Tag: kids

Best indoor waterparks

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Don’t let the cold, miserable weather dampen your day as we’ve found just the thing to cheer the kids up in the form of an indoor waterpark! We’ve listed some of our favourites to keep up your sleeve for those grey days!

Calypso Cove Waterpark; Barnsley, South Yorkshire

All the family will be thoroughly entertained at this brilliant pirate themed water park which is home to some seriously cool slides and flumes! Check out Terror Torrent which is one of the UK’s fastest indoor flumes, or how about the family friendly Kraken which lets you choose your own music to slide down to – how cool!

Alton Towers Waterpark; Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire

Often forgotten about whilst everyone explores the theme park, the waterpark at Alton Towers is equally as incredible! With rides to keep the adrenaline junkies happy such as the Master Blaster Water Coaster, there is also plenty on offer for the little ones. So if your legs are feeling tired from walking around the theme park or you need to cool down, pay the waterpark a visit!

Wet n Wild; North Shields, Tyne and Wear

Your little adrenaline junkies will love trying out the wild rides having fun with the wave machine. For the braver visitors there is The Kamikaze which has an 80 foot drop eeek! There is lots on offer for littler visitors too and check the website for parent and toddler swimming sessions.

The Time Capsule Waterpark; Coatbridge, Scotland

Located within a complex which has an Ice Rink and Sports Centre, this waterpark has exhilarating colourful water slides including the Tornado Tantrum, Tsunami, Riptide River and Coral Cove which thrill seekers will love! It’s not all slides though, there is also a 25 metre long pool for the little ones to practise their swimming.

WaterWorld; Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire

A visit to this fantastic indoor tropical aqua park is a must during the school holidays and you’ll be guaranteed a splashing good time! Race your friends down the slides, swing on the lily pads and enjoy the wave machine. There is also an aqua disco held on a Friday night for all the family which includes use of the water rides and slides too!

The Rapids; Romsey, Hampshire

This fantastic leisure pool is a real hit with children and adults of all ages and offers plenty of fun. Ride the rapids, enjoy the flume and for the little ones there is a pirate ship to explore. There are also bubble seats and a huuuuge bucket which tips water so dodge it if you can!

Sandcastle Waterpark; South Beach, Blackpool

This large indoor waterpark is one of Blackpool’s leading tourist attractions. Great for water babies of all ages you’ll find waterslides, fun pools, a wave machine, a lazy river, water shoots and much more. There are also a range of dining options so you can relax with a coffee whilst the children play.

Oasis Beach Pool; Bedford, Bedfordshire

Head to this tropical paradise which will keep the kids entertained for hours with two wild flumes, a wave machine, a mushroom fountain, a beach area and much more! And as we’re now enjoying the sunny weather a real highlight is the outdoor lazy river float ride!

Waterworld; Newquay, Cornwall

With something for all the family, this fully equipped indoor swimming pool is great for escaping the hot sunshine or even the rain clouds. With a tropical fun pool, a snake fountain, two flumes and so much more, you are guaranteed that the kids will have a great time! There’s even a 6 lane 25 metre swimming pool to practise your swimming techniques!

Splashdown; Poole, Dorset

This brilliant waterpark is great for all ages and abilities even the younger children! The daredevils of the family will love The Screamer which is basically a slide with a vertical drop, the Tennessee Twister, and Baron’s Revenge. Younger visitors can play in the Little Buccaneers SplashZone with a starter flume, play area and a toddler swimming pool.

The Leisure Pool at Leisure World; Colchester, Essex

For an action packed day out the Leisure Pool at Leisure World will provide the kids with exactly that! A real family friendly attraction, the little ones will absolutely love the water canons, bubbles, crazy river, tipping buckets and loads more! There’s also a 13 metre flume to zoom down, for those looking for something a bit more crazy!

Blue Lagoon Water Park; Narberth, Wales

Bring the kids along to Blue Lagoon where they will enjoy plenty of exciting rides, rapid rivers and flumes. The main feature is the large wave pool with a sloping beach area, however for a more relaxing experience there is a lazy river to just float around plus an outdoor hot tub. For the younger visitors, there is a special area called Nippers Cove which they can explore!

