In the last decade, children’s birthday parties have taken off massively. Each party seems bigger, more elaborate and more expensive than the last. As parents we all know that feeling, as the birthday date approaches, often months in advance, we start getting numerous suggestions, questions and lists lobbed at us in excitement by our children, and it can be hard to keep up!
We thought we’d put together a list of children’s birthday party ideas that include a range of different costs, themes and age suitability to help you plan the perfect kids’ birthday party that will satisfy your little ones.
1. Craft party
We might be biased but we believe an arty kind of party is an awesome idea for primary school aged children. Kids love getting messy and crafting and are at an age where their creativity should be nurtured. The format and content of the party can be adapted to the motor skills of the age range attending the party to ensure maximum participation.
Did you know that Rag Tag Arts LOVE hosting children’s parties? We offer a wide range of activities and have an amazing making space for your children to get busy. Even better, our children’s craft parties use recycled scrap materials from our scrapstore, saving waste and offering an alternative way to facilitate party crafts.
Hang out in our loose parts play room or continue your party craft in our crafty café afterwards. Craft parties for children let their individuality shine, are suited to all ages and abilities, and are a fantastic way to entertain little ones for an hour or two.
2. Disco party
The traditional way to entertain children at a birthday party typically involves a village hall, a large room at home or dedicated party space where you can crank up the tunes, turn down the lights and run a whole heap of party games for children. We’re thinking pass the parcel, musical bumps, musical statues, musical chairs … you get the idea. With a handful of prizes, some snacks and a few decorations, this is a relatively low cost way of celebrating your child’s birthday that kids and adults of all ages can enjoy.
3. Slumber party
If you’re feeling brave, and you have the space, a sleepover for a child’s birthday party is an excellent way to celebrate for older children. Whether you plan some games, a takeaway, a home cinema screening or just let them run wild, the novelty of sleeping somewhere different makes a slumber party a real treat. Minimal effort and expense are needed to keep kids entertained and you can invite them over after dinner if you don’t fancy catering as well.
Up the stakes and let the kids camp out in the garden or if you prefer the idea of letting someone else organise your kids party then there are dedicated slumber party suppliers who will come and set up special sleeping areas, treats, beds and decorations, all to your chosen theme.
4. Outdoor adventure
Outdoor birthday parties can be held at farm parks, wildlife parks, high ropes courses, adventure playgrounds or similar locations where children can take part in adventure activities
with their friends. The age of the participants will dictate what kind of adventure is most suited to your children’s parties. Outdoor activities for parties will usually be provided by the place you’re visiting, taking much of the need for planning and execution away from parents which is a bonus. Add to that the vitamin D overload from being outdoors for a while and we guarantee your children will sleep very well after an outdoors party.
You can plan an adventure for your child’s birthday yourself by organising a scavenger hunt, heading to the beach or into the woods. Just remember to recruit enough adults to supervise the number of children and take plenty of snacks or a picnic! Never underestimate the ability of regular snack breaks to keep even the most demanding of children satisfied. For those with more budget, head to your local outdoor activity centre where you can enlist someone else to plan your party for you.
5. Hire an entertainer
We’ve included this option because once you’ve been to a party where there is a hired host, it’ll be hard to go back to doing it yourself! This is not a cheap option and hiring a children’s entertainer will set you back at least a few hundred pounds, plus a venue if you need one and food, depending on the time of your party. Entertainers can include magicians, clowns, puppet shows, workshops, science parties, drama parties and themed parties. Basically, you’re hiring someone to host the children, usually from welcome through to goodbye and keep them entertained with whatever activities they specialise in. These entertainers will be DBS checked and experts in keeping the attention of rowdy children. Their ‘acts’ can usually be tailored to different age groups and will often keep the adults entertained too! Not to be underestimated.
6. Bouncy castle party
Another classic party idea is the ever-popular bouncy castle party. Find a large open space, inflate a giant bouncy castle or two and you have a playground that will keep people of all ages happy for a long time. Inflatables can usually be hired by the hour or the day – or keep it for the weekend too if you have space and budget and invite the whole family round to celebrate!
Bouncy castles usually require power to keep them inflated and a soft base, so they don’t puncture. You’ll also need some adults to supervise smaller children. Bouncy castle hire is not the cheapest party idea as you’ll need to pay for the inflatables as well as a space to inflate them, if you garden is not big enough, but a bouncy castle disco is a surefire way to keep your hoard happy for hours.
7. Soft play party
Along the same theme as adventure parties and bounce castle parties, soft play parties are another way to keep kids busy for a long time. Local soft plays usually cater to private hire functions and will often provide party food too. You’ll usually pay a price per head and have a set amount of time allocated for your soft play birthday party. They may even provide party bags for you too. A soft play party is usually a crowd pleaser and ideal for children up to the age of 10 typically. There is nothing you need to buy on top of the party package so this is a good all-inclusive children’s party idea.
8. Pool party
Whether you hire a local pool for a set amount of time, join a general swim session or sign up for the pools party package, most kids love swimming. Children’s pool parties can cater to pretty
much all age groups, although younger children will need a safe ratio of adults to children in the water. Swimming pool hire may include inflatables or pool toys or if your chosen swimming pool offers private pool parties you might even be able to choose what format the party follows. Some pools will have a room to serve food after – beforehand probably isn’t a good idea – and will usually be for a fixed amount of time.
Prices for swimming pool parties will differ widely depending on the nature of the pools local to your area but for a fun-filled kids party, consider a swim party for your next child’s birthday. The alternative to pool hire or a party package is to take a few of your child’s best friends and take them to a pool fun session instead. Make sure you have consent from the parents and that you keep a safe ratio of adults to children. This is a lower cost option but will need more logistical planning from a parent.
9. Movie screening party
A cinema birthday party will be more suited to older children as they are likely to have a longer attention span. You can either host a screening at home or hire a cinema screen for your movie party, but whichever you opt for, don’t forget the popcorn! Movie parties can be themed, and you can invite everyone to come in costume or make it a pyjama party and ask kids to come in their onesies. Make sure the film you are going to screen is age-appropriate for the attendees and that if you go to a local theatre, you have enough adults to supervise the number of children.
If you’re having a movie-themed party at home you can serve easy food such as pizza or if you’re heading out to a local cinema complex, you could take the kids to a local restaurant instead. A cinema party can be tailored to your budget, and you can spend a little or a lot depending on where you plan to host it.
10. Fancy dress party
The last children’s party idea on our list is the ever-popular fancy dress party. Any of the parties above can be made into a fancy dress party, except maybe the swim party where swimming in a hulk suit might not be safe! You can host a dress up party at home or book a local venue and plan a themed disco for your well-dressed little ones. Dressing up appeals to kids of all ages and its wonderful to see what interests the children have when they get to choose their own costume.
There is a lot to think about when planning a child’s birthday party but so long as you follow the basic steps of setting a budget, choosing a venue, picking a theme and providing food and drink, everything else will fall into place. Remember to send invites out in plenty of time for people to RSVP and don’t forget to get stuck in! You’re planning a party for your favourite little person, and you want them to enjoy themselves above all else. Try to catch a few moments with them, if they’re not too busy, and bank some memories of this special time together.
Book your next children’s party with us for a truly unforgettable experience!