All that she wants. Make her wish come true!

 

 

I don’t really enjoy celebrating my own birthday (for various reasons many women here will understand!), however I do like to throw a meaningful and unforgettable party for my kids. Not only do I enjoy the organisation, I know I can invite my closest friends and their whole families so it becomes a family celebration for all of us. If you don’t get bogged down in the fine details, it can be a fun day out for everyone – no hangover required. I also like that you can get as creative as you want sans judgement, so if you like sparkles, fancy dress, and have an adventurous streak you wouldn’t dare show at a black tie event, a kids party can make for the perfect playground.

Here are some useful tips I learnt along the way to make it a more enjoyable experience, instead of a major headache.

1. Let the kids help with the prep work. If you are doing a party at home, get them involved and explain what it is you are trying to create. They’ll often be very happy to help out as this is like a pre-party game for them and not a chore. If you do decide to go for something more extravagant, bring your kids with you to the event planner and turn the planning into a fun family day out. Your kids will be very appreciative that they are given the power to create their own dream party.

2. Don’t stress about games and entertainment. Ok, you need someone good who will manage to keep all the gang together and catch the kids attention, however, on a smaller scale if you are doing something at home, the kids are usually just excited to play together and as you know can create fun from just about nothing.

I make as much open space as possible and prepare myself for some cleaning the next day. Sometimes I like to organise a cleaner for the next day to put me at ease.

 

 

3. Buy It, don’t make It. Of course some of us like cooking more than others and homemade is always great if you have the time. I’m not a very keen cook and time is definitely not something I have in abundance, so for these occasions i find it much easier to rely on a caterer and give myself one less thing to worry about.

Cake: Penny The Bee

 

 

 

4. Skip the invitations. Most people, especially mummies, are very busy and already have a never ending stream of emails to respond to. I prefer to Whatsapp the parents with details of the party, and then just send out another reminder not long before to confirm numbers.

 

 

5. Plan ahead. Timing can be important as children at school seem to have a constant schedule of extra curricular activities you’ll need to juggle with. It might sound a little crazy to start planning months in advance, but I’ve learnt the hard way that your future self will thank you! The more you have organised early, the easier your life will be in the run-up to the event.

 

 

6. Finally – make sure enjoy yourself almost as much as the kids! It’s not often you get to revert back to the carefree days of childhood so make the most of it while they’re still young. Planning a teenager’s birthday will be a whole different game I’m sure!