Tag: party

Party Themes Both Boys and Girls Will Love

Posted on by

Throwing a children’s party for your little ones should be an enjoyable experience. However, it can be surprisingly stressful, raising questions such as ‘should I invite the whole class?’ and ‘how can I pick a theme that everyone will enjoy?” Many small children will have both boys and girls as friends, and, of course, if you do decide to invite the whole class (often the most diplomatic solution) it will usually be a mix-gendered group. With many common party themes, such as princesses or pirates, being gendered, it can be difficult to decide on a theme that will please everyone.

To give you a helping hand, here are three of our most popular unisex themes. 

Sea Life

Ever since Finding Nemo splashed onto our cinema screens in 2003 (has it really been that long?!) kids have been fascinated by the colourful characters in our oceans. This party theme provides plenty of opportunity for creativity and is suitable for all ages.

Fancy Dress

Ask all of the children to come dressed as a sea creature – whether that is whales, sharks or fish. It may be helpful to theme the fancy dress on Finding Nemo, so that each child can come as their favourite character.

The outfits don’t have to be overcomplicated. For example, you can create a great clown fish costume by pairing an orange t-shirt and tights, attaching fins made from orange painted cardboard and getting creative with face paint. Alternatively, you can try this great fish face painting ideas.

Decorations

To create your underwater kingdom, try hanging tissue paper streamers from the walls in different shades of blue and green. Buy seashells online or from craft stores (or pop down to the beach if there’s one close by!) and dot them around the room.

A fun activity to do with the kids is making fish streamers – cut out fish and starfish shapes from coloured card, and then stick them to streamers of blue tissue paper to hang around the room.

Games: Going Fishing

This game requires a little preparation but is well worth it.

–  Before the party, make a fishing rod by tying one end of a length of string to a magnet and the other to a pole.

–  Cut out fish and at least one paper octopus from coloured card, and attach a paper clip to each one.

– Place all of the fish in a large container and blindfold each child when it’s their turn to ‘fish’. Whoever manages to ‘catch’ the octopus gets a prize.

Party Bag Fillers

For an ocean theme, beach buckets are the perfect containers for party bag fillers.      

Tea Party Ideas

Posted on by

All little ladies dream of having a tea party, dressing up and sitting down at a beautiful table with china cups and flowery table accents. So get ready to put on your fancy dress and a tea party hat. Here are some ideas you need to throw a beautiful children’s Tea Party;

Transform your home or garden into a family fun pastel coloured tea party getaway. Serve tea, lemonade or punch along with dainty finger sandwiches and fruit. Your little Tea Party guests will be over the moon.

Invitations.

Tea party invitations can be a tea cup, a tea party hat or just a beautiful tea party designed card. Just be sure to make them really special by using a fancy font and graphics that support the theme. Be sure to give the start time, end time, date and location of the Tea Party.

Decorations.

Set the mood for your party with great decorations like a garland archway and play some beautiful music. Cover the party table with a flowery tablecloth and a beautiful centrepiece. Create a beautiful tea party setting for your guests to enjoy the finger sandwiches and tea.

Party Games.

Sometimes the memories are even more special when guests get to take home the artwork that they’ve created themselves at the party. Whether they decorate tea party hats, tiara, or a special decorative item, it will be something special that helps them remember and share their event with others.

Costumes.

A tea party just isn’t the same without all the guests dressed with some fancy tea party dresses. If you are throwing a kids tea party, be sure to include a hat or tiara!

Drinks and Snacks.

Don’t forget the snacks and drinks for all of your tea party guests. Tiny finger food snacks and sweet flavoured tea drinks or lemonade are always top of the list. But it’s also fun to have some sweet pastries and fruit.

The cake.

A tea cup cake is always popular with those who like to bake. For those who prefer a simple and less complicated treat, individual cupcakes and ice cream in individual cupcake liners can reduce the mess of serving treats under pressure.

Making happy memories

Posted on by

Most people can look back on their childhood and recall a few magical memories from a children’s party that was either thrown in their honour or that they attended in order to celebrate someone else. These occasions often live long in the memory and as a parent, it can be just as exciting to throw your own child a party and give them tonnes of wonderful memories to look back on.
Although kids’ parties can be stressful and slightly challenging to plan; your child is sure to get so much out of it and have such a good time as they celebrate their special day.

Interaction

Let’s face it, kid’s parties are all about having fun but there are real benefits that go with having a party too, that parents probably don’t’ even think about like.

