Childrens Birthday Party Tips

Planning a child’s birthday party can be an overwhelming, but fun and rewarding task.

Hopefully these simple tips will help you inspire your customer to create a celebration that is sure to be a hit with the kids (and their parents).

Start Planning Early
Great parties can take a while to plan, so begin early. Be sure to include the child in the planning process, from creating the guest list, creating the invites, planning the food, and choosing the games. This will help to foster a sense of responsibility from the child in making sure that everything goes well and that their guests are having a good time.

Choose Location
Choose a place that will accommodate the number of guests, the theme and the activities. When hosting a party at home, confine the celebration to one or two rooms and store the breakables to avoid injury or damage. If the location is outdoors, be sure to have a back up plan in case of bad weather.

Create the Guest List
When deciding whom to invite, consider the location of the party and how many guests the space can comfortably accommodate. A good rule of thumb to determine the number of guests is to use the child’s age; for example, a five year old can invite five friends. Invite the entire class ONLY if you think you and your child can handle it!

Send the Invitations
The invitation sets the tone and theme for the party. Send the invitations at least two weeks in advance. Remember to include:

Name of the child
Location and map, if necessary
Starting and ending times
Whether or not parents are invited
Activities that may require special clothing (such as swim suits)
An RSVP date and phone number

Invitations can be handmade or bought to match the themes and tableware. For more formal events we have custom invitations that are available in select locations and on our website www. partyamerica.com.

Plan a Menu
Keep the food simple. Most children are happy with pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers or chicken nuggets. Of course, don’t forget the most important food, CAKE. A fun and easy alternative to cake is cupcakes with individual candles so that everyone can make a wish and blow out a candle.

Welcome the Guests
Make sure the birthday child greets guests and welcomes them. Ease guests into the party by starting them with a craft project. They can personalize their own party favor bag with stickers or markers, giving them something to carry their favors home in.

Games
When all guests are present, start with a game that lets the entire group interact. For fun, rename the classic party games to match the theme (i.e. tape the bone in Scooby’s mouth). Don’t forget to incorporate some quiet, non-competitive games such as a treasure hunt in which all kids work for a common goal.

Entertainment
Hiring entertainment for the party can well be worth the expense. Kids love it and it will give more time to prepare the food or for cleaning up. A clown, face painter, magician, puppeteer are just a few to consider. The entertainment can fit your theme as well. Hay rides or pumpkin picking in the Fall, or sledding or ice skating in the Winter or scavenger hunts, swimming, or pony rides in the Spring and Summer are all possibilities.

Favors and Prizes
These can range from a goodie bag with stickers, pencils, candy and small plastic toys to items that were created at the party such as decorated tee shirts or friendship bracelets.

Go With the Flow
Have a list of games and activities prepared to use as a guideline but remain flexible once the party begins. Keep the party to a maximum of three hours and don’t forget to include time for eating cake and opening presents.

Smart Tips

• Have your child greet every guest to make everyone feel welcome.
• Consider party games that let each child win, or have door prizes for those that didn’t.
• Childproof all areas where children might play.
• Do not let children inflate balloons. Discard any broken balloon pieces immediately.
• Do not included small items in the goodie bags for children under the age of four.
• Send THANK YOU NOTES.

Pick a Theme
Kid’s parties should reflect the child’s personality or interests. A theme will also help when it comes to the invitations, décor, food, favors and games. With our selection of product, there should be no lack of inspiration or creativity.