When it comes to planning a party for your little tyke, there’s a lot you can do on your own, such as baking the cake, hanging decorations, and printing up invitations (or sending out Evites). You want your child’s birthday to be fun, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to shell out for a party planner to create a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a toddler that probably won’t even remember the experience. And yet, you may be a bit stumped when it comes to entertaining a crowd of rowdy kids in your home. While old-school options like “pin the tail on the donkey” and hitting piñatas are still valid forms of party fun, you might want something a bit more original. So here are just a few fun forms of entertainment to consider when planning your child’s birthday party.
- Video games. These days kids are all about the video games, so leave those of the board variety in the closet and think about setting up multiple game consoles for party guests to race cars, play in a rock band, or join the dance revolution. Borrow needed equipment from friends so that you can keep all the kids busy with a variety of game stations that they can rotate around to throughout the party.
- Scavenger hunt. What kid doesn’t like seeking hidden treasure? You can use their sense of adventure to your advantage when planning for party entertainment, but it will take some setup on your part. Create a list of items to find, wrangle some parents to act as chaperones for small groups, and then talk to neighbors about participating by handing out particular items or letting you hide stuff on their property. Then come up with clues that will lead kids to party favors. Finally, have extra prizes on hand for any kids that complete the whole list (or for everyone if you don’t want it to be too competitive).
- Theme party. Whether your child is into pirates, princesses, or the Harry Potter franchise you can find ways to work entertainment into the theme. A princess party, for example, could come complete with makeovers for all the girls (painted faces and nails), whereas a sports-themed party could certainly include a pickup game on the lawn. You just need to flex your creative muscles to come up with activities that suit your child’s taste.
- Host a class. Entertaining a roomful of kids for a couple of hours is no easy feat, but creating a fun classroom atmosphere could help you pass the time. Consider letting kids participate in making their own desert with individual cake decorating. They’ll get messy but love every minute. Or think about setting up tables and teaching the kids a craft so they’ll all go home with a party favor they made themselves.
- Hired performers. If you’ve tried everything and you’re at a loss, you may be prepared to spend the money for a clown, a band, or a magician London to Los Angeles. Often you can find suitable performers in your area, but if you want to go all out you could have someone special flown in at additional cost. However, you may want to save these expensive forms of entertainment for major birthdays like a quinceañera or sweet sixteen.
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