There’s really no need to serve elaborate foods at a child’s party. ​

I’ve been to parties where there have been a few sweets and a small, simple birthday cake.
In very busy households, I've seen pizzas deliveries, happy meals, or fish and chips.

​I’ve been to others where there has been a stunning spread of hot finger foods, cocktail sausages, chicken nuggets and chips followed by fluffy cupcakes, chocolate fountains, candy floss machine and towering 3 tier cakes beautifully decorated to the party theme.

Remember, the most important thing is that your child has a relaxed and happy parent to enjoy the party with them, so only plan to have what you know is the least stressful for you.

Also, it's good to check with parents beforehand if any of your little guests have food allergies or intolerances.
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Having said all that, here are some extra tips that I’ve picked up over the years that you might find helpful!

Food Packets
This works well for venues outside the home. 
In advance, prepare party-bag style foods in a ziplock or themed party bag with goodies for each child. Suggestions for this are:
* Breadsticks
* Small pack of sweets
* Bun/cupcake
* Sandwiches cut into triangles (kids love triangular shaped food!)

And remember; always serve food and drink AFTER kids entertainer dublin have performed the magic show and played games to avoid distraction.

The Cake
Ah, the cake! As I mentioned before, I have seen so many different cakes. Sometimes they’re the centre of the party, others they are a simple cake.
Bear in mind that if you’re serving a lot of food at your party, the children may not be hungry enough for cake. If this happens, be prepared to have a lot of leftover cake.
Or plan to have a very small one! 

Be prepared in advance with a lighter/matches, plates and spoons/forks (if needed) so you can serve the cake as quickly as possible. Again, I’ve seen a few parties where the parents awkwardly hunt for a lighter for about 10 minutes while children, gathered around the table wait impatiently for the cake to be cut.

When the candles have been blown out, ask children to raise their hand if they want some cake. This gives them the option of choosing and avoids you cutting too many slices of cake, which may then be wasted.



Whichever type of cake you choose to serve, it’s the candles, the wish and the gathered friends and family uniting in singing happy birthday that makes it so special.
It’s a lovely way to finish off the day - remember to have your camera ready so that you can capture the magical look on your child’s face to remember forever.
​If you’re busy with organising cake cutting etc (it can get frantic!), designate another adult or older sibling to snap plenty of photos for you. 

That's it for now, but check back for my next blog where I will talk about having your kids party dublin in venues outside your home!

My last blog post about planning your at-home party was quite popular and I’ve had a few people email me with questions, which I hope to address. It would seem that this has turned into a bit of a series! 
And that’s great, as I realise that I actually have a lot of knowledge on the subject that I’ve gathered over the years and I’d love to share. 
So, here we go with more advice about hosting a kids party Dublin at home!

Decorations
In my opinion, the only necessary decoration is a banner saying “happy birthday” taped to your front door and a couple of balloons tied to your front gate.
Why? Because then I know that I’ve found the right place! It’s great, not just for me, but for your guests too, to know that we don’t need to cruise very slowly up and down the road trying to see the very tiny house numbers on each door. 

It has happened on more than one occasion that I turned up dressed as a fairy to the wrong house, subsequently giving the occupants a good laugh and a bit of a shock!
But with decorations, it’s up to you. 

If you’re having a party at home, a simple way to do it is to decorate only your party table with pop up banners and favours.
If you’re hiring a venue, a wall hanging and some helium balloons look great on a large, blank wall.
Remember, I will most likely be supplying balloons to the kids (depending on the package you choose), so there’s really no need to inflate 30 balloons and randomly drop them around, but if you want to do that, it’s nice. And what kid doesn’t love playing with a balloon?

I have seen a few spectacular decorations, lots of Princess and Harry Potter themes. 
I went to one Harry Potter party where they had transformed the door of the community hall into a “wall” from platform 1 & 3/4, that the kids could enter the party through.
Another Frozen party had actual fake snow on the doorstep. 
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By far, my absolute favourite was this mermaid themed party in a hotel venue. I really did feel like I was performing under the sea!
If you’re looking for some DIY themed ideas, you need to look on Pinterest. 
Open up an account and get pinning, it’s absolutely the best resource for any party decorating ideas.

