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 in Edinburgh
A birthday is a momentous time in a child’s year.
After all it’s the day when they are likely to be showered with gifts, attention, cards and a pile of treats.
Unlike Christmas, a birthday is unique to them, when they become centre-stage, which depending on your child’s nature, may overwhelm them or they may absorb all the attention with glee.
Nevertheless, we all want to make our children feel special on their big day, and this heightens the importance of the birthday party.
As a result, many parents adopt a multi-faceted role where they become party planner, supreme cook, lively entertainer, room decorator, present giver and childcare supervisor. That’s quite a list, which, unsurprisingly, can seem a little daunting.
Yet, there are many alternative options that will help to lighten the load.
Outside caterers can be used, charismatic children’s entertainers can engage a room full of children for a couple of hours, and party bags can be supplied by an outside provider.
Local attractions also offer party packages and take care of all the arrangements making it an appealing option for many time-constrained families.
Currently, there are strong trends in pamper and makeover parties; Nerf, Laser Quest and science parties; and action related parties such as trampolining, go karting, outdoor pursuits, dancing, climbing – even assault courses.
Yet, parties are as individual as each child, so to assist you in the decision-making process, we’ve included a mass of ideas and tips on this party page.
Remember to keep returning to this page for when it’s your turn to arrange a party…
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Sending invitations - Don’t leave it to the last minute to issue invitations. Send out invites approximately three weeks before the date of your party. The invite should contain all the information the guest’s parents need to know.
A Piñata - A relatively recent addition to the party circuit but these days no party is complete without one. The Piñata is a papier mache shape (often a donkey as they originate in Mexico) containing sweets.
The Piñata is hung up and the children take turns at bashing it while blindfolded. It’s a lot of fun, but be warned, stand back once it splits and the sweets come out. Piñatas are available from many supermarkets. You can also order them online.
Entertainment - If you hire someone, be sure to call them a day or two before the event to confirm they are coming.
Party Bags - The contents of an individual party bag may seem relatively cheap at first but by the time you multiply it by a classroom of children, the sum quickly adds up.
Finding an affordable 
alternative suddenly becomes a desirable option. Sweet tables, where jars of confectionary are lined up, similar to a candy cart, enable the children to fill their party bag with a small treat before returning home.
Alternatively, sweet cones are a popular option. These are cheap and easy to make, and look like a piping bag filled with sweets.
Sorting Food - Keep it simple and non-fussy. Just make sure there’s plenty of crisps and enough birthday cake for everyone. Provide your guests with plenty of water, you can get individual small water bottles from supermarkets for little expense.
Five Pound Birthday Party 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
Needing party inspiration?
Search for the Primary Times Pinterest Edinburgh pages for quick and easy inspiration. Find everything from face painting designs to quick party hairstyles for the restless child.
Here are some details about party providers and entertainers in Edinburgh and the Lothians...
Doodles
Tel: 0131 229 1399
Doodles offer a great party package for up to 30 children in its Marchmont studio at £12 per head. Party packages include shelf items such as figurines, plaques etc. 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 bring along a selection of finger foods, treats and a cake. Doodles is a perfect destination for all ages to party, parties can be customised to suit party budgets and are always happy to discuss individual party ideas. Doodles can also offer a take home party in a box kit, as well as decopatch and acrylic options.
Bryans Farm Photography
Tel: 07538 155814
https://www.facebook.com/BryansFarmPhotography
Photoshoot parties with Bryans Farm Photography. Go along with friends to a professional working photography studio and strut your stuff. Photoshoot parties are fantastic fun in a relaxed environment and of course you will have some lasting memories too. Various packages to suit party needs.
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 as used by a number of chart topping Scottish acts, see yourself live on TV, sit in with the engineer as they mix songs or enjoy the comfort of a VIP lounge and have a professionally designed cover featuring the party group. Yoo-Star caters for everyone from friends having fun, stag and hen parties to demos for record companies and tracks for worldwide release.
TimeTwisters Play & Party Centre
Tel: 0131 639 0189
A child’s birthday party is one of the most important days of their year. Over the past 10 years TimeTwisters have built an unrivalled expertise in making sure parties are exciting, fun and a memorable experience.
As Edinburgh’s award winning kids’ birthday party specialist, TimeTwisters offer a wide choice of parties and options to ensure all guests have “The Greatest Fun in History”. From Soft-Play Parties to Make-A-Bear and Laser-Tag Parties, the party team know what it takes to make a child’s special day an extra special one. With a TimeTwisters Birthday Party, relax and enjoy the day as much as the children.
