Kids’ birthday parties used to be simple—some cake, a game of pass-the-parcel, and everyone went home happy. Now? If there’s no themed décor, a bouncy castle, and at least one meltdown (yours or theirs), is it even a birthday party?

Birthday parties are a big deal, and these days, a game of pass the parcel and few balloons just won’t cut it. Log onto Facebook or Instagram and we’re sure some of your mummy mates will be posting pics of their little darlings jumping on a bouncy castle or looking adorable in princess costumes and face paint.

Image: Kat Forsyth Photography

So, what’s the secret? How do you organise an unforgettable kids party without sending yourself (or your bank balance) into meltdown?

At Anges de Sucre, we’ve got your all-important birthday cake covered. But we've catered enough birthday parties to also know a thing or two about what makes a fun time for all.

We’ve put together some top tips to make sure your child’s birthday is the stuff of dreams (rather than scary nightmares...unless it's Halloween themed of course) and our helpful party timeline will keep you on track.

Budget

Enjoying a fun-filled day is a priority so make sure you plan exactly how much you want to spend and know how much all those extras will cost. By keeping a firm grip on budget, you can hopefully avoid costs spiralling out of control and money stress ruining the big event. Set a budget before Pinterest takes over your soul. You don’t need handcrafted party bags, a live unicorn, or a magician who also moonlights as a West End performer. Keep it simple—kids remember fun, not how much you spent.

Make sure you factor in the cost of the venue, decorations, food, drink, the birthday cake, entertainment and party bags.

Guest list

Are you inviting all your child’s classmates or will they be happier among six to ten of their closest friends? By creating a guest list early on, you can get an idea of where to host the do, how much it will cost and whether or not you will be catering for adults as well. You can also plan activities and games accordingly.

We live in the era of the e-vite, so save some pennies by designing a cute paperless invitation or alternately you can create and print your own unique design on sites such as Canva.

Remember to keep track of the RSVPs and any special requests such as dietary needs!

Venue

Hosting at home is cheap and cheerful… until you find cake smeared into the carpet six months later. If you have a gang of helpers (younger siblings, grandparents….anyone!) get them to muck in and keep your fingers crossed for a sun-drenched day so the guests can spend some of the time in the garden instead of the front room.

Image: Foxes Events

If you choose to hire a venue such as a local restaurant or kids’ soft play area, this will definitely ease your workload and take away the hassle of catering for hungry kids. Keep in mind however, hiring a venue will definitely add to the cost and you'll have to transport supplies and gifts back and forth.

Summertime parties are much easier to plan as you could plan a birthday picnic in a local park or create a mini Olympics (think egg and spoon races rather than hurdles and javelin throwing) at a nearby recreation ground.

Choose a theme

Choosing a theme means instant excitement - but be warned: you may be committing to 6 weeks of your child talking exclusively about it. (If you pick Frozen, enjoy hearing Let It Go 85 times a day.) Lots of you know the pain of watching Moana or Frozen for the 42nd time, so why not select a favourite film as a theme? Easy peasy! There will be endless related decorations and fancy-dress outfits to choose from and a good bakery can create a kids’ birthday cake to fit in with the chosen film...SpiderMan, Mario, or the Little Mermaid...we could go on...

Depending on the time of year, you could hold a seasonal birthday party. For example, an Easter Egg hunt birthday party, a spooky Halloween fancy dress party or a Christmas-themed birthday do.

Always keep your little one in on the party planning, as they will want to help choose the theme and feel even more special.

Cake, cake, CAKE

Now you have your numbers and your theme, it’s time for the ultimate decision…..it’s cake time. Yes, you could get the same chocolate caterpillar cake everyone’s had since 1992, but where’s the excitement in that? You could also bake your own, but do you really want to be stress-frosting at midnight? Outsource it, and enjoy the party instead.

