Party Preparation
Seven years of Suri
Seven years ago today recently engaged superstars, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes welcomed their first and only daughter together, Suri Cruise, into the world.
Which celebrity kids celebrate their birthday this month?
Everyone loves a birthday and we couldn't let the year go by without wishing all the celebrity kids out there a very happy birthday.
Feeling the kids' party pressure?
Megan Doherty Some parents will spend an awful lot on their little darling's birthday.
Mother bakes snake cake for daughter's birthday, cake goes viral
Staff writers Francesca Pitcher created a special birthday cake for her reptile mad, six-year-old daughter: a cake so real it 'freaked out' the party guests.
Amazing snake cake
Snake cakes: be inspired by these creepily realistic confections
Party planning tips for parents
Louise Fulton Keats Louise Fulton Keats shares her tips on how to pull together the ultimate at home birthday party without the stress.
Show us your party!
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Our readers are a creative bunch and they especially like to throw a good birthday party for their kids. If you would like to show off your own party throwing skills simply submit your pictures here or if you are looking for some inspiration browse through these very talented submissions.
Six years of Shiloh
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Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt celebrated her sixth birthday on May 27, 2012 and to celebrate Essential Kids looks back over the past six years of the cover stars jet-setting life.
Princess Isabella turns five
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See the latest pictures of the Danish princess, Isabella, in celebration of her fifth birthday.The cute daughter of Crown Prince Frederik and Australian-born Crown Princess Mary is growing fast.
A birthday party makes the difference
Louise Schwartzkoff WHILE some five year olds celebrate their birthdays with jumping castles, fairy floss machines and pony rides, Miri Hurwitz's birthday party was a simpler affair. Her mother, Beverley, booked a party at a community kitchen in Bondi where the children baked biscuits to give away.
Party Preparation
Putting together a perfect party bag!
Justine Davies When was it that party bags became the de rigueur way to conclude a birthday celebration?
Party Preparation
Tips for a stress-free kids party
JUSTINE DAVIES The words: “stress-free” and “party” don’t usually belong in the same sentence, of course. Not when it comes to kids’ parties, anyway.
Party Preparation
Overcoming party shyness
Justine Davies Party invitations can be a source of anxiety for shy children, here are some tips on how you can ease them into social settings and help them overcome their fears.
Party Preparation
Taking the cake
Elisabeth Lambert When it comes to having your cake and eating it too, the birthday child and their friends are seriously happy they can wolf it down and have seconds without fear of retribution. And if the cake takes the form of a favourite animal or character, that’s simply an added bonus.
Party Preparation
Party games for rainy days!
JUSTINE DAVIES You can choose the food, the friends, the venue and the decorations - but no matter how much effort you put into planning your child’s birthday party, the one thing that you cannot control is the weather.
Party themes for boys and girls
So often birthday party themes are split down gender lines but as a mum, and particularly when your kids are very young, it can feel a little arbitrary doing a “traditional” girls’ or boys’ party theme.
Whose party is it anyway?
Kylie Orr For my eldest son's first birthday, my husband suggested we find a babysitter and go to the pub. The child would not know the difference and we needed to celebrate the fact we were still alive.
We don't want kids at our party
JUSTINE DAVIES DH's 40th birthday party will be dressy, catered formal party. We sent out the invites with a “no children” request, but my friend is really offended.
Party Time!
Joh Baker-Dowdell My eldest son, Noah, turned three on Friday and we celebrated with presents and a low-key dinner at home. On Saturday our house was overrun with almost 50 people for his party. What do you do for your children’s birthdays?
Party time - are siblings invited?
Joseph Kelly I’ve always found kids parties a bit of a minefield. What to bring, how to dress the kids, what sort of present to get are all issues to negotiate even before getting to the party. If one of the kids is invited to a party, can I bring their sibling?