The interaction that children experience with other kids of a similar age is vital in their early development. Their interaction and social skills will be developed as they have heaps of fun, constantly interacting with their friends.

Most of the interacting kids do with their friends is at school, so it’s really nice for them to be able to do this in an environment that is completely different. Not to mention the fact that they gain new experiences like seeing an exciting magic show and puppet shows, etc. Children’s parties can give kids real benefits as it opens up a world of imagination and excitement. Getting to help with the magic tricks can really help your child build their confidence too, especially for those children that tend to be quite shy. Children are always more likely to build confidence whilst doing something fun, new and exciting.

Imagination

One of the most important parts of any kids’ party is the children’s party entertainer and not just because they hold the focus of the children whilst you can take a break. A great children’s entertainer will be able to really amaze the children and open their eyes to host of really exciting activities, invigorate their imaginations. The first time a child sees a seemingly impossible magic trick, or their made to feel really special will provide an unforgettable memory and teach them something really new and intriguing.

A Lasting Smile and a Story to Tell

As a child, there’s nothing more exciting than your birthday party. But as a parent, one of the best parts of throwing a party for your child is the priceless look on their face as they enjoy their special day and the delightful way in which they tell you all things they loved about it.

Getting the right entertainment

Posted on by

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?

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.

The Magician

A brilliant magician can really add a sense of wonder to your kids 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.

Party Food

Posted on by

An important part of any child’s birthday celebrations is the party food, and parents who are choosing to do the spread themselves will want to create a feast that is guaranteed to get eaten. Naturally, dishes you choose will be dependent on what kind of party your child is having but there are a few ways in which you can make sure that your party food goes down a treat.

Mix Staples with party food ‘Experiments’

It’s always fun to create your own fun dishes. You can get loads of ideas form the internet. No matter what you do it’s almost certain that some dishes will be more popular than others. You therefore should aim to create a spread that is a mix of good party food staples like cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, sandwiches, etc.…with ‘experimental’ plates like party themed cupcakes, food shaped as characters from a theme, etc.… Whilst planning the menu, make sure that you consider what leftovers you may have, and how you would use them too as there can be a lot of food left over.

With classic children’s party food such as crisps and biscuits, buying multipacks and refilling will mean that any leftovers you have are fresh and easily used in lunch boxes and for snacks. With more ‘experimental’ dishes, make sure that you and your family will be willing to eat them if left untouched.

Check for Allergies

When sending out the invites, it might be suitable to request any dietary information from parents that will help you create a spread that can be enjoyed by all. Parents of children with severe allergies or special dietary requirements may already know they need to contact families prior to attending birthday parties to avoid issues on the day, but some will assume that they will be catered for or forget to mention it.

By asking families to provide details of special diets, you can include (or not include) certain dishes that means no one at the party goes hungry.

Presentation isn’t necessarily everything

Do try not to add unnecessary stress or pressure on yourself. Most parents are on the quest to create the perfect children’s birthday celebration and therefore may think that presentation of their party food is essential. Of course it’s fun to make things look nice and show some thought. Although presentation and display of party food may be important to adults, do remember it’s not necessarily noticed by the children and it is a kid’s party after all.

If you have the natural creative flare and want to put on a great spread of fantastic looking kids party food, then why not!! But if it’s going to stress you out then do remember that with all the excitement that is created from entertainers, party games, and celebrating with friends, when it comes to picking from a selection of party food, children won’t be too fussed about any delicate arrangement, but more about taste and variety and you could have gone to all that trouble only to find it not being appreciated afterwards.

Of course if you’re making party food together with your children, before the party, then your kids will love this as it gets them involved in their party even more and it’s a great activity to do with your kids.

Kids party menu

Posted on by

Are you about to have a party for your little one? Are you busy, frantically planning for all eventualities? It has probably not escaped your attention, but the party menu can be a vital and often time consuming component in any children’s Birthday party.

Have no fear; we are here to give some helpful advice! Whether you are looking for crowd-pleasing results or something a little healthier, we have something for you below:

First check for possible food allergies

Planning the food for any party can often be a challenge, as one has to always think about the dietary requirements of other kids. It’s quite possible that you will have some children with allergies or intolerances. Often the parents will have told you if this is the case but it is worth checking yourself to be sure. (maybe ask parents to mention this on your party invites)
If you do have certain allergies or dietary requirements to cater for then you may want to ensure the food for that child is on a separate plate so it makes life easier for them and also doesn’t run the risk of contamination of their food with things they can’t have e.g. for nut allergies.

