Preparing your child for their first day at nursery

Preparing your child for their first day at nursery

This is a collaborative post

Taking your child for their first day at nursery can be an emotional and unfamiliar experience for both you and your little one. It’s also an exciting and positive time that’ll give them their first taste of independence and you some spare free time.

To ensure the transition goes as smoothly as possible, there are some steps that you should take. To help you prepare, we offer some advice on ways you can make your child’s first day at nursery easy and enjoyable.

Make sure they have the right clothes

Children are actively encouraged to explore and get involved in messy play when at nursery. Activities can involve things like paint, water, sand, and many other things that play a crucial role in your child’s learning and development.

This means the best clothes for your child are those that are old and comfortable. Clothes should also allow them to move and climb around freely. If they can attempt to manage their clothes by themselves, this is better, since it’ll teach them independence and self-confidence.

Some nurseries will allow children to go barefoot in order to improve muscle strength and balance, although they may be required to wear shoes in certain play areas. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide your child with a pair of barefoot shoes for when they are at nursery, which can mimic the effects of being barefoot but with added protection.

Establish a routine

Start to introduce a routine that mirrors what life will be like once they start nursery. Gradually change nap and meal times to help them adjust to the new schedule they’ll soon be following. This consistency is essential for children to feel comfortable and secure, especially during a transition as significant as this.

If possible, try to take your child to nursery several times each week. This can help to speed up the adjustment process since attending once each week can make it more difficult to acclimatise to their new routine. 

All 3 to 4-year-olds are entitled to 570 hours of free childcare per year so long as this is with an approved childcare provider. So, make use of the time how you see fit.

Encourage them to be social

If your child isn’t familiar with being in groups of other children, it may come as an unwelcome surprise. Therefore, before they start at nursery, aim to set up playdates with other children of the same age. Inspire them to play cooperatively, share, and interact with others, allowing them to further their social skills.

You could even take them to various toddler groups to get them used to the idea of being around other children. By the time they start nursery, it won’t come as much of a shock and they’ll find it much easier to form friendships.

Top Tips for Center Parcs with Babies & Toddlers

Top Tips for Center Parcs with Babies & Toddlers

We recently returned from a family holiday at Center Parcs and had such an amazing time. It was great to spend some real quality time together as a family, enjoy some of the great outdoors and teach the girls more about nature and wildlife. Having been a few times now with both one child and two, both as babies, toddlers, and now as young children, I thought it would be useful to share my top tips for Center Parcs with babies and toddlers, including hints, tips and tricks for making the most of a Center Parcs break with your little ones – babies and toddlers and children under 5. I hope you find them useful! If you have any other questions about our experience please ask!!

Top Tips for Center Parcs with Babies and Toddlers – Before You Go:

Selecting your accomodation

  • When making your Center Parcs booking, you can pay a little extra (ÂŁ60) to pick the exact lodge where you will stay. We found that this was worth doing when young children are involved, particularly when you have been before and know where you are likely to spend the majority of your time. This year we paid to have a lodge closer to the pool and an outside play area, knowing that these were likely to be our frequent visits and a popular choice with the children. Alternatively, you can choose whether you want a lodge in the central, middle or outer areas of the park, obviously with less walking / cycling required the closer you are to the centre. If you have children with little legs who don’t like to walk, and you don’t fancy lugging a pushchair back up a hill, this will be money well spent.

Checking in online

  • Don’t forget to check in online before you arrive (including details of your guests and your car registration number). This speeds up how quickly you can get through the Center Parcs arrival desks. That said, they email you a few times regarding this so it is pretty hard to forget! 🙂

Don’t forget the essentials

  • Take some toilet roll with you. Unfortunately the lodge we stayed in only supplied one roll in each bathroom, and as such it doesn’t last very long, particularly when you are also wiping your babies’ or toddlers’ snotty noses!

