You thought throwing a birthday party was fun and simple, right? Right, until you started planning the big party. Now you are guessing every detail. Who should you invite? How will you entertain the children? Should you hire that popular provider? Do kids really need pony rides, moon jumps, and face painting? More importantly, how much cash will all this cost you?
Wow, no wonder you’re stressed! Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be that hard! Your main goal should be to simply keep it fun. No matter what kind of party you decide to have, follow my top five tips and the rest will fall into place:
1. How many children? I have seen many parties implode because parents insisted on having too many children. If your child is under the age of three, try not to invite more than ten children. For children ages four to twelve, try to stop at fifteen guests (not counting adults). Remember, many children feel totally overwhelmed by crowds.
2. For children, by children! Get your kids involved in the party planning process. Let them have input on the theme, location, guest list, and menu. They’ll feel special if they helped plan the party (and making them feel special is the goal here!)
3. How long will the party last? Do yourself a favor and make sure you stop by while the party is still fun. Less than 1 ½ hours is more than enough time for toddlers and preschoolers. Two hours is about right for older children.
4. Gift time! Imagine your child excitedly opening a stack of presents while the young givers look on happily. dream on! It’s not going to happen! Opening gifts with very young children often leads to chaos. Your child may love it, but the other children will be bored. Worse yet, some little ones may cry while trying to retrieve their gift. When it comes to young children, it’s best to save the gift opening for later. You’ll also be able to better keep track of who gave what, making thank you cards easier to write.
5. Plan, then plan more! Make sure you have alternative activities. Find out how long your hired entertainment will last (that’s me!) and then make sure you have lots of fun planned for the rest of the party. Many parents think they have enough on the agenda, only to watch in dismay as children race through the games and activities in minutes. You never want a room full of sugar-crazed kids looking at you screaming, “WHAT NOW!?” If this advice has scared you, give me a call. I have lots of ideas. In fact, ask about my “game pack.”