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Birthday Party Planner
Birthdays
are so special to children. They are in such a hurry to grow up,
they look in anticipation for that magical day when they will in an
instant become a year older. Birthday parties allow for the child to
celebrate this event with both family and friends. This is their day
to shine to experience fun, fanfare and tasty treats. It is the one
day where they reign supreme as king or queen.
Do
not feel as though you have to work many hours and weeks to pull off
this magical event, or that you have to buy expensive invitations,
party favors, and special treats. This planner provides ideas that
will make this day magical and very cost effective. With proper
planning your child and his or her friends will have a delightful
time with the least amount of effort possible.
The
recommendations in this guide are based on professionals in the
birthday party business. This guide outlines party tips and
suggestions that will enhance the food, fun and excitement that is a
birthday party. You can start with naming a theme and pricing the
items, a great place to start is
http://www.birthdayexpress.com/
or
http://familyfun.go.com/parties/birthday/tool/partyplanner_tlp/
 Selecting
the Invitations:
 | Send out your invites about four weeks before the party. |
| The traditional -- and least expensive -- approach is to mail
out store-bought invites or ones you've made yourself. |
| Rubber-stamping is a fun, easy way to make a bunch at once. |
| Or print them at home using your computer software's clip-art
to add cool graphics. |
Invitations should always include
these essential elements:
| The birthday child's name
and age |
| Your name |
| Date of party |
| Starting and ending times of
the party |
| Location |
| Phone number |
| Type of entertainment |
.Activities
| Keep kids busy and protect your table by laying down a
large sheet of kraft paper. Supply plenty of crayons for
scribbling. |
| Hosting preschoolers? Have them create collages using
leftover craft scraps from your own stash. |
| Cut lengths of ribbon or yarn to make bracelets and
necklaces. String on foam beads, attach stickers, or glue on
rhinestones. |
| Toilet paper tubes are easy to paint and decorate. Kids
can turn them into cars, rockets -- even binoculars! |
| Headed outdoors? Set up sport stations in the yard.
Wiffle bats and balls and cushy footballs are always a hit.
Playground balls are great for impromptu games of kickball. |
| Decorate dollar-bin flip-flops. Cut bandannas or ribbon
into short strips and tie onto the tops of the thong. |
| A treasure hunt for pirate's loot (gold chocolate
coins) can be played indoors or out. Start things off by handing
out eye patches, bandannas, and a treasure map. |
| Hire an entertainer (ME) to provide most of the fun |
Space
There should be
enough space for each guest not only to be seated, but to
comfortably move around and play. When hiring live entertainment, be
sure to supply a 6' x 10' stage area. How many to invite. The basic
rule of thumb is 3 more people than the child's age: Example age 3
+{3}= 6 people, age 9+{3}= 12 people. This rule of thumb is for a
family with a minimum of 2 persons supervising.
Indoors or
Outdoors?
Indoors is better than outdoors as distractions are kept at a
minimum. Outdoors settings such as lawns or patios work well
provided it is not too windy or too bright. Children do not fare
well for 45 minutes in the glare of the sun. Outdoor shelters at
parks are also a good combination of both with plenty of space to
play and perform. Please consider what you will do if it decides to
rain on the day of the event.
Perfect Party
Schedule
Arrival Activities
These activities are meant to:
| Entertain children until all
guests arrive |
| Allow shy children to get
comfortable |
| Involve older siblings in
the party |
| Include short, quiet
activities |
Entertainment
Entertainment can be as varied as your child's interests such as:
| Games |
| A movie |
| A trip to the zoo |
| Visiting amusement parks |
| Magic and Balloon Sculpting
show presented by Johnny G (That's me) |
Refreshments
You will want
to be sure that refreshments are not included during live
entertainment or other active segments of your party to prevent food
accidents and stubborn stains.
Menu possibilities could include:
| Pizza |
| Ice Cream |
| Chips |
| Soda |
Birthday-Cake and
Cupcake Creation
Sweet Game! Frost half of a sheet cake with yellow-green
frosting. Use Starburst candies to form the path to the other half.
Use various kinds of candy such as gumdrops, licorice, lollipops,
and taffy to create a Candy Land-like game.
Letter Perfect: Frost half the cupcakes in chocolate and
half in vanilla, then coat edges with white or brown sprinkles. Use
#8 frosting tip to pipe out a birthday wish.
Goody Bags
| Shred magazine and catalog pages to make quick, colorful
filler for gifts and goody bags. |
| Send guests home with something to nibble. Decorate mini candy
bars and bags of candy with custom "wrappers." This works great
for packs of crayons too! |
| Stick-on tattoos make great party favors. |
| Party bags aren't the only way to package goodies. Use
take-out containers, poster tubes, even paper party cups. |
| Let the season inspire you. In the summer, nothing beats water
squirters or beach toys. Come fall, kids can't get enough of those
tiny pumpkins. |
| Cut pieces of construction paper in half, fold, and staple
together to make a mini book to go along with stickers. |
Opening the
Presents
This
is the highlight of the party for all of the children. Be sure each
gift and giver is properly recognized.
Farewell
Activity
This
keeps the children entertained at a time they are likely to be
restless. It will also assure their parents that they have had a
great time and appear to have been well-behaved.
Adult
Supervision
You
will find that adult supervision will ensure the success of your
party. This will allow all children to enjoy the show without
interruptions or distractions. Familiar adult faces will also add a
sense of security to their play time. This will also help prevent
accidents from happening.
A good ratio of volunteers to party guests is: 2-3 adult volunteers
per 10 children*
*Younger
children may require more adult supervision and older children may
require a little less.
For entertainment
that goes beyond what your child can expect at any other day, opt
for live entertainment such as Johnny G's Birthday show
tailored for your child's birthday to make this party
unforgettable!
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