Upon arrival at Center Parcs:

Make use of the facilities

  • On your first day at Center Parcs, don’t forget that although you can’t check in till the afternoon, you are still able to arrive early on your first day and use the Center Parcs facilities if you wish. We arrived around 11am, and went for some lunch and a swim before checking in later that afternoon. I would recommend packing a swimming bag separately in the car in case you want to do this, so that it is easy to hand should you decide to go and try it out!

Don’t rush to check in

  • Avoid the check in rush – as my Mum always used to say, there is no point rushing to get to the back of a queue. All of the Center Parcs locations are traffic free sites, however at check in time you are able to retrieve your car from the car park and temporarily take it up to your lodge so you can unpack. It does get pretty busy at 3pm which is the official check in time, so everyone tends to go at the same time, however if you wait till around 3.30/4 to go and get your car, you will get straight out and avoid sitting in a car park for a while!
center parcs woburn forest babies and toddlers

Tips for the Facilities at Center Parcs:

The Onsite Supermarket

  • The on site shops at Center Parcs can be expensive, but not as bad as you may think – slightly dearer than your normal supermarket perhaps – but we still managed to pick up some ‘essential’ items for reasonable prices (e.g. four pack of Sol beer for ÂŁ4). There are some items that are significantly more than a normal supermarket (e.g. ÂŁ2.99 for a single pack of Pampers baby wipes) so I would recommend only using it for the things you really need and not doing a full weekly shop, particularly if you are shopping on a budget. We arranged a click and collect from the nearest local supermarket (in our case was around 5 miles away from Woburn Center Parcs), and used the onsite shop for small stock ups only. Whichever Center Parcs location you choose, check out the location of the nearest supermarket before you arrive
  • The small trollies with a little flag pole in the onsite shop are really very cute, and walking babies and toddlers will really enjoy feeling just like Mum and Dad wheeling this around and popping items in as they walk around the store. Bear in mind though, you may end up getting more than you planned (Erin used to try and put EVERYTHING in!) and there may be some tears / tantrums when you have to leave it behind.
center parcs woburn forest babies and toddlers

Wildlife at Center Parcs

Take animal food with you

As the shop (at Woburn anyway) didn’t sell any, and it can be bad for animals’ tummies to eat bread or other foods for humans! Depending on where you stay, you are likely to have a variety of wildlife come close to your cabin and babies and toddlers will love leaving them food to eat and squealing with glee as they watch through the patio doors! At Woburn, we saw plenty of squirrels, ducks, pheasants and a large hare. At more established parks like Center Parcs Elvedon, we have also been known to see wild deer – a really beautiful sight to see.

Shopping at Center Parcs

  • The newer parks have wristbands which are your door locks, but can also be used for cashless purchases. This is really handy if you are spending the morning in the pool and fancy some lunch or a drink. You simply pre load your wristband at guest services with the amount of your choice, and then can simply swipe it to pay. A real positive not having to shiver all the way back to your locker to get your purse!

How child friendly is the accomodation at Center Parcs?

The lodge is very child friendly, with baby stair gates supplied (if you are on two floors), as well as a high chair with tray, cot bed and even a little step in the bathroom to make it easier for them to brush their teeth. There are chalkboards in every lodge at Center Parcs with a small bowl of chalk so that children can create their own designs. Whilst a really small feature, it’s something that has always gone down really well with my girls!

Cots at Center Parcs

The cots at center parcs may vary from one parc to the next, however at our accomodation there was a travel cot style cot with mattress. We found this to be clean and acceptable, however you do need to take your own cot bedding as this isn’t supplied. This didn’t bother us as its something we would have done anyway. If you ring up the individual Center Parcs you are staying at they can provide more detail on the cots supplied, or you can look at trip advisor reviews where some people have uploaded photos. According to Center Parcs twitter account, the cots at Center Parcs are 121cm x 60cm. Mattress sizes are 116cm x 52cm

High Chairs at Center Parcs

The high chair supplied at Woburn during our stay was a plastic white Ikea style high chair with basic strap and tray. We found this perfectly sufficient but if you have a very young baby you may prefer one a ilttle more padded.

