How to Have a Nice Birthday Party
Create a guest list., Pick a venue, time and theme., Deliver invitations., Pick out decorations and foodstuffs., Come up with a few games., Take care of the adults.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Create a guest list.
A good rule of thumb is the child's age plus
1.
Depending on how many adults can stick around, you'll be grateful that this number isn't too high.
Have you child pick their closest friends and start planning.
As you create the guest list, consider schedules.
Are there any conflicts you can foresee? Holidays? Church? School activities? -
Step 2: Pick a venue
Though you don't necessarily have to have it at your house, that may be the easiest option.
Otherwise consider taking your bundles of joy to a kid-friendly restaurant or to a play area or park.
If you're doing it at your house, think about having a theme.
It'll be much easier to pick out decorations, food, and plan games if you narrow down your options.
Let your child narrow it down to a few themes and then go see which one is easiest to accommodate at your local party supply stores.
You may want to take to your child to the stores with you to encourage them to select what's available.
Find a time that you believe will work for both the parents and the kids.
The parents' availability is almost as important (the kids will need rides and/or you'll need back up!) as the kids'.
A few hours is more than sufficient
-- do not feel obligated to take the children all afternoon. , This is a touchy topic at times and must be done appropriately.
You can either call the parents to inform them of the goings-on or carefully deliver them at school.
Consider asking the teacher to put them in the kids' folders.
This is a super discreet way of making sure the children who aren't invited don't find out and get upset. , Now that you know how many people are coming and what theme you're working with, you can pick out the appropriate amount of food, drinks, and decorations.
Make sure to do this in advance! You don't want to be running around chaotically on the day of.
In addition to decorations, think about something the children can take home with them.
This can be a decoration itself, or it can be some game the children played.
Avoid wasting your money on little trinkets they'll just throw away in a month when it's not being used.
Remember the cake! And stock up on juices, water, and some alternate age-appropriate foods.
You may have some children that can't or won't eat cake and you don't want to hand over a starving child to their parent.
And equally important: cups, plates, napkins, forks, and spoons. , Though the children may be able to make their fun (especially depending on their age), be sure to have a few pre-planned activities to keep things manageable and speed the time away.
If you have a theme, try to stick with it.
The kids could pan for gold in a western style theme, make bracelets for a princess theme, or build cardboard rockets for a space theme.
Ask other parents for ideas, too.
These games are good way to cover your party favor.
The kids can take home whatever they've done, found, or made that day. , Hopefully, one or two will volunteer to stick around.
That being the case, be sure to provide for them too.
Have adult friendly food and drinks included on your grocery list when you make your venture to the store.
If you're super on top of party etiquette, you may want to send them a thank you for helping out at the party.
Though this is by no means necessary, it is a nice, thoughtful touch. -
Step 3: time and theme.
-
Step 4: Deliver invitations.
-
Step 5: Pick out decorations and foodstuffs.
-
Step 6: Come up with a few games.
-
Step 7: Take care of the adults.
Detailed Guide
A good rule of thumb is the child's age plus
1.
Depending on how many adults can stick around, you'll be grateful that this number isn't too high.
Have you child pick their closest friends and start planning.
As you create the guest list, consider schedules.
Are there any conflicts you can foresee? Holidays? Church? School activities?
Though you don't necessarily have to have it at your house, that may be the easiest option.
Otherwise consider taking your bundles of joy to a kid-friendly restaurant or to a play area or park.
If you're doing it at your house, think about having a theme.
It'll be much easier to pick out decorations, food, and plan games if you narrow down your options.
Let your child narrow it down to a few themes and then go see which one is easiest to accommodate at your local party supply stores.
You may want to take to your child to the stores with you to encourage them to select what's available.
Find a time that you believe will work for both the parents and the kids.
The parents' availability is almost as important (the kids will need rides and/or you'll need back up!) as the kids'.
A few hours is more than sufficient
-- do not feel obligated to take the children all afternoon. , This is a touchy topic at times and must be done appropriately.
You can either call the parents to inform them of the goings-on or carefully deliver them at school.
Consider asking the teacher to put them in the kids' folders.
This is a super discreet way of making sure the children who aren't invited don't find out and get upset. , Now that you know how many people are coming and what theme you're working with, you can pick out the appropriate amount of food, drinks, and decorations.
Make sure to do this in advance! You don't want to be running around chaotically on the day of.
In addition to decorations, think about something the children can take home with them.
This can be a decoration itself, or it can be some game the children played.
Avoid wasting your money on little trinkets they'll just throw away in a month when it's not being used.
Remember the cake! And stock up on juices, water, and some alternate age-appropriate foods.
You may have some children that can't or won't eat cake and you don't want to hand over a starving child to their parent.
And equally important: cups, plates, napkins, forks, and spoons. , Though the children may be able to make their fun (especially depending on their age), be sure to have a few pre-planned activities to keep things manageable and speed the time away.
If you have a theme, try to stick with it.
The kids could pan for gold in a western style theme, make bracelets for a princess theme, or build cardboard rockets for a space theme.
Ask other parents for ideas, too.
These games are good way to cover your party favor.
The kids can take home whatever they've done, found, or made that day. , Hopefully, one or two will volunteer to stick around.
That being the case, be sure to provide for them too.
Have adult friendly food and drinks included on your grocery list when you make your venture to the store.
If you're super on top of party etiquette, you may want to send them a thank you for helping out at the party.
Though this is by no means necessary, it is a nice, thoughtful touch.
About the Author
Nancy Jimenez
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: