Another way of celebrating a child's birthday is to take a group of friends for a day out - to the Tower of London, a theme park, a theatre matinee…

Pros

• This is another option that ensures that the children are kept away from your home - no risk of disturbing your domestic tranquillity.

• It's a good excuse to restrict numbers. Outings are normally quite expensive (transport, entry fees, refreshments) so you can argue that numbers should be kept down.

Cons

• Shepherding a group of children around for a day can be a bit of a headache. You'll need to be organised about timings, transportation, refreshment breaks. It's probably a good idea to enlist the help of friends, to ensure that there is a ratio of two children to one adult.

• Children who are out and about will plague you for drinks, refreshments, souvenirs. Lay down some ground rules at the outset. Perhaps give each child a small amount of money to spend in the shop (this could replace the party bag). Bring your own soft drinks and snacks.

• Hungry children will get very fractious. To avoid unpleasant scenes, do your research in advance. Go online and find a suitable restaurant and book a table - you may even be able to negotiate a group discount. Then when the kids begin to complain you can reassure them that they will be fed shortly.

See Miss Debrett on Children's Parties

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