This page is dedicated to providing you with a point by point guide on how to organise a great stress free party for you and your child.

Step 1:

Two months before the party set an hour aside, grab a cup of tea, sit in a room with a computer and a phone and shut the door with instructions that you are not to be disturbed. I know it’s easier said than done but if you can keep the kids at bay for just sixty minutes then you won’t regret it.

Step 2:

Find three venues (a first, second and a third choice) that you know from recommendations are good venues for children’s parties. Ask other parents what venues they have used and make a few calls. Ensure your venues are: -

• Easy to get too by car and ideally public transport
• There is ample free parking
• The venue can provide a fridge, running water, kettle, toilets, tables and chairs, lights, heating and electricity.

Avoid using your own home as space is restricted and other distractions exist. An entertainer will not want the birthday child insisting that he can take his/her friends up to his/her room to show them their Nintendo Wii.

Also avoid outdoor parties as you are relying on the weather to be perfect and it very rarely is.

Don’t organise other activities to be available whilst the entertainer is present. He/she will not want to have to compete with a bouncy castle, soft play, crafts or face painting. This can all happen before the entertainer is booked to arrive or once they have gone.

Ensure there is enough space in the venue for the entertainer to provide interactive entertainment and for you to lay out tables for tea.

Step 3:

Get a few choices of available dates and times from your venues but don't book anything until you have spoken to your entertainer.

Step 4:

When deciding on an entertainer for your party, consider the following: -

• Have they been recommended and have you heard of them before?
• Will their form of entertainment fit in with the theme you have in mind for the party?
• Is your child interested in Pirates, Princesses, Scooby Doo, Star Wars, Superheroes, Wizards etc.?
• What can your entertainer provide which will fit in with that theme?
• Can they costume themselves to fit into your theme?
• Can they provide magic, storytelling, games, balloon modelling or dancing appropriate to your theme or at least the child's favourite TV shows, toys or bed time stories?
• Are they Criminal Records Bureau checked?
• Are they public liabilility insured?
• Are they a member of Equity (the actors and entertainers Union)?

All the above will give you assurances of competence, quality and professionalism.

Insure your entertainer will provide all necessary equipment in order to give you the party you have every right to expect. Example: -

• Stereo or PA system with microphone (if you have a large crowd)
• Appropriate current music i.e.: -
  • Music from current children’s TV
  • Disney music

And if you have a particular theme for the party then you may require: -

• High School Musical Music
• Superhero Music
• Pirate Music
• Music for boys
• Music for girls

All this is necessary in addition to the specialist children’s entertainment kit they will need to entertain your young participants. (magic, limbo pole, puppets, circus skills).

If you are happy with the product and the price (ask other parents what is reasonable for your area but between £150 to £200 is quite normal for a good entertainer providing a two hour party) then discuss the payment terms. (Normally an entertainer will take a deposit on confirmation of the booking followed by the remaining payment in cash on the day of the party).

Remember to have the cash ready and offer it at the start of the party so that the entertainer does not feel rude when they are forced to ask you for payment.

If you would like the entertainer to phone you a week prior to the party just to check everything is okay then feel free to request this. It is perfectly reasonable to do so.

If you would like the entertainer to phone you on receipt of your deposit then feel free to request this also.

Provide your entertainer with a date and time (many busy entertainers will give you two slots for booking; either an AM or PM time slot), an address and complete postcode of the venue (and any land marks or diversionary routes that will help your entertainer locate the venue) together with as much information about the birthday child and children attending. Also provide the entertainer with a phone number that you are easily reachable on and ensure you have theirs.

Phone the venue and confirm the booking.

Now relax. You have done enough for now.

Step 5

Children's Birthday Party Food

Remember to check with parents about any food allergies. You will need to ensure that if one of the guests does have an allergy that he/she does not eat anything that they should not. Suggest to the parent that they accompany the child but make it sound like you really would appreciate their help.

Sweet vs. Savoury

These days, healthy eating is becoming much more important, so you may well have to spend a little more time on organising the food than a few years ago. Having said this; children still love jelly and ice cream, crisps and chocolate and a bit of this kind of food is quite acceptable. Keep the portions small so that there is plenty to go round, and less waste on the plate at the end.

