Kids party ideas in Melbourne

Party Options

In Melbourne the possibilities of what to do at a party for kids entertainment are almost limitless. Besides all the unpaid options such as dress-ups, pass-the-parcel and cops and robbers games, the party scene has changed in recent years with numerous themed options becoming available. There are face painters, fairies and dolls for the girls, while boys can become cowboys for a day and even do paint-ball shooting at a numver of venues in and around Melbourne. All cost money, but in terms of the time and cost of DYI, most compare favourably with alternatives. The age of the kids does make a difference and of course younger kids are easier to please than the older ones. You can get away with a few swings and like for small kids, or perhaps a jumping castle. But for older children, they will require something a little more. Teens and tweens are perhaps the hardest age-group of all to deal with in that they are fickle, have a short attention span and most of what the like involves, sex, drugs and rock and roll, all of which most parents tend to shy away from..

Reptile shows and parties?

In Melbourne there are a number of reptile party show companies who specialize in childrens reptile birthday parties, school shows and wildlife displays across Victoria. They are a cost effective way to entertain children at most party events. The companies do vary somewhat in many regards and it is wise to make sure you know what you are paying for before they turn up, or else you could be in for a nasty shock. Not all will allow children to hold the critters. Some do and some don't. It is that simple. The animals brought along also varies. Some companies will bring dozens of reptiles to a kids party, while others may only bring two or three reptiles to share among the entire crowd. Then there are the venomous species. In Victoria their use in displays is illegal under the OH and S Act of 2004, but some firms still use them, operating with the corrupt protection of state wildlife officers. One company is ahead of the regulatory game and uses devenomized snakes, which comply with the rules. It is illegal to let venomous or dangerous reptiles be handled by the public, although again some companies do break the rules. If shopping around for your next reptile party in Melbourne, there are some questions worth asking and getting answers to. These include asking how many years have they been in business. If it's less than 10, you may be putting your kids at risk. Is the owner of the business a recognized expert and not just someone with a reptile collection. If you don't get the answers you want, then go elsewhere.

Cost for the Kids parties

Ask how much your paid entertainer will cost! Make sure you get all the fine print or you may be in for an unwanted surprise. With reptile displays, some companies charge a single booking fee, while others add to this a per guest rate, which can easily more than double the quoted amount. In other words, the firm that may have seemed cheapest at the outset, may in fact be dearer than another company. The same applies when booking other entertainers, be they clowns, face-painters, pony riding or whatever! Also beware of unspecified promises, such as the free birthday gift caper. Usually it is a bit of throw-away junk that's effectively worthless! Also check payment options. While most people pay for their party entertainment by cash, some prefer to use cheque, credit card or something else. There may be fees attached to these and not all companies will accept other methods of payment. If you own a business, you may be able to claim some of the expenses back!

Photos!

Be sure to get lots! A party without photos is hardy a party worth having at all. The memories will be far better if acconmpanied by a few photos taken at the moment. This is particularly the case for a reptile or wildlife party, when your guests are able to be seen holding the animals. In Melbourne only one company lets people hold the animals at every wildlife show, so again it pays to shop around before booking any company. While most people have phone cameras, the fact is that most don't take photos as good as those that come from a camera. Good digital cameras are now inexpensive and if you don't have one handy for your next kids party or event, I suggest you add the purchase of one of these to your list of pre-party expenses.