Party ideas - getting started
Before you start planning your child’s party it’s worth remembering that their age will determine a lot of factors.
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There really is no need to go mad when they’re very young as they will often become very overwhelmed by too much fuss – first birthdays are more for the benefit of other family members so a small family get-together more than suffices!
Party ideas by age group
1 year old
A simple gathering of grandparents and one or two close friends (perhaps some ‘special’ ante-natal friends?) will be ample – at this age the celebration is more about you and your partner marking your child’s special day, looking back over photos and videos and remembering how life has changed in such a short time!
Presents should be low-key and not too numerous as young children get very overwhelmed very quickly!
2 year old
Invite just family and a few special friends. Two-year-olds are too young for organised games, but usually enjoy dancing and balloons, so have lots of music and toys for them to play with.
The party should last no longer than 1 1/2 hours. The most important bit for your child will be the “happy-birthday-to-you” cake and candles part!
3 year old
Some three year olds will be happy to stay without their parents, but you should have plenty of adults to help with hugs, loo visits and washing hands.
And we'd advise either keep the number of children small or invite mums to stay with their children. At this age they can play short games, especially ones with music, such as pass-the-parcel.
4 year old
This is a magical party age, when children interact well with each other. They can become overexcited, thought, so plan all games carefully and don't let the party go on for too long.
5 year old
Kids can become quite self-conscious at this age and - especially boys – rather boisterous at times. Plan more games than you actually need, in case they play them more quickly than you expected, and have a few calming-down games up your sleeve should things get too rowdy.
6 year old
At this age children have developed skills such as painting, gluing and cutting, and will probably want to help you with all the preparations for the party. They have masses of energy and will want to burn some of it off - so make sure that you have plenty of room and plan some well-organised activities.
7 year old
At this age, children can understand the rules of games and are quite co-operative, so they will enjoy some organised team games. Make sure that everyone has a chance to shine, or it may all end in tears.
Top tips for party success
Before you begin planning, it's important to establish a budget - this will dictacte whether you can afford to do a themed party at home, take your child out to a venue or to enjoy an 'experience, or hire an entertainer to keep your party of kids amused.
Here are some more top tips to help you organise a great party:
- Make sure your party doesn't clash with any other event e.g. Mother's Day, Easter Sunday, etc.
- Check for school holidays – it’s dreadful to organise a party and then find everyone’s away!
- If you are having a party outside always have a ‘Plan B’ just in case the weather changes and it pours down with rain.
- Save time and stress – do as much party shopping (food, party bags etc) online.
- Reserve some extra help early if you think you need it – other mums, family members etc. - and make sure they will definitely mark the date in the diary!
- Be specific about starting and ending times and restrict the party time to no longer than 2 ½ hours.
- Make sure everything that can be is ready before the big day so you’re not rushing around at the last minute.
- Follow our ‘Getting Organised’ advice and print off our helpful checklists to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible.
- Relax! Remember to enjoy this special day and the company of your child and his or her friends.
