Making a big deal of birthdays is an integral part of childhood; it's a chance to make your children feel extra special and learn to make milestones of remarkable moments. Throwing a kids' birthday party is a great excuse to have some fun, get the family together and celebrate the little ones! Finding places to go, enjoyable themes, and activities that will tire out the energetic youngsters can seem like a real handful, but we have some super simple ideas that will make you very popular as a parent!
Hosting the first birthday or any birthday never has to be perfect; it is all about having a good time and creating memories with your loved ones. The first year is always a bit of an emotional rollercoaster but hitting birthday number one is the opportunity to reflect on your amazing achievements. Hosting a back garden BBQ or laid-back lunch takes the pressure off (remember you have a one-year-old to look after!), keep things uncomplicated, invite your favourite people and go potluck-style with the food. If baking isn’t your forte, it is worth finding a local bakery to make a cake that will photograph well - and of course, taste delicious. Leave disposal cameras or polaroids out and encourage everyone to get snapping; these magical moments go by in a flash, so savour them and create a personalised album to look back on.
A second birthday means your little one can get a bit more involved! Turning two is a time when your toddler is discovering so much about the world. They are each learning to relate to each other, so choose an activity that promotes straightforward interaction like dancing, dressing up or getting stuck into a sandpit. Get everyone together at the local park, where parents can supervise the play area and enjoy a day out. This way, you don’t have to provide tons of toys or have lots of cleaning up at home - two-year-olds tend to be a bit messy! Bring both child, and adult-friendly snacks, cupcakes, a cheeseboard, and hot chips will undoubtedly go down a treat. It can be a little tricky being spontaneous with a two-year-old, so try to give your invitees plenty of notice, but remember that everyone’s kids will be eating and napping at different times, so don’t stress that not everything lines up faultlessly.
As your child turns 3, they will quickly learn that their birthday is their favourite day of the year and why not a whole day dedicated to them with food and presents galore? It's only up from here. This preschool age is an ideal time to throw a themed birthday party and to get creative with costumes, games and treats that coincide with the chosen theme. Goody bags are also a bonus to hand out at the end to all their friends and relatives to keep the party going! Whether the day is dedicated to trucks, outer space, princesses or puppies, playing on their greatest interests will always deliver a successful day.
Four is a pivotal age, so its time for another epic birthday bash! Communicate with your four-year-olds about what they would really want to do to celebrate; giving them input will make them feel important and potentially help you with original ideas too! A day out is an excellent way to find a suitable adventure for all their friends to join and an animal park is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser; with so much to do and see, you will keep the little ones occupied all day long. Let the gang roam around, feed the farm yard animals, and learn about wildlife, from koala cuddles to a bird show; it is an enjoyable and educational excursion for the whole family. As for how many kids to invite, use your child's age as a guide: one child for every year, plus two. So, if they are turning four, try to keep the guest list at six children. You will thank yourself when herding everyone up!
Fantastic five-year-olds are full of energy so planning an activity-filled day is essential! Laser tag is great for both girls and boys and also teaches them some things about teamwork. Set them missions like capture the flag or king of the hill with fun prizes for everyone to share. An ice-skating party is an alternative venue, perfect for those with children who never want to sit down! Hiring a coach on the day for a little lesson will set them up for some freestyle fun and the chance to learn a new skill. Set a start and end time to manage expectations, but we know what it is like; they can go forever, so getting the cake and candles out is a clear sign to the parents that the party is winding down.