Savoury

• Quiches
• Vegetable dips – cucumber, carrot, celery with a mayo dip
• Scotch Eggs
• Sausages
• Sausage rolls
• Pizza Slices
• Sandwiches (crusts cut off)
• Crisps
• Chicken wings
• Cheese scones
• Cheese & pineapple sticks
• Tomatoes

Sweet

• Fruit – apples, grapes, strawberries, bananas raisins or cut a selection of fruit into chunks and make fruit kebabs.
• Yoghurt or fromage frais.
• Biscuits.
• Mini choc rolls.
• Fairy Cakes.
• Chocolate rice crispy/cornflake clusters.
• Meringues.
• Ice Cream.
• Jelly.
• Frozen juice popsicles.

Birthday Cake

If you have left plenty of time to arrange it, you could always decorate the cake in the same style as the party theme, or if your budget will allow it, buy one in. Either way, the Children's Birthday Party cake has to be the centrepiece of the party and should be brought out towards the end of the meal.

Blowing out the Birthday Party Candles is essential, and nowadays there are plenty of different candles to choose from. You can have musical candles, shaped candles, candles that sparkle, and ones that continue to re-light themselves after they have been blown out!! – Great fun.

Get the entertainer to encourage the children to sing happy birthday! He or she may also have a karaoke style happy birthday track that the children can sing along with.

Take the cake away and cut it into slices, wrap it in a napkin and place it in the Party Bags then the entertainer can continue with his/her party entertainment.

Drinks

It may be easier said than done, but it pays to try to limit the amount of sweet drinks they consume. Over-eating is to be expected, and quite often it is the sugary drinks that will be the last straw and make them sick. Something that it is best to avoid if at all possible!!

• Water
• Fruit Juices
• Fruit Smoothies
• Milk shakes
• Squashes
• Carbonated drinks
• Adult drinks?

You don’t have to limit yourself to each of the drinks above, you can mix them up to produce fruit cocktails, or ice cream sundaes.

Provide food for the parents: -

Some Supermarket Quiches and picky bits should be fine.

Also ensure that there are cups of tea and coffee readily available.

Party Bags

Apart from the obligatory piece of cake, what else can you put in the children's party bags? Things to consider are the age of the children, the theme of the party, is it a boy's party, a girl's party or mixed? Remember, you don't have to spend a fortune in order to put together a good party bag.

Children like lots of small bits and pieces rather than one or two large items. Doing a search online will bring up companies who will sell you small give-aways in larger quantities at a good price or some will even send you ready-made party bags if your budget can stretch to it. Also look in toy shops, pound shops and supermarkets.

Items that always go down well include: -

• Colouring pencils or crayons
• Bubble mixture
• Stickers
• Giant pencils
• Novelty keyrings
• Mini tube of sweets

Boys

Things that : -

• are gooey or slimey
• light up or flash
• make lots of noise

Girls

Things that : -

• can be worn, e.g. rings, necklaces, etc.
• are cute and cuddly, e.g. mini soft toy
• are magical, e.g. fairy wands, princess tiara, etc.

This is your chance to be creative - do your best to keep within the agreed theme and have some fun!

Entertainer

On the day of the party a good entertainer will arrive with plenty of time to set up. Please remember because of this, they will require access to the venue at least 45 minutes before the party is due to start and 20 minutes at the end of the party to pack away.

Sit back, relax and let the entertainer do what you're paying them to do. If you are concerned at any point, do let the entertainer know so that they can lay your fears to rest. However, do not continually approach the entertainer whilst they are working with the children, as this will break the atmosphere and the children's concentration. Your entertainer has many years of experience working with children - you do not need to give them pointers on how to run the party or organise the children (let's face it, you wouldn't hire an electrician and tell them how to wire a plug!)

We're sure that if you follow these steps you can have a stress-free and enjoyable party without any nasty surprises. We wish you luck and are certain if you use a M.A.D. House entertainer your party will be a rip-roaring success.