Pools and ponies replace cola, samosas at kiddie birthday parties

Children’s birthday parties have long since veered away from a P James’ magic show, cola and samosas. Wanting to give their little ones the best on their special day, parents in the city are opting for experiential birthday parties that will physically and intelligently occupy the children.

A nail spa in Kilpauk called Fingertips: The Nail Studio recently hosted the birthday party of a young teenager and her friends. If the pictures are anything to go by, it seemed like they enjoyed getting pampered. “Our premises can accommodate around 15 girls — we apply a coat of normal nail polish and nail art on four fingers. For those above 16, if the client opts for it, we use gel polish,” says Shiksha, who works in the spa.

She recalls, “A client had a polka dot-themed party so right from the girls’ outfits to the cake, everything had the same pattern. They opted for nail art too with polka dots.” Deciding the patterns in advance helps save time and avoids confusion at the party, lest every child wants something different, she suggests. It takes roughly 15 minutes for each child and costs Rs 290 for normal nail polish and an additional Rs 60 per nail for nail art. “We use only certified brands of polish that are safe for children,” she adds.

While it’s relatively easier to pick a theme or activity for an all-girls’ or boys’ party, entertaining a mixed crowd becomes tricky. Ten-year-old Alefiya, with the help of her elders, found the perfect solution. Says her aunt, Muneera Millwala, “Alefiya goes to the F 3 Functional Fitness centre regularly for classes. When we were trying to come up with ideas or themes for her birthday party, she suggested we take all her friends there for an outdoor fitness-themed party.”

The boys and girls were asked to dress in athleisure so that they wouldn’t mind getting dirty. “The centre has a huge ground where the coaches organised interesting outdoor games such as mobility, dodge ball and a mini boot camp,” she says. The two-hour session tired the kids out and built their appetite so the family accompanied them back to their house, where they had a cake-cutting session. “Even the cake had a fitness theme with decorations in the shape of a yoga mat, exercise balls and more, adorning it,” smiles Muneera. With the summer approaching, orgainsing a poolside birthday party seems like a fun option. Rajul Galada did exactly this for her four-year-old’s birthday. “We took a bunch of kids to the Gandhi Nagar Club, where we had blocked the kiddies’ pool from 4 to 5 pm. Some elder kids who had also come were with my husband in the adult pool, while I was with the younger ones in the paddle pool,” she notes, adding, “We wanted the children to experience being in water so that they can get over the mental stigma. When a child sees another of the same age entering a pool, they’re motivated to follow.”

The group played in the water for a while and then shifted to the play area for snacks. She tells us, “The other parents didn’t raise a concern because they knew a parent would be with the kids. We made the evening more fun by throwing in some floats, water ducks and toys,” says Rajul.