Getting
your party planning organised is an important step to ensure that your
big day goes ahead without any major headaches. Planning your party
well in advance is a neccessity, and we will take you through,
step-by-step, and show you how to make the most of your party. Let's
get started with the basics of party planning!
Choosing
A Date And Time For Your Party
Think
about a date and times for your party - Most parties are held on
Saturdays and Sundays for obvious reasons. 2 Hours is the normal length
for a party.
Think about what time the children will want to eat and
plan games and entertainment around that.
If a child is younger (ages
1-4) you may want to consider an earlier time.
Choosing
A Date And Time For Your Party
Think
about a date and times for your party - Most parties are held on
Saturdays and Sundays for obvious reasons. 2 Hours is the normal length
for a party.
Think about what time the children will want to eat and
plan games and entertainment around that. If a child is younger (ages
1-4) you may want to consider an earlier time.
Party planning essentials
The Venue
Having
a party at home can be a very comfortable environment for the birthday
child. If there are concerns about space or things being damaged you
may want to consider hiring a church or village hall.
During the
warmer months you may even consider having the party outside in the
garden, always ensure that there is somewhere to hold your party in the
event of bad weather on the day. Also consider the possibility that any
entertainer you hire for the party might not be able to work outside.
If
you are wanting to hire a hall start to make enquiries about who takes
the booking and handles deposits. The hall should be booked for a
minimum of 3 hours.
This allows 30 minutes either side of the party
for setting up and tidying the hall afterwards. A typical church hall
will normally cost from £10-£15 per hour to hire.
Hiring
An Entertainer
Popular entertainers can be very busy particularly at peak times such
as Christmas.
Ask
around to see if anyone can recommend an entertainer. Entertainers
should be Police checked and also have Public Liability Insurance. Most
entertainers now send out a confirmation, this helps to give peace of
mind.
Bouncy
Castle Hire
Bouncy
castles are great for the children to burn off that excess energy. If
planning to use it in a hall make sure there is enough space. The
bouncy castle should be supervised at all times. By keeping it's use to
periods of no more than 30 minutes you will stop the children becoming
too boisterous and prevent tears. It is a good idea to allow the castle
to deflate by turning off the power during food times. This will allow
the children to concentrate on eating.
Choose
Your Guests (1 month before your party)
Take
time to sit down with the Birthday child to prepare a list of guests
for the party. Think about the number of children you can comfortably
look after as well as how many children the venue can hold.. It may
help to get a list of the names of the children who attend your child's
playgroup session or are in your child's class at school.
Invitations
Write
your invitations. Don't forget to put a date that you would like
replies by and a contact telephone number. Getting a clear idea of the
number of children who are coming will help you to know how much food
to prepare and cut down on waste. Invitations are an important part of
party planning to help you make the most of being well organised in
advance of the big day. Remember to leave yourself plenty of time to
select yours party guests, party
invitations and get them sent
out on time.
Selecting
A Theme For Your Party
Most children love dressing up so choosing a theme can really help to
make your paty. Here are just a few traditional themes
Princesses and Pirates
Jungle Animal
Safari Party
Farm Animal
Football/Sport
We have great ideas for party
themes and party
costumes for you take a look at. These party costumes are so
good, you will want to wear them to themed parties time and time again.
Purchase
Your Party Supplies
Make
a list of what you will need. There are three main areas to think about
:- tableware, decorations and party bags with contents.
Birthday
Cake
If
you are having a birthday cake made especially for your big day it will
need to be ordered now. This may be designed to tie in with the theme
or what about a photograph of the Birthday child on it. Don't forget
the Candles!
Entertainment For Your Party (2 weeks before the party)
Think
about any Games that you want to play with the children such as Pin The
Tail On The Donkey. If you are planning a pass the parcel try not to
put too many layers on as it can go on too long making the children
lose interest.
Playing
suitable music at any party will help your guests to enjoy themselves.
Make sure you have prepared a selection of your favourite music to be
played throughout the day. Ensure that your CD's are not scratched,
that your CD player works properly and that you have all of the power
and audio cables ready to use.
Place all of these electrical
cables in a suitable heavy plastic bag, and mark the bag with a label
so you don't have to go hunting through your party supplies if time is
short.
Last
Minute Checks (1 week before the party)
Call
the party venue and entertainer to double-check the booking and set
your mind at ease before proceeding with the final steps.
Beforehand,
you will certainly want to prepare a list of the food that will be
eaten at the party. Most of the food can be bought now. Fresh food such
as bread and bread fillings will need
to be obtained prior to the event. Don't forget the different drinks
for any people who may be staying after the party.
If you are planning to put up
Decorations remember string, sticky tape, blue tack and drawing pins.
Check your camera to be sure to capture every moment of the big day.
Take
some time working on your great party bags. Don't forget to allow room
for the Birthday cake among the special gifts and sweets.
The Day
Before The Party
Party
Preparation
Purchase
the fresh food required and start to prepare the food. You may be able
to get some cardboard boxes or trays from your local supermarket. These
can be used to transport the food to the venue making life much easier.
The Big Day
Prepare
The Venue
Pump up the balloons and put them in a strong bag to take them with
you. Attatch
string or ribbon so that they are ready to put up. Set up time in a
hall can be quite restrictive, so it is vital that you put in effort
here to ensure that everything is ready to go.
Make sure that as much as possible of the food is
prepared and layed out in advance. This will allow you to enjoy the
party to the full.
Why not position a desk or box by the door to put the Birthday gifts on.
The most important thing is to kick back and make the most of your
well-prepared day.
After your party has come to a wonderful end
The End!
Sit
down, relax with a glass of wine and compliment yourself on a job well
done!! and don't forget to send out those Thank You Cards for all those
great presents.
Whether it is a gangsters and
molls themes party, a carribean beach
party, or a shagadelic 1970's pimp-fest, there will be something to
tickle your fancy in our Amazon party costume
store.
