Hosting a birthday party for the kids is not as much of a task as you might think. Organising the celebration even makes up half the fun! Here are a few simple tips to help you get started.

Who, what and when?

The first stage of party preparation is sorting out the birthday invitations. Not just who to invite, but what the theme of the party will be. Birthday invitations should illustrate a theme; princesses, super heroes, villains, medieval knights, fairies, cartoon characters, ponies and pirates are just a few fun suggestions. There’s a wide range of kid’s party invitations available these days, you can even order customisable prints online. So if the birthday boy or girl absolutely insists on having a purple & yellow polka-dot zombies theme, you’ll be able print your own purple & yellow polka-dot zombie birthday invitations! It’s important to send out party invitations early, perhaps a few weeks before the party so that the guests (and their parents) can prepare.

Where?

Where you hold the party depends on your budget and the weather. The safest bet is to hold the party at home. If you have an outdoor eating area you can set up a table outside to avoid mess inside the house. You’ll have to consider what party supplies you will need as well: food, decorations and prizes for the games.

Fun & games

Classics like pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey and bobbing for apples are great, but there are also plenty of other exciting games for children. If you’re holding a pirate dress-up, a treasure hunt game is a good example. Treasure hunting games are easy to prepare and the kids will love them. Other fun games include; potato sack rallies, Simon says, musical chairs, charades, celebrity heads, you can make up your own and change the rules. If you do have a creative idea for a game, make sure the chances of winning are equal for all. Everyone should get a prize, because parties are about everyone having fun and enjoying themselves.

Party snacks

No party is complete without delicious food and snacks. It’s one of the few times you can spoil the kids a little by allowing them to have treats and a slice of cake afterwards. You can set up a table with a variety of snacks like biscuits, crackers, dips, lollies and chips – but you can also add a fruit platter, bread sticks and coffee biscuits for the parents. Try not to go too heavy on the sweets, as there will be cake to look forward to as well. Prepare a lot of hot food like mini meat pies, pizzas, pigs in a blanket, sausage rolls, quiches and other bite sized treats.

About Vistaprint

Vistaprint was founded in 1995 and is the leading online provider of promotional products and services for small businesses. Vistaprint offers low-cost, high quality and completely customisable prints to market any small business. While Vistaprint continues to focus on providing micro businesses the chance to make a lasting impression, it has expanded its product range to include a wide variety of printed materials including birthday invitations, posters, stationery accessories, magnets, t-shirts and even rubber stamps.