Children's Parties
By Siana Scatti
 If
you are like me and are flat-out with work and looking after
two young ones, the extra pressure of putting on a birthday
party can be extremely taxing.
Having recently passed the three-year-old’s test, the answer
is one easy word - simplicity.
Keep it simple.
We limited the numbers so that they could all be seated around
an old cut-off dining table about 1.5 metres by 1.8 metres
and that worked out at 11 little ones.
Fortunately, it was a beautiful day and so the children sat
at their table and the adults - sipping some pleasant sparkling
wine - sat at the main outdoors setting.
For weeks before his birthday, our three-to-be had said with
certainty: “Bouncing castle, birthday cake.”
It was a much-repeated litany so we were glad to have booked
the jumping castle early. (In fact, we got the last one for
the day).
Obviously, a jumping castle is a huge treat for a little
one and is not mandatory. It does, however, keep the children
occupied and once you have set the ground rules at the start
only need the occasional visit to reinforce the “watch out
for others” rule.
All of the children used the castle and only one bit of damage
to one of the children was done - and that not serious.
The cost of the castle was surprisingly reasonable - $160
for seven hours - and while slightly extravagant for 11 children,
the more children attending the party the better value it
becomes.
And it really is an excellent way to keep the smaller people
entertained. If you can get one with a roof, even better.
The menu for the occasion also was easy to organise - bearing
in mind that healthy food had no chance of being a major part
of the day. (After all, birthdays are days for indulgence,
are they not?)
Actually, having served up bucketloads of healthy foodstuffs
at earlier parties - and then having to compost bin most of
it - we finally accepted it was a lost cause.
Menu
- Fairy bread
- Chips
- Sausage rolls
- Cocktail Frankfurters
- Grapes
- Watermelon
- Chocolate crackles
- Sandwiches for adults
While on food, don’t over-provide.
It is very easy - and expensive - to do and you will often
find that you’ve just wasted your money and have to live off
cold saveloys for the next week.
Most of the shopping was done the day before the party, as
were the lawns and house tidying, so that by the morning of
the occasion there was only a small amount - buy party ice,
cook the cocktail franks, make the fairy bread and parents’
sandwiches - left to do.
The castle man arrived at 9am and by 9.30am it was in operation.
The look of joy upon the birthday boy’s face was worth a fortune!
All was in readiness well before the 11am start and by the
time everyone began to arrive, the house was pressure-free
and all concerned nice and relaxed.
We had not met three of the parents before - their sons going
to crèche with our’s on his day there - and so they had the
option of dropping off or staying at the party.
Surprisingly, one dropped off their child and left, but the
others had a whale of a time with some excellent conversation
(and a drop or two of bubbly).
There was no time set for departure and it was almost three-and-a-half
hours later that people realised how long we been sitting
around gas-bagging.
Five minutes after handing out lolly bags and waving goodbye
to the last of our guests the tables were cleared - thank
the lord for disposable plates and cups - and we were sipping
a cup of fresh coffee.
It was a marvelous day greatly enjoyed by our children,
their friends, their parents and … us.
Costs
- Jumping castle $160
- Thomas the Tank Engine cake $40
- Thomas plates, napkins, cups (an exorbitant) $40
- Food and lolly bags $50
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