How to plan the perfect pre-teen kids party

Who should I invite?

The guest list can be difficult, as inviting too many children can blow your budget and make it harder to plan activities.

First, work out a budget for the party, and how much the cost-per-head will be, before drawing up a guest list. Having too many children around can also be a bit overwhelming for the birthday child, so consider keeping the guest list to close friends. A dozen or so guests is usually ideal for pre-teen parties.

Next, you’ll need to lock in a theme so you can put together the perfect invite.

Getting the theme right

Children tend to develop strong ideas about what they want as they get older, so chat with them about the party to get them interested and involved.

Some kids will want a themed party based on their favourite movie or TV show, or they might want to do something specific with their friends. Once you've got some inspiration direct from the source, you can begin thinking about the best ways to bring their party to life and craft a day they’ll never forget.

Bringing the party to life

Never assume that a group of children will entertain themselves. Not providing enough entertainment is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. Think about how long the party will last and how long each activity will take. It's always better to have too much planned for a party than not enough, so make sure the entertainment is at the heart of your party planning.

You could:

• Hire a professional party entertainer to keep the kids engaged

• Set up activity stations (e.g. tables with games, toys or craft tables)

• There are also great venues you can book, which offer professional entertainment and plenty of fun activities that kids will love.

Keeping the energy levels high

So now you’ve got your guests, theme and venue worked out, you need to make sure everyone has the fuel they’ll need to keep the party going strong.

Nothing is more difficult to control than a room full of hungry children, so consider timing lunch or dinner early into the party. Make sure you ask parents to RSVP with details of any food allergies, and choose a wide variety of foods so that picky eaters will find something to enjoy.

Planning your child's party can be a bit of a minefield, so it's important to plan as far in advance as possible, to think about the needs of your child's guests, and to make sure things are well organised. Of course, the birthday child comes first so think about the things your child likes, and then start planning for a crowd.

For more information about a great party venue for your next party - please contact the expert contributor.