Hula Honeys
Tel: 07824 641 133
Hula Honeys is obsessed with sharing the joy of hooping with people of all ages. Children love to hoop on and off their bodies, to learn simple routines and to play amazing hooping games. Hula Honeys offer original and fun children's birthday parties. They are available to come into schools, youth clubs or independent venues for workshops. Find them on Facebook: Hula Honeys UK or for more information email: kim.sibbald@hulahoneys.co.uk
Gladys Chucklebutty
Tel: 07971 946 708
Celebrating 20 years in entertainment, Gladys Chucklebutty performs shows all over the UK and can provide families in Edinburgh with the complete stress free party entertainment package! As soon as Gladys arrives, parents can sit back and relax! Glady’s Kids’ Party packages are tailored to suit your pocket with all-inclusive prices and provide excellent value for money. Party packages include invitations, a special trick for the birthday child, free balloon models and sweets for each child, prizes for the games and great magical entertainment.
Scottish Seabird
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 £15 per child.
Choose from: Pirates, Mermaids, Professor Egghead’s Science Show, Puffin Circus and Under the Sea. Select activity sessions, food, and 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. Plus, that all important supply of tea and coffee for the adults!
Special offer! The first 10 people to book their Seabird Birthday Party for 2017 will get 5 free spaces. (Min 15 people to attend – other T&Cs apply).
Step It Up Dance
Tel: 07428 110135
At Step It Up Dance, everyone LOVES to party, so there’s no better way for a special birthday person to celebrate their day in style! An exciting range of party packages are offered that are jam-packed full of dancing (of course!), unique dance-themed games, fun routines, encouragement, praise and a whole lot of fun. Even the invitations are included in the price of the party and sent straight to your door. Check out our social media channels and online review sites for party reviews.
Midlothian Snowsports Centre
Tel: 0131 445 4433
Skiing, snowboarding and tubing are all available at Midlothian Snowsports Centre, Britain’s largest artificial slope. Escape the city and visit the stunning hillside of the Pentland Hills Regional Park. Once you’ve mastered the basics and can use the tows, enjoy recreational skiing or snowboarding at any time.
Keep fit all year round and refresh your skills. Midlothian Snowsports Centre offers a range of ski and snowboard lessons for all ages from beginners to advanced and anything in between... and, there’s no need to worry about equipment as it can all be supplied, even down to the poles and helmets. For an exhilarating ride down the hill, slide down purpose built tubing runs in an inflatable doughnut ring, fun for all the family! Fancy a party with a difference? Why not try a tubing party? Enjoy an hour of tubing and a party meal in café 360. A free party bag is even supplied!
Howden Park Centre, Livingston
Tel: 01506 773853
Looking for a party with a difference? Then look no further than West Lothian’s No. 1 arts venue - Howden Park Centre and the fantastic creative party packages offered. During the first hour children can enjoy a dance party, learning funky dance routines or an imaginative arty party with an arts and crafts expert.
The second hour is available for you to party, eat cake or provide more entertainment. A stylish modern venue, Howden Park Centre also offers straight room hire packages, allowing you to put on your own unique event. Rooms include: sound desk and iPod docking station, glitter ball and coloured lights. Email: venuehire@westlothian.gov.uk
Parties at David Lloyd
Tel: 0131 316 2300
David Lloyd Edinburgh loves arranging kids’ parties so to make your child feel extra-special, look no further. Amazing themes, fabulously tasty party food, plus party bags and invitations, and lots of fun and games. Simply turn up with the cake, some guests and the super-special birthday child!
And it’s not just birthdays – special events can be arranged for any age group, for any occasion. Celebrate Halloween, Easter and Christmas, or host outdoor summer events or family sports tournaments – just tell us what you want, or leave everything to David Lloyd! There is a minimum of 12 children needed to attend and no age limit.
Potter Around
Tel: 01506 238961
Parties at Potter Around include a variety of different options with new ideas for 2017. At Frozen, children will be painted as a princess, like Anna or Elsa, and children can all come dressed for the part (£13 a head).
At Warhammer parties guests will glue together a model and then paint it, and while drying a game using some figures will be set up (£15 a head). Girls can paint a cupcake or trinket box and enjoy afternoon tea as well at Afternoon Tea Parties (£18 a head). Other parties are also available. The birthday boy or girl gets a plate to keep with the fingerprints of their guests on it and a design of their choice in the middle.
Be Experimental
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Be Experimental science parties are exciting, unique and unforgettable! Ideal for ages 5 years and above, the kids will enjoy an hour of interactive fun taking part in science experiments, making gooey slime or even extracting their own DNA. Fun add-ons like dry ice drinks and lab coat hire can be added to make your child’s party truly special.
Almond Valley
Tel: 01506 414957
Birthday parties at Almond Valley are special occasions. Children are left with big smiles and happy memories. Almond Valley parties are very different from hurried affairs offered by many fast food outlets and play centres, and 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 and, 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. The standard birthday party package costs £10.50 per child, for a minimum of ten children and there are additional catering options for the adults. Goody Bags can also be supplied.
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 in Edinburgh
- 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
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
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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