The only thing I would say is that the curtains at Center Parcs are very thin, so if your baby or toddler needs a dark room to sleep, you may want to take a black out blind and a small night light otherwise in the summer it may take them a while to drift off!

Washing facilities at Center Parcs

The lodges at Center Parcs don’t include a washing machine, so you will need to pack accordingly. You can however take some hand washing liquid with you, but I wouldn’t recommend hanging it outside to dry when you’re not in the lodge as there is a lot of wildlife that may pay you a visit!

Entertainment and Activities for babies and toddlers at Center Parcs

  • Take some DVDs – the majority of lodges at Center Parcs (check your booking) have DVD players inside, which is ideal if you want to create a home from home environment before bedtime. Take along a few of your baby or toddlers’ favourite films or TV shows, and this can keep them quiet if another child needs to nap or if you want to cook a meal in the kitchen or recover from your morning’s activities.

Subtropical Paradise Swimming

  • One of my best tips for Center Parcs with babies and toddlers is that swimming later in the afternoon (around tea time) tends to be the quietest time as many families go out for dinner or return to their lodges for a siesta! At the time of updating this post, the Covid time slot restrictions for swimming have been lifted and you no longer need to book.
  • The Subtropical Swimming Paradise pools are open till 9pm so if your children can cope with staying up a bit later this might be an option too. Unfortunately for early risers, the pool doesn’t open till 10am, so a very early morning swim isn’t an option. This is one thing I really wish Center Parcs would change, as I love the idea of an early swim to kick start the day.
  • Buoyancy aids (swim vests) are available to borrow at Center Parcs pools for younger babies and toddlers so you don’t need to take your own, however, you may want to take larger inflatables such as hoops and rings, as these are only available for a fee.
  • Don’t forget your swim nappies for younger guests, as you’ll pay a premium for these onsite.
  • If your children are under 3, we can recommend taking part in the Baby Dolphins sessions, where a parent and child can splash, sing, paddle and play in a calmer quieter session with the whole pool to themselves before it opens to the general public. The session is free to attend (but must be booked in advance) and is a great way to build your toddler’s confidence in the water.

Hiring bikes at Center Parcs

  • We have hired bikes everytime we have been to Center Parcs (we don’t have our own bikes), and although this is an investment, we felt it was worth every penny. Not only are the bikes a great way to get around the park quickly, but some fun exercise – Center Parcs Woburn is quite hilly, so we definitely burned off some of our dinner on the way back to the lodge.
  • We hired a Center Parcs Bike trailer for the girls to sit in (ideal for babies and toddlers that can’t walk very fast!), and they absolutely loved being transported around like Lady Muck, waving at other people as we passed. The Center Parcs Bike trailers are suitable for babies from 6 months of age.
  • If you don’t decide to hire a bike. I’d recommend taking a pushchair – Woburn in particular is quite hilly and even confident walkers may struggle after a busy day of play. For younger babies, taking a sling or baby carrier is recommended.

center parcs woburn forest bikes and trailers
  • With babies, toddlers and younger children you really don’t have to spend a lot of money at Center Parcs to have fun, and whilst the activities are great, there are also many free activities at Center Parcs for babies and toddlers on site too, including the beach, indoor and outdoor play areas and of course the swimming pool. We actually paid to do very little else, with the exception of hiring a boat on the lake.
  • The tenpin bowling and crazy golf are also some fun options that the whole family can enjoy (they do bumpers and rolling ramps for toddlers in the bowling alley – and if you are rubbish like me you can even choose to leave the bumpers up for every player lol).
  • Walks in the woodland (with wellies if its wet) is also a great free Center Parcs activity and we got some great fun family selfies on our adventures!
  • Take a bucket and spade with you, or you can guarantee you will be cajoled into buying one when every other family is doing wackaday style castles with moats.
  • If you do decide to hire a boat on the lake (we do this every time) I would recommend paying slightly extra for an electric one, otherwise 5 minutes in to your 30 minute slot your legs will be knackered and you will be looking at a another family zooming around with ease and wishing that you had!
center parcs woburn forest electric boat

