Top 10: Tips for traditional birthday parties
Categories: Kids+, Fun & activities, Top 10
Now the children are back at school the birthday party invitations will soon start to stack up. But what do you do when it's your child's turn to throw a bash? You could, of course, go down the no party route and we've done that occasionally.You could also hire an entertainer or visit a soft play place but to me they lack soul and, more importantly, are mighty expensive.
There comes a point in every child's life when they need to run around screaming with twelve friends in a draughty village hall playing pass the parcel and musical bumps.
I'm a veteran birthday-party thrower. There have been more than 30 (I've lost count) and I have the scars to prove it. Here's my light hearted look at the lessons I learned about throwing a traditional, thrifty party.1. Under the age of.....hmm...probably seven, two hours is too long. In my experience it never used to be but I'm finding now it is (although this could be due to my advancing age). Our birthday person even found it a bit long, wanting to go home and unwrap that tempting pile of presents NOW.
2. Don't worry about inviting the whole class. I know some people do but there lies the way to madness (and expense). It gets too overwhelming. Most parents understand money sometimes limits numbers. And if they don't? Tough. Any child not invited can always come round after school for a "special" tea and play.
3. Remember there will be at least two children who do not want to do the game, join in at all, take home any cake or speak. Quite why their parents decide they are suitable candidates to be left alone with a bunch of people they barely know or are interested in is beyond me.
4. There will always be the child who pinches, pokes and upsets others, including the birthday girl. Watch them like a hawk.
5. Two hours will feel like four. You will feel utterly exhausted at the end of it. Actually, the whole weekend will probably be a write off. Don't plan anything else. The similarities between throwing a traditional party and childbirth are uncanny. Except you won't have a cuddly newborn at the end of it, just an overwrought child on a sugar high.
6. How ever many games you have planned, they will not be enough. Double your list. Search the internet, ask friends, dredge your memory for those old fashioned favourites. If that fails see number seven.
7. Invest in a bubble machine. When you don't know what to do with them, switch it on. Make sure you have enough batteries and bubble mixture so you don't frighten the kids when you turn into a blubbering mess because it won't work.
8. They love What's the Time Mr Wolf. Play it loads. But have a colouring in or face painting station set up for the more timid children. Lucky dip instead of party bags is good too (takes longer to do) and balloon drops are a hit but do that last. Little ones also like bigger ones so beg or borrow one.
9. You will have one guest, or more if you're lucky, who is a Gem. Happy, smiley and always eager to join in. Cherish them and give them a bigger slice of chocolate birthday cake.
10. If parents offer to stay refuse. If you're wise you will have a team of helpers on hand already and really, do you really want the Yummy Mummies see you make a complete fool of yourself as you hop round pretending to be a large rabbit? No, thought not.
There are plenty more tips but these are just a selection. Although they are hard work, traditional parties are fun and, in these economic times, more realistic. Forget competitive parenting, embrace simple parenting. Do you have any tips to share?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
SF 9-21-2009 @ 10:08AM
What crap this person has written - I've been to more than 30 in a year!
Want some advice, most of the following do the catering.
1. Ten Pin Bowling - 2 games and food afterwards.
2. Laser Gun Adventures. 2 teams, for 14 or more.
3. Make your own pot at a Pottery. Place will fire it later to keep.
4. Make your own Pizza then eat it. Kids get a Chefs hat.
5. Swim and eat at your local pool. Normally evenings.
6. Local Hall, Sport Centre normally with bouncy Castle.
7. Adventure Play Ground with food.
8. Horse Riding.
9. Falconry.
10. Accompanied Nature Trail, trip to a Castle etc.
11. At home, but with Clown, Bouncy Castle etc.
The list goes on and on and on. Dunno where the author is living. Sounds like it's the sort of place frequented by Social Workers! These are the sort of things the 4x4, green wellies, Yah Ho Brigade do.
