Back in the old days, planning a kid’s birthday party was easy. You’d invite everyone, have a couple of party games, load the kids up with a blast of sugar from the cake, and that’s that. But for kids today, that kind of birthday bash would be a disappointment. For parents, though, we’re stuck in a tricky spot. On the one hand, we might feel like we need to compete with other families throwing wildly elaborate shindigs. On the other hand, you don’t want to have to take out a home loan to afford the party.

So what should you do? While we might be a touch biased, we think there’s one obvious solution to throwing a party that will be memorable for your children, and that’s booking a trampoline birthday party! What’s better than that! The kids get to go nuts, the adults get to relax, and there’s virtually no clean-up after it’s over. Read on, and we’ll give you a few tips to help make the planning a piece of cake.

• The vast majority of trampoline parks require that a waiver is signed for everyone that jumps, and no kid wants to be the one left out because their parents didn’t sign one. When you send out invitations, waivers can frequently be filled out online.
• It can be lots of fun to take photos mid-bounce, but who wants to risk their precious smartphone? A great way to catch these unique moments is to have an instant camera on hand. Encourage the kids to take photos of each other, and pictures can come home to show their parents.
• At most trampoline birthday parties, the food arrives after everyone finishes jumping. We’re sure you can understand why! But for some non-jumpers, they might get a little peckish while they’re waiting. Having a few snacks on hand are always a good idea. Along similar lines, remember that bouncing burns lots of calories, so make sure you either have plenty of water, or guests know where a water fountain is located.
• At parties like this, sometimes it can be confusing remembering which guest brought what gift. Keep a notepad of sticky notes on hand. As guests arrive, you can quickly note all of the gifts. That way all gifts can be easily identified, and writing thank-you notes later gets a bit simpler.
• Many trampoline parks sell, along with food and drinks, different souvenirs. The most common kinds are water bottles and grippy socks, which help keep kids from sliding on the trampolines. It might be more convenient to give each guest a pair of socks and a water bottle filled with cold water. Both items will be useful, and they’ll act as mementos of a fun day.
• If you have a big family, lots of friends, and money is no object, you can consider renting out the entire facility for a private event. Most places can handle private parties, and having the entire place to yourself is extremely cool.

Ultimately, there are lots of directions you can go if you decide to throw a trampoline birthday party. Just remember to schedule it well in advance, and you can create an event to remember.