Tips for Planning a Kids Birthday Party

If anyone knows how to host a whizz-bang kids party, it’s Alana Waterson, owner of online party wares store Poppies for Grace. She’s thrown some pretty amazing kid’s birthday parties in her time, so we asked her to share her top tips for parents wanting the celebrate the apple of their eye with one helluva soiree.
1. Create the perfect guest list of family and friends. Make sure Grandma and Grandpa are there and all your child’s bestest little friends. 2. Ask the birthday child if they want anything special at the party, from a particular theme to entertainment or food. If the theme they want makes your eyes bulge, don’t worry. Jump on Pinterest, type in what you are looking for and take tips from past partiers. 3. Think carefully about time and location. If your child naps, keep the nap on party day and ensure the start time is pre or post nap, otherwise ‘It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to’ may be in high rotation. Pop a start and end time on your invitations – END time is the key to parental sanity. 4. Balloons, balloons, balloons. Why not hang balloons off streamers outside their bedroom door so that when they wake up on the morning of their birthday they get a sweet surprise? Or if your child is a deep sleeper, cover their bedroom floor with balloons. 5. CAKE! The best part of a birthday. If cake making freaks you out, enlist the help of Granny or Aunty Dot or that friend of yours who loves to bake. Make it together and if it does turn out to be a flop, icing covers everything and there can never be too many sprinkles. 6. Don’t be afraid to be a craft gangster. Give DIY decorations a go because everyone loves the personalised finishing touches, whether it be making your own garland, setting up a photo booth backdrop or baking the cake. 7. Pin the tail on the donkey, pass the parcel and musical status – rocking a classic party game is a hoot! Throw in a craft activity if that’s your child’s style, and again, check out Pinterest or parenting blogs for ideas. 8. Create one music playlist that can be on in the background while the party is happening and a second one for dancing and games. Remember, Jay-Z is not for the kiddies. Think Jackson five or Disney soundtracks. 9. Lolly bags. Need I say more? Maybe I do, I’ve yet to go to a kids party where we’ve come home with a huge sugar filled bag. Ideas for filling: balloons, temporary tattoos, bouncy balls, bubbles and other little trinket gifts. 10. Remember, the party doesn’t have to be elaborate! The day is all about celebrating this wonderful gift in front of you. Remember to stop, have a sip of your tea while it’s hot and soak up their joy filled faces. 11. Ask someone else to take photos so you’re not the camera face of the party. 12. If you’re having the party at home, look up a handful of game ideas as pass the parcel lasts a total of 7 seconds. After that, you’ll have 10 sets of eyes longingly waiting on your prompt of ‘what’s next’. Consider hiring larger toys from your local toy library or hire a jumping castle for the day. 13. We live in the land of the nut allergy. I suggest skipping nuts entirely and making sure you know of any guests coming with allergies. Most mothers of kids with allergies will happily bring something suitable for their child if you ask them. 14. Fruit skewers work for all themes. 15. The adults LINGER at the food table and will eat all the hot dogs even though they say they won’t (we all secretly love them). Photography Armelle Habib | Styling Poppies for Grace