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!
Parties Edinburgh
Everyone remembers parties from their childhood, so when it’s your child’s turn to host a party, naturally you will want to make it extra special for them.
Thankfully, it’s pretty easy to arrange a bespoke party, whether this is at home or a party venue of choice.
Many venues and entertainers offer a multitude of packages to suit different tastes and budgets, which you can read about in this party guide.
The great reward for all the effort, is a very happy child, who will be filled with plenty of fond memories...
So, what are the latest Children's Party Trends for 2018?
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.
Unicorn, Rainbow and My Little Pony Parties
Unicorns, Rainbow and My Little Pony are big news at the moment, so if your child wants this as his or her party theme, you will be spoilt for choice as many shops and partyware stores currently provide a mass of items to suit all budgets.
Add an extra element of surprise with some fun quirky goodies such as rainbow juice, unicorn photo booth props, rainbow wands, unicorn magic potion or My Little Pony invites.
Fairy Tents and Indoor Teepees
Fairy Tents and Indoor Teepees are great places for the children to enjoy a mini adventure away from the watchful eye of the adults in charge. Inside their ‘secret’ den they can use their wildest imaginations to tell fantastic stories and play fun spy games. Furnish the tent or den with sparkly fairy lights or lanterns and pad it out with cosy rugs and comfortable cushions. A food hamper filled with a feast of cupcakes, chopped fruit and snacks will go down a treat too. For inspiration take a look at the Pinterest pages – fairy tents and indoor teepees
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.
Ice-cream and Milkshake Parties
Ice-cream and milkshake parties offer a really appetising option, enabling guests to have fun concocting their own indulgent delicacy. Many family friendly cafes and venues provide this type of party where half the fun is consuming the final creation. Needless to say, this a great option for those on a budget, as the food is part of the package.
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 party providers and entertainers close to you:
TimeTwisters Play and Party Centre
Tel: 0131 639 0186
www.timetwisters.co.uk/party
Your child’s birthday party is one of the most important days of their year. Over the past 12 years, TimeTwisters has built an unrivalled expertise in making sure their parties offer an exciting, fun and memorable experience. As an award-winning kid’s birthday party specialist in Edinburgh, it offers a wide choice of parties and options to ensure all guests have great fun. From Soft-Play parties to Make-A-Bear and Laser-Tag parties, the party team know what it takes to make your child’s special day an extra special one. With a TimeTwisters birthday party, you know you’re in safe hands and can relax and enjoy the day as much as the children.
Mamma’s Pizza
Tel: 0131 225 6464
Mamma's American Pizza is situated in the heart of the Grassmarket, close to kids’ attractions including the National Museum of Scotland, Camera Obscura and Edinburgh Castle. Step inside Mamma's and you will find award winning pizza, a child friendly service, a warm and cosy interior, a kids’ menu, colouring competitions, a treasure chest full of surprises and take-home treats. Perfect family meals, birthday celebrations or pizza making parties for your kids.
Yoo-Star
Tel: 0131 448 2170
Ever wondered what it’s like to be a pop star? Wonder no more! Go to Yoo-Star to give party guests all the thrills they could hope for. Dress up in a glamorous dressing room for a photo-shoot, experience the thrill of being on stage in a funky stage area and enjoy a backstage rider. Then, record what you like at Yoo Star’s professionally designed studio, see yourself live on TV, sit with the engineer to mix songs, enjoy the VIP lounge and have a professionally designed cover featuring the party group. Yoo-Star caters for everyone from friends having fun, to demos for record companies and tracks for worldwide release.
The Larder Cook School
Tel: 01506 412819
www.thelardercookschool.org.uk
In a gleaming new teaching kitchen in Bellsquarry, Livingston, a team of professional chefs and volunteers are transforming lives of people in West Lothian via food and cooking. The Larder runs kids’ parties where the children prepare food from scratch under professional instruction, including the birthday cake. There is always plenty over to put in the party bags and take away! Parties are suitable for up to ten children and cost £18 per head for a 2 ½ hour all-inclusive party.
