Nailing a child’s birthday party is difficult.

You don’t need anyone to tell you that if you’ve ever had to organize one before because you already know that there are a million and one different variables to weigh up. You want your child to have an amazing party, but you also don’t want to go too overboard in case they want a mellow and chilled out gathering; you want to get them an amazing gift, but you also don’t want to get them something they’ll use once and never again.

If you’re starting to stress out over organizing festivities for your kid’s big day then these ideas might just give you the inspiration and salvation necessary to ensure that your child’s birthday doesn’t end in tears.

Get the party right.

This is the biggest part of a child’s birthday. As we get older, parties become less of a big deal; you might go out and have a drink with your friends to celebrate another year passing by, but it’s not quite the same as it was when you were younger. You need to remember how special a birthday was when you were younger and how excited you were to party with all your closest friends. The key elements here are friendship and fun; you don’t need to spend a fortune to throw an amazing party for your child, then.

To throw a great party for your child, you just need to invite their friends and give them something fun to do. A theme is a great place to start; it could be anything from a circus party to a Star Wars party. Just think about the age of the birthday boy or girl and their friends; ensure that the theme isn’t too childish because you don’t want to embarrass your child on their big day. The important thing is simply that everyone has a great time and takes a break from being themselves so that they can be a superhero or a Sith Lord, depending on their preferences.

Nailing a unique present.

The gift or gifts that you get for your child are also things that you give great importance, but instead of stressing over what your child wants, think about what they might not realize they want. Instead of giving them a plastic gift that they’ll forget about in a week, you could give your little one something with a little more substance. You could look into options such as a dsquared t-shirt to give your little or not-so-little one something “cool” and fashionable to wear on their big day.

Usually, clothes as gifts will induce groans from even the politest of kids, but if you choose correctly then you’ll sneakily succeed in getting your child a practical present that they actually love. Hopefully, they won’t suspect a thing. Of course, if you want to go for something a little more memorable then a day out to a zoo or a theme park that your child has always wanted to visit is certainly a gift that will make this birthday one they’ll never forget. Surprise presents might seem like a risky move, but the look on your child’s face will be worth it.