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Shell 9-21-2009 @ 2:13AM
I think that you have missed the point completely your top ten all cost as you are using theme event - bowling - pizza making - swimming party - unless your lucky enough to have your own pool - this article was written to show the party did not need to cost a fortune. But if you are part of the green wellie brigade as you so elloquently put it - money is likley not an issue.
Karen 9-21-2009 @ 2:22AM
I am a 4x4 green wellie mum! This year we went to Brighton to see the live ScoobyDoo show. Girls collected shells and boys threw stones into the water, we had a couple of pounds each on the arcade machines then after the show we ate fish and chips on the pier. All in all it was a good day! Usually we do go for a catered entertainment as I have found that at the end of an at home party there is always a left over child who's parent does not want to go home! One particulary tight yeard we has our August party out in the fields with the ponies. Four ponies took it in turns to give rides and we put up the bouncy castle. Hubby drove to McDonald and bought 28 happy meals and parents stayed and brought their own food and we did a BBQ. Ten acres for kids to run in is fantastic, it went down as one of the memorable parties that year.
claire 9-21-2009 @ 4:20AM
I prefer parties at home. You can spend time in putting up dec's and preparation. You dont have to hurriedly pack it away and send kids off when its over and panic if people run late to pick them up. You have more toys etc to amuse the kids if they get bored.
I always felt like it was a conveyor belt of parties at other venues such as ball parks etc.
Helen Gallery 9-21-2009 @ 3:56AM
How rude are you!
Nowhere does it say that the person writing this has been to 30 parties in a year! It is quite possible that they have thrown 30 parties tho! And not everyone has lots of money to throw about at themed party.
Interesting article I thought. However I need some ideas for a first birthday party for my little girl if anyone has any!
jc 9-21-2009 @ 4:42AM
Im just arranging my sons 7th birthday party on a budget like most parents and my son is more than happy to have a few friends round for a sleep over We are putting the tent up in the garden for them to sleep in.Just 2-3 friends they will enjoy cooking on the gas stove(with an adult).A few party games as suggested but you can make it as cheap or expensive as you like with food and treats but at the end of the day my house will be spotless!
ray 9-21-2009 @ 4:09AM
hi a good idea is disco kids love them lots of dance games can be played its great
stuart 9-26-2009 @ 6:09AM
we do scalextric childrens parties and we find a one hour party is just about right we run the whole thing from start to finish putting them in teams up to 12 children or have a go we run scalextric partys from age 4 till 11.
www.scalextricchildrensparties.co.uk
Jane Stumpfle 9-21-2009 @ 5:37AM
You sound bored with it all... and maybe jealous of parents whose kids appreciate simple pleasures??
Jane 9-21-2009 @ 6:53AM
I love doing home parties and have always found it good to have someting they can do immediately on arrival while you wait for the stragglers. Best thing we did was buy cheap teashirts in Primark and have fabric pens and paints for them to decorate them with, these then became the going home presents (much cheaper than party bags). Still see kids wearing the tee shirts they did. A good party theme was "all the fun of the fair", knocking over skittles (lemonade bottles filled with pasta with cars, Tin can alley (tins on a plank of wood and tennis balls - helps to have an older one to restock the plank), assult course, roll a penny, hook a duck, rings over a pole etc. Most of this stuff can be made or borrowed.
Louise 9-21-2009 @ 7:39AM
She's not saying she's BEEN to 30, she's saying she's HELD 30. Huge difference.
Jenin 9-29-2009 @ 10:18AM
Different people have different tastes when it comes to parties, and ofcourse the depth of your pocket will determine the type of party you host. By all means if you can afford it then go all out, but there are some good cost saving tips here. Also, let me suggest a great party planning site to all parents: http://creativehostess.co.uk/
Melody 9-21-2009 @ 2:31AM
I agree with Shell in that SF had missed the point and the author is trying to offer alternatives than paying £10 + per child at the venues they've suggested. But I also think the author of the article is talking rubbish. We've held more than 8 parties in our village hall and everyone has been 2 1/2 hours and thats been fine in fact we've had tears because no-one wanted to go home. Sometime we've organised a couple of crafts - i.e mask painting / mug decorating (you can get cheap white mugs from Tescos or Asdas for around 22p and set of pens for around £9) kids loved it and then their mug or mask forms part of their party bag. Also rocket balloons are a fab investment as long of you have a few adults to blow them up. You only need a few and the kids love letting them go and then running around trying to catch them.
