Will you have enough food? What if none of them show up? What if TOO MANY show up?! Ah! These are just some of the worries that many mums face when it comes to organising their child's parties.

 

But if you get a bit panicky around birthday time, fear not. There are a few things you can do to make your child's birthday party slightly less stressful...

 

Plan, plan and plan some more

 

It might sound a bit 'Monica from Friends' but the more you structure the party, the calmer you'll be. Divide the time up into sections.

 

For instance, free play or an activity to kick things off, followed by games (Pass the Parcel and Musical Chairs are great for little ones). Then you can bring out the big guns - food and cake!

 

Do what you're comfortable with

 

 

Some parents love big affairs with lots of people, while others only want a handful of guests. Yes, you have to invite your child's closest friends, but beyond that it's up to you, and if you don't fancy the party turning into a mini-wedding, don't let it. It's your choice.

 

Keep it short and sweet

Kids run on adrenaline and sugar before finally melting down when they've run out of both, so don't feel the need to party all day long. A 1.5-2 hour get-together is more than enough for kids up to 5, and 2-2.5 hours is ideal for older kids.

 

Kids love cake...all cake!

 

 

Now is not the time to start experimenting, especially if you're not really the baking type. Bake something that you know, a tried and trusted favourite. And it doesn't matter if it's lopsided - the kids won't care, and it won't be around long enough for the adults to notice!

 

Keep food simple

 

It's a party - let them let their hair down on the health-front and indulge in mini pizzas and sausage rolls. Kids love that sort of stuff, and it means you don't need to spend hours cooking.  

 

Also, don't panic about making separate food for the adults - most grown-ups love the nostalgia of kids' party food and happily much away on whatever's going. 

 

Present time

 

 

Not everyone can afford to splash the cash on big, expensive gifts for their children's friends. With that in mind, it's a good idea to have a word with the other mums at school and see if you can agree on a modest denomination that you can then stick to for each child's birthday. 

 

Get a babysitter

 

You'll need a few hours to prepare on the morning of the party so it might be an idea to get some help in, especially if you have more than one child. 

 

Don't over-think the goody bags

 

 

For a lot of kids, it's all about the goody bags. They love them - no matter what's inside! With that in mind, don't go mad looking for impressive things to put inside. A bottle of bubbles, some pencils and a few jellies should do the trick for younger kids. 

 

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