Nothing says unique like being a leap year baby. My daughter was born on Feb 29th and for this year, my family and I celebrated her on the 31st of March (since she had no true birthday).
When I began planning Nevaeh’s sixth birthday, I couldn’t stop reflecting on the importance of birthday parties and why we must have them. They are a great boost to a child’s self-esteem and also as every parent probably knows making them feel special is one of the best gifts you can ever give them.
My thoughts around planning a kid’s birthday party were I could just let them play/entertain themselves which ever way they saw fit, open gifts, don’t forget to feed them and be done. Easy, peasy. After hosting my first kid party, lets just say my opinions have evolved since (haha). I love hosting parties for my daughter, I do it every year, but kid parties are definitely a work to pull off. So here are a few tips on how to make those magical days a little less stressful.
1. Come up with a plan.
First off, this is not the time to wing it. If you don’t make a plan, you will find yourself in a panic. The kids are excited which can make them loud and wild. Make a time table a head of time and try to stick to it . When will you start opening presents? When will you serve the cake and ice cream? What will the kids do? If you make-a-plan, then you will have time for everything and you won’t try to cram it all in before parents start to arrive to pick them up.
2. Don’t forget relevant info on invites.
Other than the basics that usually go on an invitation, there are more nuggets of info that parents might be wondering about. Indicate if kids will be dropped off ( appropriate after ages 5-6) or accompanied by an adult. If parents do leave their kid, don’t forget to get a phone number where they can be reached. Also, alert the parents if food will be served so people know to feed their kids and if possible, let them know what is on the menu to alert those parents who’s kids have allergies.
3. Don’t make the party too long.
Don’t make it too long. I did this once and live to tell the story of regret. I’d say 2 1/2 to 3 hours is plenty time. Have them play for the first 45 minutes to an hour whether its the entertainment you hired, games or just running outside. I suggest you don’t make them sit to eat or open gifts first because you won’t be successful.
After 45 minutes to an hour, corral them in to eat and/or do cake and ice cream. This is the perfect time to open gifts because they are sitting down. After eating and opening gifts, they will want to play again, so be sure to start the eating and gift opening early enough to give them play time after.
4. Have simple snacks on hand.
Often the kids are too excited to eat so don’t plan a big elaborate meal. Make it easy and simple. My go to is usually pizza for a meal, but snacks with cake and ice cream are enough. The kids may take two bites and be so excited to play that they run off to play without finishing their food. This will be frustrating to you if you’ve spent a lot of time preparing food, so keep it simple.
My snack cheat sheet:
- Applesauce cups
- Pretzels
- Cake and ice cream / cupcakes
- Cake pops
- Popcorn
- Candy
- Pizza
- Lemonade
- mini sandwiches
- Gogurt
5. Pick out fun favors.
Hand out goody bags at the end, as the children leave, so you greatly reduce the chance of lost items or misunderstandings. There are plenty of options — if you are having a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse party, for example, purchase favors related to that theme — stickers, notepads, pens, and more at all different price points. Make sure whatever you choose is clearly labeled with the child’s name.
When all is said and done, be sure to mail (not e-mail) thank-you notes. This job will most likely fall on you, but your child can certainly practice good manners by drawing a picture or writing her name (if this is something she is capable of doing).
I hope you find my post helpful in planning your child’s next birthday party! Let me know how it goes by dropping me a comment. Be sure to save this post to Pinterest for future reference if you’ve found my tips helpful:)
Thanks and party on!!!
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