15 Children’s Party Entertainment Ideas That Aren’t a Bouncy Castle

Planning a children’s birthday party and drawing a blank beyond hiring a bouncy castle? You’re definitely not alone.

There’s nothing wrong with a bouncy castle, of course. Kids love them. But if you’re looking for children’s party entertainment ideas that are a little more creative, work indoors or give everyone something to take home, there are plenty of alternatives.

From glitter bars and jewellery making to science experiments and mini discos, here are 15 children’s birthday party ideas worth considering.

1. Glitter Bar

A glitter bar for a children’s party gives every guest the chance to choose their favourite colours and have biodegradable cosmetic glitter professionally applied to their face or hair.

It works particularly well because children can make their own choices. Some will inevitably want every colour available. Others might choose something much more subtle.

A glitter bar can run as a standalone activity or alongside other party entertainment, with children visiting throughout the celebration to get sparkled.

At Glitter Elements, our children's glitter bars include a professional glitter artist, a colourful selection of cosmetic-grade biodegradable glitter and a fully styled glitter station.

2. Jewellery-Making Workshop

If you’re looking for a creative children's party activity, jewellery making is a brilliant option.

Children can choose their own beads, colours and charms before designing something completely individual. Depending on the workshop, they might create a bracelet, necklace, keyring or another piece to take home afterwards.

It also solves another birthday-party problem: the party favour is already sorted.

Glitter Elements offers jewellery-making workshops for children's parties, with the materials, tools and guidance provided.

3. Mini Disco

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best.

Put together a playlist of their favourite songs, add some colourful lighting and create a mini dance floor. You can add musical statues, dance competitions and games throughout the party to keep things moving.

For younger children, shorter bursts of dancing between other activities can work particularly well.

4. Science Party

For children who love making, experimenting and discovering how things work, a science-themed birthday party can be a fantastic alternative to traditional entertainment.

Think slime making, fizzy experiments, colour-changing concoctions and safe hands-on demonstrations.

There are specialist children's entertainers who run complete science parties, or you could create a few simple supervised experiments yourself.

5. Arts and Crafts Party

Set up a creative station and let everyone make something.

Depending on the children's ages, this could include painting, decorating tote bags, making friendship bracelets, designing masks or creating decorations.

The trick is to choose something achievable within the time available. Nobody wants to discover halfway through a two-hour birthday party that the chosen craft requires four hours and access to a kiln.

6. Treasure Hunt

A treasure hunt can transform even a familiar venue into an adventure.

Hide clues around your home, garden or party venue and divide children into teams to solve them.

You can adapt the theme around whatever the birthday child loves, from dinosaurs and pirates to superheroes, animals or magic.

Finish with a treasure chest containing sweets, small toys or party bags.

7. Cupcake or Biscuit Decorating

Give each child a selection of biscuits or cupcakes and let them loose with icing, sprinkles and decorations.

It’s part activity, part snack and potentially part absolute chaos. Which, frankly, is quite a strong combination for a children's party.

For larger celebrations, you can also hire professional baking or decorating workshops where everything is supplied.

8. Magician

There’s a reason children's magicians have been around for generations.

A good children's entertainer knows how to involve the audience rather than simply performing in front of them, making magic a particularly useful option if you need an activity that occupies everyone at the same time.

Look for performers who specialise in the age group you're inviting and check reviews before booking.

9. Pamper Party

For older children and tweens, a pamper-style party can be great fun.

You could include nail painting, temporary tattoos, hair styling or age-appropriate beauty activities.

Add dressing gowns, mocktails, music and some snacks and you've got a relaxed party that feels a little more grown-up without actually being particularly grown-up at all.

10. Karaoke Party

If your child and their friends aren't remotely shy, karaoke can provide hours of entertainment.

Hire a karaoke machine or create a home setup with microphones, a screen and a playlist of familiar songs.

You could even create your own mini talent show, although competitive judging is probably best avoided unless you fancy mediating a heated argument between eight-year-olds.

11. Outdoor Games

If you've got access to a garden, field or outdoor venue, old-fashioned games still work remarkably well.

Try sack races, egg-and-spoon races, tug of war, relay races, giant Jenga or rounders.

For larger children's parties, dividing guests into small teams can make activities easier to manage.

And yes, have a wet-weather plan. This is Britain.

12. Silent Disco

A silent disco can be a brilliant birthday party idea for older children and teenagers.

Everyone gets wireless headphones and dances to music without filling the entire venue with noise. Some systems even allow guests to switch between different music channels.

They're particularly useful for venues with noise restrictions, or parents who'd quite like to retain their hearing.

13. Circus Skills

Plate spinning, juggling, hula hooping and basic circus skills make for a very hands-on party.

Rather than sitting and watching a performance, children can actually learn something themselves.

Specialist circus entertainers often provide equipment and structure the activities according to the children's ages.

14. Movie Night

Not every birthday celebration needs to involve non-stop organised entertainment.

Create a cosy cinema with cushions, blankets, popcorn and a favourite film. You could even provide cinema-style tickets, snack boxes and a pick-and-mix station.

Movie parties can work particularly well for smaller groups, sleepovers and older children.

15. Combine Activities into a Party Package

If you've got several hours to fill, you don't necessarily have to choose just one activity.

Combining two or three activities gives the party a natural structure and stops children becoming bored with one thing.

For example, a party might begin with a glitter bar, move into a jewellery-making workshop, break for food and cake, then finish with music and games.

Glitter Elements offers combined children's party packages featuring glitter bars and jewellery-making workshops, with a tailored music playlist to help create a complete party rather than simply one short activity.

How Do You Choose the Right Children's Party Entertainment?

Before booking anything, think about the age of the children, number of guests, venue and how long the party will last.

For younger children, activities that change regularly can help keep their attention. Older children and tweens may prefer something more creative that gives them freedom to chat while they're doing it.

Also consider whether every child can participate.

If you're inviting children with different physical, sensory or additional needs, speak to your entertainment provider beforehand about how activities can be adapted. Small changes can make a considerable difference to whether everyone feels included.

How Much Entertainment Do You Need for a Children's Party?

You don't need to schedule every second.

In fact, trying to squeeze seven organised activities into two hours can turn a birthday party into something resembling a military exercise.

For a typical party, one main entertainment activity combined with food, cake, music and some free time may be plenty.

For longer celebrations, two complementary activities can work particularly well.

Creative Children's Parties in Oxfordshire

If you're planning a children's birthday party in Oxfordshire and looking for something colourful and creative, Glitter Elements offers glitter bar hire, jewellery-making workshops and combined children's party packages.

Our activities can be adapted for different ages and abilities, and we provide the materials, equipment and set-up needed for the activities we've been booked to deliver.

Whether you're organising a small birthday celebration at home or hiring a hall for a larger party, we can help you create something a little different.

Planning a Children's Party?

The best children's parties don't need dozens of activities or an enormous budget. Pick something the birthday child genuinely enjoys, give everyone enough time to get involved and don't try to fill every minute.

And if that happens to involve quite a lot of glitter, we certainly won't object.

Explore Glitter Elements children's party packages, glitter bar hire and jewellery-making workshops, or get in touch to tell us what you're planning.