Organising and hosting a children’s party can be stressful. But it doesn’t need to be. We asked some of our leading entertainers for their top tips for creating hassle-free parties.
All our entertainers are well-acquainted with the business, having seen hundreds if not thousands of parties first-hand, and so they have some really useful advice.
Top 3 pieces of advice from our PartyWizz Entertainers
Here 10 of our experienced entertainers share their top three kernels of wisdom. Things to do, and things to avoid; advice to help you throw the perfect party and actually enjoy the process of doing so!
1. Juliette Rahill of Genie Mackers – entertainers
- Try to get your child involved with the preparation of the party.
- Get your invites out first… the number of times a poor parent has had to reschedule because another child’s party was the same day…!
- Keep the sugar until the end of the party.
2. Brian Daly – Magician
- Leave pets with a neighbour during the party.
- Those party whistle toy things always get taken off the kids after 2 minutes so don’t waste your money on them.
- Book a professional entertainer and trust their experience; most will have been to more parties than every guest combined.
3. Kim Jenkinson – Little Makendoers
- As a mum of three, I know what it’s like to have to plan and organise a party as well as try to find something fun to do in the first place. I would say try not to replicate what others have done.
- Don’t get stressed by the competitive element to parties.
- Remember the best parties are the ones which are original and fun, not necessarily the most expensive.
4. Emma Slowe – Entertainer
- Get an entertainer to take away some of the pressure and book them early.
- Involve your kid in the process of organising.
- Book an entertainer that really suits your child’s personality and interests.
5. Carl Campbell – magician
- Feed the kids after the show and definitely don’t give them sugar before or during!
- Put toys away or cover them up before the performance.
- If the show is at the beginning of the party, invite the kids to arrive at least 30 minutes beforehand to allow for latecomers.
6. Silly Sally – Clown
- Don’t feed the kids sugary food until they are going home. It’s much easier for parents to control their own children individually than a mad collective sugar rush at the party!
- In the age of iPad and video games, it is even more special and exciting for kids to see live entertainment so book a professional.
- Consider joint parties to share the cost and time taken to organise.
7. Rob Hackett – Magician
- Never have food served during a show or performance
- Avoid music or background noise which may drown out the entertainer
- For close-up magic, allow each group to enjoy the performance best by breaking them into smaller groups
8. Eugene Corr – Magician
- If you have a grazing table, cover it during the performance
- Don’t have more than one activity going on at the same time
- Entertainment such as magic shows works best when there are a good number of people in the audience
9. Laura Quilty – Face painter
- Be organized and plan ahead and do as much as you can before the party
- Get ideas online
- Book an entertainer to take some of the stress away on the day
10. Yvan Zim – magician
- Ask someone to help you on the day – It’s amazing how useful an extra pair of hands can be.
- If the idea of having a party at home fills you will dread, hire a room in a local venue such as a sports hall or community centre
- Give people an RSVP date so you know in advance how many people are coming
Looking for some more tips?
We have many other useful tips for hosting parties including a helpful mnemonic for planning elements of the party in good time and the Ultimate Kid’s Party Check-List for making sure you don’t miss anything.
As you can see, one of the recurring pieces of advice is to hire an entertainer to take away much of the stress on the day.
Doing this means you can leave that part of the party in their capable hands while you either prepare other elements such as food or simply enjoy the smiles on their faces.
PartyWizz is a one-stop shop for all your party needs. If you’re interested in booking a professional and experienced entertainer, view our kid’s entertainer page. You can browse the many options available by date and theme.
Then don’t miss our themed accessories such as party bags and decorations. It’s the ultimate way to organise a stress-free party!
