Children’s birthdays seem to come around quicker every year and coming up with fresh ideas for parties is tough. As a parent we have to observe the overview – boring details such as cost and practicalities are our department. Taking a gang of kids for a burger and a movie is expensive and the logistics are tricky. Ice skating or horse riding for a group of kids – again, expensive with the added jeopardy of possible injury.
The best way of keeping a lid on costs and retaining a modicum of control over unruly children, is to throw a party on your home turf. You know the territory, you can prepare in advance and the chances of keeping things relatively serene are heightened. Okay, so inside you might be a boiling mess of stress and anxiety, but outwardly a least, in your own home you should feel at ease.
Plan ahead to avoid panic
Make life easy by getting organised early. Once a date has been set and you have a rough idea of numbers, think about a craft project to tackle. Of course, this depends on the age of the children and the tastes of the birthday girl or boy – involve them in the decision making process as much as possible, guiding them in terms of levels of difficulty and time factors. Anything from jewellery making, paper maché, card making, collage, mask making, glass painting, mosaics, pottery and more can make successful craft party projects. Once you have decided, the most cost effective way of sourcing the art and craft supplies you need is by heading online. The internet is a fine shop-front for all manner of art and craft supplies and the huge range and choice available is far greater than in most bricks and mortar craft outlets. Save yourself time and money by ordering crafts supplies online – make sure you order a contingency in case of disasters. Also, check that you have enough tools and equipment including pairs of scissors so that everyone can focus on their tasks. Once the craft merchandise arrives, have a practice rehearsal run at making the craft so that you feel confident of the techniques involved and can lead the kids in the right direction. Check out YouTube for instructional videos if you need ideas or inspiration about how stuff should be done.
Prepare the space
A craft project is a mess magnet so choose an area of the home that will be easy to clear up afterwards. The floor should be wipe clean and easy to sweep (laminated flooring or tiles are ideal). Cover furniture such as tables with newspaper or dust cloths and remove any breakables or family heirlooms that need protecting. Give the children a firm, solid surface to work upon, make sure there is adequate room for them to create and enough light for them to see. If the weather is good you could even take the action outside – remember to provide shade from the sun though.
Plan the event
A party that has a logical timetable of events that seamlessly flow into one another, will be less stressful for the hosts and will seem to go more quickly. Fuelling kids up on birthday cake and fizzy drink at the beginning is not a good idea as they will be too sugar-boosted to concentrate on crafting. Save the food until the end – make them work for it! Start off with a couple of games to break the ice then draw their attention to the crafting zone you have prepared.
Feel good factor
Creating hand made items is something that boosts the self esteem of children so make sure you choose something they can succeed with. Proudly taking home an item they have created themselves will make the party memorable and their parents will appreciate them not returning home with the usual party gift bag of junk. If the craft is small in scale, such as jewellery, give them a pretty bag or small box to safely carry it home in.
Throwing a craft party for your child can be a huge success for everybody involved when approached in the right way. Getting children to engage in a way that stimulates them creatively can be just as exciting and rewarding as the more usual party activities. Why not expose your kids to the new challenges of creative crafting with their friends? It won’t be long before an invitation to one of your crafting events is the hottest ticket in town…