Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Children's Birthday Party Ideas in Plymouth
Your child’s birthday - it’s the one day out of the 365 that is extra special to you and your child, so naturally you want to make it a memorable day!
To help you decide what to do for your child’s party, what party treats to buy, venue to hire or what entertainer to use in and around Plymouth we’ve added some top tips for you here...
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So, what are the latest Children's Party Trends?
Science and Slime Parties
Science and Slime parties engage young minds with a combination of thrilling demonstrations, wacky experiments and plenty of hands-on activities. Many science party companies run age-related, interactive games so children can concoct exciting things such as gooey DIY slime, amazing bubbles and colour-changing potions. Enormous fun and educational too. Find slime-making recipes here
LEGO / Plastic Block Construction Block Parties
The ever-popular construction toy provides a perfect birthday party theme for curious and creative children of all ages. If your child has a reasonably sized stash themselves then you may not even need to buy any more blocks. Should you want to purchase more supplies, however, stores such as Wilko have their own LEGO-compatible blocks that can be used. Games and activities can include block vehicle building and racing, scavenger hunts and tower building amongst many other ideas. Check out our LEGO ideas Pinterest board.
Swimming Pool Parties
A number of swimming pools across the region, particularly smaller and private ones will offer the opportunity for small groups to hire the facilities and equipment for the exclusive use of partygoers. These will often come with allocated sanitised changing facilities and depending on the venue, you may be able to hire a room afterwards to continue your child’s celebrations.
Circus & Funfair Parties
Roll up! Roll up! Party hire and prop hire companies often have sets of circus or funfair equipment that can be borrowed for an unforgettable party experience. Sets usually include juggling balls, rings, diablos, spinning plates on the circus side as well as traditional games such as ‘ hook the duck’, tin can alley and target shooting range for a fun fair experience. You can also add your own touches with face painting, a children’s entertainer or whatever you see fit. Find more ideas on Pinterest here.
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Cinema Parties
Many independent and larger chain cinemas can help you to arrange a private screening of a child’s favourite film is available on request by hiring one of their screens. Failing that, you can always take a small group to a traditionally scheduled screening.
Outdoor Parties
Whilst it may be true that you cannot rely on Devon to make things easy to organise a child’s birthday party outside, there are still plenty of options available to you but you may want to keep an indoor backup option available. Forest schools often offer party packages with a vast array of nature-based activities facilitated by their staff which may include bushcraft, den building, campfire cooking and more
Alternatively, if you want to do everything from scratch, you could do activities at a local park, beach or your favourite woodland abiding by any rules and restrictions in place.
Computer Gaming Parties
Video game, console and coding parties bring birthday celebrations well into the 21st century and have become hugely popular party options among boys and girls. The games can be put into an inclusive multiplayer mode enabling youngsters to challenge each other in a fun way. The choice of games is vast – choose from singing and dancing games, or football and Minecraft games, for example.
Festival Parties
If your youngster is a music and camping fan, why not curate their own festival for them? Best organised in your own garden or private land, you can have lots of fun making it bespoke to your own needs or interests. There are lots of scopes to be as creative as you like, even making invitations to look like tickets and homemade VIP passes to be given to guests on arrival
For music, why not involve your child in creating their own special party playlist with tunes that they love to dance to and play party games to or use any children’s musical instruments that they may have to make their own band
To create a comfortable outdoor space, use cushions, rugs, throws and any teepees, gazebos or tents that you have lying around or can borrow from friends or hire. Children can create their own bunting or other crafts either before or after the party and enjoy hair braiding, using biodegradable glitter to customise how they look. Find more ideas at the Netmums website
Sports Parties
There are lots of local companies that provide sports-themed parties at a venue of your choice to meet most interests as well as the most popular options such as football and multi-sport. These sessions will be geared to your child’s age and contain energetic and fun games and activities themed around the sports of your choosing.
Arts and Craft Parties
Across the region, you will find lots of suppliers and locations that will host craft sessions such as pottery painting as well as art sessions which produce a long-lasting memento of a special birthday party.
