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Header image courtesy of Relish
While Hong Kong has no shortage of family-friendly events on offer, most of these lack a personal touch and are generally too child-centred. Being your own host is a great way of working around the commercial quality of pre-planned events, and since you’re in charge, you can leave enough time for yourself to take a break from parenting and enjoy the time spent with your family. We have compiled a handy list of kid-friendly events that are still fun for adults as you plan for the best get-together with your family.
There are many ways you can plan the ultimate get-together without breaking the bank. While these options definitely require more involvement from parents compared to the rest of the list, planning for an event that everyone will enjoy could be a great way for you to bond with your partner, your little ones, and other friends and family.
Sensory play has been a hit with parents of young children lately. Not only is it physically and mentally educational for infants, but sensory play also offers an unlimited sense of fun for the little ones as they squish and smash! How does one host a sensory party without leaving a mess to clean up afterwards? Just remember to strip your baby down to the diaper and use something to cover your floor space with and an inflatable pool.
Some safe and easy-to-clean foods to use in your party include cooked rice and pasta, mash, baby-friendly rice cakes, and jelly or pudding. If your little one is known to be feisty and touchy, it is best to take foods and substances that are too liquid-y off your list to avoid any unwanted accidents. If a DIY sensory play bin does not appeal, you can always get ready-to-play kits and sets from toy outlets such as Toys ‘R’ Us, or order a bespoke play bin! Butterflizz and Learning Time also offer less messy options.
Nothing beats a picnic with delicious food and some adult-friendly beverages. From country parks to scenic locations on mountain tops, there are many gorgeous picnic spots in Hong Kong. If you’re operating with a smaller budget, you can always pack the picnic yourself—that way, the picky eaters in the family are fed! If you’re picnicking with friends and their families, a potluck style get-together can elevate the stress of playing chef.
Alternatively, truly relax and enjoy some quality family time with a ready-to-eat picnic set! There are many options on offer, but we recommend Relish’s latest kids’ picnic basket for your next get-together. This no-fuss catering option offers a main lunch, snacks, juice, and a mini cookie decorating kit guaranteed to keep your child entertained so you can sit back and enjoy Relish’s mouth-watering items. If enough adults are joining your picnic mat, Relish’s picnic is another fool-proof option for grown-ups that comes with a bottle of wine.
A day out to the beach is always a hit when it comes to hosting a kid-friendly event that is still fun for adults. You can sit back and relax with your fellow mums and dads while the children tire themselves out swimming, building sandcastles, or playing beach volleyball along the coast. Remember, it’s about keeping the little ones occupied so you can retreat to the lounge chair or towel with a well-deserved cold one.
Treasure Island Beach Club & Restaurant has a variety of beach party, water sports, and camping packages that lets you experience Pui O beach in unique ways. Its Kids’ Beach Party package offers games, challenges, a tour of the wetlands, and a range of party snacks and refreshments that will keep you and your little ones fuelled for fun under the sun. The Watersports package includes equipment and toys for kayaking, surfing, and paddling. You can also hire a qualified instructor at an extra cost.
If you’re looking to spend a breezy summer evening at the beach, the family tent plus kids’ tent combo is the perfect choice, as it comes with bed rolls, a table and chairs, a gas camp stove, utensils for cooking and eating, and a grill and charcoal. Fresh air, the great outdoors, and a stunning beach well-within a reach—sounds like a steal.
For the mamas and papas that like to get active together, hiring a kids’ sports coach for a kid-friendly event automatically makes it fun for adults, too. If you like to work up a good sweat, this is the perfect way to spend some quality time with your children and snap some pictures of your babies’ first attempt at a sport. For parents who prefer less intense pastimes, this is an ideal way to keep your little ones entertained while you relax.
Some of the options available in Hong Kong are Tinytots Coaching’s parties, where a package includes equipment and a qualified coach leading one hour of activity and games to keep your little ones entertained, while Minisport’s party package includes an hour of games alongside sports, such as tug of war and relay races.
A get-together with a movie always scores full points on the enjoyment scale, but hosting a fully catered movie night can be a hassle. “Movie Under the Stars” at Relish offering makes things easy for families who want just enough glitz and glam without the fuss.
No more pre-event panic as Relish will take care of the decoration and movie nibbles with everything from deck chairs, a popcorn machine, and a projector for your chosen flick. There are additional services that you can add to elevate your movie experience. Don’t fancy cooking for the whole family? Opt in for the family- or buffet-style catering with quality items from Relish’s kitchen. Want to transform your movie screening into a mini-Oscars ceremony? Add in a backdrop and Polaroid station so you can capture those precious moments on the red carpet with your friends and little ones.
Let’s face it, go-karting is one of the very few activities that are genuinely fun for both kids and adults. If you’re looking to host a go-karting party, 18 Challenge Karting in Ho Man Tin is the perfect venue for you. Equipped with both child-friendly and adult-friendly tracks, all your guests are guaranteed to be entertained throughout. If you want a specific theme for your private event, you can also get in touch with the 18 Challenge team about your ideas as its staff members are skilled event managers in addition to superb racers.
Rent out a venue and transform the space into a bespoke carnival exclusive to your family! One search online and you will find that there are many event spaces and party rooms in Hong Kong but if you want something more exclusive, Relish’s Wong Chuk Hang event space is a great option because it comes with expert events management.
Whether it is a classic carnival or a mysterious underwater theme you have in mind, Relish can bring your ideas to life with activities and props that are perfect for the occasion—think magicians, face-painters, balloon makers, arcade games, and much more! Of course, it wouldn’t be a Relish event without a mountain of food. Its grazing tables are a lavish sight to behold, and Relish can pack these with bites and dishes suitable for adults and kids, whilst its sweets wall or dessert station are sure to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
If you want to treat yourself to a true break from parenting, Relish can transform one of the areas onsite into an adults-only hideout, decked out with a bar, refreshments, and lounge chairs for you to sink into after a long day of running after your kids.
Every party seems a little more luxurious if it is held at sea. Luckily for parents who can’t resist the call of the waves, there is a plethora of boat rental services in Hong Kong with event offerings that you can take advantage of. Sea-E-O is a good option to start with for your boat rental research, as the company offers packages on yachts, junks, and cruisers that include everything you need for a boat party, such as inflatable floats, slides, trampolines, and wakeboards. Other options are also available from Hong Kong Yachting; its junk boat barbecue packages are popular choices for an ultimate boat party.
If your neighbourhood playroom is usually packed to the brim with excited kids and tired parents, you can always treat your little ones to a homemade playroom instead. All you need to do is stock up on all kinds of games! Whether this be your own ball pit, a Nintendo Switch, or a good old-fashioned Twister mat and some Jenga blocks, you can’t go wrong with putting together a playroom of all the games you and your little ones know and love.
If mum and dad want to play something a little less kid-friendly on the console, you can always designate an adults-only area in your playroom. If you want to spruce things up a little, decorate your space according to a theme and opt in for some event catering.
For mums and dads who are not ready to commit to buying a mountain’s worth of toys for a single get together, toy rental services are the perfect choice! If you’re envisioning bouncy castles, slides, and functional train tracks, check out Hong Kong Toy Club and Toysland Hong Kong. For something more manageable in scale, Happy Baton is your best bet.
Born and raised in Hong Kong and educated in the UK, Celia is passionate about culture, food, and different happenings in the city. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her scouting for new and trendy restaurants, getting lost in a bookstore, or baking up a storm at home.
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