Birthday party planning tips

Birthday parties for kids are meant to be fun.  It’s an occasion that should be celebrated and can be a great opportunity for kids to run around, socialize and (hopefully) sleep better tonight.  The line between a good and bad party is a fine one that can be easily navigated by following a couple really simple laws.

Time the party for the kids

Have the party in the late morning or early afternoon.  This time frame allows you to figure out the best period, relative to the naps that your small guests will take.  Carefully choosing the time that you have the party you can avoid a number of cranky toddler or young ones who need a nap, much less being wound up on cake and fun.

I’ve been to a couple children’s birthday parties that were in the late afternoon.  Aside from being less convenient for the adults, it caught the children at bad times too. 

The length shall not exceet 90 minutes

One hour to 90 minutes.  Anything longer and you are asking for trouble with a capitol T. 

Theme the party well

A theme is great because it helps the parents organize games and activities.  If you visit the dollar store you can get some great ideas, as well as, supplies for the party.  The theme can also be a good helper for gifts.  If your theme is American Doll, obviously don’t expect all your guests to bring one as a gift.  If that’s the case, please email us and we’ll invite you to our next party. 

For boys a Matchbox theme is great because the gifts are affordable and all boys love them.  For the girls the generic Princess party is always a smash because it opens it up to all Princess’ and not just the name brands.

The venue

Your local park and recreation service has more than a couple gazebos or covered structures that you can rent for free.  The other benefit is that they’ll probably have a grill for hot dogs and hamburgers, which will save money on food too.  Just call ahead as those places may require a reservation.

If you’re having the party at a laser tag place or bounce house please be respectful of the costs.  Especially because the organizer will be paying for it and you could pay out the nose for it.  A nice alternative is an airport that has a jungle jim or pavilion area located near the airplanes.   Small, local airports are ideal for this type of thing and can usually assist you with enough advance notice.  These places may have a cost associated with them, but it’s probably more affordable and much more memorable than a bounce house.