Alternatively, you can buy your own supplies from most high street stores such as The Works, Wilko, Hobbycraft, supermarkets, online or via your local Scrapstore. at www.reusefuluk.org/scrapstores-directory
Party Checklist
Make sure you don't forget anything important by using this party checklist. Click on the links below for more...
For parties at home click here
For parties at a venue click here
For party game ideas click here
For party food ideas click here
For an easy to make birthday cake click here
For party bag ideas click here
For invitation RSVP etiquette click here
For those 'Don't Forget Items' click here
For Five Pound Gift Ideas click here
Here are some details about children's party providers and entertainers in and around Plymouth:
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Clay Art Clip n' Climb Plymouth Drake's Den Josephine's Stories China Fleet Crealy |
67 Southside Street, Plymouth, PL1 2LA.
01752 665565
ClayArt's pottery painting party packages include printed invitations, a drink for each guest, tea or coffee for supervising parents, a ceramic piece for each guest to paint, a choice of tile of place for the whole party to share decorating which will form a keepsake for the party VIP. The option to bring your own party food and cake if you wish or to arrange a takeaway pizza and more.....
There are also special party opportunities for younger children starting at 10:00 on a Sunday morning where guests have exclusive use of the studio until 12:00. Alternatively, their Party at Home package provides party organisers the opportunity
17 Brest Road, Plymouth, PL6 5AA.
01752 717567
www.plymouth.clipnclimb.co.uk/groups-parties
Estover Road, Plymouth, PL6 7PS.
01752 79 44 44
Visit their website for details of their party packages and private hire
Plymouth area
Aimed at children aged six and older . Their 'General Party' focuses on fun and creativity with general games and storytelling activities. All activities will be based around the birthday child and their favourite things. Their 'Special Party' offers the same structure as above but ends with a unique story told about the birthday child. You can also choose to add on their limited eco-friendly Special Story Time boxes so the children can continue the fun at home and you don't have to worry about sourcing a party bag!
01752 837645
Sparkwell, Plymouth, PL7 5DG.
www.dartmoorzoo.org.uk/venue-hire/parties/
Dartmoor offer a number of party packages with offer different activities such as Close Encounters sessions, Zoo tours, animal experiences and food depending on the option that you select.
01752 848668
Saltash, PL12 6LJ.
Adventure awaits the birthday child on China Fleet's Woodland Adventure Golf Course or Toptracer Driving Range. Available from April to October, attendees can play 18 holes of Adventure Golf or 1 hour of interactive fun on the Top Tracer Driving Range. Also available as part of the package are party invitations, decorations, party masks, unlimited squash, pizza, sandwiches (ham and cheese), crisps, vegetable crudites and use of the indoor seating area in The Cabin - cafe and bar.
Crealy Adventure Park and Resort
Tel: 01395 233200
Sidmouth Road, Clyst St Mary, Exeter, EX5 1DR.
www.crealy.co.uk/groups/birthdays
Crealy's Birthday Extravaganza package makes for the number one birthday day out in Devon. With over 60 rides and attractions to fill your day, there is no need to look any further! And if that's not enough, the birthday child will receive a special birthday card, sticker and a £10 Gift Card to spend during their visit. The birthday child will also be able to download their very own Crealy-themed birthday invitations to send out to family & friends.
What's included in a Crealy birthday?
• Entry to the Theme Park from 10:30am - 17:00pm • FREE entry for the birthday child • FREE downloadable Crealy birthday invitations
• Wristbands for the party group • Birthday card, sticker and £10 Gift Card for the birthday child.
Party Checklist: For parties at a venue
- Sort out party numbers
- Create a small list of your child’s favourite party venues in preferential order
- Check the availability of the venues and if there are any special deals
- Book a date and time with the venue. Pay the deposit
- Get the name and telephone number of the main party organiser at the venue
- Get the party invitations from the venue and send them out
- Sort out the food with the venue and establish whether a birthday cake is supplied
- Confirm numbers with the venue prior to the day
Party game ideas
Traditional party games always go down a treat. Here’s a list of some of the most classic children’s games:
- Pass the Parcel
- Musical Statues
- Musical Bumps
- Musical Chairs
- Chinese Whispers
- Blind Man’s Donkey
- Animal Charades
- Treasure Hunt
And here are a few new party game ideas –
- The Tray Game
- Dead Ants
- Doughnuts on a String
- Marsh-mallow Bobbing
- Piñata Games
Remember to stock up on prizes to award to the winning children.
