As every Mum knows, children’s birthday parties form an inevitable part of life. Once pre-school starts, you can expect the party invites to flow, and your weekends to be spent accompanying your little darlings to events which range from simple events at home, to lavish and extravagant parties featuring giant inflatable cartoon characters, bouncy castles and elaborate themes. With the benefit of three years of attending, and throwing, kids birthday parties, here are my top 10 recommendations for making things go with a swing!
Keep it intimate
Although in India big is almost always interpreted as better, and lavish parties are a handy way to demonstrate wealth, larger parties tend to be impersonal. Nothing is worse than walking into a kids birthday party and being met by hordes of guests milling around, legions of waiters serving snacks and tables and chairs stretching endlessly into the distance. I’m a fan of having parties at home, although they are harder work and there’s more mess to clear up, they feel much more personal.
Keep invites simple
Elaborate invitations can be a headache to design, print and send. The most important thing is that parents know when and where the party is, and that information can be most simply conveyed in a text or whatsapp message, perhaps with an e-invite as an attachment.
Skip plastic filled return gift bags
Return gift bags stuffed full of plastic rubbish are likely to last a few minutes before being discarded. Forget the fact that their contents have probably been produced by children working in horrible conditions, there are far nicer ways to thank a child for coming to the party. I am personally opposed to the whole concept of return gifts, but I do bow to convention, mainly because kids these days start demanding their gift the moment they walk through the door. Think of using (or making) bags made from recycled paper, with a small crafty type gifts and a personalised thank you card.
No pointy party hats
Kids never wear these. The elastic is uncomfortable, and the cheaper ones drop glitter and/ or paint everywhere. The same goes for fancy dress. Its not only stressful trying to find fancy dress outfits in India, but they can be tight, rough and scratchy.
Avoid the piñata
This current party craze will inevitable result in someone getting wacked around the head, and a heap of crap to clean up. There’s something about seeing little kids scrabbling on the floor for toys, snatching and grabbing from each other, which I find slightly disturbing, but maybe that’s just me.
Be flexible
Every parent knows that kids will be kids, yet we insist on trying to micromanage their lives. I always provide food right through the party, small snacky stuff that kids can pick on, as you never know when they’ll be hungry. I also keep a room for napping, just in case any of the little ones run out of energy. As for party games, sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t. Be prepared to abandon a party game which may just be too complicated to understand or follow.
Watch the sound levels
There is a tendency, particularly at Indian parties, to crank up the volume as loud as it will go. Without wanting to sound like a party pooper, kids have sensitive ears, and your party will still go with a swing if the music is loud enough to hear yourself talk.
Keep it short
Two hours is an ideal time for a birthday party for under fives, allowing an extra half an hour for latecomers. Anything longer, and the kids get restless. Older kids can handle a longer party, but still need to be entertained throughout.
Keep a bottle of wine in the corner for the grownups
This may be a bit of a contentious one, but its always a good idea to have a bottle of wine or a couple of beers stashed in another room or in a corner, for stressed and tired parents. No-one needs to drink to excess but a glass or two won’t hurt.
And finally … a party isn’t always the answer!
A party can be great fun, allowing your child to feel special, surrounded by his or her friends. But consider other options as well – a more intimate meal with friends and family, a weekend away, a trip to a resort or a theme park.
s every Mum knows, children’s birthday parties form an inevitable part of life. Once pre-school starts, you can expect the party invites to flow, and your weekends to be spent accompanying your little darlings to events which range from simple events at home, to lavish and extravagant parties featuring giant inflatable cartoon characters, bouncy castles and elaborate themes. With the benefit of three years of attending, and throwing, kids birthday parties, here are my top 10 recommendations for making things go with a swing!