We hope these indoor waterparks have given you some rainy day inspiration for kids entertainment – whilst burning some energy! We suggest you sit back and grab a cuppa whilst the little ones are having fun!

CBeebies at Alton Towers

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Alton Towers Resort has today announced that CBeebies Land will reopen for 2017 season with an extended line up of rides, attractions and live children’s entertainment. The Furchester Hotel Live Show and Go Jetters Vroomster Zoom ride will open on 25th March for the new theme park season and join the existing line up of 12 other attractions in the Land.

As the UK’s most watched children’s channel, CBeebies favourites are brought to life in CBeebies Land. Opening its doors for a brand new live and interactive show, guests can join Phoebe, Funella, Furgus, Elmo and Cookie Monster at The Furchester Hotel. Guests will make their way through the famous revolving doors before being welcomed with furry arms into the hotel. The show sees the hotel prepare for the exciting arrival of Chick Swagger, guests can sing and dance along to the rock-a-doodle-do hit, Tail Feather Shake.

Join Kyan, Xuli, Lars and Foz on a Go Jetters global adventure as little thrill seekers fly around the world in a Vroomster. With their very own controls, youngsters can guide their Vroomster up and down as they launch from the Jetpad to help to find Grandmaster Glitch.

CBeebies Land is a dedicated area at the UK’s number one theme park where children can learn play and meet some of their favourite CBeebies friends to inspire their imagination. The two new rides and attractions join a line-up of existing favourites at CBeebies Land including Postman Pat Parcel Post, Mr.Bloom’s Allotment, Justin’s House Pie-o-Matic Factory and the In the Night Garden Magical Boat ride.

For an extra special CBeebies experience in 2017, stay at the brand new CBeebies Land Hotel. Opening in Summer, the 76 room, fully themed hotel will be home to bedrooms featuring In the Night Garden, Octonauts, Postman Pat, as well as Swashbuckle and Something Special.  Guests can hunt for Postman Pat’s parcels, count the jewels in the Swashbuckle room or stay in one of Mr Tumble’s starry bunkbeds. Find the Pontipines around the In the Night Garden room, and sleep in the Octopod in a themed underwater experience with the Octonauts. Featuring interactive games and play items, each themed room is uniquely designed to give little ones a sleepover like no other.

With a jam-packed kids entertainment schedule for all guests to enjoy, the CBeebies Land Hotel will offer meet and greets with characters Bing and Postman Pat, a Swashbuckle game show and Andy’s Dinosaur Hunt in which children will help Andy follow the clues to find his missing prehistoric items. There will also be the chance to join Bing in a live show and dance the night away with a CBeebies disco. As darkness falls, guests can take part in some stargazing with the CBeebies Land Hotel presenters before a restful night ready for an action packed day in CBeebies Land!

The new attractions in CBeebies Land open on 25th March with bookings now being taken for the brand new CBeebies Land Hotel from 8th July.

Where to take the kids for half term

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Wondering how to entertain kids on a budget during half term? If you’re strapped for ideas for half-term family activities, never fear.
Take a free event.
 
Have a look at Free-events and wherecanwego for more children’s events going on in your area over the course of the week.
Watch a film
For a lazy start to the day, Vue cinemas host Mini Mornings every morning during the holidays. Both adult and child tickets are £2.49 for selected movies, so you could release your inner child for very little expense.
 
Odeon offers something very similar with Odeon Kids. Kids and adults can go every morning during the school holidays at a slightly higher ticket price of £2.50.
 
Cineworld also does Movie for Juniors where you and the kids can get in for a tiny £2 each (3D £3.50).
Go bowling
Head over to your local Tenpin from Monday to Friday and get a cracking School’s Out deal. If you go before 5pm, kids can get one game of bowling and a burger meal for £8.49 and adults can get the same for £10.99. Deals vary between bowling alleys so check the Tenpin website before you go.
Learn a new skill
There’s everything from free scales and fins pet workshops at Pets at Home stores to spooky shadows workshops at the National Gallery.
 
