As your children grow up, there will always be a reason to celebrate. Whether it is a birthday party, a milestone they succeeded at in school or an achievement they made in a hobby outside of it, never let an achievement go uncelebrated.

Arranging a party, from buying the right dresses for little girls to arranging the balloons, decorations and games, is both a lot of fun and a lot of hard work.

However, there are ways to make the harder, more boring parts easier so you can spend more time celebrating, having fun and making wonderful memories.

Here are some top tips for setting up the best bashes, the greatest galas and the perfect parties.

Start With The Invites

Budgeting for a children’s party is best thought about on a “per person” basis, so set a budget, stick to it and from there think about how many of your child’s friends you can invite from there.

This will differ depending on the activities you have planned, and indeed how big your child’s circle of friends is (or will be when they realise they can go to a party).

How many you should go for will depend on their budget as well as your child’s age. 

Sometimes you want to invite the entire class, sometimes just a small circle of friends. Generally, up to seven years old, you will want to try to invite their whole class but after that, they should have a smaller list.

Create your invitations (or buy nice ones in bulk) and send them off well in advance of the party, giving at least a fortnight’s notice, Make sure to follow up with the parents as well to ensure you know all of the needs, allergies and dietary requirements of your special guests.

Get Your Decorations In Order

Once you have a party space (or have cleared some space at home), decorate it so that the kids can easily find the different activities you have set up.

There’s plenty of options here, particularly if you are going for a theme. If there is no specific theme, try to aim decorations around your child’s favourite colour and buy balloons, ribbons and construction paper to decorate the event space and create backdrops.

Always Have A Backup Plan

Whilst you are getting decorations, think about having as many short games as possible to play to keep their attention and ensure they have a lot of fun the whole time they are there.

Classics such as pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey and a treasure hunt are always a winner, as well as little simple games themed after your child’s favourite interests and books.

Plastic hoops, excess wrapping paper and plastic or chocolate coins are inexpensive but versatile ways to create games and memories.

Don’t Forget The Cake

The centrepiece of any birthday party and often seen in other events as well, your cake should be at least a little personalised, even if you do not want to make the cake yourself.

Good ideas for cake decorations include edible sweets, pictures or tributes to memorable moments and little figures and miniatures representing hobbies and interests your child has (Just make sure you take them off before you cut and serve the cake though.

Do not forget the goody bag either. Not only a sensible way to serve the cake, it always boosts the end of a party, as kids love to receive surprise gifts, no matter what is inside the bag.

With that in mind, do not spend too much on the goody bag, and instead opt for cheaper sweets and toys that are as much a fun novelty as anything else.