
Consider Going Straight to the Parents –  
Although it’s exciting for a child to receive an invitation to their friend’s party, children can often forget to pass these onto their parents. You may therefore want to hand the invitations directly to the relevant adults so that you get a swift RSVP. Alternatively, you could get your child to hand them out to their friends but do then check with the parents of the children, that they know about it, in case the invite never made it home. Another option is asking the teacher of your child’s class to put them in the children’s book bags.
Have A Crafty Day –   
If you would prefer to create your own invites rather than use the ones on our We party’s website, then why not have a craft day in order to do this. Set out everything you need to make your child’s own invitations and then work on them together. Kids find this very exciting. This way they can have a bigger say in their party and they can show off their arts and craft skills to all their friends.
Try to Include Everyone – 
When inviting children to the party, it’s often hard to know who should get an invite. The amount of guests that can come will obviously depend on the size of the venue and the budget you have for the party, but where possible it’s a good idea to not leave anyone out and simply invite the whole class at school. If you don’t then some children (and parents) are bound to get upset. Some schools actually ask that you do invite the whole class if you are giving out invites on the school grounds, so it’s an idea to check what the school policy is with this. 
Check All the Information Is Correct –  
Before you send out the invites check that all the information on them is correct. This sounds obvious, but the last thing you want is for people to show up an hour early because you put the wrong time on the invites. Make sure you have included the address of the venue, what time the party starts and finishes, what day and date it is on and whether there is any specific dress code in line with your party theme. You may also want to add that parents are welcome to stay for the duration of the party if you decide you are happy for them to do so. We’d actually suggest they don’t stay (if the children are old enough) because the background noise made by parents charting can actually mean kids can’t hear the entertainer as well and it has an adverse effect on the children’s party. Of course it’s understandable that you may want parents to stay but we’d suggest that if they do, you have a separate room for them to be in.