Hobbycraft also runs free workshops for kids in some of its 81 UK stores over the weekends and during half term. Check if your local store is running one.
 
Alternatively stay in and pass on your own skills (think instruments, drawing, cooking) to the kids.
Get sporty
If the weather holds up, get them outside for a bit of a kickabout. Find out where to get free holiday football coaching at various skill centres throughout England.
 
Or if the kids prefer a spot of tennis, clubs up and down the UK offer free weekly tennis coaching lessons in public parks and free ‘walk on and play’ in certain courts.
 
The National Trust has a number of cycle routes for families too as well as some great walks including walks for little legs so that the young ones don’t get too tired.
 
Councils across the UK offer free swim programmes for certain residents, so check out your local council’s website to see if you or your children are eligible.
Soak up some culture
There are free museums up and down the country just waiting to be explored, and many of them host special events for children during the break.
 
If you’re in or around London, there’s plenty of theatre to keep children entertained too. For example, if you go and see Let’s Fly at the Little Angel Theatre you can get tickets for £10 for adults or £8 for children.
You can bag more free tickets, money off and cheap meals by visiting Groupon, Wowcher, VoucherCodes and Voucher Cloud.
Eat out on the cheap
You can guarantee that there’ll be some great offers available for families over the half term.
You can find a load on websites like VoucherCodes. Or if you have a craving for a roast dinner, find your nearest Crown Carvery. If you order a meal on any Sunday (or bank holiday Monday) any child under 10 will get their meal for free!
Get creative at home
You don’t have to go on a grand adventure to have a memorable day with the family. Find something you can all do together like play a game or do a project which the whole family can get involved in.
It can be as simple as grabbing some old scraps and getting crafty. There are thousands of projects available online, including ones that can be made using household junk. If it’s not raining, put together a scavenger hunt in the garden using small knick knacks or wrapped chocolates. Don’t worry if it is, just take the hunt indoors.
 
There are also some wacky experiments you can do at home like creating your own tornado, fashioning a soap sculpture or growing edible crystals. You don’t even have to leave the kitchen.
 
And if all else fails, raid the linen cupboard and make a giant blanket fort.

EUROCAMP HOLIDAYS

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Where is it? Travelling by P&O Ferry from Dover to Calais on a one- hour crossing, then drive the 210 miles to Duinrell in three and a half hours through France and Belgium. You can also travel from Harwich to Hook of Holland (26 miles) or Zebrugge (139 miles)  or do fly-drive to Amsterdam ( 22 miles away).

A two-bedroom Eurocamp mobile home cost £571 for a seven-night stay at Whitsun week, for two adults and up to four children, including the Dover to Calais ferry crossings. Prices range from £260 for a tent at the beginning of May to over £1,017 for a week in a mobile home in peak July/ August weeks.

Where? Netherlands

Staying in a Eurocamp mobile home, which was comfy and well-equipped with a kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. The pitch was wider than other sites with a broad deck, which meant loads of room for the kids to ride their bikes.

The Duinrell site has so much there on tap, you’ll find the kids will be exhausted and sleep like logs – and you may even get a lie-in!

The adjoining theme park had everything from non-scary rides suitable for toddlers to heart-stopping white-knuckle water plunge rides and roller coasters for adrenaline-seeking teenagers (and adults). Think Alton Towers or Chessington without the huge queues and mortgage-your-home entry fee.

The queues aren’t as long as at UK theme parks and the beauty of the free entry was that you can go back as many times as you wanted. It is more suitable for older children and teenagers entertainment, but there is a high buggy count in the theme park.

Favourite spot for toddlers and parents is the indoor carousel ride (free!), which is surrounded by tables where coffees and ice creams are served.

The site has a well-stocked supermarket with reasonably priced food if you wanted to eat in.

The indoor Tiki Water Park (with some of the longest rides in the world are good for wet days; you get up to two hours free to ride the Lazy River, flumes and plunging slides. There’s even a sauna if Mum or Dad want to sneak off.

The campsite has 1,500 pitches and a mixture of Dutch/ British and German visitors, with English widely spoken. It is adjoined by a nature reserve that provides a welcome escape.

