The chances are that most of us will recall a party or two we went to as children. These were exciting occasions that broke the norm allowing us a degree of freedom to walk on the wild side.

So, how do you throw a birthday event that’s going to create memories for all the right reasons? Read on for the secrets to making a kid’s birthday party go with a bang.

Your Party Checklist

First up, you need a plan. If you can, enlist the help and support of friends, relatives, other parents, and, of course, your nanny.

Unless you're hosting a sleepover, stick to a maximum of two and a half hours for the event and ideally keep numbers to between 8 and 12 guests. You’ll need a budget for the food and entertainment but here are some essentials regardless of how much you spend:

• Balloons, preferably tied with curling ribbon, party poppers and party blowers
• Decorations such as streamers, banners and table confetti
• Party hats, napkins, straws, cocktail sticks, cups, plates, cutlery
• A plastic tablecloth
• A cake and candles
• Prizes and “going home” gifts
• Drinks for the adults

Don’t let yourself get drawn into an “everything must be perfect” mindset. Every year parents appear more driven to think up unique party themes for bigger and better ways to celebrate a child’s birthday.

The best advice is to keep it simple because getting covered in foam or eating too much ice cream are the types of memories that are going to stick.

Let the Fun Begin

Experts actually believe there’s a lot more to a child’s party than fun and games. Some say a birthday party:

• Raises self-esteem
• Strengthens family bonds
• Establishes and develops social relationships
• Helps develop a perception of time

Nonetheless, the key to a great party lies in the entertainment you put on. Here are some birthday ideas for kids that have become firm favourites:

• Hiring a magician, puppet show or storyteller
• A trip to the zoo, cinema, skating rink, amusement park or sports event
• A visit to the swimming pool
• A round of mini-golf
• A picnic in the park or on the beach

If you want to stick to a party at home, nothing beats some tried and tested games. Most will need at least you and another adult such as your nanny to supervise them. Here are the classics that never fail:

1.   Pass the Parcel

Wrap an appropriate toy in plenty of layers of newspaper. When the children are sitting in a circle, play some music and get them to pass the wrapped up prize from one person to the next. When the music stops, they can remove the outer layer.

The winner is the person who unwraps the final layer and gets to keep the contents. So that everyone’s a winner, you could hand out a lolly whenever a child removes a layer.

2.   A Scavenger or Treasure Hunt

Hide plenty of wrapped sweets or lollies around the specific space you’re using. When you give the word, let the children look for the goodies. The person who finds the most wins.

You can make this much more sophisticated by hiding written clues that will eventually lead them to the treasure. You can then play the game by dividing the kids into two teams. Or, give each child a matchbox with a list of items they need to find and fit into it within a given time. The person who finds the most items will win.

3.   Musical Chairs

Make a circle of chairs with one less than the number of children. Start the music and get the kids to walk around until the music stops. They must then sit in a chair as quickly as possible. Carry on removing chairs until there’s one person left who wins the game.

4.   Pin the Tail on the Donkey

Put a picture of a donkey on the wall and blindfold the kids one at a time. Spin them a few times before getting them to stick on a make-shift tail. The person who puts the tail closest to where it should be wins the game.

5.   Tossing the Egg

Hard-boiled eggs might be best for younger children but nothing beats the mess of a runny yolk. Put the kids into pairs and have them toss the egg back and forth to each other. Whenever they catch it, they need to take a step backward until someone drops it and loses the game.

Get Creative in the Kitchen

If you can bear the mess, you could get the kids to make some of their very own playthings. These activities are best for smaller groups of 6 kids or less. Let’s start with edible slime. You’ll need:

• 250g cornflour, sieved
• 65g icing sugar
• 220 ml canned coconut milk well-stirred
• Several drops of food colouring

Get the children to place all the ingredients in a bowl. They’ll then need to mix them together with a spoon until they have a smooth, thick paste.

When the slime comes together, they can use their hands to roll a little of the mixture into a ball. If the slime is too firm, they can add extra water or coconut milk to loosen it up a little.

To make play dough, you’ll need:

• 8 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp ordinary table salt
• 60 mil warm water
• Several drops of food colouring
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Get the kids to mix the flour and salt in a big bowl. They should use another bowl to mix the water, food colouring and oil. They’ll then need to pour this into the flour mixture and bring it all together. After sprinkling a little flour on a work surface they can knead the dough together for playing with later on.

Buying ready-made pizza bases and getting the kids to create their own toppings is another winning kitchen activity. It’s educational and means that you don’t have to worry about what to make for the birthday tea!

Is it Time You Hired a Nanny?

Apart from looking after the kids when you’re not there, nannies are also useful to have around when there’s a children’s party going on!

Don’t forget that we are there to help and support you through all the issues related to paying your nanny. Get in touch with us now to find out more about all our nanny payroll services.