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Birthday parties are an important part of growing up for a lot of children. They’re perfect for small children who have started school for the first time, as they allow their peers to get to know both them and their interests. Friendships are forged that can last into adulthood, and the party itself gives the child a sense of ownership that they can lack in everyday life at a young age.
With the party doubling up as a ‘get to know me better’ event for many, it makes sense to make the occasion as personalised to your child as possible. If your little one is mad on whichever kids’ cartoon is big at the time, you may get lucky and find pre-made party peripherals featuring your kid’s favourite characters. Among many available options of adding up your kid’s favorite character to the party, you might consider special themed balloons and custom inflatable characters that come in all the possible shapes you might think of. Unlike balloons that serve as decoration only, inflatables may come in the form of bouncy houses, tossing games, or air dancers that may serve as decoration, entertainment, and a great way to brighten up your little one’s mood. If your child’s interests aren’t catered for though, or if you’d like their party to be even more personalised, then applying a DIY work ethic to proceedings can really make a difference.
There’s never been a better time to find custom-made items that make them feel more personal. The recent rise in personalised kids’ books in particular shows how children love to see their budding personal identities acknowledged by others.
Why just reserve the personalisation for the gifts though, when the party should be all about them! Read on for a few ideas of how to really tailor your child’s party just for them.
Personalised Invites
Where should you start when it comes to a personalised kids’ party? On the invites of course!
There’s no need to buy expensive pre-made invitation slips. If you’ve got a printer and a hour spare, you can create some invites that your child will love giving out. The beauty of this, is that it doesn’t matter if you have a daughter who’s crazy about kangaroos, or a son who’s mad about milk floats. You can put whatever you wish on a customised invitation.
This is the point where a few of you break out in a cold sweat thinking “but I can’t draw kangaroos or milk floats!”. Fear not though, because there’s no need for you to be an incredible artist.
You can still make great-looking invites even if you struggle to draw a stick person. Sites like Design Bundles offer tonnes of different designs to allow you to create fantastic invitations that truly reflect your child’s personality. You never know, after giving out their invites, your child might find out that one of their friends enjoys kangaroos just as much as them!
Personalised party gifts
Usually party bags contain a few bags of sweets and other treats to thank their guests for coming. With a tiny bit of preparation though, you can give out gifts that will leave a lasting impression on the recipient. Again, Design Bundles is my go-to site here. Their designs aren’t just for printing onto paper, if you have an embroidery machine, you could also download an embroidery design to create neat little key fobs for little ones to attach to their book bags. It’s an inexpensive, but thoughtful touch that serves as a cute reminder for your child’s friends of the great party they went to!
Personalised party bags
Even the party bags themselves can be customised. You could add the name of the recipient to make it easier to sort out who has received their gift bag too.
Don’t let your creative juices stop their though. Why not think of something other than a bag to stow your gift pack?
Bags tend to get put to one side once used, and plastic bags aren’t the most environmentally friendly thing to carry things in. This is another area in which you can create something that will remind the recipient of your child every time they use it.
If you are only giving out small gifts, you could put them in a personalised mug with the guest’s name on it. This means you’re effectively handing out gifts within a gift! How cool does that sound?
When making up the party bags, let your child choose what to put in it. This is a great opportunity for your child to show how much though they’ve put into each bag. If you have any baby brothers or sisters of the guests due to come, you could replace the cake with teething toys for little ones who are still cutting their gnashers.
Personalised birthday banners
Don’t forget that the venue itself could use a bit of personalisation! Most places will allow you to put up your own decorations, and while bunting and the usual decorations are great, there’s nothing like a huge banner with your child’s name and even face on it!
Your local sign maker will be able to knock up a banner in no time, and most offer a graphic design service to create your perfect banner too. You’ll save a large chunk of money if you can craft the image yourself though. Again, there’s no need to download expensive software; sites like the aforementioned Design Bundles can provide you with great-looking fonts and designs.
Consider your guests’ needs
If you want everyone at your party to have a great time, you may have to consider if any guests have special needs that need addressing. Strobe lights can be problematic for epileptics, whilst more anxious children may need some extra reassurance.
Allow activities that allow parents to have a small break too. Parenting can be lonely sometimes, and the adult interaction at a party might be the only grown-up chat that some get for a while!
Parents of children with more demanding needs meanwhile, may just be thankful for a small respite whilst their child is busy having fun.
Lockdown birthday parties
We’ve already had a couple of lockdowns, so there’s no guarantee that there won’t be another that coincides with your child’s birthday.
Without being able to invite guests, you’ll have to think of some games that the whole family can get involved in. If you can keep the kids entertained for the day using tips like these, then they won’t even notice the forced absence of their friends.
If your kid has their birthday during the current lockdown this month, then why not try this February Lego challenge?
A shirt from their favorite show
Nothing else excites children and teenagers more than their favorite shows!
Getting them a shirt printed with a character or image from their favorite show is a surefire way to make it their favorite shirt. Children and teenagers often don’t appreciate clothes, but giving them an awesome T-shirt from their favourite show will definitely catch their attention and have them wearing that shirt all the time.
Besides finally getting them a piece of clothing that they appreciate, giving them a shirt from their favorite show will also make them feel that you know their interests well, and that you support the enjoyment they get from watching the show. Extra parent points can be earned if the design of the shirt also fits with the theme of the party and makes them the star of the event! Every time they wear the shirt, they will always feel your love.
Ideas for teenagers
Of course, a lot of these suggestions won’t fly with older kids. If you have an teenage daughter, a prom-style party is the perfect excuse for everybody to get dressed up instead. Your daughter can make the day her own by choosing the perfect dress from online prom specialists such as styleaisle. You can still use the design software used for younger kids’ parties to create more mature personalised birthday banners and invites. This ensures that the party feels tailor made for your teenager.
Whether your children are young or a little bit older, let us know if you have any more ideas for great birthday parties!