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It seems like only yesterday when breastfeeding and changing nappies were your only responsibilities. But time flies quickly and with your child turning one, you now have to wear your super mom hat to successfully put together a birthday party for 50 guests.

How do you do one?  Don’t worry, Tokyo families has your back.

Whether you are putting together a simple or elaborate party for your birthday boy or girl, everything starts with advanced planning. Resist the temptation to decide very close to the date because things could go wrong like guests you intend to invite may not be available on the date or booking party venues on short notice could possibly lead to costs adding up quickly.

With advanced planning, you can shop for the best deals in town and there’s no need to be rushing around.

Where to hold the party
Unlike drop off parties that are common with older children, this is not the case for small children whose parents need to stick around. So you have to take into consideration that the venue will be able to comfortably accommodate the number of invited adults and kids. Another point to think about is choosing a place that is easy to find and within reasonable distance. Many rental venues are booked by the hour and the temptation is to go for the minimum. The time for setting up and clearing up needs to be considered as well.

When to hold the party
There are good reasons most children’s parties are held on a weekend. You don’t want to have exhausted children who would cry all day. Schedule parties when children have the energy in the morning or early afternoon to enjoy.

What to serve guests
In planning the menu, asking the ages of kids and/or their food allergies in advance helps you know what is alright and what is not to serve at the party. Another practical idea is to prepare the right quantity so that no food gets wasted. Some moms and dads
don’t really eat much at parties because they’re busy keeping an eye on the
children and chatting with other parents.

Theme, Activities & Entertainment
Choosing a theme that appeals to the age of the birthday girl or boy is a good place to start. You can
ask the guests to come in costumes except the costume the
birthday celebrant will be wearing. Schedule activities or hire a magician to keep the kids entertained.

When to open the presents
Opening birthday gifts and thanking the giver might be a polite thing to do but kid !ghts and unwanted distraction can happen. Save the opening for when all the guests have left.

Others
With toddlers and young children as guests, expect some accidents. Keep cloths, wet tissues and kitchen towel handy.

 

Should you hire a photographer?  Read our tips here

 

Should you do goody bags?

After years of living in Japan, I realize giving out goody bags to guests at a party is not just a Western tradition. My kids and I have been to kiddie parties hosted by Japanese families and we always went home with little bags that had goodies or cute trinkets inside.
While some parents may feel obligated to do the same , others could do without them, I guess the message hosts are sending by the gesture is it’s friendly to thank guests for coming and joining your child’s special day. Somehow, children respond to kindness in the same way. Party favors don’t necessarily have to be expensive. But if you really have to skip giving goodie bags, you can instead give each child a balloon.

 

We swear, your party could go a lot smoother with help from Tokyo families’  children’s party experts…  Check out what’s on offer!

Venues

GYMBOREE PLAY AND MUSIC BIRTHDAY PARTY PACKAGES

Gymboree Play & Music has been fostering creativity and confidence in children ages 0-5 for over 40 years. Today there are over 700 locations in 40+ countries, making us the global leader in early childhood development programs. Designed by experts in both education and in play, our age-appropriate activities help develop the cognitive, physical and social skills of children as they play.

Have your child’s next 1^st through 4^th birthday party at our Motoazabu(Hiroo) or Jiyugaoka Gymboree Play & Music location! Our 90-minute standard birthday package is for up to 20 kids and includes site rental, teacher-led activities, soft drinks, paper goods and basic decorations! All you need to do is to bring the cake, snacks, balloons and goody bags! Hosts can choose their child’s favorite theme and we’ll create a private, personalized, teacher-led party experience filled with kid-friendly activities guaranteed to be 100% fun with zero clean up.

Our original party themes include: First Birthday Party, Farmyard Fun, Ocean Adventure, Construction Zone, All About Trains, Princess Playhouse, Little Super Heroes, Dinosaur Adventures, Jungle Safari, Sports Galore, Arts Party, Music Party and more!

Our standard party agenda includes 15 minutes of free play, 40 minutes of teacher-led activities, 20 minutes of refreshment time and 15 minutes of parachute and bubble time. However, hosts can extend up to 30 minutes which will give them more activity and/or refreshment time.

