Plan Your Perfect Party
 

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Party length

If you want a stress free party experience book the 2 hour package. Some parents book Non Stop Kids Entertainment for 1 hour and then try to play the games themselves. By booking an entertainer for two hours, everything will be done for you - it's called the Hassle Free party package. All you need to do is feed the children and then hand then the coats on the way out.


Party venue
Make sure your guests (and your entertainer) can find the venue. Some village halls can be very hard to find. Make sure everyone has clear directions as well as a postcode for sat-navs. It helps to hang balloons outside the venue as well that way your guests can look for the balloons.

Children's safety
It's always a good idea to make a list if the names of the children as they are dropped off. You also want to take the parents phone numbers if they are not staying. This way you can contact the parents if there are any problems. It's also a good idea to find out if any of the children have dietary requirements or illnesses.

Children's food

Don't bother with the buffet. The traditional buffet can become a bit if a free for all and cause havoc. Instead have pre-made lunch boxes for each child with their name on. It means that food is easy to give out, you are not left with loads of leftover food and there are no arguments - everyone has the same. Plus it's easier for you to do beforehand!

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Adult's food

Have food for the adults. If there is no food for the adults a lot of parents will dip into the kids food, which can cause problems. By having separate food it let's the adults know the kids food is off limits.

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Balloons

Don't bother with balloons all over the floor. A lot of parents blow up balloons and throw them all over the floor. This, however, can cause problems. It distracts the children from what the entertainer is doing to start with. However a lot of younger children will start crying when they pop (which they will do). The best bet is to put balloons up on the walls but not the floor.

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Venue parking

Have a parking space near the front door for the entertainer. This helps loading in and loading out afterwards. Not having an available space can lead to the performer having to park quite a distance away. If the entertainer has a lot of equipment (which is normally the case) this could lead to delays.

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Party location

If you are inviting a lot of children the best bet is a hall, function room or similar type venue. However, if you have a smaller amount of children hosting it in your house is a great option. The advantage is you save on venue hire but there be a lot of cleaning up and it can get a little stressful depending on the size of the house you have. In the summer months you might want to consider having it in a back garden. But make sure you have a contingency plan in case the weather is bad - we are in the UK after all!

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Birthday presents
Have a table for your child's guests to put their presents on when they arrive. This way the presents will not end up all over the place. It's a good idea not to let your child open these presents until after the party ends and you are back home. It will give them something to look forward to. Opening the presents at the party can also affect the running of everything.

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Party times
Book the party around lunch or tea times. The traditional 2pm-4pm slot is not the best time to have a party. The children will have already eaten lunch and will probably not eat the food you serve. If you book your party 11am-1pm or even 4pm-6pm, the food you serve becomes the lunch or the tea for the kids. More parents will also bring their kids to a party booked at these times. A lot of parents look at a party in the middle of the day as a hassle as it really does not give them any time to do anything else. However an 11am-1pm (for example) means they can go to the party and then go off for a family outing later on.

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Avoid distractions

Beware of distractions. If the venue you have booked has lots of toys out (for example) make sure you put them away or cover them over. The entertainer will need the kids 100% attention and this is difficult to get if there are other things going on that the children are interested in.

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Safety first

Safety is important. If you are holding a birthday party somewhere other than your house, ask each parent to tell you who will be picking their child up at the end of the birthday party. Do not release a child to anyone you don't know. During the birthday party, make sure you have an adult who can run kids to the bathroom if it's not close to where the main action is.

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Children's names
If you have invited a lot of kids, using name tags is a great idea. Sticky labels and an ink marker are ideal. This way both you and the entertainer will know all the children's names instantly.

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Children's toys
Kids love blowers and noise makers but they can be distracting when trying to organise food or during a magic show. It is best to hand these out in goody bags at the end of the party. This way you will not get a headache ten minutes into the party!

Joint birthday parties

One final tip is to try to find if your child has any friends that have a birthday at a similar time. If they do you can contact their parents and try to arrange a joint birthday party. This way you get to share the cost and the hassle with someone else. It also means you have more people on hand during the actual party to make sure everything runs smoothly. In the past we have been booked to perform for triple and even quadruple parties!