KidStyleFile

Today, Miki brings us some great tips on how to make your kids party a stunning success.

You can get all your party supplies from the well stocked online stores below, so there’s no need to rush all over town; instead, sit back, relax, and shop in style from home (you’ll save money, too!)

This post is inspired by KidStyleFile reader Vanessa

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Is there anything more fun than a kid’s party? The fairy bread, the silly games, the excited kids (and parents!), the fairy bread, Pass The Parcel, blowing out candles, the cool decorations and did I mention the fairy bread?

It’s actually incredibly easy to organise and run a kids party these days - just ask Angela and I as we’ve both recently done it and survived to tell the tale.

First thing to think of is occasion. Birthday is the most common, but there are also Christening and Baptism days and plenty of other reasons to hold a party.

Next is to decide whether you want a theme, and how elaborate you want that theme to be. Is everything to be in keeping with your circus theme or do you just want the colours to more or less complement each other?

If you need some help with themes, have a look at the great range of ideas at Hullabaloo Parties - www.hullabalooparties.com.au, Smarty Party - www.smartyparty.net.au and Kids Gift List - www.kidsgiftlist.com.au. There’s guaranteed to be something there that’ll get you started!

Invitations are a great way to get all your guests excited about the party too. There’s such a massive range of invitations out there, but make sure you check out the ranges from Poppies For Grace (exquisite!), Imprintables (another of my favourites), Smarty Party, Kids Gift List, Mummy’s Favourite, Gifts4Kidz, and plenty more out there.

Now think about how many people - both kids and adults - you’ll be inviting and make sure you have enough crockery, cutlery, glassware and, of course, food for them all! Smarty Party makes life very easy by offering packages which you can tailor to the number of guests.

On to the really fun stuff: decorations!

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box here. Angela used gorgeous paper lanterns from ChinaTown - www.chinatown.com.au - to decorate her garden for her girls’ birthday party. These are an incredibly cost effective decoration option, and they look so happy and festive.

Also, have a think about table runners and/or table scatters, streamers, balloons of course and banners. Browse around through the links provided in this post and I can guarantee you’ll find something you love. Smarty Party in particular have a fantastic range of balloons, both plain & printed and packages.

Lastly, the bit that all the kids look for: the party bags. A couple of lollies is usually plenty, and that leaves you plenty of room to include some of the adorable (and very cost effective) toys shown in the image collage below.

Not only will the kids have a lasting and very cool keepsake from the party, the parents will thank you for not sending their kids home sugared up to the max! Urban Child and Kids Gift List both have an excellent range to choose from - and as for the bags themselves, we love the ones from Poppies For Grace.

From top left in rows:

‘Bug In A Nut’, $1.10 ea from Hullabaloo Parties
Personalised Stamp, $45.00 including coloured ink pad from Imprintables (these are both a great gift idea and a neat way of making personalised envelopes, cards, gift-wrap, you name it!)
Wooden Spinning Top, $1.20 from Urban Child
‘Birthday Sweets’ Lolly Bag, $12.95 for pack of 15 from Poppies For Grace
Animal Castanets, $2.95 from Urban Child
Zoo Table Runner, $3.00 per metre from Smarty Party
‘Hip Hip Hooray’ invitation set, $22.95 for 15 invitations and 15 button envelopes from Poppies For Grace
Lion Bookmark, $1.95 $1.65* from Kids Gift List
‘Cowboy’ invitation set, $26.95 including 15 invitations, 15 button envelopes and 15 matching magnets from Poppies For Grace
Large Crocodile Magnet, $2.95 $2.50* from Kids Gift List
Pink Butterflies invitation, $4.00 per set for invitation, matching envelope and thank you tag, from Imprintables
HP Royal Whistle, $2.95 from Hullabaloo Parties
DragonFly Baptism Invitation, $4.00 per set including invitation, envelope and thank you tag, from Imprintables
Collapsible Paper Lanterns, $39.95 $24.95 for a pack of 24 (amazing value!)
Yellow Loot Pail, $1.00 ea from Hullabaloo Parties

Please check individual stores for shipping details.

*Discount shown is using the Shop 4 Kids magazine code. Email Angela if you don’t have a copy of the mag, and need the code.