Hosts can also invite up to 25 children and siblings under 1 year old and over 5 years old can join in the fun free of charge! Please contact our Motoazabu (Hiroo) 03-5449-2311 or Jiyugaoka 03-3723-0651 for pricing information and to reserve your date!

https://www.gymboglobal.jp/en

KINDERBASE MEIDAIMAE PARTY VENUES FOR RENT

However exciting party planning is for parents, it could also be a stressful affair. Any mom and dad will want to pack a big birthday blowout with as much fun as possible but one that’s easy on the purse strings. If you want to get rid of all the stress from entertaining and post-party cleaning (at home) and make an event a super memorable one, renting a party space for a few hours could be a smart choice. Renting a space with all the facilities provided for a fun, creative day is the most popular and convenient choice in Tokyo.

Kinder Base, a family-friendly social gathering space for rent in Setagaya-ku has everything you need to keep the kids happy and party hosts sane! Not only is the space perfect for children’s birthday, graduation, welcome or sayonara parties, it’s ideal for creative and educational purposes as well. Whether you want an activity-packed or a play-focussed party, the rent
package at Kinder-Base’s 100 sqm brightly colored play space delivers.

Rental fee includes use of air trampoline, slide, piano (option), play kitchen, blocks, and many other fun toys and facilities. Full access to a kitchen for those bringing in food and drinks makes it a convenient option. If you don’t have the time to prepare party food, you can always count on their catering
service. at a reasonable price. To book a space for an upcoming event, call or check availability using the Kinder-Base calendar on the website.

Party Rental Packs
¥45,000
2 pm – 8 pm (6 hours)
¥30,000
10 am – 1 pm (3 hours) 2 pm – 5 pm (3 hours)
¥25,000
2 pm – 8 pm (3 hours) 6 pm – 9 pm (3 hours) 30 min extension + ¥6,000 (reservation) 30 min extension + ¥7,000 (on the day)

For all ages

You’re welcome to bring in food and drinks. Request for tables upon reservation. Dates can not be moved. Pets and paints are restricted on the party venue. Cancellation fees apply (5-7 days prior to the event, 30%, 1-4 days prior, 50% and on-the-day cancellation 100%)

Address:!Matsubara 2-27-14 3F, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

Nearest station: Meidaimae station by Keio Inokashira Line (Paid parking spaces available close to the venue)  Tel: 03-3321-0041 http://kinder-base.com/

 

ENTERTAINMENT

 

LET’S PARTY TOKYO

From clowns to superheroes, fairies, magicians, and ninja, Let’s Party Tokyo performers are your go-to favorite for parties, school fairs, and kiddie events that are sure to impress!

Amazing balloon creations, fancy face painting, magic, and activities are just a sampling of the fun you get with every show. Shows are recommended for ages 2-13, but, they admit, they’ve been known to be plenty of fun with the grownups too!

The Clown Show—The classic theme is a perfect mix of games, laughs, and interaction followed by comedy magic and balloons.
The Pirate Show—Swashbucklers and rouges alike will love this show that comes complete with magic, daring games, a treasure
hunt, and face painting.
The Princess Party—Every Princess or Prince needs a fairy godmother. Your pick of Clown, Ninja, Pirate, or Magician will accompany the Fairy for an unforgettable party surprise.
The Ninja Show—Learn the secrets of the legendary shadow warriors as you travel back in time for some uzuragakure and shuriken practice. Activities
included ninja star crafting and warrior training.
Star Warriors—Practice your blaster skills, design your own light sabre, and master Jedi mind tricks when you book the Star Warriors Show. Star Wars fans of all ages will love this action-packed show.
Balloons, Face painting and Games (BFG)—Get all the fun with all the kids…and tweens! This unique package is all dancing, music, and games, perfect for when your baby thinks they’ve outgrown themed costume parties. This show comes complete with a balloon twisting class!
Super Duper Heroes—Bring on the heroics with the newest addition that kicks o! with face painting that gets everyone into character!  Let’s Party shows are seamless from start to “nish with their two- man teams capable of captivating any crowd. Kick things up a notch and give the kids their day their way!   http://letspartytokyo.com/

 

MR. MAGICIO
Tokyo’s Premiere Children’s Party Entertainer

Mr Magicio’s party entertainment will make your child’s birthday party a super special day to remember. Mr Magicio’s lively personality and funny jokes get even the most shy children rolling around laughing and before you know it, the whole party is rocking! Mr Magicio plays guitar, sings, juggles, does magic and balloon animals but, most important is he’s great with kids.

