Like everyone else, I had hoped, prayed, and assumed that the pandemic would be over by the time of the party. As the party date drew nearer, the writing on the wall became clearer and more difficult to ignore. The choice was between having a pandemic era party or postponing the party till God knows when. Cancelling was not an option. If the truth be told, there was only one choice else my son will be devastated. The only option was to have a pandemic era party and hope for the best.
My son was going to be 10 years old. He had been planning his 10th birthday since he was 8. He was not exactly sure how he wanted to celebrate his milestone birthday, but it was either a football-themed party or an arcade-themed party. His two loves.
However, as December approached, I knew that the likelihood of having a physical 10th birthday party was slim due to safety concerns.
I began the process of “watering the ground” to set the expectation that my son’s long-awaited big party may be affected by the pandemic. A few weeks later, I increased the tempo – “it is now certain there will be no big physical party because it is unsafe”. Then I asked him his preference considering the current situation: “An awesome virtual party” or “we postpone the celebration till much later in the year”. He opted for the virtual party.
His Zoom party was great, and I would like to share some tips on how to successfully plan and pull off a Virtual Zoom Party for your child’s next birthday.
1. Decide on the technology platform to use.
Aren’t you amazed at how technology rose to the occasion in 2020, allowing people to work from the comfort of their homes? While there are several options, I found Zoom to be a great platform for this. The free option of Zoom allows you to host free hangouts and share your screen with up to 100 people for 40 minutes at a time. You can either drop the call and reconnect every 40 minutes to keep it free or signup for an account that enables you to organize a virtual hangout for up to 24 hours for a fee of $15 (N7500) per month. You need a minimum of one hour to an hour and a half for a great party.
2. Prepare the Party List and Sent Out Invites.
How many kids do you want for the party? The number should vary based on the age of the children, the rule of thumb is the fewer the better for younger kids and more for older kids. My son wanted to invite the whole world, but we settled for a maximum of 20 kids.
3. Agree the date and time.
Next on agenda is to agree on the date and time. My son’s actual birthday was during the week, but we decided to have the party on Saturday. Having the party on the weekend meant that he could invite friends that do not attend his school and it saved me the hassle of finding a time that works for everyone considering different schools close at different times during the week.
With the date and time agreed, the next big task was to get the phone numbers of the parent. I find it is best to reach out to them on WhatsApp first then follow it up with a call.
Start by introducing yourself “Hello, I am Tobiloba’s Mom (from Rockhill School).
Here is a sample of the invite I sent to parents (not the best, but it worked!).
Good day ma/sir
I am Tobiloba’s Mom (from Rockhill School)
Tobiloba turns 10 on Wed 17th February and would want to celebrate his birthday with his friends.
However, due to the Covid pandemic and the need to ensure the safety of our children, he would not be having a physical birthday party.
Tobiloba would love to invite Kamsi to his virtual birthday party
Venue: Zoom
Date: Saturday 20th January
Time: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
Pls can you confirm that your child would be free and available to attend the party?
To confirm attendance, pls reply YES to this message.
4. Organise Party Packs for Invitees
What is a children’s birthday party without party packs? My kids feel a party without a party pack isn’t a party (lol).
Your child’s milestone Zoom party won’t be complete without the party packs. You can get away with giving out the party pack is if is a non-milestone birthday, so no pressure.
If you plan to send out party packs, decide on your budget and how much time and stress you are prepared for.
You can go simple – by simply ordering pizzas and have them delivered to the homes of the invitees. Or you can go all out and have the party pack with party hats, poppers, customized t-shirts, drinks, biscuits, cupcakes, sweets, and a gift/toy.
Once you have the party packs, get addresses from the parents. Make sure to confirm someone will be home when the delivery company comes around. It is best to the plan delivery for the day before the party or worst in the morning before the party. You will not want some kids not to have received theirs before the party – hence plan for all deliveries at least a day before.
5. Order the Birthday Cake.
A birthday is NEVER complete without a birthday cake. It is always fun to blow out candles and cut the cake. This can still happen during a virtual party, so still, order a birthday cake for the birthday boy/girl. You can include cake pieces or cupcakes in the party pack sent to the kids. Watching each other eating and drinking during the event will help kids feel they are right there with your kid, celebrating together.
6. Prepare the “Stage”.
When I asked my son, the best part of his “virtual birthday”, he said the balloons. The night before, his dad and I worked late into the night to set up the “stage” for the virtual party. We had the floor filled with balloons, helium balloons with the number ten, “happy birthday” backdrops, and we even got a confetti gun. The joy on his face when he saw it was priceless.
Just because it is a virtual birthday doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go all out with the décor. I strongly recommend doing this.
7. Plan the Agenda and Lots of Games
Once you have planned for the day, it won’t be complete without planning for the day. Have a detailed agenda, get someone (a Master of Ceremony aka MC) to coordinate the agenda. Best to choose someone who has experience with kids and would be sure to make the party a fun one.
Remember Mommy and Daddy will be busy handling messages/calls from parents so best to get someone else to be the MC. Prepare several games that the kids can play and have fun throughout the event. Being a virtual event, the barrier in distance may lead to boredom or tiredness if activities get too repetitive or are lacking the fun elements.
Some suggested games that could be played are:
Scavenger hunt -: The first person to bring something yellow or starts with the letter “T”
Facts about the Celebrant: What’s the celebrant’s favorite colour?
Would you rather: Would you rather be able to fly or be invincible?
Guess the animal: Show them a partial picture of an animal and they are to guess the animal
Guess the Disney movie: Show them a picture from a scene of popular movies like
Make sure you have clear rules before starting and would be great if you can have someone assisting the “MC” as the scorekeeper. You can plan to give additional gifts to the winners of the various games, but this is optional. It is best to ensure everything is visual – so the questions should all be on a PowerPoint displayed on the screen for the kids to see.
8. Put Together a Photo Montage
Another fun element to add to your child’s birthday party is to have a photo montage – different pictures put together to tell a story. This can be made up of different pictures from birth to date. It can be shown at different intervals during the party. It is always fun to see themselves in pictures and how they have all grown. Don’t forget to throw in some funny shots to get a few laughs.
It is also good to have a good camera to take pictures of the day – celebrant with his cake, celebrant during the virtual party. If you want to go the extra mile you can hire a professional photographer.
9. Last Minute “Mic” Checks
Technology can be awesome but when it messes you up it can also be devastating. So it’s important to test and prepare ahead of time.
Be sure to put the following in check.
Send reminders and meeting invites again on the day of the party and a few hours before the time. You might even need to call especially if the parents have confirmed attendance.
Test all technology and internet in advance Best to have backup internet to avoid “stories that touch”.
Ensure all their devices are well charged or plugged to a power source all through the event. And ensure you have back-up power.
Do not assume they know; explain everything parents need to do to ensure their kids are logged in on time. It’s advisable to work the kids through at the beginning on how to use the features required.
Also, ensure all stakeholders are familiar with Zoom and its features including the MC and scorekeeper (Mute all is an important feature lol). If you can ensure someone with more technical knowledge is on hand to resolve all issues.
Lastly do not forget to record the session, so that it can be watched again and again. It is also good to take some snapshots during the session to share with the kids and their parents.
Do not let the pandemic ruin milestone birthdays. You can still make the day special for your child. And even if it is not a milestone birthday there are various ways you can make the day special and memorable in the “new normal”.
