When Can Children’s Parties Start Again?

Children’s parties haven’t been the same for quite some time now and it is such a shame. A birthday is such a joyous occasion and one that should be celebrated with family and friends. However, due to the current situation, they have been postponed until restrictions are lifted in some form.

Some people find birthday parties absolutely horrifying – @daniellemherzog once said “The middle age equivalent of a hangover after a college party is the exhaustion after hosting a 2 hour kids birthday party. #parenting“ which is very relatable for most parents. However, there is no denying that kids absolutely love them and that they are a great way for them to celebrate another year with the friends they love most.

But when exactly can children’s parties start again?

The UK is currently in a full lockdown which means no mixing with anyone outside of your household or support bubble. This means birthday parties in person cannot go ahead unless with your family and support bubble. However, with some restrictions hopefully lifting in the not too distant future, maybe parties will be a thing once again. What can we expect?

Virtual Parties

Many families are currently arranging virtual parties, such as the ones we offer, to help make their lockdown celebrations special. There is something for everyone to enjoy and it means that children can still celebrate with their loved ones, even if they cannot see them in person.

It can be tough to explain to a child why they can’t have a birthday party while restrictions are ongoing, but these provide a great deal of fun and make them feel really special. We have a wonderful selection of children’s party ideas for birthdays during lockdown to give you some inspiration.

A Tiered System

It is more than likely that the UK will come out of lockdown into some form of tiered system again – with tier 1 being the lowest and allowing a maximum of six people to meet indoors or outdoors. This would not enable a child to have a big class party, but they could have a few friends plus their own parent. However, it may be difficult for a child to pick just a few friends.

• Tier 1 – medium alert – a maximum of six people can meet indoors or outdoors.
• Tier 2 – high alert – six can meet outdoors if they are not in the same support bubble. No mixing of households indoors.
• Tier 3 – extremely high alert – no mixing of households indoors or outdoors, except for parks, sports facilities, or public gardens up to six people.

Each of these would mean that a big party is out of the question, but a child could potentially meet with a few friends.

Whilst this isn’t an ideal situation, a tiered system would at least mean your child gets to celebrate their birthday with a couple of friends. Depending on the tier that you are in, this could vary from a movie party at home to a picnic outdoors if the weather is good. There are plenty of ideas for parties that you can hold, despite the restrictions.

When Restrictions Are Lifted

There is the potential for restrictions to be lifted very soon.

When this happens, there will still be some important things to consider – socially distancing where possible and limiting guests where possible – but birthday parties are much more likely to go ahead. There will probably still be some restrictions on numbers, but this remains to be seen.

The likelihood that there will still be a limit of six people being allowed to meet together or two households is a concern but perhaps expected as we slowly come out of lockdown. With kids going back to the classroom, there is a possibility that children’s birthday parties may be allowed properly once more with some guidance in place to help parents arrange them. It is simply a case of waiting to see what we are allowed to do and how many people can mix together.

When All Restrictions Are Lifted

Hopefully, the day when all restrictions are lifted will soon be here, and life will go back to normal – or some semblance of normal. There is hope that most of the country will be fully open after May according to reports but that is, of course, just a hope right now and depends on a few deciding factors.

Once all restrictions are lifted however, there will be much more flexibility and it may be possible to have a birthday party that people can actually attend. This should be possible in 2021 if everything goes to plan and certain factors including mutant strains are avoided.

Children’s parties are definitely not gone forever, even though it may seem like it sometimes. As with everything, children’s birthday parties will definitely start happening again – but slowly and with restrictions in place as we come out of lockdown. Whilst they may start with limited numbers and social distancing, eventually there will come a time when everyone can be together again and celebrate just like they used to, without worrying.

It is important to keep our spirits up and know that this isn’t for forever and it will come to an end at some point. Once again, we will be able to see the joy on our child’s face as they celebrate their special day with those that they cherish the most – with no restrictions on numbers and having to choose between people again.

We are always here for all your virtual party needs – and don’t forget to check us out when we can party together again, hopefully sooner rather than later!

This is assuming the tier system is implemented again in the same way. Is it worth putting in something to that effect? Like “Assuming that the tier system is implemented in the same way as it was in 2020, here is an idea of how the tiers might affect a birthday party.”