After more than 20 years of operating children's amusements and organising very successful birthday parties for my own children, I can give you some very important tips based on experience to ensure your child's birthday is a howling success.
There are 10 key steps required to ensure success and avoid disaster! 1.
Start your planning early--at least 6 weeks in advance to allow plenty of time for parents to respond to invitations, to not plan other activities that would clash and to ensure any entertainment can be booked and be available.
2.
Don't choose Saturday or Sunday mornings as most of your kid's friends will probably be playing sport.
For the same reason don't choose long weekends or holidays if avoidable.
3.
Have at least one major fun attraction that all the kid's will enjoy, both boys and girls, such as Jumping Castles, Trampoline Bungees, Magicians, Face Painters or Animal Farms.
4.
Set your budget and stick to it.
Be inventive on ways to still put on a great party even if the budget is tight--for example combine the party with another child whose birthday is around the same time.
5.
SAFETY - make sure your party doesn't get remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Keep gates to main roads locked, supervise kids at all times and other common sense actions.
Also, plan ahead for extreme weather conditions (hot weather or rain) by setting up an outdoor undercover area, or clear out a large area indoors that can be used as needed.
6.
Food and music will make or break the party.
Ensure there is lots of variety and it is food kids like (sausage roles, pies, chips, drinks and fairy bread).
Don't overdo it on the sugar.
Give the party a fun atmosphere by playing music the kids know and like.
7.
Make it a THEME party with all kids encouraged to dress up a certain way such as a Superhero party, Harry Potter or Pirates.
8.
Plan plenty of games and fun activities to keep the kids occupied.
9.
Take lots of photographs because it's all digital now and you can share them on the internet.
10.
Make sure the Birthday Cake will be big enough for everyone to enjoy it and take a piece home.
Of all the above steps, organizing activities that keep the kids excited and entertained are the clear winners.
Plan lots of activities and get yourself at least one major attraction such as Jumping Castles or Trampoline Bungees.
Share your photographs on the internet via Facebook and other social networks so other parents can see your photos of their kids and vice versa.
Good luck!