5 Party Principles

1 - It's your child's party, not yours.

The best way to make your child's birthday party a success is to let the guest of honor help plan the festivities. Even the youngest children express preferences that can guide you toward a theme.  While you shouldn't let them make all the decisions, consulting your child will make the process more enjoyable for all. Older children may have as much fun writing the invitations, stuffing goodie bags and help you plan the menu.

2  - Invite the right number of guests.

The old rule of thumb is that the number of guests should equal the age of the child (a four-year-old, for example, would invite four children). Like most old rules, there's some truth to this advice. Young children in particular are hard to organize and can get overwhelmed easily so it's best to keep the number of guests small.

3 - Keep 'em busy.

There's no force more destructive than a pack of unoccupied children. Channel their boundless energy (before they destroy your house) into appropriate activities. It's better to prepare more activities than you think you need so you won't be left with idle kids running around your living room.

Or if you're going out to a party place for your party, make sure you take advantage of any party planner the business offers.  They organize and time the event to meet your needs - and it allows you to enjoy the party, too!

4 - Plan age-appropriate activities at home parties.

Remember your audience. You might think a clown or a magician will delight any crowd but your toddler may not agree.  Create their entertainment to fit their needs, not yours.  Children may delight at a mobile zoo, cartoonist, face painters or dancers, magicians, and balloon artists. 

5 - Make a kid-friendly menu.

If you've followed all of this advice and still hear a few whines at the party, you'll know it's time to eat! Cakes or Cup Cakes are usually the centerpiece of the birthday table, but you should have other provisions available. Young children may shriek with glee at the site of cake but, once it's served, may remember that they don't like chocolate. Be sure to have a few flavors of ice cream to satisfy picky eaters.

If you want to serve a small meal, keep the offerings simple. As with all aspects of the party, your job isn't to impress other parents but to delight your child and his guests. Familiar snacks like veggies and dip, pizza rolls, popcorn balls, jello squares, or sandwiches work well. If these seem too mundane for your fiesta, jazz them up by using cookie cutters to make star-shaped sandwiches or heart-shaped pizza. If parents are dropping off children at the party, be sure you know about any food allergies.