How to make your party less stressful and a successful, memorable day for your child !

Here are just a few tips that may help to make your child's party enjoyable instead of the headache that many parties become. These tips are based on our years of experience in organising our children's parties, also own children's parties.Planning well in advance is the first tip for a successful party !

FIRST POINTS TO REMEMBER :

A hall is always better than the house for the party as the childrens attention span  is much better but also makes it special for the birthday child.

Squeakers & blowers are fun at the end of a party NOT the beginning or better still put in the party bags as these can be a big distraction and drive everyone up the wall.

Try not to litter the floor with balloons as this is usually a big mistake as all the children will want to do is stamp on them to pop them as quick as they can. This causes loud bangs that scare young ones and make them cry but also causes a more serious problem of small children choking on broken bits of balloon if they put them in their mouths !

Leave the sweet party food separate till the savoury has been eaten to avoid left over food.

Entertainers enjoy having parents at the party but they can be a distraction if talkative, so kindly ask them to be quiet during the performance so as not to detract from the children's enjoyment.

Always expect a few extra guests form parents asking if brother or sister can stay so have extra party bags and food.

Four weeks ahead

1. Make a list of children to invite.

2. Decide on the date, time and place for party
(Do you need to book a hall)

3. If you are booking entertainment this should also be done now, (Even earlier if you have preferences to the entertainer you want as the popular one's are often busy)

4. What about a theme.(Fancy dress can be fun)

5. Start thinking about the food.

6. Start thinking of games.

7. What type of cake (Are you making it, buying a ready made one or do you need to order one?).

8. Do you need anyone to help ?

One week ahead

1. Phone the parents who haven't replied.

2. Have you some way of playing music for games?.

3. Make sure you or someone will have a camera or video with film for the party.

The Day Before

1. Has the birthday cake been made or collected (remember candles and matches.).

2. Fill the going home bags ready

3. Has all the food been bought.

4. Are the games sorted - pass the parcel wrapped ?

5. Also prepare as much of the food as you can.

Party Day

1. Are there balloons on the front door or gate.

2. Is the room where the party is being held cleared, (try to remove as much furniture as possible also anything breakable)

3. Are any pets shut away safety ?

4. Have you lots of loo paper ?

Birthday Child's big day

Try and keep the mood calm and relaxed before the party, as it is easy for the birthday child's big day to be spoilt by becoming over excited and then tearful, especially if they are young. If this does happen try to keep smiling it will pass.

Party Room

We think that ideally you are best booking a hall or room for your party, as when the party is finished you can go back to a tidy home rather that spending hours tidying up and putting everything back in place.

But if you do decide to have the party at home try to remove or push to the sides sofas and chairs. Remove any breakable items, make sure sockets are covered and remember that if you have booked entertainers a clear space to work in will be needed.

If you have the room it is easier to seat the children at the table for the food. If not we would recommend the disposable party boxes which are popular, especially for the young.

The disposable tableware makes clearing away at the end easy. Also keep the food simple children are too excited to eat much and they prefer the crisps and nibbly things like nuggets, sausages etc. to sandwiches and rolls which they have probably had in their school lunchbox all week. The chocolate biscuits and little cakes are also favourites and cartons of juice add to the simplicity too.

THE CHILDREN ARRIVE

What to do

As the children arrive we feel that it is best to put all presents unopened to one side and the birthday child can open them after the party, firstly you can make sure you know who bought which present and send the right 'thank you' note and secondly it is something for the birthday child to look forward to when everyone has gone home.

It is important also to have something organised that the children can do as they arrive. Not all the children will know each other and won't just go and play. One suggestion is to provide some crayons and paper or a colouring in picture (something simple) at a table. You could even give a prize at the end for the best. This could be themed around the party or birthday childs favourite things !

Once all the children have arrived it's time for the games, we suggest that you have the energetic games before the party food and then afterward the quieter games. In our games we don't like the children to lose, it seems unfair that just because a child is less competitive than another they don't win a prize, we organise our games so that everyone competes and everyone wins.

Going Home

It seems that now days children expect to have a going home gift it has become a tradition. You can buy little goodie bags that you can fill with sweets and novelties but we feel that the ready prepared bags that you can buy in many shops are a easy and probably cheaper option. Also remember the slice of birthday cake and if you have decorated the room with balloons give them to the children to take home or you will be left with dozens of balloons that will either be wasted or birthday child will want to keep them all !

SHOPPING & REMINDER LIST

Invitations and Thank you cards - Name labels / Badges

Paper and Pen - Cloths - Paper Napkins - Paper Plates or Boxes

Paper Cups or Drink Cartons - Balloons - Cake

Candles and Matches - Decorations - Music Machine

Equipment for Games - Prizes - Goodie bags and contents - Food for Children

Drink for Children - Birthday cake or ingredients - Cake Knife

Kitchen Roll - rubbish bags - Wet Wipes - Camera with Film !

SUMMARY

We feel that the secret to a good party is you plan it well in advance, you limit the time to 2 hours this is the length of most parties. Keep the age range to around the birthday child's, make the party food simple and if you want to make it easier on yourself book good 'professional' children's entertainers'.

RAZAMATAZZ MAGIC

Offer the ideal solution in their 'Complete party ' in which the 2 hour party is completely organised for you which lets you enjoy this special day with your child. Make it a party to remember not just another party !!

BOOKING THE ENTERTAINER