Child’s Play: Tips and Tricks for Throwing a Successful Child’s Party

What Else Do I Need to Know?

Always let the parents of your guests know if they are expected to stay with their children (usually with younger groups) or if this is a "drop-off" party. If you expect parents to stay, you'll want to plan for some adult snacks, too.
Plan a quiet activity like a simple craft project to get the party started as children arrive. Save organized games for later, after everyone has arrived.
Don't wear everyone out or set yourself up for disaster by expecting too much of children. When you're planning activities, remember that the younger a child is, the shorter their attention span and stamina. A movie or a full day at the park may be too much for a toddler, resulting in temper tantrums by the end of the party. Match the activity level and length of the celebration to the age of the children attending.
Always have a camera with extra film, memory sticks and/or batteries on hand. You won't want to miss a moment of the fun. Since you'll likely be busy with hosting duties, ask a friend or family member to record the event for you.

Child’s Play: Tips and Tricks for Throwing a Successful Child’s Party

Plan the Perfect Celebration for Your Child's Birthday

Who Should I Invite?

Not many 12-month-olds have a social circle, so you don't need to round up a roomful of infants to make your baby's party the best. The rule of thumb is one child "guest" per year of age, at least in the early years. So, stick to family and close friends in the beginning. As children get older, they'll let you know who they want to attend their party. However, if you're inviting any classmates from school, a dance class or a Boy Scout troop you should invite everyone in the group so that feelings are not hurt.

What Should I Say?

Coming up with clever wording for your invitation can be difficult. Try rhyming something with your child's name or age or choose a play on words having to do with the theme of their party. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

A little cake, a lot of fun.
A little host who's turning one!

Peek-a-boo! Guess who's two?
David, that's who!

Any way you slice it, it'll be great!
You're invited to a birthday bash in honor of Kate!

Toot the horn, bang the drum.
It's a party! Can you come?

It's as simple as A-B-C
A birthday's more fun if you share it with me!

What Should I Serve?

Stick with kid-friendly favorites, but don't overload on sugary treats. Limit the sugar to the birthday cake and some candy as part of a party favor. Substitute fresh fruit, crackers or juice for other types of temptations. You want to avoid too many kids with a sugar high (and, ultimately, a sugar crash).

How Should I Decorate?

Young children usually have a favorite cartoon or movie character. If you use that character as the theme of your party, incorporate the character's signature colors and traits in everything from dcor to menu ideas to activities to the cake. You want the room to be cheerful and colorful for your celebration, but honestly, children won't pay much attention to the minute details of tasteful dcor; so spend more time and effort orchestrating activities and entertainment. If you have your party somewhere outside of the home, you may not need to decorate at all.

Party Places for Children