Useful Hints
Venues - Make sure your venue is large enough. For parties which use the parachute we require a room with at least 4m x4m clear floor area. Make sure too, that the space is large enough for all the children and any accompanying adults.
Outdoor parties - Have a suitable alternative lined up in case of wet weather. Also think about providing shade if you are fortunate enough to have the party on a day when the sun shines! Access to a power socket is required so don't site the party too far from the house.
Numbers - Don't invite too many children. Many children don't respond well to very large parties and don't enjoy them.
At the Party - It usually takes around 15 minutes for all the guests to arrive. It can be useful to provide something for the children to do while waiting e.g. colouring in a birthday banner. This can be done cheaply by purchasing a roll of lining paper, taping it to the floor and letting the children loose with crayons and pens.
As very young children can be easily distracted, tidy away any toys, balloons etc before the entertaining starts. If you are having a bouncy castle as well as an entertainer, turn it off when the entertaining starts as the background noise is very distracting and the lure of bouncing will be too great for some children!
Encourage any parents who are staying to either join in, or refrain from chatting throughout the party. The noise from background chatter can make it difficult for the children to hear, and very hard for the entertainer to talk over. An alternative is to provide a separate room where the parents can sit and have a cup of tea while the children are being entertained.