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Caz 9-21-2009 @ 2:49AM
Firstly, I think the article is full of useful idea's to an extent. However, wouldn't it actually be beneficial for someone to suggest the food to do on a tight budget? Which I am sure would prove more useful to low income families.
One of my son's has a couple of mates round for his actual birthday for a special tea, then at Halloween we have a fancy dress party and incorporate his birthday. The children arrive here in Halloween costumes, I put on an array of food, and spooky music and decorate the dining room spookily. After they have eaten, they all go out trick or treating for an hour or so. When they return they are all chuffed to bits with their goodies, and I also give them a goody back of spooky bits n bobs to take home. It doesn't actually cost a fortune to hold this type of party for children.
Whilst I own a 4x4 and wear the dreaded green wellies alot I am not rolling in money and cannot afford big event parties unfortunately for my children. However, I hope that I give them and their friends a good time, and being that year after year the same faces appear....I cant be doing a bad job!
Guess the trick is...simple food, fresh ingredients and plenty of fun.
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mumjo 9-21-2009 @ 3:21AM
all comments so far have had some valied points but i think the most important issues are that the birthday child enjoys there day with family and friends and the party giver doesnt get carried away trying to compete with other party givers if you keep things simple and try to remember if you are giving a party for little ones all thay really want is to be silly, have fun and eat things they are not allowed to eat at home and go home with sweets and a balloon i do lots of different parties for many age groups and the most enjoyable ones are with parents who are laid back in there attitude and just let the children have fun and remember screaming in a hall is much more fun with lots of children there if you want to do expensive parties leaved it till they are older so they go with just there best friends remember fun fun fun with little ones.
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stewart mcewan 9-21-2009 @ 3:52AM
Get a grip SF, each of these things you are suggesting costs an absolute packet and shows little or no input or thought from the parents. I'd rather do a home party and spend the money on my kid and not line the already bulging pockets of some theme park / adventure park / bowling alley.
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SF 9-21-2009 @ 10:17AM
I might agree to a point, but if everone else does it, then it's a bit difficult not to without upsetting someone.
mumlj 9-21-2009 @ 3:58AM
The point of not inviting the whole class is total rubbish, ok invite a select few but when all the girls except two get invited, its really hard to see them so upset as they come out of class, and no none of the yummy mums came over to say anything like come to a special tea etc etc. If your having a party for your child and their friends then do so, but dont send the invites to school for a teacher to give out to the class if you are going to exclude some of the kids, its not nice and not fair on them, surely it would be nicer to give them the invites personally outside the classroom. We have a birthday in December, so with that ans christmas money is always tight, so only close friends will be invited but I wont be making the rest of the class feel that no one likes them.
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Pobe 9-21-2009 @ 5:17AM
I agree with you. It is so awful to see a few kids who haven't been invited, and they are usually the ones never invited. Just bite the bullet and ask them all. A few more don't make a huge difference. And I thought the point about a "special tea" is a complete insult. It's sending the message that " you're not good enough for the whole event but I'll have to fit you in somehow." A bit like an "evening" invitation for a wedding. Completely insulting.
rs 9-21-2009 @ 7:58AM
Totally agree with you. The person who has wrote this article has some very valid points and some decent ideas, but I would never invite some children and leave others out. Fair enough if your child invites just 5 or 6 people for a special birthday meal/sleepover, but I hate it when parents organise discos for their child's birthday party and 29 out of the 30 children get invited and one is left out.
If you're going to have a big party, invite ALL the children in your child's class. Would you want your child to be the one someone else's child left out of their party?!