We all have an image in mind of a successful birthday: the guests are having fun with the birthday child, no one is bored, and the parents are delighted that their little one had a great time. We also imagine what might happen if we host ill-mannered little friends and our house becomes a disaster zone after the party. The arrival of a child’s birthday can therefore be a source of stress for parents because we have high expectations for this event. To celebrate their birthday with friends and family in an enjoyable way, good planning is essential.
Here are 8 things to consider to enjoy a memorable day that the birthday child will remember with happiness.
Time and duration
As soon as your child is of school age, you can ask them what they would like for their birthday, but remember to guide their requests to make the event feasible. For example, you could ask them to choose a certain number of friends from their class. You can also ask them what they would like to do with their friends for their party.
The date of the celebration
About a month in advance, start thinking about the birthday details. Choose the date quickly, taking statutory holidays into account: many families go away during long weekends or summer vacations and won’t be available to attend the birthday party.
The venue
If you plan on hosting several children, think about the advantages of hosting them in a center equipped for birthdays: everything there has usually been optimized to be fun, safe, and efficient. If you host at home, it is essential to plan plenty of activities for the party and have a precise schedule to avoid losing control and having the children become rowdy. In any case, plan the venue early enough to ensure availability at the time that suits you if you decide to book somewhere.
Time and Duration
We often tend to want to stretch out the celebration time, but a short birthday party is more dynamic and children are less likely to get bored. You can decide to host guests only for cake in the afternoon, or host them for a meal. Make sure to specify this information to the guests so they know what to expect.
The number of guests
Ask your child who they would like to invite to their party. Chances are you won’t know all their friends and together you’ll have to negotiate a number you find acceptable, in addition to counting family guests such as siblings and cousins.
Again, it can be useful to choose a venue that can accommodate a larger number of people than at home.
Decorations
It isn’t necessary to spend a fortune on decorating, but there is a wide range of birthday theme possibilities based on the birthday child’s tastes: whether it’s a character from their favorite show, a sport, or a passion, you can use your imagination or simply add a few balloons to your decor.
The small party favor
Tradition dictates that the birthday child receives gifts and that at the end of the party, they offer a small souvenir gift of their birthday. While this is completely optional, in some circles, you couldn’t let the children leave without a little party goody bag: it could be a trinket or candy, but the most important thing is that the activity was fun!
The invitation for friends
Finally, you can invite friends about two weeks in advance, either using an invitation card or by email. If your child has to give the invitation card to their friends, remind them to be discreet so as not to hurt the feelings of those who aren’t invited. Regardless of how the invitation is sent, it should contain the following information: the name of the birthday child, the date, the arrival time (ideally 15 minutes before the actual start time) and departure time, as well as the location of the birthday; also specify the flow of the party, whether a meal will be served or just cake. Don’t forget to ask for a confirmation one week before the date of the celebration.
You can count on us
Since 2014, at Clip ‘n Climb, we have celebrated over 4,000 children’s parties of all ages and every time, parents were happy to be able to say: it was a success, mission accomplished!
If you are looking for a fun, efficient, and hassle-free place to celebrate a birthday, rain or shine, know that there are two Clip ‘n Climb centers in Quebec: one at Centropolis (Laval) and the other at Mail Champlain (Brossard). It’s also the perfect activity to do with a group, with family, or with your favorite person.