These days, you don’t even have to hunt around for a local baker as you can buy cakes online and have them delivered directly to the venue. Whether you want a magical unicorn cake, an Alice in Wonderland themed treat or a cascading cookie cake, Anges de Sucre combines elegance with fun, deliciousness with decadence. And we'll deliver your party-ready cake within London and Surrey. Check out our amazing selection to see what tickles your fancy.

Entertainment & Games

Clowns, magicians, Disney princesses, science experiments, petting zoos - kids’ party entertainment is basically a Vegas show at this point. But don’t stress: a bouncy castle + bubble wands = chaos & happiness for a fraction of the price.

Costs for a good entertainer can reach up to £300 per hour but keeping those mini party guests entertained is priceless. If you are thinking about hiring a professional entertainer, make sure you book early to avoid disappointment.

Saying that, I've thrown a few birthday parties for my own little one and have not hired an entertainer due to costs. We kept things a bit lower key but just as fun by  planning some party games, having a bouncy castle or ball pit, and bubble wands. Here are some low cost yet super fun ideas for party games. Don’t forget to buy prizes (and about prizes...you'll be surprised how well a lollipop or chocolate bar goes down!)

Catering

You don’t need a three-course meal, but kids will act like they’re starving. Keep it simple: sandwiches, mini pizzas, and whatever snack you usually say ‘no’ to (they’ll think it’s a treat). Catering for a kids’ party isn’t rocket science, but it is essential.

Sandwiches don’t have to be as boring as they sound! Use biscuit cutters to make fun shapes for your sarnies or create a DIY sandwich buffet by laying out buttered rolls, cheese, ham and cut up cucumber. That way your little guests can choose what they like.

Traditional party foods such as mini sausages, breadsticks and dips, carrot pieces, mini pizzas, crisps in a bowl, cheese cubes and pre-cut fruit always go down well (if it’s not broken, don’t fix it!).

When you’re thinking about sweet stuff, often the birthday cake is sweet enough. But if you'd like a dessert table set up, opt for mini pastries, biscuits, fairy cakes and those much-loved chocolate fingers. Simplicity is key!

Cater for your child’s age group. So, if you’re holding a party for pre-teens they might prefer pizzas and burgers rather than little sandwiches. Also, remember to cater for any dietary specifications such as vegetarian, vegan, halal, kosher or allergies.

If you’re holding a party for really little children and their parents will be staying for the event you might want to feed the adults or at least provide tea and coffee (maybe even a coffee cake!).

Drinks

For a successful birthday party, we’d recommend avoiding fizzy drinks. Many parents don’t relish the thought of their children chugging back sugary pop, so opt for something less controversial.

Stick to juice cartons, squash, and water—trust me, no parent wants to see a roomful of toddlers hopped up on cola.

Get the older guests involved

It may seem a bit cheeky, but any parent attending with their child will understand how difficult a kids’ party can be. If anyone offers a hand, TAKE BOTH HANDS and get them involved in what’s going on. You can also ask beforehand to make sure they don’t mind or have any pressing responsibilities like caring after smaller children. A fellow parent overseeing a party game or taking charge of coats and jackets, helps remove one more thing off your list and mental load.

Party bags

The point of a party bag is like "last calls" at the pub. It signifies the end of the good time and helps sweeten the goodbye (and also quells the awkwardness of having to tell people to leave).

Yes, you can buy little plastic bags but please refrain from pointless little bits of plastic toys. You can fill them with sweets, mini colouring books and crayons and stickers.

If you have the time (and patience) you could also get crafty and make your own. Cake pops, homemade cookies or a slice of birthday cake are good party bag fillers.

If you’re holding a party for a small group, you can decorate paper bags (and get the birthday girl or boy to help) so that the going home gift is really personal.

PARTY TIMELINE

Organising a successful birthday party is all in the planning, so we’ve put together a timeline for you to keep track of all that needs to be done.

Hope you find this useful. You might also find our 7 Birthday Party Hacks for the Busy Parent handy!

And to help take the cake stress out, don't forget we deliver childrens birthday cakes across London and Surrey.