What to wear?
When your child hears that a fairy/princess/mermaid/kids entertainer Dublin is coming to their party, naturally most will want to dress up in a costume or party outfit for the occasion. 
If they do, that’s great, but it’s not a prerequisite.
Boys and girls are always welcome to dress as their favourite character if they wish. Just remember that those costumes can be uncomfortable and hot on delicate bodies, so have the comfortable clothes ready just in case.
And for most kids, it’s ok for them to come as “themselves”. They will always be equally as magical as the kids who are wearing costumes.

​When I arrive at the door...
When a fairy/princess/kids entertainer Dublin arrives at your door, there can be great excitement.
Your home has been filling with friends and family, all here to celebrate your child’s party.
And the next thing, here is another extra special guest landing on the doorstep.
I always advise that parents to inform their child a little in advance (perhaps that morning) that I will be coming. This will avoid any shocks or over-excitement when I actually get there, thus ensuring maximum enjoyment for the birthday child.

​Older Siblings and Cousins
If you're lucky enough to have any children over 10 at your party, these can be the gems of a party filled with five year olds. If you tell them in advance that it’s their “job” to help, they will most likely take it very seriously and be an invaluable resource to you on the day, doing small but important jobs that could usually stress you out.
I’ve had older kids help organise games, find a drink for a random thirsty guest, help serving food and cake and manage the face painting queue - the list of duties is endless.
I will always reward them with an extra special glitter tattoo for their hard work.
So it's time to start inviting those older helpers to your parties!

​So that’s it for now! Next time I will be sharing tips on what food to serve at your kids party Dublin. Including cakes and party bags!

So your child’s party is coming up very soon and they have expressed a wish to have their kids party dublin  at home....don’t panic! Help is here!
I am often asked by parents for advice about how they can make their parties run more smoothly.
​
I have had the pleasure of entertaining at hundreds of parties over the years. During this time, I have picked up so many useful tips that I’d love to share with you.

Keep it Simple!
My first piece of advice is to keep it as simple as possible for you.  Every family, home and child is different.  Sit down with your child and ask what they would like the most.  Then take the list and remove or change anything that you think would be out of your budget or too stressful.  You need to enjoy the day too and there's no point in being stressed to the point where you can't take photos or watch how much your child enjoys their special day!

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Preparing your Home for the Kids Party
After you've decided on the plan, it's a good idea to have a little chat with your child to explain what they can expect from the day.
This will prevent any tears or tantrums that might arise from an over-stimulated child. 

It’s ok to have a few simple rules in place for your guests. Children like to have clear boundaries set and will be happy to stick to them.
For example, upstairs is out of bounds, no jumping on furniture (I’ve actually never seen this happen, so don’t panic!), make sure that everyone is included in the games etc. 

Tidy away any toys that might get broken or damaged and also put any breakable or precious items away for safe keeping.
​If you are going to have very young babies or toddlers at your party, remember that there can be many hazards lying around at a party. Plastic wrapping, popped balloons and unsuitable sweets are just some of the things that can be popped into mouths.

Also be mindful of loud music or flashing lights, these might unsettle those with sensory processing issues or special needs (adults as well as children!)

Present Opening
Its a good idea to wait until after the party is over to allow your child to open their presents.
Again, have a chat with your child beforehand to explain that the presents will be placed somewhere safe (bedroom/playroom etc) until the party has ended. They will have something to look forward to when everyone has gone home.
Over the years at kids parties dublin, I’ve been witness to many brand new toys being broken, lost or fought over because they’ve been opened during a party. 
Opening them afterwards will also give you a chance to take note of who has gifted what, so that you can send thank you notes afterwards.
​Teaching your child to send thank you notes sets up a very important lesson for life about gratitude and friendship.

So now you're all set for your party! Check back here for my next blog for tips about the kids party dublin with what food to serve, how to decorate and much more.