Birthday party planning
Children are easy to please! So when planning your child’s birthday party, remember that she and her guests will delight in even the simplest affair. For those milestone years, go from simply sweet to super duper with a few extra bells and whistles. Either way, you can create magical and memorable birthday parties
Invitations
Little kids love to get mail, and it’s usually the ripping of the envelope that is most satisfying. For a toddler’s party, use a classic fold card and matching envelope. For bigger kids, deliver an unexpected custom-made postcard to set the tone or send your invite in a decorated paper mailing tube. Add a few pinches of confetti or a charm that represents the party’s theme.
Party Decorations
Clusters of balloons in a particular color scheme paired with streamers are traditional party decorations. For an update, make a balloon bouquet centerpiece and hang swags of streamers on the back of each chair. Or save a little time by using your party treats as decoration: for example, use a cupcake stand filled with colorful cupcakes as a centerpiece. Party favors can do double duty, too: personalize classic party hats with glitter glue and use as place cards. For extra flair decorate party hats to go along with your theme (for example, add a long ribbon to the top for a princess or draw a Jolly Rogers skull-and-crossbones for a pirate).
Games
The crafts at your party can be basic or elaborate, depending on the age of your guests. A long table covered with craft paper and small containers of crayons is perfect for little kids. In the summertime, a bubble station is plenty of stimulation for two to four-year-olds. Bigger kids can decorate anything from T-shirts to sun visors and canvas shoes with fabric paint, fabric glue, plastic jewels and pompoms. Even better, these crafts double as party favors.
Party Food
Kids won’t sit still for long, so the best party food for the under-twelve crowd is finger-food. Keep healthy, age-appropriate snacks and water within reach at all times for those frequently needed energy boosts. Cake and ice cream with a decorative candle is an easy way to serve little kids a special birthday treat. To make the birthday treat extra special for big kids, create a serve-yourself ice cream sundae bar – complete with chocolate syrup and rainbow sprinkles – or a decorate-your-own cupcake station.
Don’t shy away from the classic party games you played as a kid. “Pin the tail on the donkey” is fun for all ages. Spin the bigger kids before each turn and hang the donkey further away to make the game more difficult. Build some calm excitement with a game of Bingo. Reinvent these traditional games to fit your party’s theme: try “pin the wings on the fairy,” for example; or customize your Bingo cards with clip art and let kids use dot paints to mark the squares. Reserve a special prize for the first-place winner and always have consolation prizes available for everyone else.
Party Bags
Always thank your guests for coming by sending them home with a party bag. An assortment of small treats – candy, stickers or small toys – is a fun and easy gift. Consider unique reusable containers for your favors: a fabric-lined bucket, a mini terra cotta flower pot or organdy drawstring bags. It’s better to put in 1 or 2 quality items than a pile of junk that will go straight in the bin when they get home. Remember it’s the bag itself they love rather than the contents.