Weather permitting, a party in the park can be huge fun no matter what time of year! Fresh air, no limits on numbers, a theme of your choosing and plenty of space to burn off the sugar highs. Park parties are also, more often than not, a really cost effective way to celebrate! Here are Mama’s top tips for making your celebration a real walk in the park!
Choose your venue!
Most councils are more than happy for birthday parties to take place without prior notice, however, if you’re going all out and hiring a petting zoo or a jumping castle, you may have to organise a permit! Be prepared to pay for reserving the space.
When choosing your position in the park, bear in mind where you’re going to place yourselves. Do you want to be closest to the playground, or nearest the tables & the toilets?
Top tip: Being closer to the bathroom may seem trivial, but if you’re a big walk to the nearest toilet, with 25 children under the age of 5, it could be a pain!
Choose your time carefully
Time will be important for food planning and if any of the children play sports on the weekend. Will your guests be expecting a meal or just cakes and snacks? Is it just after brekkie or nearing the end of the day? Two hours party time is often more than enough to satisfy even the most serious party animals so try not to go over that.
Top tip: If it’s later in the day, limiting sugar is a must! No parent will thank you for a sugar fuelled child at 6pm.
Simplicity is key
Having your kids party at a park releases you from having to decorate too much, you can simply let nature do the talking! However, if you’re keen to work your magic, make sure the balloons, banners and of course candles (and lighter) are all in one box, with all the fixings you need. Sticky tape, string & ribbon are essentials! We love the party decor at Lombard.
Top tip: Remember to wrap your cake cutting knife in a cloth to make sure no one hurts themselves.
Waste free food
If your playground has a BBQ you may want to cook whilst you’re there. However, there’s something nice about preparing food beforehand so you can lay it out and enjoy the party. Try to be mindful of waste. Instead of offering individual packets of everything, offer food that can be hand held with minimal rubbish. Also encourage all the guests to bring their own drink bottle with them to avoid dozens of plastic cups being mislaid!
Top tip: Fruit kebabs, sandwiches, sausage rolls & hot dogs are perfect for a birthday party at the park without the excess rubbish.
Bring the entertainment (from your garage)
If there’s a large grassy area at your park you’ll find it super handy to have some games on hand to make the most of the space. Pack a big tub full of fun games to entertain the kids! Soccer balls, frisbees and a cricket set are a good start! Equally fun, if there’s space, is to ask all guests to bring their scooters or bikes!
Top tip: There are heaps of fun outdoor games at Kmart that can be used well after the party finishes.
Be prepared for bad weather
It doesn’t matter how much planning you do, sometimes mother nature strikes unexpectedly! Being prepared for a change in the weather is a good idea as is having a small first aid kit to hand just in case of any cuts or grazes. Pack a few umbrellas, a couple of towels if benches need drying, and extra sticky tape for tablecloths and decorations if the wind picks up!
Top Tip: It’s a good idea to have a backup plan in place as really heavy rain is a party pooper!
Clean it up
Before you party, make a promise to yourself that whatever you take to the park, you’ll take home! Try not to rely on the bins provided. There’s the potential that the park bins could be full when you get there, and there’s nothing worse than trying to cram your rubbish into an already full bin at the end of the day!
Top tip: Pack a few rubbish bags, kitchen paper and something to clean down the tables with before you leave.