Primary Times West London Feb 17

Let’s Party! - The Primary Times annual party guide
Let’s Party!
Often the highlight of a child’s year, the birthday
party will etch an enormous mark on the family
celebratory calendar. Filled with wonderment and
wishes, this magical moment is dreamt about long
before it arrives – for a child that is!...
When I was a child in the 1970s and 80s a birthday party
consisted mainly of sandwiches and cake. If it was a posh affair there
was also trifle. Most children these days would scorn at such lack of
sophistication. Or would they? Funnily enough, one of the latest trends
on the children’s party circuit is ‘Retro’, where kids get jelly with icecream,
sandwiches, sausage rolls (or sausages on sticks) and of course
birthday cake. Games like Pin-the-Tail on the Donkey, Pass the Parcel
and Musical Chairs never go out of fashion and going Retro can
keep costs down.
Themed parties never go out of fashion whether its pirates,
princesses or superheroes. In the past few years Frozen
parties (after the Disney film of the same name) have become
extremely popular. Theme parties need not cause huge expense
as many supermarkets and discount shops have decorations
and table accessories to suit the various favourites including
the ever-popular Frozen. Don’t discount leaving home as an
expensive option as many local amenities have facilities that
are under-used and often up for rental. If you provide your own
food and decoration that will help keep costs down, and it has
the advantage that no priceless family heirloom or treasured
possession is going to get smashed to pieces.
Entertainment is always a worry for parents and while clowns
and jugglers are still popular children these days may also find
themselves being tutored in football skills or meeting an Elsa
(from Frozen) lookalike. Again, on the surface these might seem
like pricey options but shop around on the internet and there are
bargains to be found. Activity parties are increasingly popular;
your child can learn to make pizza in a restaurant, paint crockery
or even go on a Bear Grylls adventure in the woods.
As children start to reach the end of primary school they often
become too ‘sophisticated’ for ‘children’s parties’. One option
in this case is to have a cinema party where they all go to see a
film. Many cinemas will organise this for you, but you can just as
easily do it yourself. If money is an issue you can always have a
cinema party at home, let the guests choose DVDs and make
their own popcorn – then disappear! Pizza parties work equally
well for both older and younger children. Pizzas are easy and
quick to prepare but do keep an eye on local pizza chains for
vouchers and discounts
Many parents stress about what food to provide for their small
guests. Some of the delicacies on offer at children’s parties
would put pricey restaurants to shame. Don’t be tempted down
this path, these are small children, not the Michelin committee
(although there will always be one precocious child who would
prefer caviar to fish fingers). The only food that should worry a
host is one that a guest may be allergic to, or intolerant of, as
some allergies can be very severe or even fatal.
Anne Marie Scanlon for Primary Times
Party Checklist
Invites. Aim to send out invites three weeks before the party.
Don’t forget to include how old your child will be, the full address
of the venue (including a map if it’s tucked away), a start and finish
time, theme and fancy dress code if relevant. You might want to
request information regarding allergies (food and pet allergies if you
have pets and are hosting at home). Make it easy for parents to
RSVP by providing both a telephone number and email address if
possible. Keep a track of who has responded because no matter
how easy you make it for people to RSVP you will probably have to
issue a gentle reminder to some.
Music. Get your playlist ready and do a test run before the big
day. If you’re hosting away from home don’t forget to take the music
with you! You can’t play musical chairs without it!
Food. Keep it simple - as long as there’s plenty of crisps and
enough birthday cake for everyone. Provide plenty of water. you
can get individual water bottles from supermarkets for little expense.
Don’t bother with juice or fizzy drinks as there’s enough sugar in
the food and many parents take a dim view of both.
Birthday Cake. Home made vs shop bought. It’s up to your
child. It’s their birthday. Your child knows whether you are a super
British Bake Off style parent or not.
Candles & Matches for the cake. They are often
overlooked with all the other preparation. If you’re hosting away
from home don’t forget a knife too!
Entertainment. If you hire someone, be sure to call them
a day or two before the event to confirm they are coming.
Decorations. Balloons are non-negotiable. It’s not a party
without balloons.
Running Order. Before the party, consider how long games
and activities are likely to take, to make sure you don’t run out of
time to sing ‘Happy Birthday’. Don’t feel you have to plan every
second though - the children will probably welcome a bit of ‘down
time’ for messing about with balloons!
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Primary Times, West London • February Half Term 2017
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