Childrens Parties on a budget

Children’s parties are big business
nowadays. Every sports centre, zoo and
theme park offers the obligatory children's party package. But they don't come cheap. With prices starting at around £7 a head, you'll be lucky to have much change from £100.

So if you're on a budget, how do you give your child a party to remember without
breaking the bank?

Not so long ago children's parties consisted of fun and games followed by tea, blowing out the candles on the cake and then 'good bye and thank you for having me'. Children still love playing good old-fashioned party games so why not revive the party-at-home - you'll save money too. Here are some tips:
• Invite a maximum of 10 children - plenty to join in the games but not too many to be unmanageable.
• Ask another adult, or older child, to be on hand to help with games, music
and serving out the food.
• Keep it short – one and a half hours is plenty, and there’s no time to get
bored.

When they arrive
If you're having a themed party - pirates or princesses for example - sit them down to colour in a paper hat, crown or mask when they arrive. Alternatively supply ready-made hats and write the child’s name on the inside – hide them around the room and get them to find their hat. This keeps them busy while you're waiting for all the guests to arrive.

Decide how many games you'll play - and then double it! Some games only last a few minutes and children quickly get bored if there's a lull while
you try and figure out what to play next. Apple bobbing, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, musical chairs / bumps / statues and Simon says are still favourites with children today. But if you're stuck for ideas here are some suggestions:

The balloon game
Blow up two balloons per child. Divide the children into two teams and line them up with a pile of balloons in front of each line. The person at the front has to pass a balloon to the child behind. When it gets to the child at the back he or she sits on it until the balloon bursts and then runs to the front to be the new leader. The team that bursts all their balloons first is the winner.

Chopstick challenge
Sit the children in a circle with a small bowl of sweets each and a pair of
chopsticks (look in your local kitchenware shop for cheap wooden chopsticks or ask your local takeaway if you can buy some). Tell the children to eat the sweets using only the chopsticks, not their hands. The one who finishes first is the winner.

Food
Set the table beforehand - you'll be busy with games during the party. Use small biscuit cutters to make fancy sandwiches. 'Fairy' bread is always popular: spread sliced white bread with a thin layer of softened butter,
runny honey and sprinkle with hundreds and thousands. Children don't
mind healthy food when it's served up in bite-sized morsels - try cheese
squares, cherry tomatoes, tiny carrot sticks, pineapple chunks.

For a stunning pud make a volcano out of ice-cream. Scoop chocolate ice-cream into a cone shape on a plate (use a knife dipped in water to help smooth the surface). Put some vanilla ice-cream onto the top to look like a
snow-capped peak. Make a crater in the top of the volcano with a spoon. Crush two or three chocolate flakes and sprinkle them over the chocolate ice-cream. Dribble raspberry ice-cream topping into the crater and down the
sides for lava. Put the volcano in the freezer until the party.

Time to say good-bye
Instead of expensive party bags why not have a lucky dip? Hide small packets of sweets or small toys in a clean bin or toy box filled with clean hay,
shredded paper or polystyrene beads. Children can have a dip as they leave.

And once it's all over, congratulate yourself on throwing a wonderful party
that your son or daughter will remember forever!

Submitted by Jane Sullivan