I’m NOT a fan of parties. The expense, the wastage of food, the utter carnage of mess that’s created, the noise of the kids rushing about and the stress of planning and putting everything together takes more time than I care to give.
But FUN is awesome. And I 100% want any party I go to or arrange to be fun for the kids. So, even though I don’t want to make a tonne of effort, the party still has to be memorable and just a little bit meaningful.
Here are the essential ingredients I think make a memorable kid’s birthday party.
Get the food catered for the birthday party
Party planning is enough of a headache without having to worry about making all the food yourself. Unless this is something you absolutely adore doing and don’t find it stressful, just get it done for you.
I recommend Kind Kones for sweet treats and light bites because it’s safe, kind food for everyone. And I’ve found that kids are less hyper when they’ve got wholesome food available. If your party is themed, let them know and they’ll sort you out.
Here’s what they’ve got on offer:
Whole Cakes - all vegan with gluten-free options, which is kind of amazing. You can also ask for customised fresh fruit topping too!
Ice-cream - you can order pints of ice cream in different flavours and scoop it yourself, or you can throw an ice-cream party and go all out with their bicycle ice cream cart! Every ice-cream flavour is free from dairy, egg, soy, additives, preservatives, colouring, flavouring and emulsifier so there’s less to worry when it comes to intolerances.
Dessert bar - if you’re throwing a big party, you can choose a variety of desserts off their catering menu. They’ve got cakes, superfood bliss balls, donuts, raw bars, donuts, and more...
If you’re not familiar with Kind Kones ice-cream, go and check them out at Bangsar Village 1 and Plaza Damansara. Or get in touch with them to find out more: www.kindkones.com
Special discount for IBU Members - 10% off total event catering (min spend RM1000)
Special discount for IBU Members in stores - 10% off total bill (min spend RM50)
Games where everyone wins
I like games where no one is “out”. Especially for children under 5. It makes me so nervous if there’s any chance of a meltdown so I choose games where everyone feels like a winner!
Pass the balloon - the same as pass the parcel but without the faff of wrapping up presents. When the music stops, the kid holding the balloon gets a present.
Fishing for presents - Make a big box full of small wrapped gifts with a magnetic washer attached to each of them. Everyone fishes for presents in the box with rods made from sticks, string & magnets.
Egg and spoon race - just boil the eggs until they’re really hard! And once they make it to the finishing line they get a present (rather than whoever wins gets a reward)
Musical animals - Name an animal, then play the music. When the music stops everyone has to pretend to be that animal. The best animal gets a prize each round.
Memorable party bags
The usual party bag gifts get broken or binned quicker than you can eat your ice cream! With all that’s going around about sustainability and the zero waste movement, this is one thing I’d like to avoid. Here are my favourite party bag gift ideas:
Reading books and colouring books - you can actually buy bulk sets and split them up into bags.
Notebooks or journals - for slightly older kids.
Plant pots and seeds - these are great if you can add lollipop sticks, a little ribbon and personalise the pot with a name tag.
Face paints or craft kits - some of the sets I’ve seen can be quite extensive, so they’re ideal to be split up.
Piece of birthday cake and a balloon - a classic giveaway that never fails.
I know there are tonnes more things you can do to create an awesome atmosphere, but these the things that I think make parties the most fun for kids.
Looking for more ideas for kids birthday parties? Start a conversation in our Facebook group ibu Family Resource Group.