The Best Children’s Birthday Party ideas in the Cotswolds

1. Choosing the right Cotswold venue 

Let’s start with what makes the Cotswolds a fantastic place & most likely why most people live there…….space. 

No, not the cosmic kind (we will come to themes later on). The kind of space that has lots of potential to be filled with fun times & create amazing memories in. Space to run around in, have a dance in, play big games, play small games, build things, make things (& break things) in. There are an abundance of venues in the Cotswolds that are perfect for a children’s party because they have large private areas, suited to whatever party theme you are tinkering with. Generally speaking, the larger, the better. 

In the Cotswolds the Village Hall scene is 2nd to none, schools open their doors for hire & there are amazing public woodlands with activity centres nearby.

Broadly speaking, for the perfect party venue you want an indoor space large enough for party games on one side, tables laid for food on the other & with a grassy level outdoor area for when/if the sun shines. Google is your friend with this one - but time is of the essence! A lot of village halls are run by community members who are doing it on a part-time basis, so responses can be a bit slow & sporadic.

Even your own humble abode can be transformed into party central! Clear the tables, put away the breakables and stack sofas safely on their ends -  et voila - the dance floor awaits. 

Whatever space you have easy access to, try & take advantage of that. Convenience has a lot to be said for. 

Recommended Children’s Party Venues in The Cotswolds

Here are 10 of the best children's party venues that we frequent that cater for all tastes, budgets & events.

1. Box Village Hall, Stroud - This is your quintessential village hall that is wonderful for indoor parties. We can vouch that it is a fantastic space for traditional party games & disco-themed parties. We have hosted many fantastic Mini Disco parties here and countless Classic Parties, (themed or otherwise) as well as some great seasonal Halloween & Christmas indoor parties. 
2. Cirencester Park Polo Club - A great outdoor space for some wonderful summer fun. This is ideal for games that require big spaces & also perhaps a change in scenery. That’s why sporty parties like our Mini Olympics party are perfect here, especially for big school leavers bashes. For the more theatrical types, movie making parties are also excellent at this venue, with lots of different shots/directions to be explored. 
3. Crickley Hill, Birdlip - A really good woodland, with open spaces in it for games & gatherings. Perfect for 40/40, den building & much more. Also have a loo & cafe nearby, in case the adults want to take shelter. Perfect for outdoor den building and survival parties.
4. Didmarton Village Hall, Badminton - A superb playing field for large, outdoor or indoor sports games for older children that love fast-paced and action-packed games. Along with a sports party, we’d also recommend a Laser-themed party to really utilise the open space. This venue is also great for our Classic & Mini Olympics parties.
5. The Fish Hotel, Farncombe - A lovely bit of luxury with extensive grounds. You can really do anything here! If cracking codes, treasure hunts and action-packed missions is your childs thing then this is a great location for a Spy Party. The venue has lots of nooks, crannies & points of interest to lay clues. You could add some high-tech spy equipment to uncover vital evidence including trick locks, hidden UV messages, dictaphones and cryptexes. If you think your children would like some survival skills training, solving clues and deciphering codes, then a Fugitive Party would also be perfect at this venue.  
6. Glyme Hall, Chipping Norton - Super outdoor and indoor spaces. It is great for traditional games or even sporty ones. If you want a themed party that is led by our professional stuntman & mixed martial artist, why not go wild and do a Warrior party here?
7. Coln Valley Village Hall - Beautiful inside and out, but does get booked quickly. Owing to its scenic nature, a Music Video party works really well here. This is great for children to show off their lip-syncing skills & coolest dance moves to the birthday child’s tune of choice. After the party, the footage will be edited together, complete with special effects. We will send an online link for you to share with guests and premiere in your living room! 
8. Russell's Barn at The Stump, Cirencester - Good for table-top crafts & activities mixed with fun & imaginative active games. It also has some space outside too. If you need help with younger ones our Mini Classic (for the 2-4-year-olds) would be a great party option here. If the children are into science it would be a great venue for a sciene party, with science tricks and activities such as slime making and sherbet making.
9. Soho Farmhouse, Chipping Norton - Wonderful for a really special adult-focused party. Sharky & George can be drafted in to give the children an awesome time so their parents can relax and enjoy themselves undisturbed. For a children's party it would be a fantastic venue for an Adventure Race where players race against each other in teams to complete as many epic challenges as possible.
10. Toddington Village Hall, Stow on the Wold - Big, airy, modern village hall with outdoor space. This is cracking for the full-on disco party. Dancing is a must, but to add an edge we recommend limbo & break-dancing competitions.

If you are looking for other children's party venues in the Cotswolds, here is a great resource to help you find Cotswold halls close by.