The Magic Birthday Party Plan includes: Welcome Time balloon animals for all the children with circus toys play; Circle Time guitar sing-along with puppet show, Flashcard quiz and stereo freeze dance; Advance balloon creation for the birthday child; and The Mr Magicio Magic Show with special birthday helper and happy birthday guitar accompaniment for the birthday
cake song.

Mr Magicio can also tailor-make a party to suit you. From pirates to princess and cars to clowns, Mr Magicio can incorporate themed songs, games and balloons into the party. The new Mr Magicio Science party has become very popular with inquisitive older children. With lab coats, bubbling experiments and wacky science show, it’s proving to be a real blast!

Face painting and party balloon decoration options are also available.Eddie Barth aka Mr Magicio has been living in Japan working with children at an international kindergarten in Shirokanedai for 10 years. Through popular demand, Eddie set up his birthday party business “Mr Magicio” in 2010 and it has been going from strength to strength ever since. Eddie speaks English and Japanese !uently and incorporates both languages into his act with jokes that the parents and children can enjoy alike. Eddie has been studying the art of balloon twisting for 8 years and always welcomes a challenge. As well as being a kindergarten teacher and clown, Eddie also appears regularly on NHK’s “Cool Japan” and is the founder of the Tokyo Hat Party Event.

Free 30-min extension for Tokyo families readers who book Mr. Magicio. The first 12 guests will also get a free face painting add- on. For more details, check out MrMagicio.com or the MrMagicio facebook page.

FANCY BIRTHDAY CAKES

(…because kiddie parties won’t work without it)

Kids are imagineers.  They know exactly what theme they want on their birthday. If keeping with the theme becomes a bit out of budget, Tokyo’s master cake bakers have got you covered. Just mention Tokyo families special offer and get a sweet deal.

 

KYLE’S GOOD FINDS

Kylie’s Good Finds is Tokyo’s go-to for made-to-order American style theme cakes and pies. Just tell Mr. Kyle what cartoon character or hero you want and he’ll whip something really fancy for you.  Mention Tokyo families and get 15% on cakes.  Delivery charge is separate.  http://www.kylesgoodfinds.info/welcome.html

UPPERCRUST

20% discount to the “rst 20 families who book. 10% discount applies to those who book from September 2018.  Contact:  uppercrust14@gmail.com or its facebook page

VANILLABEAN

No delivery service provided so arrange pick-up. Allow 1 week in advance for ordinary cakes and 2 weeks for theme cakes. https://m.facebook.com/ Vanillabeantokyo/

 

PARTY SUPPLIES

 

Tokyu Hands
    To pull off an exciting theme party,  check out Tokyu hands in Shibuya.  They have a wide selection of  theme costumes and accessories to match every occasion.  Most of the goods are not displayed online so schedule a visit to the store well in advance.

Rakuten    (www.rakuten.co.jp/party-honpo/)
Browse at the wide range of party goods offered at this Japanese popular online store. From Disney to famous superhero kid’s costume and anything in-between, you are sure to find something appropriate for your party.

Costume Craze  (www.costumecraze.com)
If you are looking for Japanese inspired costumes, this is the site to shop.  They pretty much have every special effects to match your get up from wigs, stockings to makeup.

Joyous Days   (http://shop.jiyugaoka.net/joyousdays)
Located in Jiyugaoka,  it’s a fun store for kids party supplies.                              
Tel. 03-6421-3561  Jiyugaoka Sakura Terrace B1, Midorigaoka 2-16-10, Meguro-ku Tokyo 152-0032

Sweethearts  (www.sweetheart2.com)
 This online store runs a whole gamut of party accessories from baby shower sweets to multi-shaped and colored birthday picks.  If you will be baking your own cake and need accessories for a fun effect, here’s where to get them.

Nicofee Balloon Park  (www.nicofee.com)
No fun party is complete without a balloon.  If you are throwing a party and want it to be special,  this is your shop to look for something unique.  It carries different balloon types and shapes that kids will adore.

 

Read also:  The Birthday Tradition

 

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