Almond Valley
Tel: 01506 414957
Birthday parties at Almond Valley are special occasions as children are left with big smiles and happy memories. Almond Valley parties uniquely include: A brightly decorated room that serves as a base for the two hour duration of the party, a choice of delicious party food, party badges, tooters, an exclusive tractor and trailer ride, a play session in the Morag’s Meadow soft play and a chance to stay on and play on the farm after the party. Goody bags can also be supplied.
Rugby Tots
Tel: 0345 313 3252
Led by energetic, fun and passionate coaches, and backed up with an array of fantastic reviews, your child's Rugbytots party will be an event the kids won't forget. Rugbytots offer excellent value parties, designed with mass participation games and activities in mind, and are suitable for all children between 4 and 7 years old. You don't need to attend the weekly classes to enjoy a Rugbytots party. For further details, contact Sandra at sandra@rugbytots.co.uk
Doodles
Tel: 0131 229 1399
Doodles offer a great party package for up to 30 children in its Marchmont studio. Party packages include shelf items such as figurines and plaques, as well as standard mugs, bowls or plates. Glaze fired items are ready for collection after 4-5 days. Party time is divided between painting followed by a birthday tea. Doodles don't supply food but the studio offers complimentary teas or coffees for adults, and juice or water for children - most people take along a selection of finger foods, treats and a cake. Parties can be customised to suit party budgets. Doodles can also offer a take home party in a box kit, as well as decopatch and acrylic options.
Scottish Seabird Centre
Tel: 01620 890202
Take a child’s party to the seaside with the 5-star Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick, only 30 minutes from Edinburgh. The Seabird team offer a whole host of party themes to ensure a child’s birthday will stand out from the crowd, from Pirates, Mermaids, Professor Egghead’s Science Show, Puffin Circus and Under the Sea. Select activity sessions, food, games and face painting – you can even have your child’s name displayed on a board in one of the fish tanks! They offer online printable invites, thank-you cards and a gift for the birthday child. Parties start from £15 per child. Special offer! The first 10 people to book their Seabird Birthday Party for 2018 will get 5 free spaces (min 15 people to attend – other T&Cs apply).
Pure Brilliant Events
Tel: Bex on 07593 332744
Edinburgh-based, Pure Brilliant Events offers parties all over the city centre and the Lothians. It specialises in face painting and balloon modelling at private parties and public events. It also offers glitter tattoos, balloon displays/decorations and there’s a popcorn and candy floss machines for hire too. Pure Brilliant Events’ rates start from just £35 for an hour and there are fantastic savings to be had with the party package deals. For enquiries, contact Bex at info@purebrilliantevents.co.uk
Midlothian Snowsports Centre
Tel: 0131 445 4433
www.midlothian.gov.uk/info/200281/snowsports_centre
Fancy a party with a difference? If so, why not try a tubing party? For an exhilarating ride down the hill, slide down the purpose built tubing runs in an inflatable doughnut ring – it’s great fun for all the party guests! After an exhilarating hour's tubing, enjoy a meal in the special party room below Cafe 360. Skiing, snowboarding and tubing are all available at Midlothian Snowsports Centre, Britain’s largest artificial slope.
World of Football and World of Bowling
Tel: 0131 443 0404
www.worldofbowling.com and www.worldoffootball.com
The friendly team at World of Football and World of Bowling know how to keep the kids happy, by delivering a perfect party experience. Parties are stress and mess free, so why not leave your house in perfect order and take the kids to either the World of Bowling or World of Football? There’s a wide range of party options to suit children of all ages. Why not, get in touch to organise your child's bowling, football or bubble party today? Find the World of Bowling and World of Football at Edinburgh Corn Exchange, 10 Newmarket Road, Edinburgh, EH14 1RJ.
Party Checklist
Party Checklist: For parties at home
- Decide on the timings and date of the party
- Decide on how many children you can comfortably accommodate in your house
- Send out the invitations
- Sort out the entertainment if it’s required. Book the entertainer, face painter, bouncy castle
- Plan in the fun factor or create a theme
- Sort out a music playing device
- Select party games for the children to play
- Source decorations, party tableware, balloons and party hats
- Purchase the food and drink
- Get the birthday cake
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