birthdays

How to throw t party a perfec

from guest list to games, elsie button offers the lowdown on making your tots birthday a day to remember for all the right reasons

hough its tempting to pull out all the stops for your tots birthday party, why put yourself through unnecessary stress when the birthday boy or girl is likely to be oblivious to your efforts and more interested in eating jam tart crumbs and playing with peoples shoelaces. That said, you want to mark such an important milestone with more than a balloon tied to their highchair and a sponge cake bought from the supermarket. So, how do you strike the right balance? We asked those in the know for their top tips.

Dinosaur party garland (above), 8.99, partypieces. co.uk; Belle & Boo cake frill and toppers, 6.50, partyark.co.uk

who to invite
For one and two year olds, the party is really about you celebrating your childs birthday, so family only is entirely appropriate, says Emily Potts, owner of Party Ark. But many mums like to invite friends theyve met at antenatal

Try to organise things around your babys nap time. And specify a clear start and finish time two hours is plenty
s bagive includeitas, silly ty Par be expens s, bubble k gifts are
Dinosaur party bags, 9.99, partypieces.co.uk

yon e to he ies. t hav bers, cra ke sure t r bab don a b ms fo , ru s. M ents e nt ncils d sweet ble it Co of pe an hoka ic, ation , badges ber, no c plast bin em com ers ad of k rem inste en. , stic ags, r putty ropriate p per b the child ap pa by ageality d s u -use gh-q e bag or hi can be re te th que. bric cora i n ey e fa to de nd u at th Us them special a so th ting t k by ge hem loo t hild thing our c an make y ome s or volve rs, it c es kie tiv In erna ated coo rty icke n alt r th st a a o wi ts as ch as dec tch the p r e gif hom ty su ift to ma g. Or offe epar a g y tak t the or a r pirate fl ing. Tr ade a figures, v and o e lea ve m ugh ar yw they y do a fair children pla h as e e suc as th ere them ucky dip it, th al tch to upply e ll str will s et wi t budg nies tha s and r If you compa bag party ts. are both r conten i the

classes and playgroups too. Consider limiting the number of guests to avoid your baby feeling overwhelmed, says Lorraine Buckle from The Party Times. Small groups work best until your child is four, when you can involve them in the guest list theyll have firm ideas about who their friends are by then. If your child is at a nursery, ask your childs key-worker for a list of his/her friends that way you can distinguish between the real and the imaginary people on your childs list! advises Emily. Another tip many mums swear by is to limit the number of invitees to the number of candles on the cake three guests for a third birthday etc. And if you have a really little one, try to organise things around nap time. And specify a clear finish time!

whats your style?

Traditional: Great for young children and simple to execute have a few friends round for tea, don shiny party hats, eat cheese and pineapple on sticks and have the kids spend time

Blue party bags, 1.99 and pirate name stickers, 1.49, partypieces.co.uk

read more
gurgle.com 59

86 gurgle.com

birthdays
Kids Parties, celebrity style
Kourtney Kardashian (left) held

a circus carnival themed party for her son Masons first birthday, which included a carousel and his own petting zoo with piglets, goats and ducks.
Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise

Princess party garland (above), 8.99, partypieces. co.uk; Peppa Pig birthday invitation, 2.25 for six; Mr Tickle paper cups, 2.75, partyark.co.uk

riding around on the back of some dad on all fours. Themed: If your child is into a particular TV character, or dinosaurs, fairies etc, this is a great way to bring together all the aspects of the party from the invites, to the food, to the decorations and games. And with a bit of thought and forward planning it doesnt have to cost a fortune - you could always make the costumes yourself, for example. See box, left, for more ideas. Bigger budget: There are plenty of party organisers out there who can help you. Claire, a mother of two, says of one party extravaganza she once attended: The food was fit for royalty, the house was transformed into the island of Sodor, and a human Thomas the Tank Engine spent the afternoon entertaining the kids. It was completely mind-blowing.

allegedly spent $100,000 on Suris second birthday, including $17,000 on fresh flowers and $45,000 on catering. And they filled the room with 1,000 butterflies.
For Kingstons

a question of cost
Its important not to feel pressured into spending a fortune or hiring a venue in the early years. There are lots of ways you can cut down on costs says Emily. Have the party in a park or at home and get older children involved in things they can help make the cake, invites and decorations. Your participation means a lot to your child. While fancy entertainers can be great and can make life easier, your tot would almost certainly much prefer it was you jumping up and down with a balloon up your jumper while singing Yellow Submarine, rather than a stranger. A lot of money-saving tips also happen to be more

