If you’re looking for ways to keep kids entertained at a birthday party, then you might be considering the usual suspects – a clown, a magician or even a children’s entertainer. These are all great ideas, but there are other ways to keep kids entertained, and here are 5 of the best alternative birthday party ideas:

#1. Bouncy Castle

An oldie but a goodie, the bouncy castle is still a popular choice with children of all ages, and is a great way to keep them entertained at a summer birthday party. Provided you have enough space in your garden, a bouncy castle will provide children [and adults] with hours of fun bouncing around in the sun, but just make sure nobody eats too much jelly and ice cream first!

#2. Go Kart Party

You might be wondering what a Go Kart Party involves? An inflatable racking track and 4 electric karts allow your kids to enjoy their first driving experience! It can be set up either indoors or outdoors and is a safe and fun way for kids to get behind the wheel, with party sizes from 1 – 24 kids. They’re guaranteed to be entertained for hours.

#3. Magician

Whilst you might think this is an old fashioned idea, a magician is still a great way to amuse kids – try and opt for a ‘cool’ magician who specialises in children’s parties rather than someone working in a traditional style. The type of magician you’re looking for is more Dynamo than Paul Daniels – somebody who the kids will be fascinated by! Kids always love a few magic tricks, and you can use this time to get the rest of your house child-proofed for the rest of the day.

#4. Competitions

Holding events and competitions is a great and free way to keep everyone entertained. Come up with a theme (it could be anything from pirates to zombies) and create a whole host of games, races and other events such as treasure hunts to keep the kids active. With a little imagination and prizes added for the winners, kids will love this!

#5. Disco

Older kids will love a disco, so hire a DJ and some lighting and get set to ensure they have a great birthday party! This usually costs less than you might think, and if you’re really pushed for cash, you could even rope in a friend or do the honours yourself – lighting is easy to come by and reasonably priced, just add a disco ball and some coloured spotlights for a fun and funky disco that everyone will love!

There are plenty of ways to entertain your kids at their birthday party, all that’s needed is a little imagination and creativity, and you’re sure to come up with some great ideas! You don’t need to spend a fortune to keep kids happy, just use these tips as inspiration for developing your own ideas and themes and your kids will never have a boring birthday ever again, creating some great memories for when they are older.