While some parents opt for party-planners for their children’s celebrations, many more are opting for the more simple and less expensive option: a DIY party.
Even celebrity mums like Jennifer Lopez, Reece Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow are showing their love by baking for their children, rather than relying on an external caterer or party planner.
So what are the latest tips and ideas for children’s birthday parties? We’ve asked you for yours in our current competition but Betty Crocker ambassador, Linda Vandermeer of Bubble and Sweet, also gives us her top tips and ideas for kids birthday parties.
For girls
Cupcake Decorating Party
- Bake up a few batches of cupcakes and have lots of frosting and lollies on hand for the kids to decorate up a storm. Make it into your own mini masterclass and show the kids how to pipe a swirl and a few decorating ideas and them let them design their own fabulous creations.
- Pick up some cupcake boxes at a party store or discount store so the kids can take home their special treats.
- A perfect take home favour instead of a lolly bag is a box of cupcake mix with ready to spread frosting so they can try out their skills at a later date.
- Make sure you have lots of frosting and decorations on hand. Tubs of ready made frosting from Betty Crocker are great as you can have it ready to open in an emergency.
- This party is also suitable for younger boys as well as girls. You can even bake the cupcake mix in 'donut' baking trays and tell them it's a donut decorating party.
- Disposable piping bags and tips are economical and available at supermarkets.
- Packet mix cupcakes will save on preparation and clean up time.
Mermaid Party
- Make a dreamy sea inspired mermaid party by decorating with paper pom poms, balloons and swirls of paper streamers in green, blue and white tones. If you have jars of shells from family holidays they make lovely decorations. Think up fun sea inspired names for all the food, for example serve sushi and call it "Sushi de la mer', get the kids involved in thinking up names.
- Decorate your own mermaid necklace or bracelet with 'pearls' and shells as a party activity, you can find everything you need as your local craft store or discount store and it makes a fun take home memento.
- Limbo is always a fun filler party game to have on hand in an emergency.
For boys
Themed party
- Whether it's pirates, Lego or the latest movie, if your son has a favorite movie or toy, use that as the cue for the party. Any toys you already have on had can be used to decorate the party. Check out online party stores, ebay and discount stores for cheap plates, napkins, cupcake cases, buntings or other party goods to decorate the party.
- Bake a cake and find a clean plastic toy to place onto the cake to decorate.
- Stickers can be used to easily and economically decorate a range of party goods.
- Decorate a few buckets with pictures using your party theme and make a bucket toss. Have some small prizes wrapped in each bucket like a lucky dip and have the kids line up and toss a ping pong ball into the bucket. If they get it in they pick a prize, if they miss 3 times the next kids gets a go.
Boys or Girls
Milk and Cookies Party
- Who doesn't love milk and cookies and it's the perfect party for younger kids. Serve a selection of cookies on plates, but make sure it's easy for little hands to reach. If you want the party to look a little fancy, you can pick up mini 'plastic' milk bottles at discount stores and serve with cute stripped straws. Milk bottle lollies make a perfect addition to the party table.
- Instead of pass the parcel, place a small treat into a paper bag and write a task for each child to complete to 'win' the treat. Make the task age appropriate eg, younger kids might stand on one foot, or recite a nursery rhyme, or even just clap their hands.
- If you’re pressed for time but want a great selection of home baked cookies an easy trick is to use a good quality cookie packet mix, such as Betty Crocker’s which is readily available in supermarkets. You can leave some plain, add M&M's to another batch and dip another batch half in melted chocolate topped with sprinkles.
- Younger kids love simple games like musical freeze. Instead of pulling kids out that get caught moving, reward them with a musical instrument to shake. That way you can tell who is still in the game but everyone still gets to have fun.
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