Children's birthday parties have become a big business in the UK. Many parents are keen to 'keep up with the Jones's' and parties have become increasingly elaborate, starting from a baby's first birthday. Party planners like Sharky & George have become a household name in a couple of years, and are popular amongst busy parents who have less time to spend on organising parties, but still want to create something special.
I caught up with Gabriella Toscan du Plantier and Dorothée Monestier, founders of the super cool Parisian party brand, My Little Day, to ask them what their Top Tips are for creating the perfect birthday party! Here's their exclusive Top 10 List for Bubble & Speak:
1. Prepare the invitations with the birthday boy / girl and involve them in customising the cards; it will really make them feel as if it is their party! Do that 3 weeks before the party and do not forget to include your contact details for the RSVPs! (It happens...)
2. As far as the food is concerned, the simpler the better! Buy colourful and funky sweets and make the easiest cake recipe in your repertoire. Just cover the cake with a delicious chocolate fudge and stick some fun figurines on the top. This way you can transform a basic cake into a great cowboy fort, for example!
3. The day before the party, prepare a few group games and workshops to entertain the kids. Simple and easy, and try to recall the games you liked to play yourself when you were a child!
4. D-day: hide all the toys and forbid the kids from entering the room where the party is taking place. The idea is to add a sense of fun and intrigue on the day!
5. Enlist the birthday boy / girl to help you with the decorations to make him / her feel even more important! Hang up as many garlands and balloons as you feel comfortable with. Minimal or maximal! For the table, you can either lay out a sweet table or a proper dinner table, depending on the number of children who come over and the time of the party.
6. As a parent, make sure you dress up, even if it's just with an accessory: a tiara on mum's head and a cowboy hat on dad's will turn the parents into heroes for their child and for the guests!
7. With a Kohl pencil, make-up each child as they arrive: fake eye lashes on girls, fake moustaches on boys, or anything more complicated if you have make-up skills! It makes them feel welcome and at ease.
8. During the party, dance a lot! Children love it. And be sure to play with them; they love that, too!
9. Open the presents at the very end of the party. Again: save the toys!
10. Give each guest a goodie bag as they leave; that will prevent them from losing their precious gifts and having a meltdown during the party!
The My Little Day girls know so much about parties, they've put pen to paper and have even brought out their own book with a host of inspirational ideas!
For dreamy partywear for girls check out Australian couture girlswear label, Mischka Aoki, whose dresses have become highly coveted amongst girls and their mums alike: www.mischkaaoki.com.
And for the perfect party feet, check out British baby & kids footwear label, Step2wo, whose party shoes are not only super stylish but incredibly comfortable, too: www.step2wo.com.
Fuse Communications is a specialist baby and kids PR agency: www.fusecommunications.co.uk.
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