Relax, don’t panic and keep it as simple as possible is the answer.

The cleanliness of the room is seldom of any concern to the kids.  Take a moment and think about this. Most kids will turn the best kept rooms into tornado ravaged areas within mere minutes of their entrance. Seldom do they care about matching plasticware or what time it is! Their concern is playing games, having fun and eating food!

What’s the best way to ensure that your child’s birthday party is one to remember? (at least until the next party invitation arrives!)

First, take a little time to think about the children’s birthday party theme. Will it be an outing to the local burger house, a trip to an amusement park or will you have a theme party at home.  With sufficient forward planning, you won’t be losing any sleep worrying about the party.

Make a list of who is coming to the party. What most people will do is to invite as many guests as you want to feed.

Ask the birthday child what they would like to do. Don’t be tempted to pressure them into having the sort of party YOU would like. After all, it is their big day! Once you have decided on a theme, then the party activities to keep the kids happy become a priority. Many traditional games can be adapted to fit just about any party theme.

If the party is to at the local restaurant, go along and speak to the manager to agree the food menu and leave the rest to them. If the party is to be at home, then selecting a theme can be fun. Whether it’s Pirates, Finding Nemo or Dora the Explorer, this is your opportunity to get creative!

Such a large variety of characters makes choosing party goods rather simple.  If you’re planning to hold the party outdoors, it would be a good idea to have at least one room inside your home decorated, so that if it rains, you still have a place to party. Make sure the fun and games stay in a pre-designated party areas (as much as possible), so you are able to relax and enjoy the party without worrying about the mess being made.

Don’t forget to keep your birthday kid involved whenever possible.Get them to suggest party game ideas.  Then let them choose the decorations and food together. Are you feeling better? Hope so, because organizing a children’s birthday party should be fun for everyone!

Allocate a budget for the party. Decide whether you hire a professional entertainer or enlist the help of friends and neighbors. Enlist a friend or two for clean-up duty, run a game or two and even take the some party videos.

Set a time for the party. Two or three hours should be plenty of time. If the children are under 5 years old, then one and half hours should be time enough.  One great tip is to hold a toddler party during the morning since youngsters tend to get a bit “cranky” when they get tired!

Plan your party games in 15-20 minute intervals.  If you find the kids are happy playing a particular game let them carry on… why spoil their fun? On the other hand plan more activities than you think you will need. Some games may be greeted with a “groan” and you may well need to play another game sooner than you expected.

Send out your children’s birthday party invitations 2 to 3 weeks in advance of the party date, then make a follow-up confirmation phone calls after about a week. Hectic schedules make most everyone very busy nowadays and a small invitation can get easily forgotten, usually under a mountain of junk-mail!

Don’t spend more time or energy than necessary on things that don’t really matter. Get the bakers to make a completely finished themed birthday cake!

Finally, the big day has arrived and your first guest arrives for your child’s birthday party.  Stay calm, keep a good sense of humor and enjoy the precious party time with your guests. Now it’s time to let the party take shape. Make sure to keep the jazzelope away from those that are allergic.
You will look back afterwards, when flicking through your fabulous party images, with the immortal words… ”that was the best party ever”!

About the Author

Danler Lerel is a corporate technology adviser. You can find more information at www.mybigshow.us.