SingaporeMotherhood | Parenting
April 2015
10 Tips for Fuss-Free Kids’ Birthday Parties!
Dreams & Confetti is a one-stop shop for party aficionados located at Great World City. This adorable treasure trove offers a curated range of stylish tableware, premium partyware, classy decorations and delightful baking essentials all under one roof! This pioneer boutique was conceived by a pair of entrepreneur mums, Audrey Lee and Grace Goh, who realised the gap in the market for an all-in-all partyware store with items for every kind of stylish party. Apart from tableware, Dreams & Confetti also carries labels such as Sugarfina (last image), a gourmet candy brand that offers chocolates and gummies from around the world. The highlight of the boutique (below) at Great World City is undeniably the 1.5 metre custom made revolving Ferris Wheel which serves as a wonderful conversation starter too! There is also a cosy kids corner where children can enjoy a free miniature candy bar while designing their very own dream birthday cake on craft paper! Parents have the choice of turning that into an actual cake by simply placing an order at the store!
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As a parent, I am sure you have, at some point in your span of parenthood, dreamt of throwing the perfect birthday party for your child. You would have envisioned a lovely theme being executed in accordance with your little one’s desires, guests who would be bowled over by the impressive range of treats on the dessert table, and of course, that priceless smile on your child’s face when he or she sinks that plastic knife into a richly frosted Disney themed cake. Is it genuinely possible to pull off a splendid party without the slightest glitch? Of course it is! All you need are some tips from party connoisseurs and you are all set to put them into practice! (it really isn’t rocket science!) So, how does one go about planning a fuss-free children’s birthday party? The founders (below) of Dreams & Confetti offer their expertise.
Audrey Lee Says…
1. Decide on A Theme for The Party
You cannot have a party without a theme! It can either be based on your child’s favourite cartoon character or animals, or even just colours. Always involve your child when deciding on the theme. Even when my daughter was just two, I consulted her on what she would like at her party – she said owls and purple. Once you have got the essence of the theme, you can unleash your own creativity to make the party come alive. Work on the invitations next and it’s best to send them out at least one to two weeks before the party so that you have enough time to gather your RSVPs and make any necessary changes to the catering options.
2. Who Is on The Guest-list?
Usually, for a milestone celebration like a first birthday, you would most probably want to invite the entire village. Big parties usually revolve around having ample food and general entertainment that is appropriate for all ages, such as magic shows. When kids grow older, their parties become slightly smaller in scale and they would like to have only their friends (not ours!) at the party and for such parties, more tailored hands-on activities can be planned for. Food usually then becomes just a complementary aspect. Work out your guest list for each party first as that would be a deciding factor with regards to its location and line-up of activities.
3. Where’s The Party At?
Choose a restaurant, playground or an appropriate location that goes with your selected theme. For example, if it is a jungle theme, you can pick a restaurant that offers lush greenery around as it helps in creating the backdrop and contributes to the overall ambience of the party! I personally like hosting parties at home as you get ample time to dress up the place and it’s always nice to be around the house when friends and family get together.
4. Capturing Photographs at The Party
Taking photographs is a norm at any social event these days, and it’s all the more essential for birthday parties! It’s best if you designate an area for photo-taking and dress it up according to the party’s theme. A good option nowadays would be to have a dessert table as they make perfect backdrops for photographs. Balloons are also a must-have at the photo-taking area as they have this magical ability to transform any place and give it a cheery feel instantly!
5. Keepsakes For A Lasting Impression
It’s always nice to leave with a keepsake at the end of a birthday party. You do not have to go overboard with the goody bags – I always think less is more. Just one item such as the craft item the kids worked on during the party or a personalised chocolate bar or cake jar with a little ‘Thank You’ tag will suffice. As for all those balloons you had as party decorations, you could give them away to each child as they are leaving, so that they will continue to feel happy and celebratory with a balloon in their hand!
Grace Goh Says…
6. Include Your Child in The Planning Process
If your child is old enough to have an opinion, discuss your ideas and guest-list with him or her. When my girls were younger, I could choose the theme I liked, and I invited the friends whom I wanted to catch up with while all the toddlers went crazy together! However, as they got older, it wasn’t up to me anymore! They had their own ideas about the themes, and they no longer wanted a bunch of unfamiliar kids at their parties; they just wanted a small group of close friends. Parents of toddlers, you have about five to six years to indulge in your party fantasies before your plans start getting vetoed by the little boss!
7. Keep The Kids Occupied!
Kids love to keep their hands busy, so a simple craft corner, such as creating their own bag of confetti, or decorating a photo frame with stickers and markers, will keep the little ones happy, while older children may enjoy activities such as a baking workshop or a candle making workshop. Such activities also provide them with a little memento to bring home, which is a nice change from the usual candy-filled goody bags.
8. Put Those Balloons to Use!
If you have balloons at your party, have your guests write messages on them. It will be fun for your child to read them at the end of the party, and when the balloons deflate, keep them together in a little box as a keepsake from that birthday party.
9. Delegate Some Tasks to Junior
As much as possible, engage your child in preparing for the party. Depending on their age and ability, have them help with writing the invitation cards, setting up the food, packing and labelling of goody bags, or making and putting up of decorations. It will provide them with a greater sense of participation in the party, and they will feel a greater sense of satisfaction when their guests express their delight!
10. Learn to Relax
On the day of the party, just enjoy the experience. It is meant to be a happy day, so just be happy and celebrate the positivity in your life and in your child’s life. If despite all the meticulous planning, certain hiccups pop up, and they sometimes will, so be it. In the grand scale of things, they are probably insignificant. In fact, if you do not mention it, no one may notice, especially your child, who is probably too busy having fun to notice if the balloons are of the right colour or not. Even if she does notice, just play it down, and chances are if it does not bother Mummy, it will not bother her.
And here comes the part which every parent dreads… the post-party cleaning up! Children are not exactly the most conscious people when it comes to maintaining order in the house during a birthday party. The floor of your home could possibly be covered with the sticky residue of fizzy drink spillages, or worse still – dollops of ice cream! Do not panic. German online cleaning enterprise, Helpling, which launched here in Singapore just about two months ago, is the ultimate solution to all your after party cleaning needs! For just $20 per hour, Helpling aims to alleviate the stress triggered by the realisation of an impending massive cleaning operation when the party is over. There are only three simple steps involved:
1. Type in your home address
2. Choose the type of cleaning service and your preferred date and time
3. Proceed to make your online payment
For more information on Helpling, visit their website here.
Images courtesy of Dreams & Confetti. For more information on Dreams & Confetti, visit their website here.
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