Now that we're into September, the children's party season really starts to kick off, and with it the pressure to do something different for your bash. If you're bored of the local soft play area or cheesed off with a melancholy bloke in a clown suit who shuffles along to 'entertain' who could blame you?
But if your child is the green-fingered type who's been enjoying an outdoor summer, here's an idea for a kids' party that may be right up your garden path.
Potting party packs from Urban Allotments are garden-themed party kits containing everything you need to introduce your budding Charlie Dimmock to the joys of gardening. This is one party bag that keeps on growing.
Party-goers can pick from easy to grow lettuce to strawberries and herbs like mint, all of which are available on the Urban Allotments site. Children can also get creative by painting and decorating their pots or having fun with the pack's easy to use stickers.
Part of the proceeds of each party order is to be donated to Acorns Children's Hospice in the West Midlands. It's planned to arrange a free potting party for children at the hospice later on in the year.
"At the end the children get a party bag with a difference, containing their plant instead of just the usual sweets. So instead of lasting two minutes it should last the rest of the season," says Sarah Kent who pioneered the parties.
"The idea is that children can have their own salad plants, to pick directly from their garden to put on their plate or pick some herbs and spices for their pizza or curry.
"Hopefully children will see how easy and tasty it is to grow their own, which leads on to helping reduce food waste and cut the environmental impact of buying all our food," she said.
For more details of Potting Party Packsclick on this link. As a launch offer the potting parties cost £7 a head, with a minimum order of five. Orders can be placed now for delivery up to two months in advance.