Choosing the Best Theme 

Now onto the theme. Keep in mind that the venue you select might influence the theme you choose & vice versa. Although a good party team can adapt & make any party work anywhere - some parties are more suited to venues than others. An example would be disco party works best in a dark hall/room so all the lights & neon glow sticks can be seen. An outdoor den building and survivial party works best in a woodland area, so children can hide in the foliage, whilst a spy party works best in a place with lots of points of interest to lay clues & hide codes. However, Sharky & George have done Discos in the woods, Survival Parties inside & Spy Parties in someone’s cellar, so it really comes down to a matter of preference

Themes should be a pretty self-indulgent affair, with only one question to keep in mind - what does the birthday person want? 

A great place to start is by asking yourself, does the party person have a favourite cartoon, movie, animal, sport or even object the theme can evolve from? 

Again, a good party team should be able to make whatever theme is chosen accessible & fun for all, no matter how niche you think it is. Do you want to mix & match your themes? We like to think, the more themes, the merrier! 

For instance, Sharky & George have done chess parties with obstacle courses, nerf gun battles with doughnuts plus everything else (cake, decorations, cart, invites), bespoke treasure hunts involving space-themed murder mysteries with rocket launches & planet making, mad science potion classes, horror movie making, spy parties galore + theme & of course, more than our fair share of glitter rainbow unicorn fiestas. Who doesn't love a challenge?

The party themes have ranged from simply changing the names of the games & the actions within, allowing everyone’s imagination & enthusiasm to run wild, all the way up to invites, cake, set design, fake snow, reindeer, helicopters, go-karts, robot wars - you name it, we can do it.

3. Cool Crafts

One way to really cement a theme is to get some cool & age-appropriate crafts. Not the awful macaroni owls of yesteryear that take ages to make, then you are left with… well, an awful macaroni owl. You want your crafts to be quick, fun & portable. Some children will want to take days over it, so, they can take it home and finish it later. Some children will want to take only seconds - they can be encouraged to add new colours, layers & flavours before anyone else.  

Some of our timeless crafts include:  

Crafts suitable for 4-8 year olds 

• Super Hero Cape Making 
• Fairy Wing Decorating
• Animal Mask Decorating 
• Quick dry clay sculptures 
• Pirate Hat & sword making

Any Age Crafts - with some more supervision for the under 8s

• Biscuit decorating 
• T-shirt graffiti/tye dye 
• Water Rocket Launching 
• Chocolate Making
• Slime Making 
• Festival Crown making
• Treasure Chest decorating
• Polaroid picture-taking & frame decorating 

With these, we suggest you get all your guests together & do one specific craft all at the same time. This way, The children will be inspired & enthused by each other’s creations if all are doing the same thing. Then you can have a break before moving on to the next focal point of fun.

4. Get the Atmosphere Just Right

Keeping all the children together is key - even in a big space. The more children doing an activity, the more will want to do it, more enthusiasm will build & more fun will be had. That is why one of the key aspects of an S&G party is to keep everyone involved at all times. 

Props can also really get everyone involved - especially the shy children. Fun little touches create a bit more atmosphere to your party. From little inflatable instruments for discos, neon sweatbands for teams racing in, artist's smocks & chef aprons, medals, bespoke party t-shirts or camo caps, all really go a long way in the hearts & minds of little ones. 

Another really easy way to keep energy levels up is to have an awesome playlist. Even though you might not agree with some of the song selections, especially ones you have heard 3000 times, make sure you play them loud & proud on the day. Everyone loves to be the DJ as well, so take requests where at all possible. With the modern world of small & portable bluetooth speakers, no party (outdoors or indoors) should be without a banging beat. Check out our perfect children’s party playlist on Spotify here.

5. Food, Drink, Cake

With so much excitement, you will really need a break in the proceedings to recharge those batteries. No matter what the age (including adults…) we advise stopping each hour for some refreshments.

For a children’s birthday tea party, you want to keep it simple & tasty. It’s a party, so although keeping  ‘healthy’ may be on the mind of some, this really is the time for snacks & sweet treats to reign supreme. You can hardly go wrong with a pizza. The classic party ring biscuit was made for this very occasion. Make sure there is plenty of juice & water available too. 

The cake should be a showstopper that will be the clear centrepiece when everyone belts out happy birthday. Who doesn't want a cake that would make even Marie Antoinette shriek! Another fun idea would be, getting some firework-style candles too, which always go down a treat. Again, we have a star baker on hand to make even the most wild creations a reality. 

Whatever you choose, don't forget the adults! No one wants to be awkwardly hovering up the children’s pizza as they pass it round. We suggest putting out a bit of a spread for them too and they will remember the party & you as the host with the most. 

Luxury Children’s Party Planners in the Cotswolds

To take the pressure off, we host brilliant parties ranging from bespoke quests and adventure races (for both children and adults) to treasure hunts and discos.  If you are looking for an epic children’s birthday party in the Cotswolds get in touch.