Food and Drink at Center Parcs

  • In terms of eating out tips for Center Parcs – Hucks (available at all Center Parcs locations) is a little bit like a TGI Fridays style American diner and we are BIG fans (particularly of their fajitas!) They recently launched a new Early Dining Experience which works out much cheaper and includes a sharing platter starter, a main from a set choice and a drink. For children there is a hot buffet that included hot dogs, chicken nuggets, chips, beans, peas and sweetcorn and crudities and dip. Erin LOVED being able to go up and help herself to what she wanted. Would definitely recommend this however it does need to be booked in advance before your stay, so you can’t just turn up and request it on the night. At Center Parcs Woburn Forest CafĂ© Rouge and Strada also do great 3 course children’s menus which went down well with Erin.
  • The takeaways at Center Parcs are a great option if you have picky eaters, or if you prefer Chinese and the kids want Pizza – you can order whatever you like from either Indian, Oriental or Italian either to collect or have it delivered straight to your lodge. My advice is book early for the time you want to eat – don’t wait till you are hungry until your phone up to order or you may be in for a longer wait. No one wants a Hangry Mummy!!
  • For babies, lots of the onsite restaurants offer free baby food as well as facilities to warm your food. They don’t generally bring hot water to your tables for health and safety reasons.
  • Many of the restaurants at Center Parcs have a small soft play area inside. You may wish to a) sit close to these so you can eat in peace whilst your kids have fun and are still in eyeline or b) sit as far away as possible and not let them see it till after they’ve eaten. We went for the latter, as there is no way our kids would’ve eaten their tea otherwise!

After you leave Center Parcs:

  • You can save money on a return visit by booking it within 28 days of your stay (the stay itself can be for later in the year). You also get ÂŁ25 of Center Parcs vouchers to use on your stay, and free cancellation insurance, as well as a price match guarantee that says if for any reason the break you have booked reduces in price, they would refund the difference.
center parcs woburn forest babies and toddlers

If you are visiting Center Parcs this Spring or Summer I hope you have an amazing time and find my tips for Center Parcs helpful! Having everything we needed in one place really was ideal when the girls are young. We have visited both Center Parcs Woburn Forest and Center Parcs Elvedon and loved them both. I am now dreaming about our next visit in a somewhat post holiday come down!! 🙂

*This is not a sponsored post – simply me sharing my experience and top tips for Center Parcs in the hope it will help others who are planning a visit!*

Center Parcs with babies, toddlers and young children, including what to do, where to go and how to save money during your stay.
Surf Safety with Kangaroo Beach at Smiggle

Surf Safety with Kangaroo Beach at Smiggle

This is a collaborative post

Now the schools have broken up, the girls and I are looking forward to some much-needed time as a family; but for many parents across the UK, myself included, the six-week holidays are also going to be quite the juggle!

We all need a bit of rest away from work and school and as such, love having a bit of chilled-out TV time at home in the mornings. It’s always great to hear about TV series that are aimed specifically at preschoolers that offer both entertainment and educational benefits too. Kangaroo Beach is just that and if you’t watched it before, you’ll be pleased to know the popular series that returned to our screens at 7.35 am each weekday on Milkshake!

What is Kangaroo Beach?

Kangaroo Beach is an animated surf-safety series aimed specifically at preschoolers and their families and features four young animal friends, Pounce, Gemma, Neville and Frizzy, who love spending an action-packed summer at the spectacular Kangaroo Beach, where they are training as junior cadets with their lifeguard heroes JBondi, Sandy and Big Trev.

When an emergency breaks out, the cadets step up to help keep the water safe – an exciting mix of edge-of-your-seat rescues and a loveable cast of characters.

Kangaroo Beach is designed to be not only hugely entertaining but also educational, with reinforces important messages around water safety – ideal if you’re planning on heading to the beach this summer.

It also has one of the world’s cathiest theme tunes, so be warned… you WILL find yourself singing along to it in the shower!