Cycle rides to Wassenaar beach, a clean and spacious stretch of sand with bars and cafes, is one of the highlights of the trip.

Amsterdam is only 22 miles away, you can drive to a Park and Ride site just outside the city, and pay five Euros to park all day (this bargain price included two return train tickets to central Amsterdam). Children’s fares were a very reasonable two Euros each.

Conclusion:

A great place to go even if it rains you don’t have to sit in the caravan listening to the rain drumming on the roof – non-stop children’s entertainment is right on site.

Brilliant LEGOLAND

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The LEGOLAND Windsor Resort has formally invited the mini monarchs and their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, to lend their royal seal of approval by staying at the premium castle-themed family hotel at their earliest convenience, once it opens its doors on 1 July 2017.

Situated right on the edge of the theme park next to the existing LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel, the new Castle Hotel will have 61 magical rooms. Families can choose between two imaginatively themed room types – Knights and Wizards – and enjoy the leisure and entertainment facilities at the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort Hotel plus special benefits including early entry to the park, free refillable drink vessels, unique LEGO gifts and collectables.

Colourful LEGO touches and models large and small will feature throughout from the hotel’s astonishing lobby dominated by a giant LEGO Wizard unleashing LEGO magic from his wand, to the à la carte Tournament Tavern Restaurant, indoor Jester’s Play area and outdoor children’s Playground.

There are plenty of other websites offering great deals for LEGOLAND short breaks. Some offer 1 day free.  Your family will certainly enjoy LEGOLAND as there is something for everyone to enjoy…

Ballerina film

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The Royal Academy of Dance have partnered with new film Ballerina, in cinemas on 19th December, and are celebrating the release of the enchanting new film by launching a nationwide series of Ballerina classes to inspire children to get involved in dance through acting, storytelling and characterisation.

Ballerina follows young orphan Felicie, who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer in Paris. With the help of her best friend Victor, Felicie must learn from her mistakes and fight like she never has before, but learns that nothing is impossible when it comes to achieving one’s dreams.

The Royal Academy of Dance’s Ballerina-inspired classes are available exclusively from RAD registered teachers and will explore the themes of friendship and never giving up on your dreams, as inspired by characters in the film. The classes also explore French culture through music and imagery and introduce young dancers to classical ballet repertoire. From acting out Felicie and Victor’s chores at the orphanage to imagining dancing on stage at the Paris Opera Ballet, children will be taken on a creative journey through movement and dance to realise Felicie’s dream of becoming a ballet dancer.

Children’s Storytelling is a wonderful way to inspire children about the world of dance. The Royal Academy of Dance are delighted to be partnering with Ballerina to take children on a dancing journey with Felicie and Victor in a series of nationwide classes.

The classes, which will run through January, will be available for children aged 4–7 and 8–13 across the country. Further details about upcoming Ballerina classes can be found here: Ballerina Classes

Watch the Ballerina trailer at Facebook Ballerina Film UK Trailer

 

Be safe at Halloween

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Treats

Warn children not to eat any treats before an adult has carefully examined them for evidence of tampering

Flame Resistant Costumes

When purchasing a costume, masks, beards, and wigs, look for the label Flame Resistant. Although this label does not mean these items won’t catch fire, it does indicate the items will resist burning and should extinguish quickly once removed from the ignition source. To minimize the risk of contact with candles or other sources of ignition, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts

Costume Designs

Purchase or make costumes that are light and bright enough to be clearly visible to motorists.

For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim children’s halloween party costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights. Bags or sacks should also be light colored or decorated with reflective tape. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle, and sporting goods stores.

 

  • To easily see and be seen, children should also carry flashlights.

  • Costumes should be short enough to prevent children from tripping and falling.

  • Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes . Mother’ s high heels are not a good idea for safe walking.

  • Hats and scarfs should be tied securely to prevent them from slipping over children’s eyes.

 

Apply a natural mask of cosmetics rather than have a child wear a loose-fitting mask that might restrict breathing or obscure vision. If a mask is used, however, make sure it fits securely and has eyeholes large enough to allow full vision.

Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be of soft and flexible material.

