Kid’s Birthday Parties: A Mini-Survival Guide

Having a school-aged child means spending many weekends at kid’s birthday parties at local church halls, soft plays, and parks. 

One thing I hadn’t anticipated with a school-aged child is the number of kid’s birthday parties. Phew! Two-thirds into the Reception year, my daughter has been invited to more birthday parties than I ever went to in my entire time in elementary school. In January alone, Lady Yeya had four birthday invites. And the summer birthday invitations are now rolling in. Here is my mini-survival guide to kid’s birthday parties. 

Enjoy the Birthday Fun

Growing up in California, kid’s birthday parties are low-key with no more than 5-8 friends held at home, roller skate rink, or Chuck E. Cheese. These days birthday parties are big affairs with 20-40 kids plus parents and siblings. Most are held at local church halls with party entertainers, face painters, and/or bouncy castles. Other parties are organised at trampoline parks or soft plays. I’m sure park picnic birthdays will be forthcoming as the weather gets nicer. Some parties are joint, triple, or even quadruple birthday soirees. Parents may dread another weekend of chaperoning kids to birthday parties. But the kids squeal with joy and have a lot of fun with their little friends. It’s lovely to see new friendships form. 

Tag Team or Divide & Conquer

Perhaps in a few years when birthday parties become more intimate with 5-10 kids, ‘drop off’ parties will be the norm. But for now, it is ‘divide & conquer.’ Unless we know the birthday boy/girl, we take Lady Yeya to birthday parties in turn. This way one of us can have some down time. Alternatively, you can also tag team with another parent. I did this a few weekends ago where I took her child and Lady Yeya to their classmate’s birthday party. For good friends, I always offer to help out with the birthday event. Parents really appreciate the extra hand, however big or small, especially when they have to cram the whole birthday event in under two hours. 

Multiple Same Day Birthday Invitations 

There will be times when your child receives multiple birthday invitations for the same afternoon from different friend’s  circles. If Lady Yeya made the short-list for an intimate birthday party, then she would go to that party as the birthday girl/boy thought of her. Exercise your discretion, but be sure to RSVP either way. And if you feel birthday parties are interfering with other family plans, you don’t have to accept the invitation. 

Bulk Buy Birthday Cards

Parents are time-poor so I tend to buy bulk greeting cards at the start of the year at Cards Galore or Card Factory. Majority of my greeting cards are kids birthday cards of unicorns, animals, princesses, and superheroes. Others are generic adult birthday cards – you know for when you forget your own parent’s birthdays. There are also that odd sympathy card, congratulations, or simply a blank card. Bulk buying greeting cards means it is one less admin thing to do to keep on top of. 

Alternatively, if you have a budding artist, homemade cards are lovely. My child is not an artist, I am afraid. Getting her to write “Dear XXX, Happy Birthday!”is a lot of effort already. It is also a great quiet activity to do before attending the energetic birthday bash itself. 

Have a Gift Closet

One of my neighbours with older kids suggested that I also bulk buy age-appropriate gift items go bi-annually. The first kid birthday party earlier in the school year, I dashed to M&S to pick-up a last minute gift, as even Amazon Prime won’t arrive in time. So during the Christmas sales, I stocked the ‘gift closet’ with mini lego sets, PJs sets, jumpers for boys and dresses for girls, and some seasonal items like Dock and Bay beach poncho and PO.P rain jackets. This way I am not scrambling at the last minute for an overpriced and underwhelming birthday gift. 

Here’s another top tip: for clothing, buy a size up so the kids can grow into them, or if you are unsure about sizing. For Lady Yeya’s close friends, I tend to pick out special items depending on the kid’s interests. This year, I got personalised canvas tote bags for her  friends I call the ‘brunette brigade.’ Some parents opt for a big collection to go towards a bigger ticket item like a fancy lego set. Personally, this is a great idea especially if the child already has an older sibling of the same gender. 

Other Survival Tips for Kid’s Birthday Parties

• Kid’s birthday parties tend to be in the afternoon with lots of candy and of course cake, so be prepared for a sugar rush in the early evenings. 
• Parents should eat before attending a kid’s birthday party. Most hosts will have light nibbles and drinks, but this is not expected at all. It also depends on the venue. 
• Take the opportunity to meet other parents. Afterall, you are on this journey together for many years. Even if you don’t click right away, it is nice to put a face with a name. 

Remember you don’t have to love every moment of parenting but do cherish these little memories. Someone once told me not to wish these early years away as they grow too fast. Pretty soon kid’s birthday parties will be a distant memory.