Kangaroo Beach at Smiggle

To accompany the return of Kangaroo Beach to Milkshake this Summer, Smiggle has launched a brand new range of Kangaroo Beach goodies including drinks bottles, a hooded towel, stationery kits, backpacks, pencil cases and more!

The girls are HUGE Smiggle fans and love nothing more than exploring around the shop, which is always packed full of brightly coloured and fun lunchboxes, bags and stationery.

You can check out the full range at Smiggle, but here are just a few of our favourites:

Kangaroo Beach Gemma Junior Character Backpack ÂŁ32

First up was the Gemma Junior Character back pack – which is one of the most unique back packs I think we have ever seen!

With two spacious compartments and dual drink bottle sleeves there is plenty of room for stashing all your back-to-school (or back to the beach essentials). The girls loved the tri-colour / rainbow strap detailing but the applique flippers and 3D bill were the elements that really made this bag stand out from all the rest! You’d certainly be able to spot them in a crowd!

Kangaroo Beach Double Decker Lunchbox ÂŁ21

Children will certainly ‘make waves’ with this Kangaroo Beach lunchbox, which has two tiers of storage to stash away a variety of snacks and drinks for school or trips out with the family. WIth an insulated lining, it’ll keep your kids lunches cool even in the most substantial heatwave! Neve loved the rainbow straps and beach ball zip. With a choice of handle or carry strap, it’s super easy for little ones to carry themselves too.

Kangaroo Beach Character Pencil Case ÂŁ12.50

Our girls love nothing more than colouring in and getting creative, so the Kangaroo Pencil case that is covered in al of the fun  characters from the series was always going to be a hit! With a handy ID card pocket so that it won’t get mixed up with friends, it offers just the right amount of room for all their pens and pencils – perfect for holidays or day trips where you might want on the go entertainment!

Kangaroo Beach Character Slapband ÂŁ5

Last but not least, who doesn’t love a slap band?! There is SO much nostalgia with this one and it comes at a pocket money friendly price too! This awesome character slapband features an embossed badge of Frizzy (or Neville) and has a totally tropical pineapple scent for extra fun! Smells just like Summer!

Here’s a sneak peek of the rest of the Kangaroo Beach range in store at Smiggle – be sure to check it out if you’re heading to the shops with the kids this Summer!

Toys that will have your kids BEGGING to play outside this Summer

Toys that will have your kids BEGGING to play outside this Summer

AD – This post is in collaboration with Wicked Uncle

If after just a few days of half term with the kids, the thought of filling the long six week summer holidays is enough to have you break out in a cold sweat, you are certainly not alone. Entertaining kids, especially multiples, during the school holidays can be really hard, especially if you are juggling your annual leave or work commitments. If you’re stuck at home with the kids all day; the holidays can feel like long, hard work and normally involve far more screen time than we would like.

If you’re keen to get your kids up off the sofa this Summer, keep active and get some much needed fresh air and exercise, Wicked Uncle is a great place to start! Not only do they have a huge range of fun, unusual and different presents for children (that have been thoroughly tried and tested by their team!) but they also allow you to search by age or category, making finding the perfect gift for kids an absolute breeze.

Budget-friendly, all the items featured in this guide are less than ÂŁ25, meaning you don’t have to break the bank to keep the kids calm, happy and content. Even better, Wicked Uncle offers the same day postage if you order before 4 pm – so you won’t have long to wait!

We’ve checked out their range to bring you some recommendations for outdoorsy toys that will have your kids playing outside and forgetting about the iPad this Summer! 

  1. Giant Bubble Set

Bubbles are always a hit with the kids – but giant bubbles?! Now you’re talking!

This super fun bubble set comes with everything you need to make some truly impressive bubbles in your garden this Summer, including bubble mix, a tray and two different wands – one of which will make gigantic bubbles and the other a large flurry of smaller bubbles to chase and pop.

Kids will LOVE trying to master the biggest bubbles that they can. Why not get the camera ready to snap some fun shots whilst they play?

