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Tips for Planning a Birthday Party

By Barbara Evangelista, Publisher October 19, 2016
Planning a home-based birthday party can be a daunting task.  Entertaining 15 kids of any age can be like herding cats, and what happens when things go wrong? (Because something always will, trust me.) There are plenty of local places that will run your party from start to finish and do an awesome job (see our Birthday Party Guide) but sometimes a party place just won't work, whether due to budget, availability, or a child's particular needs.

Here are some tips for helping to make a home party as easy on you as possible:

Guest List

Fewer is better when planning the guest list.  A good target is to have one more guest than the age of the child (i.e., for a 5th birthday party, 6 children, including the guest of honor, is plenty.)  I've been to parties with 25 children -- 38 at one memorable party -- and it is overwhelming for the parents and the birthday child.

Plan for more guests than you invited; some children may bring a sibling, especially if your party is at a time when a spouse is normally at work. Have extra food and party bags, if you're giving them out, just in case. If it just won't work to have extra kids show up, make it clear on your invitation that siblings are not included in the invitation.

Have a clipboard handy as guests arrive.  If parents will not be staying during the party, ask them to provide a cell number.  Also ask them to write down any food allergies.

Gifts

I love it when there's a birthday bucket or list for a party my children get invited to -- it's so much easier to shop for the birthday child and know that the she or he will really enjoy our gift.  So, don't be shy; go ahead and do a birthday bucket or list at a local toy shop and mention it in the invitations.  Your guests' parents will appreciate it!

Activities

As a welcoming activity, ask each child to create and decorate a name tag.  It can be hard to remember the names of children that you may only meet a few times a year at school or other parties. If the children are too young to write, prepare the name tags beforehand and hand them out as each child arrives.

If possible, arrange to have a couple of friends or parents stay at the party to help manage the kids.

Plan twice as many activities as you think you'll need, since inevitably the kids will blast through each one and then announce they're bored.  

For younger children (under 7), plan cooperative games, rather than competitive ones. Losing can be very hard for little ones, so it's better to plan games where everyone wins.

Food

Be sure that all party snacks are completely nut-free and keep the packages nearby, in case a parent needs to see them to check the ingredients.  You may also want to offer a few gluten-free snacks too, such as fresh fruit or Popchips.

Serve the cake and ice cream during the last half-hour of the party (unless it appears the kids are going to declare mutiny if they don't get cake RIGHT NOW, as I saw at a recent party). Serve them outside, if possible -- there are bound to be sticky fingers and spills. 

Decorations

While I love Pinterest, I always wonder how these moms find time to create elaborate tablescapes and color-matched snacks for their child’s birthday party (and often think that in real life – not a studio photo – the party table really isn’t as stunning as it appears online).  Don’t stress about the decor; truly, the kids, and especially the birthday child (who should be the focus) won’t notice that the napkins, the cups, the cake pops, and the banner all used the exact same shade of violet.  If your child is old enough to care about these things, then she or he is old enough to help brainstorm with you and create the snacks and decorations, and probably will have a lot of fun with the prep work.  If you find yourself planning a buffet of gorgeous snacks, a hand-decorated cake with fondant figures, and matching tableware, take a few minutes to think about why the decor is needed and who it's for. If the birthday child will truly enjoy it, or if you get great enjoyment from creating a beautiful table, then go for it!  If it's causing stress or won't even be noticed by the birthday child, then take a step back and simplify, so your child's party is as easy and fun for you as it is for your child.

Do you have other helpful tips?  Comment below!