If the partys in the summer months, let the children eat outdoors
eco-friendly: Instead of throwaway plastic banners, use fabric banners that can be used year after year. Or get the children recycling decorate old kitchen towel tubes and use as binoculars for your very own Gruffalo hunt, says Emily.

fourth birthday, Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale treated 100 guests to a $15,000 party. Entertainment included roaming superheroes, face painters, and a balloon artist.

themed ideas
Emily from Party Ark shares some popular choices Favourite themes for 1-2 year olds include traditional book favourites such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Peter Rabbit. In the summertime especially, Teddy Bear ranges are exceptionally popular and many parents choose to meet at a local park for a Teddy Bears picnic. The children can bring their own bears, and even dress them up. The most popular ranges in the 3-4 age group tend to reflect the most popular CBeebies and Milkshake programmes such as Peppa Pig, Charlie & Lola, Ben & Holly and Thomas the Tank Engine. The Gruffalo is also incredibly popular for this age group, and is a theme that appeals equally to boys and girls. Girls 3-4 upwards tend to become caught up in the world of fairies and princesses. Themes range from Rapunzel and Snow White to beautiful generic princesses in marvellous castles and not forgetting both garden and flower fairies! For boys from four upwards, chivalry and dinosaurs make perennial favourites. For older boys, Harry Potter, The Smurfs, Toy Story and Batman make excellent party choices. For boys and girls age four and up a combined knights and princesses party is always a success. A Mr Men theme also contains enough Mr Men and Little Miss characters to keep both boys and girls happy.

partypieces.co.uk, party ark, reX Features, starZLiGHt, scope Features, i stock

With a bit of thought and forward planning it doesnt have to cost a fortune

Cupcake kit, 8.99 and Gruffalo treasure hunt, 5.95, partyark.co.uk

he fun: e from T opriate Lorrain ge-appr some a suggests d day rters an home or away? 1st birth hape so ts lap. uch as s n s For very young children, having n a pare aby toys hymes o opular b the party at home is ideal its ursery r a with p yn are nes enjo Have an a more welcoming space for everyone, Young o day pular al toys. 2nd birth s are po music says Ellie Kelly, owner of Buttons ve game elie until make-b a snake Childrens Parties. om like usic and m e ro so on. to lively ound th fish and If the image of kids tearing around Dancing lither ar im like a ren to s sw ild edule. ask ch your house doesnt sit pretty with you, arty sch s, then to sic stop hin the p it the mu t time w hiring a venue is a good option, me quie y Have so irthday ome ver especially for older children. 3rd b o have s tea. beans s f re A school or village hall will generally en full o ame befo s are oft ll. t, calm g offer a larger space which is great year old y a quie work we ed b Three tues es follow sical Sta u an am if you are inviting lots of people, el and M inning c active g the Parc nd not w says Emily. Or, if the partys in the summer th Pass inning a w ! Bo this age ber that months, let children eat Remem issue at ome an bec day outside it helps preserve the kitchen floor! key, 4th birth the Don But, bearing in mind the British weather, its a e Tail on re: Pin th . Over on Says games a good idea to have an indoor back-up plan as well. and Sim at party ? ave Gre the Box ars so h Whats in lead to te ent can olouring remember whats imPortant! excitem o, with c t area to s. Try to relax and cherish these times, when your little ones a quie d pencil pads an eyes light up at the sight of green jelly and they can barely contain their excitement during a game of Pass the Parcel. Before you know it, theyll be all grown up and wont want you anywhere near their birthday party.

lay es toarPTimes gam P ty

Britney Spears held a

truck-themed birthday party for her sons Preston, three and Jayden, two. The birthday boys drove around their party in motorised cars which featured personalised number plates.

useful resources:

Party Ark and Party Pieces for supplies and party bags The Party Times great for ideas, recipes, and tips VIP-KIDZ childrens party providers Annabel Karmels Complete Party Planner 12.99

60 gurgle.com

gurgle.com 61