Kids party venues

There are many alternative venues available now for children’s parties. Here are a few ideas:

• At home – The simple back yard party. A great venue for generations and perhaps one of the most popular of venues. Some great advantages are that you can decorate well in advance and all of your catering needs are available and stored in a fridge if necessary. This is all well and good until it rains, so you will need to make sure that you can cater for inside or at least postpone for another day.
• In the park – Once a gain a great venue unless the rain is falling down. You will need to have a wet weather alternative planned and also a contact plan to ensure that everyone knows just what is going on. Try to choose a park that is fully enclosed to prevent toddlers from getting away and preferably one that has toilets nearby. Just remember, you may need to take all your rubbish away with you, especially any balloons.
• Indoor play centre- These centres are becoming more popular for parties. They certainly take the stress out of organising a party and being the host. You will need to decide if you’re happy for the children to be dropped off or if you would rather that parents remained at the centre with their children. One of the disadvantages of a Play centre is that you cannot provide any of your own catering and this can add to the overall expense. The children do not really interact much at a play centre as it is really just free play on the equipment with a break for party food and cake.
• Party centre – These Party Centres also take the stress out of planning and hosting a party. Most are hosted by one or two entertainers who engage the children in dancing and games suitable for their age and also provide an area for party food. Similar to a play centre you cannot provide any of your own catering. Most of the party Centres will have a minimum number of children.
• Entertainers – You can organize for an entertainer to come to your home or park. They may just perform a set routine or they may engage the children in activities and games. Be aware that for some children clowns and other larger than life characters can be very frightening. Make sure that your chosen entertainer understands your expectations for the big day.
• Hiring equipment – Toy libraries are a great resource for a party and inexpensive. By having an assortment of “bigger” toys, such as cars and bikes, you prevent fighting. If you go down the path of hiring a “Jumpy Castle” or similar make sure that you have adequate supervision at all times and preferably someone on hand who is trained in first aid. Accidents are never far away.

For more information see Kids party ideas or Parenting .