Pedestrian Safety

Young children should always be accompanied by an adult or an older, responsible child. All children should WALK, not run from house to house and use the pavement if available, rather than walk in the street. Children should be cautioned against running out from between parked cars, or across lawns and yards where ornaments, furniture, or clotheslines present dangers.

Choosing Safe Houses

Children should go only to homes where the residents are known and have outside lights on as a sign of welcome.

Children should not enter homes or apartments unless they are accompanied by an adult.

People expecting trick-or-treaters should remove anything that could be an obstacle from lawns, steps and porches. Candlelit jack-o’-lanterns should be kept away from landings and doorsteps where children’s fancy dress costumes could brush against the flame. Indoor jack-o’-lanterns should be kept away from curtains, decorations, and other furnishings that could be ignited.

Do some monster baking

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Halloween is becoming more and more popular in the UK, make sure this year you are ready to make some Halloween children’s party food that will impress your little monsters!!

Ghoulish Ghost Cakes

Dariole moulds are the ideal shape or these spooky little cakes but you could cheat and use a mini chocolates rolls under the white icing!

 

175g butter

175g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

175g self-raising flour

800g ready-to-roll white icing

1 tube black writing icing

 

Beat together the caster sugar, butter and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time with a tablespoon of flour for each egg. Beat well and fold in the remaining flour.

Spoon into 8 greased and floured dariole moulds, place on a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Cut the top of the cakes off to form a flat surface and then turn out onto a board or plate. Leave until completely cold.

Roll out the white icing on a surface dusted with cornflour and cut out 8 x 16cm circles (can use a saucer as a guide). Drape these over the sponge cakes to form ghost figures. Draw the ghost’s features using a tube of black writing icing

Makes 8 mini ghost cakes

Spider And Bat Cakes

These are fun to make with your children. You can make five of each design, divide the cake mixture in two and add one tablespoon of cocoa powder to half of it .

 

Fairy Cakes

100g (4 oz) soft margarine

100g (4 oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

100g (4 oz) self-raising flour

(substitute 2 tbsp cocoa powder for 2 tbsp of the flour for chocolate fairy cakes)

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

Spider Cake Decoration

100g / 4 oz milk chocolate

liquorice laces

10 chocolate marshmallow teacakes

Assorted liquorice sweets

Sugar-coated coloured chocolate buttons

 

Bat Cake Decoration

100g / 4 oz softened butter

175g (6 oz) icing sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp milk

1 tube black writing icing

black liquorice sweets

edible silver balls

 

To make the fairy cakes: pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy and then beat in the eggs one at a time together with 1 tablespoon of the flour. Add the vanilla and fold in the remaining flour. Line a bun tin with paper cases and half fill each case with the mixture. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove and put on a wire rack to cool before decorating.

 

Spider Cakes

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Using a palette knife, cover each cake with some of the melted chocolate. Arrange six liquorice strips for the spider’s legs and stick a teacake in the centres. Finish with assorted liquorice sweets and sugar-coated coloured chocolate buttons as eyes.

 

Bat Cakes

To make the chocolate frosting, beat the butter until creamy. Sieve together the icing sugar and cocoa and gradually beat into the butter together with the milk using a wooden spoon. When the cakes have cooled, cut off the tops of the cakes and cut into three sections and use the two curved ends to make wings (reserve the middle section).

 

Draw a ‘V’ with black writing icing on the wings. Spread a thick layer of chocolate frosting over the surface of the cake, position the wings to that they stand up: you will need to cut small squares of cake from the middle section to position under the wings to prop them up. Stick edible silver balls on top of black liquorice sweets for the bat’s eyes.

 

Makes 10 to 12 spider cakes

Tombstone Sandwiches

You can use a variety of fillings like Marmite, Peanut Butter, Egg Mayonnaise, Cheese and Tomato to make these spine-chilling sandwiches.

 

Sliced bread

Grated carrot

Grated cheddar cheese

Mayonnaise

Salad cress

 

Cut the crusts off the bread and cut into rectangles. Using a plain round cutter or a saucer as a guide cut the top of the sandwich into a round tombstone shape. Mix together the grated carrot, cheese and mayonnaise (or use a filling of your choice) and sandwich the bread together with this mixture.

