ACTIVITIES

100 fantastic kids' party ideas

Last modified on Thursday 17 December 2020

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Throwing a children's celebration and wondering what on earth can you do for a kids' birthday party, Halloween shindig or general get-together? We've got loads of party inspo in our gallery above, covering everything from party bags through to cakes, food and fun games.

Before you start planning a kids' party however, there are a few things to consider:

Party budget

It's easy to get carried away when planning a kids' party and end up spending a fortune. Before you start, it's a good idea to set a budget. Remember to include everything!

As well as venue hire, entertainment, decorations, party food and birthday cake, you'll need to budget for prizes for games, invitations, drinks for any adult guests and party bags.

You'll find some top money-saving tips and inexpensive birthday party ideas in our guide to planning a kids' birthday party on a budget.

Party venue

Are you going to have your kids' party at home or hire a venue?

Home parties are great for toddler birthday parties and smaller groups, but if you're inviting everyone in the class, you might want to hire a venue instead. Hiring a venue means there's more room for kids to run around and you don't need to worry about cake being trodden into your carpet.

Church halls, village halls and community centres are often cheap to hire and usually have chairs, tables and kitchen facilities so you can do your own catering.

If you're planning an activity such as soft play or trampolining, you can usually get a party package including food and drinks. While birthday party venues' party packages may seem more expensive, once you add up what you'd spend on catering and entertainment doing it yourself (not to mention the time it takes to make all those cheese sandwiches!) it can be better value.

Party theme

While you don't need to have a themed birthday party, it can make party planning easier as helps everything come together as a whole and can give you inspiration for ideas. Pirates, unicorns, fairies, princesses, dinosaurs, Disney, superheroes, rainbows, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig and Harry Potter are all popular party themes.

With a theme you can plan your games, food, entertainment, invitations, party bags and cake around it and ask your guests to come dressed to match the theme or give them an accessory or paint their face to match the theme when they arrive.

Party food

If you're providing food at your party, remember to ask your guests to state any allergies or dietary requirements when they RSVP. Don't forget about allergies or requirements when you're choosing sweets and treats for party bags and prizes!

If you're doing the catering yourself, it's a good idea to make everything bitesize so if children don't have large appetites or don't like something, you're not left with lots of half-eaten food.

A buffet is a good idea for large parties as children can pick what they want and it can all be prepared in advance. Rope in a friend to help you make the sandwiches and treat yourself to a glass of wine while you do it!

You can make ordinary food look special with just a few simple touches like pirate flags in sausages or glittery sprinkles on cupcakes. See our guide to organising party food for more tips.

For older children, having a sleepover or small gathering, pizzas or hot dogs are quick, easy and tasty.

Party entertainment

Hiring a party entertainer or bouncy castle is a good way to keep kids entertained without too much work on your part, or you might be planning an activity party such as swimming or soft play, that has entertainment built in.

If you're planning entertainment yourself, then a craft table is a great idea for younger kids. Lay out craft supplies and let them paint pictures or decorate something that fits with your party theme – so painting a mini treasure chest and sticking jewels on it for a pirate party, for example.

It's also a good idea to have a few party games up your sleeve. Plan for a few more than you think you'll need so if one doesn't go down well, you've always got another to try. From pass the parcel to treasure hunts, we've got loads of party game ideas in our gallery and you'll find plenty more for every age group in our party games section.

You can buy ready-made kits to play games such as  Pin the Tail on the Donkey, here at Amazon. It also stocks kits for treasure hunts, too. See more details here.

Party bags

Wondering what to put in a party bag? We've got loads of budget-friendly ideas in our gallery and you'll find even more in our guide to kids' party bag fillers.

What do you put in your party bags? Discuss ideas with other parents in the forum …

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For more tips and ideas, check out our birthday planning guides by age:

1-year-old birthday2-year-old birthday3-year-old birthday4-year-old birthday5-year-old birthday6-year-old birthday7-year-old birthday8-year-old birthday9-year-old birthday10-year-old birthday11-year-old birthday12-year-old birthday13-year-old birthday14-year-old birthday

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