Party Food Ideas 
- The birthday cake!
- A choice of sandwiches with simple fillings such as plain ham, cheese and tuna. Mix some salad leaves into some of the sandwiches – if the children don’t like it they can always take out the salad! Think about supplying some healthy options which are visually appealing and tasty.
- Chopped up vegetables such as carrots, mangetout, peppers, cucumber with cream cheese or houmous for dips
- Breadsticks
- Cheese straws
- Potato wedges
- Pizza slices
- Mini sausages and sausage rolls
- Cheese and pineapple on sticks (or uncooked sticks of spaghetti)
- Crisps and popcorn
- Chopped fruit
- Mini-sponge cakes
- Jelly Boats made from scooped out and quartered oranges. (Halve an orange, scoop out the fruit, fill it with jelly. Once set, cut into quarters)
- Ice-cream
- Drinks: Either orange and blackcurrant squash, fruit water, fruit juice, milkshakes or plain water
Birthday Cake 
Quick and Easy Chocolate Hedgehog Cake
- Buy or bake a round sponge cake.
- Divide the cake into three parts, the middle should be slightly bigger than the two sides, which should be the same size as each other.
- Cut a V-shape at the end of the middle piece of cake (this is the hedgehog’s nose). Discard the two smaller pieces. Or eat them.
- Cover the middle piece of cake with thick chocolate icing.
- Place the two remaining pieces of cake on top of the iced piece, round side up, for the Hedgehog’s hump.
- Liberally cover the entire sponge with thick chocolate icing.
- Use chocolate buttons or flakes for the Hedgehog’s spines.
- The Hedgehog’s eyes and nose can be made using Smarties or similar.
Don’t forget the candles for the cake. They are often overlooked with all the other preparations.
Party bag ideas
- Books or small colouring-in books
- Glowsticks
- Glitter Tattoos
- Small packs of pencils
- Bubbles
- Balloons
- Stickers
- Small bag of sweets
- Finger puppets
- A paper glider
- Decorate your own paper party bag
- Cake Pops
- A piece of birthday cake or a cup cake
Party politics - Invitation RSVP etiquette
For the party hosts
- Hand out the invites in plenty of time, ideally about 3 weeks before the party date.
- Include detailed information on the invitation such as the date, the start and finish times, the venue’s full address and postcode, and the name, email address and number for them to RSVP.
- Include a RSVP date to help you confirm final numbers prior to the day. You may wish to use words to the effect of: ‘As the venue requires final numbers prior to the party we would appreciate confirmation of your child’s attendance by (add RSVP date). If we do not hear from you by this date we will assume that your child is unable to attend’.
- As a second measure, about a week beforehand, you may wish to politely chase up parents who have not as yet RSVP’d.
For the guests
- RSVP as soon as you can, whether your child can make it or not.
- If something happens on the day of the party, and your child can no longer attend, let your hosts know ASAP.
- If you are running late, or need to leave early then let the hosts know in advance.
- If you have not RSVP’d then don’t just turn up uninvited.
Don't Forget Items!
- Candles for the cake
- Candle holders
- Matches
- Cake knife
- You may wish to include party bags for unexpected additional guests or young siblings
- Printable directions, including the postcode of the party venue
Five Pound Gift Ideas
Does it seem like your child is attending a different birthday party each week? Needing suggestions for generic party gifts that won’t break the bank? If you are super-savvy you will have already stocked up on a number of general items in the Sales, if not, here are some ideas for a fiver:
- Colouring-in sets and basic craft kits
- Travel and Pocket games
- Top Trumps
- Books, jotters or notepads
- Pamper packages filled with hair bands, bobbles and snazzy hairclips
- Nail art kits
- Superhero action figures
- Vouchers