From that momentous first-birthday celebration to do’s for toddlers, hosting a children’s party can be nerve-wracking! This is especially the case with the younger years, when their behaviour and moods are so unpredictable. Some little kids love the hype of a party, while others can get easily overwhelmed … so you need to plan the event just right.

• The first decision you need to make is the party location. This will direct the tone of the day, and you’ll find that elements such as food, games, theme and guest numbers will fall into place more easily once your venue is set.
• While your children are younger, it’s less stressful if you keep birthday celebrations low-key and simple. You really don’t need a venue with massive wow factor – remember, the party isn’t about impressing the parents, it’s about giving your child and a few of their friends a special play date with perks!
• In the under-five category, you do need to specify whether parents are expected to stay or not – many parents enjoy the social outing of a party as much as their children! But by the age of four, most kids are capable of staying by themselves at a short (two hour) party. So be sure to include ‘drop-off time’ and ‘pick-up’ times if you don’t want the parents to hang around taking up space!
• Here are your party venue options for first birthdays and the toddler years:

• At home:

  This is the most obvious option for teeny tots and easiest because you don’t have to cart the food and decorations around. Explain to your child that they will need to share their toys (put special-favourites away to avoid distress), or consider hiring a big-ticket item such as a jumping castle (there are small ones appropriate for toddlers). A safe trampoline is also a great idea, as is visiting a toy library to hire things like slides, climbing frames or bikes. Here are some game ideas suitable for toddlers too.
• If you’re worried about an at-home party being dull, give it a theme to create interest – such as fairies, pirates or little green thumbs. Or book an entertainer that is age-appropriate – a fairy who face paints, a magician who does clever tricks, or a not-too-scary clown who makes balloon animals.

• The park:

  You can’t go wrong with the classic park party – it’s one parents and smaller kids love – simplicity is key with toddlers! What little kid doesn’t love having a play on the swings and slide? The playground is fuss-free and there is no pressure for little guests to participate in organised games if they’re not keen. An enclosed playground is best to ensure tots don’t stray too far.
• Get everyone to bring a picnic rug for the party food time. A sausage sizzle is an easy way to fill up the kids (followed by cupcakes) so do a pre-planning trip to check if there are barbeque facilities and a covered area (you’d be wise to arrive early on the party day to reserve it, especially if the weather is changeable). Be sure to include a wet-weather note on your invitation to avoid confusion.

• Local hall:

  If you want a casual atmosphere but live in an apartment or small house not suitable for lots of kids, you could also investigate hiring an empty hall. These are inexpensive to hire, and may include some chairs and tables that you can use for the party spread. A fun idea is to engage a kinder gym to set up mats and soft play equipment for crawling babies and walking toddlers alike to enjoy. Halls are great because they offer a big, open, contained area and it doesn’t matter if it is bucketing down outside!

• Zoo or mini-farm:

  Toddlers will delight in a trip to the zoo or a mini-farm to celebrate your little one’s day. All parents will need to come along, and ask them to bring their stroller to ensure your group stays together and you whizz around the exhibits without tiring out the tiny ones. Keep the timing to two hours maximum – remember that toddlers lose interest easily so plan the route before the party day and ensure everyone knows where you’re off to by taking charge and announcing, “First elephants, then kangaroos, then lions!”