2. Jumbo Octopus Kite

It’s easy to forget just how much fun can be had with a kite.

A childhood right of passage, if the wind is on your side this Summer, why not head out to a local National Trust or park and take this Jumbo Octopus Kite along for the ride? Packing away into a compact storage bag, this bright and bold Octopus kite comes with long rainbow tentacles that will flutter across the sky as your 4-metre long line allows him to soar right above your children’s heads!

3. Scavenger Hunt 

Everyone loves a scavenger hunt, but it’s not always easy to set them up yourself. This ready to go scavenger hunt can be played indoors or out (making it a great option for rainy days!) and comes with 2 packs of indoor cards and 2 packs of outdoor cards. Children must race to locate the items in the time allocated – even incorporating cameras or smartphones to snap a pic of their findings.

A great way to get children up, energetic and competing against friends and family!

4. Hornit 

Bike and scooter rides can be fun, but wait and see what a Hornit can do to your child’s enthusiasm levels!

This fun light and sound accessory easily clips onto bikes and scooters and comes with 25 hilarious sounds including an old fashioned bike bell, a dixie horn and even a lion’s roar. It also includes a flashing or constant green and white light so your child can always be seen even when the sun starts to go down!

5. Waboba Wingman

If you’re heading out to the beach or an open park space this summer, the Waboba Wingman is a super fun flying disc game that, unlike other frisbee sets, can fold up and easily fit into your back pocket for life on the go.

Made from soft silicone (which is great for parents’ peace of mind!) this 15cm disc can fly up to an impressive 40 metres! Time to work on their catching techniques!

6. Mega Bounce Ball

Fancy a game of extreme catch?! The Junior Mega Bounce inflates to a ginormous 1.4m circumference, completely overhauling playtime at the beach or your local park.

With fun graphics that make it easy to grip, this huge bouncy ball even comes with a handy foot pump included, so you can have it blown up and ready to go in no time at all.

7. Smart Ball

This is a football like no other! The super Smart Ball not only glows at every touch but also counts aloud, keeping track of your keepy uppys all the way to 100.

Why not have an inter-family competition to see who can achieve the most? (This can also be used as a regular football by swapping out the other included bung).

8. Mega Jump Rope 

If you’re after an activity that will be as much fun for the grown-ups as it is for the kids, the Mega Jump Rope could be the ideal solution. Ideal for both beginners and advanced skipping techniques, this fully adjustable skip rope can be adjusted to be up to 300cm long. Why not learn some fun techniques like the Triple Under and Awesome Annie? It’s great exercise too!

Whatever your choice, you won’t be short of ideas. Here’s wishing you all an active and happy Summer!

You can check out the full range of toys at Wicked Uncle now.

Sustainable Toy Choices with Character UK ECO Plush

Sustainable Toy Choices with Character UK ECO Plush

ECO Plush toys gifted for review

As a parenting blogger with two young daughters aged 8 and 5, it’s fair to say this household has more than its fair share of toys! The girls absolutely love playing together, whether it be with character playsets, plush toys or games and we absolutely love being able to review new release toys on the market.

We have however become more conscious about our purchasing decisions of late.

Whilst at times there is no avoiding plastic (and let’s face it your purchases are often at the mercy of your child’s favourite toys), we always make an effort to pass on toys after the girls have outgrown them so they can be loved by other children. In an effort to be more eco friendly and look after our planet, we are also trying to avoid purchasing toys that waste unnecessary single-use plastic – opting for toys that are made from more sustainable or recycled materials instead. There has been a real shift over the last couple of years, and it’s great to see that toy manufacturers are taking climate change more seriously, swapping out traditional packaging and materials for more eco-friendly choices.

One such example is the new ECO Range from Character UK, a range of adorable soft cuddly toys that are of excellent quality and made with 100% recycled materials. We were lucky enough to be sent a few items from the range to check out with the girls. Here’s how we got on!

Cocomelon and Blippi Eco Plush

Suitable from 18 months, these cute and cuddly character toys are super soft but unlike other plush characters toys on the market, they are made entirely from recycled materials and sustainable packaging to help reduce waste.