Arrange the tombstone sandwiches upright on a plate and sprinkle the cress around the sandwiches before serving.

Take the kids to the Theatre

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See Peppa Pig’s Surprise at the Phoenix Theatre

London

Surprise! Peppa Pig, George and their friends are appearing in a brand new live stage show, Peppa Pig’s Surprise at the Phoenix Theatre, London from 15th December to 7th January – the perfect Christmas Treat!

It’s a lovely day out for the family and Peppa is playing outside with her friends. Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig have got a surprise for her and George – they can’t guess what it is, can you?

Enjoy fun, games and of course, surprises in this charming, colourful new show with new songs and new life size puppets, Peppa Pig’s Surprise promises to be the perfect theatre show for all pre-schoolers!

The Snowman at The Peacock Theatre

London

Delighting audiences for 19 hit years, this magical stage adaptation of Raymond Briggs’ much-loved book has transported a generation of children and their families into the wintery wonderland of a boy and a snowman that comes to life.

Twinkling with festive spirit, this is a joyful mix of exquisite dancing, storytelling, enchanting sets and live music, including the beautiful ‘Walking in the Air’. Expect plenty of excitement when snow falls into the theatre and gasps of delight when the Snowman literally flies through the sky.

Suitable for children aged two and upwards, The Snowman is the magical treat your family won’t forget and a perfect introduction to theatre for the young. Performances from 23rd November 2016 – 1st January 2017.

The Cat in the Hat at the Pleasance Theatre

London

Opening at the Pleasance Theatre on 6th December, The Cat in the Hat is the must-attend children’s show of the festive season!

From the moment his tall, red and white striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that The Cat in the Hat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. Based on the much-loved book, expect towering hats, mischief and an imagination recharge!

Throw a great toddler party

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With so many trendy options for children’s birthday parties, it can be difficult to throw a party that will satisfy a garden full of pint-sized, potty-training toddlers and won’t break the bank. The first rule to any Toddler Birthday Party is to remember: all kids that age are more excited about the plastic spoons than they are the extravagant five-tier cake you spent two days making. So before you turn your garden into the Taj Mahal (with a price tag to match) let us help you find budget-friendly alternatives.

1. 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!

For a princess party, craft a paper stone walkway using construction paper, leading to a billowing tower you made from painting and securing cardboard boxes. One box high should be tall enough. Give the tower double windows for them to look out onto their kingdom and await their prince.  If your little superhero has a birthday coming up, make a cardboard city for him to protect! Fashion capes out of materials from your local craft store for all of the guests. Creating these crafts on your own instead of spending hundreds on them will not only give you lasting memories and a sense of accomplishment, it will save you so much money that you can afford to have a Princess or Super-Hero make a surprise guest appearance at your party!

2. Circus Party

Even without elephants or acrobats, you can still bring the circus to your garden! Think small-scale kids 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 craft 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.

3. Dance Party

It is a well-known, undisputed fact that 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! As a sweet little bonus, those party animals are going to have the best nap they’ve ever had, leaving you plenty of quiet time to clean up and respond to the many “Best Party Ever” texts you will undoubtedly get.

4. Sensory Party

If your tiny guests are in the early stages of exploring, consider throwing a party centered around helping them explore. Find large, shallow clear bins 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. After all the sensory exploring has been explored, the cake has been eaten, and the presents have been opened, hire a Storyteller to surprise them with a few books about what they’ve learned.

5. Variety Show

If your child has an excitement for a multitude of activities and interests, create a Variety Show party. Find a location that you can set up a homemade stage, complete with curtains you fashioned with fabric found on sale and nylon rope strung from trees in the garden. Make it a grand stage by putting out an area then make a popcorn snack to pass out to all the guests in decorated, rolled down, brown paper bags. Hire your very own Variety Entertainer, Magician, or Ventriloquist to put on a skit and let those toddlers laugh the day away at their very own live show.

No matter what your budget is, it is always possible to have an extra special 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 child’s birthday one you will all remember and include some birthday traditions.