Just because you’re a busy mom doesn’t mean you have to shortchange your child when it comes to throwing a fun, memorable and magical birthday party. Here’s how to take the stress out of hosting a children’s birthday party.
Short and Sweet. The younger the birthday child is, the shorter your party should be. You’re not doing anyone any favors planning a four or five hour party for toddler. Parties can be chaotic when they stretch out too long. It’s better to plan a high quality, organized and fun short party than a long disappointing one. A simple plan is to use the first 30 minutes to allow guests to arrive and settle in. Let your child play host to their friends with your guidance. They’ll be excited to show their friends around their room and see all their toys. Provide some light and healthy snacks.
Small is Good. The younger the birthday child is, the fewer guests to invite. A toddler should have no more than a handful of friends. Try to keep the invite list under 15 children for older kids. You do not have to invite your child’s entire class. While your child may have excellent social skills and be able to play with others, chances are there are a few classmates who are a bit of the handle.
Get Help. Ask some friends and relatives to help you run the party. Whenever you have a house full of children their safety has to be your primary concern. Parents of toddlers should be expected to stay at the party to supervise their own children. Consider paying your babysitter to help run games and activities.
Keep It Simple. An inexpensive and fun activity for young children a continuous roll of butcher paper along the walls in a playroom. First the children with washable markers and crayons and let them have fun decorating the room. Traditional games like hot potato and pin the tail on the donkey are as popular today as they were when we were kids.
Add Some Magic. Hire a skilled children’s entertainer who can do a one hour show and you’ll give yourself a much-needed break. Find a magician who specializes in entertaining kids. Just as with any other service you can hire, prices and quality will vary greatly. While we all like to save money, sometimes hiring the cheapest entertainer is a waste of your hard earned dollars. You can find a professional, reliable magician by asking a round for referrals. Use social media tools like Facebook and Twitter to crowd source quickly and easily. Give a call to your child’s school or camp and asked the director who they would recommend. The perfect kid’s magician will combine silly jokes with amazing magic tricks that will keep the kids fascinated.
Simple Food. There is no need to break out a gourmet meal for children. When there is a party kids are usually too excited to eat. They want to run around and play with their friends. A good old fashioned pizza pie is an easy and popular birthday party meal. By scheduling your party between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. you can avoid having to serve lunch or dinner. All you need are some snacks and some ice cream and cake to throw an indulgent and fun children’s birthday party. Be careful about serving any food item with peanuts or shellfish to children as these are high on the list of dangerous foods for kids with allergic conditions.
Fun Time. Give yourself plenty of time to plan your child’s party and to send out invitations. Avoid planning a birthday party on the same day or weekend of a popular holiday as this will very often result in low attendance. Decide on a gift policy for the party and make it clear in the invitation you send to each child’s parent. Put a dollar limit on gifts or discourage them all together to avoid putting an unnecessary strain on your guests.
Brian McGovern is a kid’s magician in New York City. He specializes in comedy magic, juggling and balloon sculptures. Find out more at Long Island Magicians.
The best way to find a magician is word of mouth, use Facebook and twitter but it is only by speaking to or recommendation you get someone you can fell at easy