Planning the party ‘menu’

Children are the most honest of guests. – If they don’t like something they won’t eat it. Some children won’t like ham, others won’t like tuna – so put on an even spread of sandwiches with a variety of fillings, so you aren’t left with some kids that don’t want to eat anything grand then go home hungry.

Trying to trick your own children into eating fruit and vegetables may be a constant battle at the best of times, but in a party scenario it could prove even harder. And it is a party after all so perhaps now isn’t the best time to worry too much about healthy eating.

That said, learning to hide the greens is still possible – have you thought about cooking a delicious vegetable cake, for example a carrot cake?

Our suggestion though would be to have a good mix of sandwiches, fruit and veg that can be eaten by hand.e.g. cherry tomatoes, cucumber and carrot sticks, cheese cubes, then a nice range of crisps and sweets. A simple range of food like this makes life easier and also reduces allergy issues.

Keeping the kids sweet!

There seems to be a law of balances involved at every stage of the menu planning process. On the one hand, too much sugar can turn your party into mayhem, whereas on the other, too little could make your food too boring.

Aiming at the middle is the way forward. Cake, crisps and jelly are the traditional vouch-safes; but you could also consider throwing in some chocolate-dipped fruit or fruit juice for good measure.

What to drink?

If presented with a choice, children will almost always opt for the sugariest option. Preparing drinks on a tray before-hand and distributing them as a matter of course can help deal with this issue. You could even try distributing glasses of milk, should the sugar intake be reaching dizzying levels. But to make life easier we’d suggest juice boxes as they’re nice and easy to put on the table, reduce spillages and are easy to throw away.

What to Include in a Party Bag

Posted on by

Party bags are a great way to say thanks to the young guests that have attended your child’s birthday party, and leave them with a little something that gives them a memory of a great day. Making a party bag for each guest that are based around the themes and entertainment doesn’t have to be costly or filled to the brim with items but can just include a small selection of child-friendly items that leave guests saying a happy farewell once the celebrations are over. To help parents decide on what to include in their kids party bags, we’ve created a list of great items that children will love!

• Birthday Cake- With children having already filled themselves up with the party food you provided, once the candles have been blown out and Happy Birthday sung, the cake is best divided and placed in the party bags to be eaten later.

• Toys- Some small plastic party toys give children items that will keep them entertained once the birthday celebrations are over, and can even match the party’s theme. Remember that you don’t need to go over the top with contents, and should aim to have no more than 10 items in their party bags.

• Sweets- A small packet of sweets or chocolate are easy to add to a party bag. Leftover mini packs of sweets from the party food spread can be dropped into the bags as the food table is cleared, or parents can buy multipacks to be purposely used.

• Balloons- A birthday party isn’t complete without some balloons. Our entertainers can create some brilliant balloon animals for kids to take home on the day, but why not include some bright, colourful balloons for them to blow up once at home.

• Thank You Notes- A party bag is already a great way to say thank you to the children that attended your little one’s birthday but parents may also want to consider including hand written thank you notes in their party bags.

• Certificates – Kids love certificates and they don’t have to cost the earth. It’s not a toy but let’s face it, toys get played with for a few minutes whereas a certificate is something they can keep and remember for a long time. They don’t have to cost anything either.

The Benefits of Drama

Posted on by

When it comes to birthdays, every child loves to have a party! Drama parties are becoming more and more popular with kids because not only is it a huge amount of fun, it is also incredibly creative and stimulates kids’ imaginations and takes them to wonderful worlds of make believe. Drama classes are known for having fantastic benefits to children and the same is true for drama parties, as they incorporate the same key elements that help with children’s development! So your kids can have fun whilst developing their core personal skills at the same time, such as confidence, social interaction, imagination, coordination and communication.

There have been many studies to show that engagement with theatre and the arts promotes creative thinking and even improves academic performance. This is a great way to help your kid’s with their school work by the way; not only will they not feel like they’re learning, they’ll be having fun – Party fun!!!!

Creative skills don’t just help with confidence and communication, but also with problem solving and innovation. It is no secret that kids learn and develop whilst having fun along the way.

Children’s party entertainers offer a huge range of themed drama parties from around the world, to fairies, jungle, magician’s castle and more… A drama party could be just the ticket to get their creative juices flowing and we offer a variety of themes to suit your child’s interests. They can be based around your kid’s favourite character like Peter Pan or Robin Hood, or maybe they would prefer to be transported to Hawaii or even go ‘Under the Sea’.

Children’s entertainers come in full costume, and incorporate a mix of hugely imaginative games and activities linked to your theme, intertwining a super cool adventure story along the way where the kids are actually inside the story!!!

