| KIDS
PARTY TIPS
You returned from a party last month and thought to
yourself-- "How
did she do that? She looked so calm but every thing was perfect!"
There are two possibilities....She either hired a party planner or she was
organized and prepared. No need to panic, you can be too! Here you'll find
answers to these questions and more. Where do you begin?
Are there rules of etiquette you should follow? How many children
should I invite?
Children
remember what they did at a party much more than what they ate, what the
plates and napkins looked like or whether the house was spotless. Don't
sweat the little details!
The best party times are......1:00 - 3:00 or 2:00 - 4:00
You can avoid serving a meal.
For little ones try 10:00am -11:30 to work around nap time.
Invitation Equation
Try not to over do it.
For children under 8 years old, invite as many children as the child's
age. Some parents choose to add 1 or 2 to this equation.
Only you can know your limits. Of course as your child gets much older the formula will need revision.
More on Invitations
It's not necessary to invite siblings or even Parents!
Most parents enjoy the break
This way you won't feel so much pressure to entertain Adults.
Win or Lose
No one should go home a Loser! Competitive games are enjoyable only for
the people who win. A party should be Fun...Avoid tears by selecting games
that everyone gets a chance to succeed. If it's a game like Musical
chairs, where some one is out, make them the leader of the music. Then let
the player join back in after one round. Better yet, plan a few
cooperative games, in which the whole gang faces a challenge, such as
following a treasure map, then they each receive a prize or split the treasure evenly.
Be Prepared!!!
Try setting up your party in activity stations to lead the children in the
direction of the party focus. The stations need not be fancy or expensive.
The birthday child can pick what they want to do i.e. blocks at one
station, dollhouse at another, play dough at another etc.
You should not need more than four stations. (suggestions are included in
ALL of our Party themes) Prepare ALL of the activities, games etc. before
the party. This enables you to focus on the kids when the party
begins.
Ask a friend , family member or neighbor to help with the party. It's
likely you have a neighborhood teenager who would love to help, when
offered a few dollars for their time.
In choosing party favors, it's better to spend more creativity than money.
Guests should be given some wonderful little item/items that have to do
with the party—a flower pot and seeds for a garden party or modeling
clay for an art party. You can even send the kids home with an item they
have made during the party. The birthday child should hand out the favors. This
will remind her to say "thank you".
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