[New] Party ideas for different ages and stages

By Simone Ryder

I wish I was a parent who loved planning my child’s birthday party and had the energy to enthusiastically invest a lot of time into this activity. Unfortunately, I fall into another category: the group of parents who feel that party planning is yet another of the daunting challenges to be faced on the hazardous path to parenting success. So, regardless of whether you love or hate it, we hope this thumbnail guide to age appropriate parties will help guide you on the road to a successful event.

Age 1

Your child’s first party is really your celebration – the anniversary of becoming a parent. Meanwhile, your 1 year old will have no idea what’s going on! For this reason, many parents choose to make this a celebration for adults only. If you decide to invite other babies, be sure to keep the party short (under an hour) to accommodate nap schedules. As far as activities go, blowing bubbles or singing songs will probably provide all the amusement the little ones need.

Age 2

Hosting a party for a 2 year old presents unique challenges. They can catapult from excitement to temper tantrum in minutes — so you need to be prepared. Most age twos are still very possessive of their toys; they may offer them to each other but will want them right back. So it’s best to put away your child's favourite things beforehand. Word of warning: avoid opening gifts at the party since most of the guests won’t understand they can’t just take the birthday child’s new things home. You can try organised games but they aren’t really necessary since children still play independently at this age.

Age 3

Now children begin to really understand parties. If your child is used to preschool, nursery or playgroups, they may be familiar with celebrations. Singing and circle activities work better than group games for most 3 year olds as they will usually enjoy playing with other children briefly but may still have trouble cooperating. Keep the party to about ninety minutes to avoid over-stimulating them (and exhausting you).

Age 4

Children of this age are full of energy and imagination, which makes them wonderful partygoers. Plan short games and keep things moving as they may still find it hard to wait their turn. Treasure and scavenger hunts work well but many parents opt for soft play venues or similar to allow little ones to burn off energy. Another popular option at this age is for an entertainer at your home or hired venue. Plan for a party of one to two hours.

Age 5

5 year olds know parties are very important and may have all sorts of wonderful (and wild) suggestions about the event. Theme parties work well at this age. Children are usually ready for games that involve instruction like Hokey Cokey and Simon Says. They are acquiring fine motor skills necessary to use scissors and string beads so they’re ready for simple crafts too. Plan for a party of about two hours.

Age 6-9

Once your child has been in school for a couple of years you will find they have strong opinions about their party. You may find that during these years, you go from whole school class invites, to more exclusive groups of friends. Activity-based parties become popular, from trampolining and football to drama, or, as children get older, rock climbing or tree top and zip wire adventures. Children this age like secrets and mysteries, so consider games with clues and puzzles. Fewer children are now fussy eaters, so you can take more chances with the menu. Parties should not exceed two and a half hours.

Age 10-12

Now your child may start to want something more sophisticated and grown up. Although activitybased parties remain popular, as the invite list gets smaller, you may be able to attempt something even you might enjoy, such as an outing to the cinema, theatre or restaurant. A movie night at your home with select friends is regarded as cool at this age. Beware however: throwing a sleepover party will be a rite of passage you cannot completely avoid!

Good luck!

There are some amazing local businesses offering fantastic party options for all ages. Read on… and if you get in touch do remember to tell them you found them in Families Edinburgh!