| Throwing your child's birthday party does not have to | | | | do a test run of whatever activity you plan on doing. |
| consist of agony. | | | | You never know what snafu you can encounter and it |
| The first rule of thumb is to keep it simple. | | | | is best to get all of the glitches out before the party. |
| Decide if you are going to have some underlying | | | | When choosing your activities, keep in mind the age of |
| theme. These days it is easy to go to a store and | | | | your birthday child and friends. Only you know your |
| purchase all that you need in paper goods and | | | | child best and you can best determine the level and |
| invitations. | | | | success of any activity. Keeping it simple is the best |
| It's been said that the age of your child is the | | | | way to go. Stay away from activities that call for glue |
| appropriate amount of children. So, if your child is 3, | | | | guns, or other items that really should have adult |
| then you should invite 3 children. However nice that | | | | supervision. These type of craft activities will only slow |
| might be, it never happens. Today's children are so | | | | the children down and will lead to the children having |
| networked with school, after school programs, | | | | unstructured time leading to chaos. |
| neighborhood friends, clubs, and activities that they all | | | | Games are always an easy thing to add or create at |
| lead to longer guests lists. Planning the guest list can | | | | a party. It is best to not have the games be real |
| sometimes be the hardest part to planning a birthday | | | | competitive in nature. If working in groups, you should |
| party. It's best to decide if you'll limit the list to certain | | | | always try to let both teams accomplish something, |
| groups, class friends only, or take the children that your | | | | then ultimately calling the birthday child's team the |
| child has the most daily contact with. | | | | winner. Be prepared with more games than you might |
| Once you have the guest list it's important to give | | | | actually get to. You never know how long a game can |
| ample time for the invitations to be sent and people to | | | | take, or how long a child's attention span might last. So |
| RSVP. Repondez s'il-vous-plait, from the French | | | | it is always better to be over prepared then under |
| basically meaning Please Respond, does not always | | | | prepared. You can have prizes at the end of each |
| happen. Often times it is better to put Regrets Only. | | | | game or just wait till the favor bag at the end for the |
| Hopefully in your invitation you gave thought to what | | | | children. |
| time you are having the birthday party, this is important | | | | After all the crafts, games, and activities it is time for |
| and can either add stress or alleviate some issues. | | | | cake. Best advice is to save the cake till it almost time |
| The earlier the party, before the lunch hour, then you | | | | for the children to be picked up. Once you cut that |
| might be able to avoid having to serve any food. Once | | | | cake the party is all over. You will have lost any and all |
| you get to about noon then you're running into the | | | | control that you had over the children once that sugar |
| issue of to serve food or not to serve food. Once you | | | | rush kicks in. If you decide that you are going to open |
| get back to around 2:00 pm then you are clear of the | | | | presents at the party with the guests in attendance |
| food issue, but then the later you go in time your back | | | | then following the cake is usually a good time. |
| to the food debate. The best source of food to serve | | | | Favor bags...why children get these at a birthday party |
| at any party is pizza. It's easy to order and liked by the | | | | is a mystery, yet none the less, anticipated. What to |
| majority of children. | | | | put in a grab bag? You can fill it with some candy, |
| Well, you figured out the theme, created the guest list, | | | | items that relate to your theme, pencils and things for |
| planned food or no food, now what do you do with all | | | | school, and a good place to find items would be at a |
| these kids in your house? | | | | dollar store. These are best to hand out as the children |
| There is a wealth of information on the internet for | | | | are being picked up and leaving otherwise items tend |
| activities and games for children. Some might be | | | | to get lost, children want different colors of things, or |
| included under the search of party games, others you | | | | an item might break. |
| might be able to find under a general search of the | | | | Once the party is over let your child play with all his |
| age level of the children looking for crafts, games and | | | | her new birthday presents, kick your feet up, have a |
| activities. The trick is to know what exactly the craft, | | | | glass of wine and take solace that a birthday only |
| activity, or game is going to entail. It is always good to | | | | comes once a year! |