There's going to be a lot of children missing out on parties this year- we have sadly had lots of cancellations and postponements, but don't worry, there are still lots of ways to celebrate at home and make sure children don't have to miss out on all the fun!
From Zoom parties to campouts in the garden, homemade decorations and hand delivered party bags, here are our top tips on how to throw a party to remember whilst still stuck at home!
1. Plan and Prepare for an online party
At The Little Top, we spend at least 20 times as long planning a party as we do actually partying, and we know what a difference it makes to be prepared!
Make sure all of your guests know what to expect with a personalised invitation a few days before, with some instructions of what everyone needs to 'bring' to the party- a pencil and paper/ some chocolate/ glass of juice/ fancy dress etc!
On zoom calls, we suggest under an hour works well- the 40 minute limit sees to be the right amount of time. Lots of children (and parents!) aren't used to using video calls, so make sure you practise and know how to use the 'mute' button if needed!
In terms of numbers, less is definitely more with online parties- we suggest under 10 guests for a memorable and not too manic event!
Our downloadable party packs are bursting with ideas to help you host your own party, and contain a full plan, personalised invites and all of our top games to send out to your guests if you need a little creative direction-
If you're writing your own plan, we recommend a plan along these lines...
- guests arrive online and chat and squeal (5 mins)
- game 1: best outfit vote/ competition/ catwalk ( 7 mins)
- game 2: scavenger hunt ( 6 mins)
- snack time (2 mins)
- game 3: charades/ musical statues/ truth or dare ( 8 mins)
- game 4:c raft activity/ storytime/ quiz ( 8 mins)
- cake and singing (2 mins)
- chat and nonsense (4 mins)
2. Have a theme!
On your invites its a great idea to suggest a dress code- from unicorns to pirates, rainbows or even a letter- we had a great "F" party for my son one year with all the food, prizes and games festival and football themed.
This is a good ice breaker and also means all the kids get to feel like they really are getting ready for a party.
3. Decorate
No children's party is a party without some decorations, of course!
Whether homemade, crafted, foraged from the garden or made out of newspapers, a bit of decoration is essential to make it feel like a party. Our party kits include garlands, balloons, tassels and bunting and are available in our online shop, or get crafty with one of our tutorials! Children will love to get involved too, and this could even count as your art and craft lesson for home schooling!
4. Presents and Party Bags
A bit trickier online and certainly not essential, but if you are looking for a way to offer a party favour, we have a few creative ideas you can send your guests or the birthday child...
We can send out our fabulous sleepover kits, party boxes, bear building and craft kits and personalise these for each of your invited guests, or if all your guests are local you could let the know you will be dropping their party favour on their doorstep right after the call!
E-mailable favours and presents might include a photo or a voucher or a 'promise' to have a day out/ trip somewhere later in the year. Vouchers to redeem online are also a good one.
Have a look at our Little top Shop for some ideas!
5. The AfterParty
After the party, it's great to carry on celebrating with a favourite family meal or picnic party food to make sure the birthday boy or girl feels spoilt and not deflated after seeing friends- and make sure all of the family are sticking to the dress code!
Ice cream cones, donuts and cakes are encouraged, and meals everyone can participate in- pizza making or a fire pit and marshmallows.
A homemade piñata or crackers are a great extra game, a family board game or races in the park or garden followed by a movie night or we are obviously huge fans of a sibling sleepover! ( check out our sleepover kits in the shop!)
Hopefully this will all help you make sure you have a birthday to remember, and may even feel more special than it would have been otherwise!
If you'd like to find out more about our Little Top Lockdown Party Kit, then pop over to the Little Top Shop to see how we can help you celebrate!
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