7 Ideas for Hosting a Children’s Party at Home

Australia is coming out of lockdown!

This means that aside from visiting family and going on holidays again, our kids can start looking forward to big birthday celebrations.

You might be tempted to go all-out this year to make up for the parties that kids missed out on during Covid-19 restriction periods but going all-out doesn’t have to mean throwing your savings at a party venue.

In fact, you can host a perfectly wonderful birthday bash from the comfort of your own home!

Whether your home is an apartment, a suburban house, a sprawling rural idyll or something in between, we have ideas to make your child’s next birthday party an at-home success.

Here are seven ideas for hosting a children’s birthday party at home.

#1: Host a science-themed party

Kids are fascinated by the magic of science, so your party will be an absolute hit if you tailor your party theme to your little mad scientists!

Head online to find some age-appropriate science experiments, buy some safety goggles and lay down as many old sheets as you can find.

Suggested activities:

• Slime-making;
• Exploding volcano;
• Instant snow;
• Make a lava lamp; or
• Creating a pop rocket.

Party bag ideas:

• Whoopee cushion;
• Blow-up alien;
• Glow slime;
• Magnify glass; or
• Dissolving sugar.

#2: Pool party

If you’ve already got the main attraction in your backyard, why not use it?

Your first step is to make sure the pool is spotless after a winter of disuse, so make sure you call a pool cleaner to come and disinfect and remove any leaf litter from the pool before the party preparations begin.

Now that the pool is ready for visitors, it’s time to decide on a theme! Use the theme to create a couple of party games and a themed feast.

Some theme ideas for a smash-hit kids’ pool party are:

• Tropical deserted island;
• Hawaiian luau;
• Water sports;
• Moana;
• Mermaids and dolphins; or
• Pirates.

Safety is your biggest concern with a pool party, so make sure there are lots of adults on hand to act as lifeguards, instill a ‘no running’ policy around the water and ask all guests to apply sunscreen.

#3: Survivor party

Are you and your kids a big fan of the TV series Survivor? You can easily host a party jam-packed with Survivor-themed challenges in your own backyard!

Carefully tailoring this party to the appropriate age group, you could host activities such as:

• Construction games;
• Puzzle-solving;
• Memory tests;
• Teamwork tasks; and
• Balance challenges.

You could even think outside the box and provide scavenging challenges for the party-goers to find their party bags!

This party has the potential to get boisterous, so make sure you assess your garden for any hazards before party day.

That means trimming back any low hanging branches, mowing your lawn to avoid slip and trip hazards and picking up any fallen tree fruits or spent flower buds.

This is a job easily outsourced to a professional lawn mower if you run out of time.

#4: Jumping castle

Hiring a jumping castle for a kids’ party is always a sure-fire success! Who doesn’t like a jumping castle?

Believe it or not, jumping castles are quite an affordable at-home party option.

Jumping castles are available in many styles and themes, meaning you can cater to various themes.

Try a few jumping challenges to keep the kids busy, like:

• Bouncing air catch;
• Piggy in the middle;
• Musical bounce; and
• Poison ball.

And to keep the non-bouncers busy while they wait for their turn, you could host some traditional party games like pass-the-parcel or run an egg-and-spoon race.

Throw in some sausage rolls and fairy bread, and this will be an easy and spectacular party!

#5: Make a mess (on purpose)

Kid’s parties are messy, so why not steer into the skid?

Ask guests to dress in old, white clothes and see how colourful they can make themselves by the end of the party!

In this strictly outdoor party, provide:

• Water-based paints with stamps and brushes to decorate themselves;
• Glitter or confetti;
• Tinted water bombs; or
• Temporary tattoos.

You could host games such as:

• Colour war – think laser tag but with dyed water in water guns;
• Egg toss – where the kids throw an uncooked egg between them to see how far away, they can get without breaking it;
• Set up an ice cream sundae bar with a choice of toppings; and
• If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you could even encourage a food fight!

#6: Art and craft party

Get the kids involved with an art and craft party!

A trip to your local reject shop is all you need to prepare for this party, and the good news is that they can take home their creations at the end of the day.

You could host activities such as:

• Sand art magnet making;
• Jewellery making;
• Mask decorating;
• Cupcake decorating;
• Tote bag decorating; or
• Canvas painting.

When your child is exceptionally creative, this is the party for them.

Get creative with your activities based on what your child loves to do.

This is also a more relaxed, quiet party as the kids will be so busy creating art.

It’s also a great party idea for small houses/apartments, as long as you first throw down a drop sheet!

#7: Catering trucks

Why not make the food the theme by hiring one or two catering trucks?

Not only does this mean zero kitchen preparation for you, but you also give kids the fun of ordering whatever they like!

Some great ideas are a pizza truck, a fish and chips truck or a catering truck to provide hot chocolates, sandwiches and muffins to your guests.

Using a catering truck is a great idea particularly if you’re hosting parents as well as children.

For the parents not hosting the event, a children’s party is a fantastic time to catch up with friends while their kids are happily entertained for a couple of hours, so a catering truck is a great way to ensure parents have coffee on hand while the kids are celebrating.

Getting back into the swing of party planning may be tricky.

Go easy on yourself this year and hire professionals to take on some of the work and planning.

If you would like a quote on a jumping castle or the services of a lawn mower or pool cleaner, please get in touch with Jim’s Group today on 13 15 46.

Related Jim’s Group News

– 12 Ways to Make Your Home More Eco Friendly.
– Christmas Gift Ideas for Mum.