Content created by Julia Hammond and published on www.mydeal.com.au. 

There are so many fun ways to celebrate a birthday with your child and create special memories.

You’ve got the usual suspects down; spoiling them with new toys and surprising them with a jumping castle.

But you can’t roll out the same tricks every year. So here are a few ways to throw the ultimate kids’ party you may not have heard of before.

Stimulate Their Senses

Kids are naturally touchy-feely and they love any opportunity to get hands-on. Marcus Prentice from Feel Good Events says a great party is one that uses all 5 senses:

“To throw an awesome kids’ party and take it to the next level is all about overindulgence, stimulating the kids’ five senses in as many ways possible, and making sure there is plenty of things for the kids to do.

• Smell – Food smells, scented candles, or even the smell of a smoke machine
• Taste – Lots of kid-friendly yummy food and drinks will tick this box
• Sound – The right party tunes will definitely create atmosphere
• Sight – Party lighting and party décor will play probably the biggest factor in helping create a great party
• Touch – Thinking outside of the box for this one will make the party unique. We have done quite a few kids’ parties where we’ve had live reptiles. The kids can hold and touch them and it’s always a big winner!

Indulge their curiosity

The most memorable adventures your kids will have are the ones that get them thinking. Create a mystery at the party and send them on a scavenger hunt to figure it out. Maya Kiusalaas from My Monday Love had this idea:

“Stick objects (toys, keys, an apple) in jars filled with different contents (slime, spaghetti, frozen peas, oats – anything that feels funny). Have the kids cover their eyes or go in a dark room and guess the objects in the jars by sticking their hands in them and feeling the objects out. Creepy and makes them think. It works best if you build up a story around it; The theme of the party can be “Magic forest” and when you arrive you will be told that something terrible has happened; something important has disappeared and the kids [have] to figure out what it is and how to get it back!”

Make It Fun For Parents Too

While the kids enjoy seeing their friends every week at all the birthday parties they’ve been invited to, the chaperone experience can get a bit tiresome for the parents. Choose an activity that includes the adults and you’ll be the toast of the neighbourhood. Strapped for ideas? Get techy with your electronics and set up a photoshoot. Grab yourself a tripod for the camera, a white backdrop, and some fun props and both kids and parents can get silly together in their own party polaroid.

Whether it’s your first, fifth, or tenth time planning a kids’ party there are plenty of ways to think outside the box and take it from the standard fare to an ultimate event.