Summer birthdays in Nagpur: beating the heat

Nagpur in May is one of the hottest places in India, and a lot of children have birthdays in the school holidays. You can still have a happy party. You just have to plan around the sun.

Move the party late. A 6 pm start, after the worst of the heat, is our most booked summer slot. Morning parties from 8 to 10 am also work for younger children. Avoid anything between noon and 5 pm, even indoors, because halls heat up and the air-conditioning struggles with sixty people.

Keep it indoors or on a shaded terrace after sunset. Balloons do not like heat either: in a hot car or under sun they pop by the dozen, so we pump them on site in summer and keep the arch away from windows. Fondant cakes soften quickly, so a fresh cream cake kept chilled until the last minute is the safer choice.

Plan quiet games. Treasure hunts, a craft table, a puppet show and a magician all keep children seated or moving slowly. Save running games for the cool hour after sunset, and keep them short. Put out plenty of water, kokum sherbet or nimbu paani rather than fizzy drinks, and a tray of watermelon.

Finally, think about return gifts. Chocolate melts on the way home. Small books, seed kits or craft sets travel better in May.