We're looking forward to putting the pandemic behind us and preparing for a whole new year of party entertainment! Non-Stop Kids Entertainment have over a decade of experience performing at birthday parties and we will continue to do so. However, we understand that it can be difficult from the client's perspective and our job is to make it easy and hassle free for you.
15 Valuable Pointers for Party Planning | Tips for Organising Kid's Celebrations
That's why we're going to share 15 useful kids party ideas for you when it comes to planning your child's party. Following these tips will help you make the booking experience easier, stop you from making common mistakes and overall run your party more smoothly. Let's break down these kid's party tips.
1. Name Tags!
If you have invited a lot of kids, using name tags is a great idea. There's going to be a lot of people and unless everyone there has a photographic memory, you're going to slip up on the occasional name or two. Therefore, sticky labels and an ink marker are ideal. This way, both you and the entertainer will know all the children's names instantly and there will be no confusion.
2. Make sure Everyone Can Find the Venue!
No good having a party when your guests can't even find out where the location is! It is important that all of your guests (and your entertainer) can find the venue. Some village halls can be very hard to find and the last thing you want is your guests cancelling at the last second or your entertainer arriving late because they couldn't find it. Make sure everyone has clear directions as well as a postcode for sat navs. It also helps to hang balloons outside the venue, that way your guests can look for the balloons. As long as there's something you help them find the venue, that's all that matters!
3. Make A List Of Kids Names!
It's always a good idea to make a list of the names of the children as they are dropped off. You also want to take the parents phone numbers if they are not staying. This ensures you're keeping record of who is attending and checking for any missing guests. By doing this, you can contact the parents if there are any problems or if their child is causing problems. It's also a good idea to find out if any of the children have dietary requirements or illnesses should they require medication.
4. Say No To Buffets!
Don't bother with the buffet. The traditional buffet can become a bit of a free for all and cause havoc. Worst of all, you get so much left over and it's such a shame all that food gets left to waste. Instead, have pre made lunch boxes for each child with their name on. It means that food is easy to give out, you are not left with loads of leftover food and there are no arguments - everyone has their own box. Everyone's a winner! Plus it's easier for you to organise beforehand by giving them an option to select when returning their
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5. Have Food For The Adults!
Hey, adults need to eat, too! If there is no food for the adults, chances are a lot of parents will dip into the kids' food, which can cause problems. Let's be honest, have you ever tried to sneak a piece of food off your child's plate? Then you know how much disaster that caused! By having a separate set of food, it lets the adults know the kids' food is off limits and there will be no grumpy faces or hangry people.
6. Don't Bother With Balloons All Over The Floor!
We're all for balloons that each kid can have, but there are some cases where a lot of parents blow up balloons and throw them all over the floor. This seems like innocent fun, however, this can cause problems. It distracts the children from what the entertainer is doing to start with and a lot of younger children will start crying when they pop (which they will do). The best bet is to put balloons up on the walls and not the floor. Last thing you want is for the whole party to break into chaos.
7. Make Sure There Is A Space For The Entertainer!
If you have hired entertainment, please remember to have a parking space reserved near the front door for the entertainer. They will bring many expensive pieces of equipment with them and it will take a small while to set up on average. Here At Non-Stop Kids, our entertainers arrive half hour before they are scheduled to begin to ensure they have more than enough time to set up. Having their own parking space in advance will help loading in and loading out afterwards. Not having an available space can lead to the performer having to park quite a distance away. If the entertainer has a lot of equipment (which is normally the case) this could lead to delays. Furthermore, imagine if it's raining!
8. Consider The Location Of The Party!
If you are inviting a lot of children, the best bet is to go either a hall, function room or similar type of venue. However, if you have a smaller amount of children, then having it in your house is a great option. The advantage is you save on venue hire, but there will be a lot of cleaning up and it can get a little stressful depending on the size of the house you have. In the summer months, you might want to consider having it in a back garden. But make sure you have a contingency plan in case the weather is bad - we are in the UK after all! In short, the location of the party should depend on the amount of children.
9. Ready A Table For Presents!
Have a table for your child's guests to put their presents on when they arrive. This way, they will not end up all over the place, get lost or damaged . It's a good idea not to let your child open these presents until after the party ends and you are back home. It will give them something to look forward to. Depending on where the party is, you don't want wrapping paper all over the place when people are trying to walk around. Furthermore, opening the presents at the party can affect the flow of everything and you won’t know what they’ve been given.
10. Book The Party Around Lunch Or Tea Times!
The traditional 2pm till 4pm slot is not the best time to have a party. In fact, we have an additional Blog that details why the traditional time slots don't work anymore. The children will have already eaten lunch and will probably not eat the food you serve. If you book your party from 11.00am till 1pm or even 4pm till 6pm, the food you serve becomes lunch or tea for the kids. Also more parents will bring their kids to a party booked at these times. A lot of parents look at a party in the middle of the day as a hassle. It really does not give them any time to do anything else. However, an 11am till 1pm (for example) means they can go to the party and then go off for a family outing later on. Perfecto!
11. Beware Of Distractions!
If the venue you have booked has lots of toys or similar objects out, make sure you put them away or cover them over. Kids have a very short attention span and the sight of something fun will break their attention easily. The entertainer will need the kids 100% attention and this is difficult to get if there are other things going on that the children are interested in.
12. Safety Is Important!
If you are holding a birthday party somewhere other than in your house, ask each parent to tell you who will be picking their child up at the end of the birthday party. Do not release a child to anyone you don't know. During the birthday party, make sure you have an adult who can run kids to the bathroom if it's not close to where the main action is. Safety is very important and the last thing we want is for anyone to be endangered.
13. Hand Out Goody Bags At The End!
Kids love blowers and noise makers but they can be distracting when trying to organise food or during a magic show. It is best to hand these out in goody bags at the end of the party. This way you will not get a headache ten minutes into the party and remain in control of the party.
14. Try A Joint Party!
Try and find if your child has any friends that have a birthday at the same/a similar time. If they do, you can contact their parents and try to arrange a joint birthday party. This way you get to share the cost and the hassle with someone else. It also means you have more people on hand during the actual party to make sure everything runs smoothly. In the past, we have been booked to perform for triple and even quadruple parties!
15. Book The 2 Hour Package!
Some parents book Non-Stop Kids Entertainment for 1 hour and then try to play the games themselves. If you want an easy life book the 2 hour Package. By booking an entertainer for two hours, everything will be done for you - that's why it's called the hassle free party package! All you need to do is feed the children and then hand them their coats on the way out. You can read more about our Hassle Free Party Package here.
Fantastic Kid's Party Tips!
98% of our clients say they would recommend us to a friend. We hope these tips have really helped you see a different perspective on parties and help you in the future! If you would like a no obligation consultation from us for your child’s party, then select the banner to fill in the form and we will get back to you within the hour. If you'd like to call us directly, our number is 0333 301 3002 Thanks for reading and we look forward to hearing from you!