Recycled products often get misconstrued as being low quality – but these are absolutely not. To be totally honest with you, you wouldn’t know the difference from a regular teddy when it comes to the plush itself – they are just as snuggly as other plush toys we already have.

Measuring around 8” tall, these soft toys are ideal for cuddling up to at bedtime or taking out and about on road trips. The character syles vary, but include two of Neve’s favourite characters – Blippi and Cocomelon.

Unlike some other toys whose packaging includes lots of plastic clips, ties and coated cardboard, the packaging of the ECO Plush range is made from sustainable FSC® certified cardboard, which can be put in the recycling after use.

Other character lines in the EO plush range include My Little Pony, Barney and the Teletubbies.

A great gift for Earth Day

The girls absolutely loved the ECO Plush toys, and as a parent, it’s always reassuring to know that your purchase decisions aren’t having a negative impact on the planet.

Not only were the toys super soft and cuddly (having stayed with Neve in bed every night since) but the girls loved the addition of a small green leaf emblem that was stitched onto the toy – a great little reminder that their new friend was eco friendly too.

I love that the packaging for the ECO Plush toys stand out on the shelves, making it really easy for parents to pick out an eco-conscious choice when they head to the shops. At ÂŁ9.99 each, I also think that the pricing is fairly in line with other licensed character plush toys in-store; so you’re not having to pay over the odds just to get a more sustainable toy.

Overall, don’t really think you can go wrong with these – sure to be a big hit! If you’re looking for an eco friendly gift for a child this Earth Day, check out our sustainable wrapping options below too! 🙂

You can learn more about the range at Character UK and pick up the EcoPlush toys from Smyths Toys here with an RRP of ÂŁ9.99 each.

 

 

Amazing ideas for your children’s birthday party

Amazing ideas for your children’s birthday party

This is a collaborative post 

It can be hard to get your kids’ birthday party right every year, especially if you have more than one child to worry about. If you have found that you have exhausted all your ideas or are just overwhelmed by everything else you have to do, here are some suggestions that may help inspire you for your next children’s birthday party.

Backyard carnival

If you are fortunate enough to have a spacious garden that can be used for hosting, then you should definitely make use of it. A back garden carnival party can be catered to any aged child by getting a ball pool or other soft play areas for younger kids, with a bouncy castle or trampoline for older children. You can get one grownup to look after the barbeque, set up candy floss and popcorn stands, and plan out some fairground type games where kids can win prizes. End the day with a bang by getting some fireworks! But don’t forget to take all the necessary safety precautions and warn your neighbours before you set them off. 

A Treasure Hunt

A treasure or scavenger hunt is as fun to set up as it is to take part in. Get the guests to form groups and then send them off to try and retrieve treasures that you have hidden around the venue or house before they got there. For younger children, you can just set up a traditional treasure hunt where they have to search everywhere to find specified items, or you can lay out elaborate clues for older children to follow.

Pamper party

There are plenty of places you can book your kids in for a full kids pamper day where they can get their nails and their makeup done, and even get an adorable friends’ photoshoot. But if you are looking to save money then you can easily set up a super fun pamper party at home. Let the children do each other nails and get some children friendly face masks for them to try out.

Themed party

Sometimes a theme is what makes a party. Pick out something your child loves like Harry Potter, Star Wars, Marvel superheroes, or their favourite sport and plan their party completely around this. Really play on the theme with your decorations and snacks and party games – your child will love the personal touch that this gives their party and will make them feel extra special.

Escape Room

If your child loves puzzle solving, then an escape room party would be perfect. You can book the kids into an escape room, but you can also buy an escape room party kit online – if you have the imagination for it then you can have a go at creating your own riddles and clues. 

Karaoke Party

If you have a little superstar in the making, then maybe they would enjoy a karaoke party. Most children love to have a sing-along to their favourite songs and, with the addition of a stage, a microphone and a spotlight, every child at the party can get the chance to feel like a pop star.