Party Planning Tips

Choose a theme

Consult your child about the kind of party he/she wants. Once you come up with a theme, the task becomes much easier. A theme helps to pull a party together. It’s a great way to create a wonderland and unleash creativity. Kids love to be indulged with their favorite superhero, color, or cartoon character.

A theme needs to be decided keeping in mind the time of year, the occasion, and the general age group of the guests. For example; an artist party for energetic four year old boys is not likely to be a success as a soccer party. Likewise, you cannot plan a pool party in the winter months.

Choose a venue

Keeping the theme in mind you can decide whether the party has to be held at home, a park, a games parlor, a bounce house or a skating rink.

Decide your budget

This is a very critical aspect of planning a party. It is very easy to go overboard and overspend in a birthday party. You will be surprise at how kids are equally happy with homemade decorations or –invitation or cleverly assembled favors as with expensive ones bought at the mall. Choosing just a color like pink for a girl’s birthday party, can give you enough scope for creative outbursts. Kids want to have fun and generally have low expectations. As long as no one burst into tears, the expensive clown or ponies do not matter. There is no doubt that by hosting a party at home, than a party outside will help you keep costs low. The money saved can be better spent at party decorations and party favors that your guests will cherish.

Guest list

Very critical to decide how big you want your party to be. A good rule of thumb followed by party planners is to invite guests equal to your child’s age plus two. Of course you can modify according to your personalized needs. In a one-year old birthday party, the parents or caretakers will most likely accompany the party guests. After age four, kids can pretty much enjoy the party without their parents. Parties provide important ways to nurture children’s curiosity and creativity. Parties are a wonderful way to channel boundless energy into fun and lively experience. Do not force your choice of guests onto your kid’s party. Invite kids who tend to get along with one another. For instance, if you decide to invite your child’s entire class, another child from outside may feel alienated. So plan accordingly.

Party Manners

A perfect training ground for the little host to practice good manners. Your child must greet each guest when they come for the party, say thank you while taking the presents gently and walk each guests out and thank them for coming. However, do not reprimand your guest of honor in front of their party guests. Start practicing party manners well before the event to be perfect.

Party Activities/Games

This is the part kids look forward to most besides cutting the cake. Plan your party games in stages. When the guests begin to trickle in, start by keeping them busy with some quite crafts or closing or building blocks. You don’t want the early birds to get bored. There should be plenty to do. A few books out is a good idea for kids who are shy.

The second stage should be when the kids start playing the party games. A good mix of competitive and co-operative games will generate the right level of excitement. An important thing to remember is to keep extra presents for the whiners who don’t win. You want your guests to get back with a smile.

After the cake is cut and the food is served, have provision to wind down the frenzy with some quite games again for guests who don’t like to eat much. Always have provision for more games, incase one of them turns out to be a party pooper.

Party safety:

You are responsible for the safety of all the children at your party. If you just have children as guests, make sure you enlist the help of two or three adults to overseen the kids. You will be busy with a number of things that day, so a few extra hands will not hurt.

Tell the parents in advance to let you know who will be picking up the kids after the party. Do not give the kids to people you may not be sure about. During the party, assign one adult to escort the kids to the washroom.

Keep choking hazards out of reach. If you have toddler guests, do not give small toy figurines as party favors or erasers which can be choking hazards.

Last but not least, you want to enjoy your child’s party also. Enlist the help of one or two adults. You cannot receive guests, make them play games, click pictures, serve food, or hand out party favors all by yourself. If you don’t get free volunteers, hire your babysitter to help out. It may be worth the stress reducer.