Easy Fancy Dress

Posted on by

Having a children’s party in fancy dress is unbelievable amounts of fun!! Nowadays we’re spoilt for choice with online party costume shops. You could go and buy some costumes, but then why do that when you could have the fun of making them? It’s great fun and a great activity to do with your kids and gets them even more excited about the big day!

Find Materials

There are lots of cheap materials you can find around the house to make some great costumes. The greatest of all is cardboard! You can make anything out of cardboard when you’re armed with lots of masking tape, a pair of scissors and some string. It’s very easy to pick up some free cardboard boxes if you go and ask around at some shops. Supermarkets in particular get through a lot of boxes and should have some spare banana boxes that they’ll be happy to give you. Otherwise cereal boxes are a good alternative and can be easier to manipulate for things like a quick rolled wizards hat!

Oversized Glasses

No children’s science party would be complete without a few nutty professors and all you need is one of Dad’s old white shirts and then make an oversized pair of glasses and a funny bow tie!

For the glasses all you need is cardboard, masking tape and a pair of scissors or craft knife. Just draw the shape for the front and sides of the glasses in one line, just like the old paper 3D glasses, and make sure you have the curve to fit over the nose and the curly bits to go round your ears. A responsible adult needs to cut around the outline, taking extra care when cutting out the middle of the frames. Do this by making a hole in the middle so you can poke the scissors through and cut.

Then paint your glasses. Black is traditional, but you could always get the glitter out and make some Elton John style glasses! After you’ve finished your jazzy painting just fold the sides to a form a right angle with the front and complete your glasses shape. To reinforce the fold and to make the nutty professor look all the more convincing, you can wrap the masking tape around the corners to give a broken glasses look.

Big Funny Bow Tie

The bow tie is a similar process. Just draw out a big bow tie shape, cut it out and paint it any colour you like. Now make two sets of two holes either side of the knot in the centre of the bow tie. Then take a long piece of string and thread it up and down the holes, so that you don’t have to make a knot on the painted side of the bow tie. Then put on the bow tie and tie a double knot.

Pretty Fairy Wings

Every little girl feels special in set of fairy wings and they’ll enjoy them even more if they made them themselves! The easiest way to make them is to cut out the two wings as one shape, so that the two wings join together with a strip of cardboard at least 10 cm long. This should make it easier for them to stay upright. When you’ve cut them out it’s time to get painting. You could draw out some pattern to paint with lots of swirly lines and stars and then whilst the paint is still wet, sprinkle on some glitter!

Cut four holes in the centre of the wings by poking your scissors through with blue tack the other side to lean on. You can use elastic to finish the wings, or if you don’t have any elastic just use string. Just thread the elastic up and down through the left set of holes and take another piece for the right set. Then tie a knot to make a circle for the fairy’s arm to fit through. It is easier to do this if you tie them directly onto the fairy and then she’s all set to flutter away!

Princess Themed Party

Posted on by

Favourite Princess Character

If your daughter can’t get enough of a princess in a favourite movie or book, base her party around that character. Use tableware that matches her favourite princess and decorate with matching colours. Some well-known princesses are:

Aurora of Sleeping Beauty
Rapunzel
Tiana from The Princess and the Frog
Cinderella
Snow White
Little Mermaid, or Ariel, from The Little Mermaid

Tea Party

If your little girl likes having tea parties with her toys, she’ll love one even more with her friends. Ask each guest to bring her favourite doll or stuff animal to join in on the festivities. This party can include:

Pink princess tea
Cupcakes arranged on a tiered stand
Small slippers made of clear plastic filled with treats

Shabby Chic Garden Party

If you’re on a budget and want to indulge your little lady, a shabby chic party lets you unleash your creativity and save money. By mixing and matching beautiful elements, your little one will remember her fabulous garden party for the rest of her life.

Party ideas include:

Headband crafting table with silk flowers and ribbons
Using brown craft paper for tablecloths and doilies for decorative accents
Small wire birdcages filled with treats or flowers
Pretty butterfly buntings

Princess Party Food

Food for princess parties are generally items that you’d associate with high tea or an elegant garden party. The guests will love anything cute or dainty.

Pink drinks: Princesses love pink. Serve soft drinks like pink lemonade, strawberry milk, fruit tea or berry smoothies in princess cups.
Tea sandwiches: Keep the main course simple by serving kid-friendly tea sandwiches. Popular sandwich fillings include cheese and tomato, cucumber, chicken salad, and ham and cheese.