Hiring a children’s entertainer for a birthday party is going to involve laying out some hard earned cash. Having a Clown, Magician, Punch and Judy or Puppet Show is going to be great fun, however, you want to make the most of your investment. You have checked out the act’s credentials, followed up on a few references and your expectations are high. You want your child and his / her friends to have a great time. Here are a few pointers to make sure you get the most from your children’s entertainer.

Things to do in advance

• Find out how much space the entertainer requires.
• Check with the entertainer if you are thinking of doing the party outside.
• Discuss the room set up with the entertainer.
• Will chairs be required?
• Arrange a parking space for the entertainer’s vehicle, close to the entrance.
• Find out if the entertainer will require  assistance  bringing equipment in and out.
• Let the entertainer know if the function room is upstairs or if access is difficult.
• Ask if a power point will be required and make sure you know where sockets are located.
• Let the entertainer know about anything else you have planned for the party either before, after or during the performance.
• Will parents be staying and if so what arrangements have been made for them?
• Find out how long the entertainer needs to set up and make sure the hall is going to be open on time.

On the Day

• Avoid scattering balloons all over the floor. Save the balloons until after the entertainer has finished. The children will enjoy having a charge round at the end and they can take their balloon home with them.
• Keep children away from the entertainer’s props and equipment before the show.
• Keep an eye on any naughty / hyperactive children. They have the potential to disrupt / ruin the show for everyone else. Be prepared to take action to sort out any bad behaviour. Don’t leave it to the entertainer.
• Politely ask parents to be as quiet as possible during the show. Having a continuous din in the background is a distraction for the children and spoils their enjoyment. People probably don’t realise how noisy they are being. Imagine trying to watch your favourite TV programme with a group of adults chattering away behind you.
• Resist the temptation to give out treats, drinks, ice cream etc during the show. It can completely break the flow. Save them until afterwards.
• Keep kazoos, party poppers etc until after the show ( more fun for later )
• Ask if any children need to use the toilet before the show starts.
• Put a sticky label on each child with their first / christian name clearly written on in BLOCK capitals.  This is a great help to both you and the entertainer. It’s much nicer to be able to address the children by name.
• Discuss with the entertainer what will happen at the end of the show. Make sure you both know what happens next.

If you are able to cover most of the above points it could make the difference between having a good birthday party to having a brilliant birthday party. Remember the old adage :

” prior preparation and planning prevents poor performance “

Hope your next party is a FANTASTIC one !

Have you ever had a birthday party that went terribly wrong ? If so what would you do better next time ?

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