There are many places to throw a child’s party. You’ve likely attended your fair number of parties in indoor playgrounds and trampoline parks.
The cost and effort involved in planning a lavish party can prevent you from enjoying your child’s big day.
Playground parties are an excellent way to simplify your planning and still make your child’s special day memorable. You’ll also save money.
What can you expect from a birthday party in a playground?
The Pros and Cons of a Playground Party
A playground party is a great idea if you live in an area that has warm weather all year round or if your child’s birthday falls during warm weather. These are some of its pros.
- Budget-Friendly
Choose a park with picnic shelters so that everyone can sit down and eat. Some parks will require that you reserve a picnic shelter in advance, usually at a small fee. Others offer them on a “first-come-first-served” basis. You can bring your own decorations, but the best part about a park party is that it doesn’t require elaborate decor to be a success. You won’t be charged extra for a party planner or cleanup, nor if you have more than a specified number of guests.
- Meals Are Optional
Park birthday parties can be just as much fun even if you don’t want to cook or serve a meal. Plan your party in the mid-morning hours or the mid-afternoon if you do not want to spend time or money on preparing and serving food. You’ll need a cake, and you’ll also want plenty of drinks like juice and water. But there’s no reason to serve the finger food and snacks usually associated with indoor parties.
- No guest list restrictions
If you plan a party in a local entertainment centre or at your house, it can be difficult to invite all your guests. You don’t need to worry about the number of children or if they are accompanied by a parent or sibling when you have a party at a park. You have plenty of space to spread out.
- Cleaning up with minimal effort
Cleaning up after a party can take a lot of time. Skip the mess and go to the park instead! It’s easy to do. Just take down all decorations, gather up any gifts you or your guests brought and put the garbage in the bin.
How to Plan a Birthday party at a Playground
A birthday celebration in the park can be a great way to make your child’s day memorable. This is a good way to reduce the amount of planning you have to do. There are a few other things that you can do to make sure the party runs smoothly.
- Choose a theme
It can be a lot of fun to have a playground birthday party centered around a theme or concept. You can choose foods and decorations to support the theme. Kids can wear costumes based on the theme. You can choose from a variety of themes, including sports, carnivals, video games and movies.
- Book Reservations
If you are unsure if a reservation is required, call your local parks office. Find out how you can make the reservation — online, by phone, or in person — and pay any fee. You should reserve the shelter well in advance of the event to allow for any setup and cleanup. In the summer, parks can book multiple parties at the same time. You don’t need to be cleaning up while the next group waits to enter.
- Invite your guests
You can choose to send digital or paper invites, but you should make sure that you include all the details in your invitation. Include the location of the party, along with its start and end times. Also let the parents know whether a meal is being served. You should also indicate if additional siblings are welcomed. Ask for RSVPs well in advance so that you can purchase the appropriate amount of food and drink.
- RSVPs: Make the most of them
Share the RSVPs with all those involved in planning the party. Connect with caterers or others who require an accurate count to the party attendees using planning software.
- Plan your food and decorations
Decide what you will serve in advance and how you plan to decorate. A few balloons and a birthday banner can add a festive touch to your party. This will also help guests locate the pavilion the day of the event, especially if there are several groups meeting in the park at the same time.
- Create a backup plan
If the weather is bad, you may have to postpone your outdoor party. Postpone your party until a later time? You can move the party to an indoor venue nearby. You will not have to worry if the weather is bad or if you can’t host an outdoor event.
Playground Party Decorations
You can be as simple or elaborate as you like when it comes to decorating for a park birthday. You can use the same theme and color scheme that you would at home to transform a picnic shelter into an event space. When you are looking for ideas for a park birthday, remember these tips.
- Easy Setup means Simple Clean Up
The elaborate decorations will be beautiful and certainly attract compliments. However, they require a great deal of time for the set-up before the event and cleaning up afterward. You should choose decorations that are easy to set up and take down. You can easily set up and take down a balloon bouquet from the local party shop or a banner that is pre-printed. Remember to buy weights for your balloons if you choose to use them to prevent them from slipping off the table during the party.
- Tablecloths are essential!
Tablecloths are available in a variety of colors and designs, and they come in a range of sizes and shapes. They’re essential if you plan to feed a large group of kids at a public picnic table. Prepare plenty of disposable tablecloths and paper towels, or sanitary wipes for a clean eating surface.
- Use food as a decoration
You can also use the food as a decoration. Add festive toppings to cupcakes and other food items. Choose foods that are brightly colored, like a fruit platter or a cake decorated with a colorful design. Purchase colorful utensils and napkins for your guests.
- Goody bags double as decor
Use the same bags to create centerpieces at each table if you plan on sending each guest home with goody bags. You can arrange them so one item peeks out of the bag, or you can use a bucket or container in place of a plastic sack.
Food for Your Playground Parties
What are the safest foods to bring to a park party?
- Snack Foods
You don’t need to prepare a meal if you plan your party for the midday or midafternoon. Plan to serve cake, cupcakes, salty snacks like pretzels and crackers and plenty of water and juice. It’s important to drink plenty of water and juice, especially if you have hot kids who will be running around.
- BBQ with All the Fixings
Check to see if a grill is available near the picnic shelter that you reserved if you plan to serve food at your party. Ask if it’s okay to bring your own grill or use the one that is already there. Bring the ingredients for hot dogs, burgers and side dishes. It’s much easier to bring fruit and chips for the kids than things like coleslaw and potato salad from the parking lot.
- Kid-Friendly Grub
If you are planning a birthday party for a child, then channel your inner child and choose simple food that kids will love. You can cook hot dogs in the slow cooker and then add buns and condiments at the last minute. You can also make a variety sandwiches and let your kids pick their favorites. Ask parents about allergies and other concerns before planning your menu.
Park Birthday Party Ideas: 3 Activities
Children can get restless very quickly. It is important to keep kids entertained and engaged.
- Play Party Games
Classic party games are always in style and perfect for children’s events. The kids love to smack a pinata and see what treasures fall out. Traditional board games and yard games are also great ideas for park birthdays.
- Organise a treasure or scavenger hunt
Hide different objects in the park, and let the children loose to find them. You could also provide clues or treasure maps depending on the age and time of the kids.
- Break out Frisbees and Balls
A large outdoor party with plenty of space and a variety of balls can provide hours of entertainment. Soccer balls, footballs, and kickballs are all possibilities. The older kids can enjoy throwing a Frisbee, or creating a temporary Frisbee Golf course.
Enjoyable Outdoor Party Favor Ideas
You can also give out party favors as a way to make the party memorable. Think about giving buckets full of fun items such as cool sunglasses, bubble bottles, magnifying glass, rainbow butterfly lollipops, and crazy straws. You can also select gifts that are related to the theme of the party.
If you provide outdoor party favors for your guests, they can immediately use them if they become bored or want a break. If they wish, the children can take them home to play with later. The children will love the gift and have a souvenir of the day.
