Kids Party Planning Tips

Chances are if you have children, you’ll be hosting a party for kids at least once this year. Children’s parties should be more about making memories than how much money is spent. Here are tips on what to consider.

1. Start with a theme. A theme is the foundation upon which all of the other components of the party will be built. Because it is the common factor, it will help make purchasing favours, deciding upon colours and selecting games that much easier. Involve your child in the process. Figure out what he or she enjoys the most and go with that theme.
    
2. Select the venue. Hosting the party at home is often the least expensive option, but one that will require the most clean-up. If you have a finished basement or a big backyard, you have a versatile space. However party centres offer maximum convenience in terms of supplies, events and clean-up.
    
3. Decide on the guest list. It’s understandable to want to invite every friend and family member to a children’s birthday party. However, due to space and budget constraints, this isn’t often possible. One rule of courtesy to follow is that if you invite at least half of your child’s school class to the party, you should respectfully invite them all in this case so no one feels left out. It’s also perfectly acceptable to limit the party invites to family members with children in the same age bracket.
    
4. Time the party for the age group. Younger children who get antsy later in the day when it may be nap time could benefit from an early party, while older children may want a late-afternoon party, which could work to your advantage since you won’t have to provide a meal. Also, time the party so that you give guests ample time to arrive, enjoy themselves and be on their merry way without feeling rushed or bored. For the youngest children (ages one to three years), a rule of thumb is not to have the length of the party exceed their age in hours otherwise you could have meltdowns and temper tantrums on your hand from tired children.
    
5. Food and fun are essential. Guests attend parties for the enjoyment factor and what food will be served. Certain games are tried and true birthday classics such as musical chairs. However, use your imagination to fit games to the theme of your party. A super-hero themed party, for example, may feature an obstacle course where the villains must go up against a team of heroes. Or base your festivities on the time of year. Just be sure to indicate the type of activities on the invitations so that gusts can dress accordingly.In terms of food, pizza is definitely the ultimate standby in terms of party fare. However, changing up the menu to other finger foods, such as chicken nuggets, small sandwiches, or make-your-own creations can add something different to your event.
    
6. Take the cake. It’s nice to have a visually perfect cake that guests can admire over, but it’s not a necessity. A home-baked cake or a sheet cake purchased from a store can be an affordable option. Use toys or your own decorating savvy to make the design fit in with your theme. For an even easier time of it, individual cupcakes eliminate the need to stand, slice and serve cake to all of the guests.
    
7. Don’t forget the favours. Enable guests to take away something from the party. Scour discount stores for inexpensive finds. (MS)