Photo from OneCharmingParty

Photo from OneCharmingParty

The temperature is climbing, the school year is winding down and the festive season is about to begin – it’s a great time to throw a party!

Both my sons are summer babies so I have some practice hosting birthday parties in these hot months. They can be tricky to plan because some days are scorchers and it’s almost too hot to step outside but on other days you might get torrential storms. Don’t let uncertainty about the weather hold you back. We have some foolproof ways to help you manage whatever meteorological magic comes your way.  If the temperature soars these are our top 3 tips:

  1. Try to find a shady spot and set it up as a respite station. A table, with cool drinks like iced water and lemon juice cordial, chairs or picnic rugs for people to rest on, watermelon slices and grapes to nibble on as a cool down snack, and a pump pack of sunscreen. If you also keep a little bluetooth speaker in this spot your phone won’t overheat and your guests can add a few things to the playlist while they take a break. If you don’t have a shady spot create one by borrowing or buying a few beach umbrellas.
  2. Keep a few water spray bottles around and regularly give the kids a fine mist spray. It is an amazingly effective way to cool everyone down. If everyone is happy to get wet them you can’t beat some water balloons for fun on a hot day.
  3. Grab some ice-cube trays and some small plastic toys (insects, dinosaurs, rings, etc) and freeze them the day before the party. The kids will love using their own body heat to try to ‘free’ the animal or treasure that is trapped inside.

But if pours we recommend:

  1. Ask the guests to bring gumboots! Stomping in the garden, or on puddle filled paths is always lots of fun after a big rain and a great way to burn off all that extra energy from being cooped up indoors.
  2. Lay out a fitted sheet and pour all the lego you own onto it. The kids will have a ball creating, designing and building and the elasticised edges will keep the lego blocks contained.
  3.  Buy some crayons, stickers, child-friendly scissors and coloured paper and set up a craft table. Our hire tables are just the right size for this kind of thing. Lay out a plastic tablecloth and let the kids go crazy.

Do you have any tips for summertime entertaining? We’d love to hear them.