A child’s birthday party is an annual treat. But it can also be the cause of an almighty headache for parents, who feel under pressure to put on an impressive event despite all the other demands of family life and careers.We frequently help our members organise yearly celebrations for their children, so the day feels memorable instead of stressful.
As a first step, we regularly set up reminders on our members’ accounts so that lifestyle managers and members are aware of impending birthdays before they happen. We’ll also look after many other important details, from finding a party location if you want to have it away from home, organising activities, taking care of the catering (and the cake) and looking after all the other little details that help create the atmosphere and event that you and your child are hoping for.
‘Where to start?’, says Charlotte Knight, one of our events experts. ‘Determine the numbers, budget, location and theme that you have in mind and give us a call – having this information at the planning stages will make it much easier to get started.’ Here are a few ideas from Charlotte on what we can help to arrange.
Home
‘We can do the same basic elements for every children’s party we organise,’ says Charlotte, ‘including catering, entertainment, decorations and the venue.’ Even if you’re planning to have the party at home, you could still consider hiring a marquee and we can also offer advice on making the most of the space in your home and garden. In the summer months, a bouncy castle is always a popular idea, and tends to keep everyone entertained for most of the day. ‘I’d also recommend booking a circus skills workshop,’ says Charlotte, ‘These traditionally go down very well, and give the kids a chance to learn how to use diablos, walk a tightrope and perform a few magic tricks.’ Food-wise, keep it simple. Sandwiches, crisps, cakes and sweets are all you really need, and we can arrange caterers to do this for you, along with a few canapés for the grown-ups.
Restaurants and venues
Going for a meal at a lively restaurant can work really well if you and your child are planning for a small group of friends. ‘In London, I’d suggest the Rainforest Cafe for any children under 10,’ says Charlotte. ‘It’s a brilliantly unique venue and they do their own birthday package with party bags and a free cake. If your child is a little older, the Hard Rock Café is a great option because of its atmosphere, and we can organise a bespoke rock’n’roll themed cake for after the meal.’ Our restaurant experts can find you child-friendly venues all over the country, so call a lifestyle manager to find the perfect place for you. For other venues, village and school halls are popular options because of their size, and they’re usually good value too.
Days out
Most attractions will make special accommodations if you’re arranging a birthday party; and a day out is often a lot simpler than arranging a full-scale party. ‘For me, a place that stands out is Fishers Farm Park in West Sussex,’ says Charlotte. ‘It started off as farm where kids could feed the goats and go on pony rides, but it has now expanded into a park with a merry-go-round, go karts, a fort and a beach. It’s a superb choice if your child is between three and 14 years old.’ Many of the UK’s museums do sleepovers, and sports centres, theme parks and adventure parks usually have their own birthday programmes, so the hassle of planning is taken out of your hands. Let us know what your child’s interests are and we’ll recommend a few options to suit.
These are just a few suggestions, so call a lifestyle manager for bespoke advice and ideas on gifts, venues, party themes, decorations and food.
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