Partytime

Your Party Check List
Party Food: Snacks and drinks, I recommend party boxes
Decor: Balloons, banners, blue-tack/sellotape
Party Bags: Or other end of party give-aways
Adult Refreshments: Tea, coffee, milk, sugar, beer, wine
Name Stickers: Name stickers for the children
Camera: Camcorder, battery power, memory card/film
Tableware: Plates, cups, table cloths, napkins
Birthday Cake: Cake, candles, matches/lighter
Knife and napkins: To cut and wrap birthday cake
Rubbish: Black bags for waste and presents
Pen & paper: For parents, mobile numbers
Contacts: Venue & Entertainer's contact details

Party Planner
A birthday party is a special event. Your kids will be counting the days to the party, and some of that excitement can go into their share of the preparations.

The Secret of a Successful Children's Party
The secret of a successful children's party is organisation, and you can avoid any last minute panic by following our kids party planner. The very first thing to do is decide on the date and where the party is to be held. Remember that some Venues and Partytime may need to be booked months in advance.

4 weeks before your party
Book us, Partytime :) Select a party theme. Themed parties are great fun and give a framework to plan the party decorations, party tableware, party food and party games. Licensed themed kids parties such as a Disney Princess party, Spiderman party, Thomas the Tank Engine party, Dora the Explorer party or Disney Fairies party are always popular, as are the more generic kids party themes such as a Dinosaur party, Football party, Fairies party or Pirate party.
Make a guest list. Include friends from playgroup, school and close relatives.
Pick the party time. Be specific about the starting and finishing times, and restrict the time to 1 ½ to 2 hours depending on the age group of the children.
Order your party supplies: Party invitations, party tableware, balloons and decorations, party bag presents, and music.

3 weeks before your party
Send out the party invitations. Let siblings invite a special friend so they won't feel left out.
Plan the party food. Do not overdo quantities and keep it simple.
Order your birthday cake if you are not making your own or buying from a supermarket. Try to link to the party theme if possible.
Managing a children's party on your own can be hard work, so enlist some extra adult help from relatives, friends or parents.

1 week before your party
Make any party food that can freeze, including the birthday cake if making your own.
Confirm the birthday cake order.
Make a final schedule of activities for the party, including music.
If you are having a party entertainer, reconfirm the date, time and address of the party, the age and number of the children attending and how long the entertainer will be there for.

2 days before your party
Call any RSVP's who have not responded.
Draw up a final guest list.
Buy any remaining food for the party, including the birthday cake if not making your own.
Make up the party bags.
Sort out the party clothes.
Ensure you have film for your camera and spare batteries.
Ensure you have birthday candles and matches. Themed candles are great fun.

1 day before your party
Decorate the birthday cake or collect from the cake decorator.
Decorate the house if at home and child proof the party area. Some venues may not allow you access until the party day, so arrange your time accordingly.
Prepare the party games and activities.
Organise a first aid kit in case of any minor accidents.
Prepare any party food that can be made a day ahead.

Party Day
Make any fresh food and drinks.
Set the birthday table and lay out the food. Confetti, streamers and party hats all add to the party fun.
Decorate the front door with balloons and a party banner to let everyone know where the party is.
And finally – relax and enjoy this very special day.

Party Guide
1. Weekday after-school parties are always better attended as people often have other plans at the weekend, and this also leaves your weekend free too.

2. If you’re having your child’s party at home limit the number of children you invite to suit your available space. In the summertime a garden makes the perfect venue; just remember to have a contingency plan if the weather takes a turn for the worse.

3. If you’re working to a budget find out if there are any other children having birthdays near to your own child’s, as joint parties can be twice the fun and half the cost!

4. Avoid a last minute rush by buying party items as early as possible, starting with non-perishables such as tableware and decorations, and ending with the party food and birthday cake.

5. Allow at least half-an-hour for getting into your venue and setting-up the party. Arranging tables & chairs, tableware, decorations and food can take longer than you think.

6. If your party venue is set back off the road tie balloons or a banner round a nearby tree or lamp post, this way everybody will know where the party is!

7. Allocate tasks for any party helpers to avoid everyone trying to do the same thing or nothing at all.

8. Assign a family member or close friend to take photos of the party so you can concentrate on the party itself. Remember to check you have enough camera battery power and space on your memory card or film before leaving the house.

9. Most children are more willing to join in party games and enjoy themselves when there are fewer parents attending. If possible, limit the number of adults staying at your child’s party to family and close friends.

10. Putting out too many chairs around the venue (excluding food table) encourages the children to sit down during the entertainment. Aim to put out enough chairs for the parents and only half the number of children attending.

11. Setting out the food table running down the venue as opposed to across it allows more room for team games.

12. Leaving balloons lying around the venue floor will inevitably result in children hitting each other over the head with them and then getting burst. A better option is to attach balloons to the walls and then give them to the children at the end of the party.

13. If you have tiny guests attending the party, putting out some fun toys in a corner of the venue is a great way to keep them happy and occupied.

14. Putting name stickers on the children as they arrive allows your entertainer to get to know the children better, making the party more fun and personal.

15. Sellotaping guests birthday cards to presents ensures you know who to thank for what after the party.

16. Writing down the mobile numbers of all the children's parents means you can get in touch if necessary." (accidents can happen to bigger kids too)

17. Feeding children in the middle of the party as opposed to afterwards gives the children a big energy boost for the second half of the party.

18. Attaching a favourite character helium balloon to the birthday child’s chair and seating them in the middle of the table is a great way to make him or her feel special at tea time!

19. Bringing out the birthday cake and singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the birthday child right after the food means you have plenty of time to cut and wrap the cake before the end of the party, ready to pop into party bags.

20. If you’re having a Bouncy Castle, arrange for your helpers to supervise it at all times.

21. If you’re having a bouncy castle as well as an Entertainer wait until the party games are over before you inflate it, inflating a castle during the party distracts the children away from the Entertainer.

22. If you are planning on giving out party bags let your Entertainer know so he can inform the children, so nobody goes home empty handed. We would also be very grateful if you could put one of our "Partytime Cards" in your party bags, thankyou.

23. If you have enjoyed your Partytime Party, as we are sure you will, we would appreciate it if you could find the time to leave a Facebook review or send us a quick message or email, that we could put on our "Testimonials Page"    Hope you have a great party, best wishes, Carl & Kyle.