How to Plan a Birthday Party for Your Kids

 As a mother of 4 kids, I have planned many a birthday party.  My kids' birthdays occur once a month all together in a 4 month time span, so getting creative and adding variety is a must! Based on my own experiences, here are some tips and guideline to consider when planning your own party.

 Several factors play a role in the type of party you want to plan.

• What is your budget? This is the most important as it will affect everything else. The location you choose and any activities all depend on how much you have to spend.  There are many alternatives to meet the needs of any budget.
• How much time do you have to plan and execute the party? For those with a limited time frame and a larger budget, many places where you can have your party include an "all in one" format, where they may provide the food, entertainment and even goody bags to take home! For those with a smaller budget and more time, this provides an opportunity to show your creative side.
• How old is the child? For younger children, you want to make sure that the party does not last all day, as they will get tired and irritable by the end of the day.  I have found that 2 hours is usually the max. Younger kids also need a more structured party, where you have events or activities planned and a set schedule in mind. For older children, they tend to like more unstructured activities where you (and any other adult or parent) are not watching their every move.
• Is it for a boy or a girl? Boys tend to enjoy physical activities more while girls enjoy more creative craft activities or "pretend" activities where they use their imagination.
• What time of year will it be? (winter and summer parties definitely differ)
• How many kids do you plan to invite? Once kids are in school, a common practice is to send invitations to all the children in the class.  If everyone decides to attend, you could have 15-30 kids all at once!  
• What is the theme of the party?  This could be your child's favorite cartoon character or favority activity.  This will help you figure out decorations and/or the location of where to have the party.  For example, if your child likes to play miniature golf, then going to a local putting range that offers party packages may be the perfect thing!

There are four main areas to think about that you need to purchase for your party.

• Food - Typically, some type of food and beverages are offered at the party.  I have found that the younger kids like the individual packaged items better.  For instance, using juice boxes instead of having 2 liter bottles and open cups all over the place. Or having individual packages of chips and snacks instead of having a large open bowl of chips.  I also found out that you have to take into account any parents that may be remaining at the party, as they will likely want to eat also.  As the kids get older in age, then parents would just drop off the kids and come back at the end of the party.
• Entertainment - If you are having the party at a specific location, check to see what their policies are regarding making a party reservation.  Some places require a deposit, or a few months advance notice, and may have other restrictions.  For instance, some locations I found restricted the type of decorations I was allowed, and they gave me a limited time to set up before the party. If you are planning on setting up your own entertainment, make a list of the items you will need for each activity so that you don't forget anything. I have found that pinatas are a great activity to have when planning your own party, as it can also help cover part of your "party favors"  area. Just make sure the size of the pinata (and the candy/toys inside) are sufficient for the size of your party.
• Decorations - Based on the type of entertainment you plan to have at the party, decorations may be limited.  Consider the location of the party.  For instance, if you are having an outdoor party, decorations need to be "wind proof". Balloons need to be the mylar type or they pop very easily.  Many decorations may be purchased online.
• Cake  -  There are many options for cake.  You can make your own. You can go with a traditional buttercream cake (decorated at your local supermarket bakery and pick from the themes they offer).  You can go the option of an ice cream cake, ideal for summer parties. One year we decided on a decorated cookie cake for variety. They can decorate them to match the theme of your party and are typically available at the local bakery with the traditional cakes. Another year we had a specialty "doll" cake where Barbie is in the middle of the cake and the cake is what creates her "dress." However, the actual cake portion is small, so you may think about ordering another cake if you go this route.   
• Party Favors - Like the decorations, these may be purchased online or even at your local party store.  Many times they are inexpensive plastic toys and trinkets that the children love. Typically they come in set numbers, usually packs of 4 or 8, so make sure that you have enough.  Another thing to consider is if you need to get separate boy/girl favors if boys and girls will be at the party.  For instance, if girls are invited to a boy's party, they typically will not enjoy the "boy" favors and vice versa.  I have used my leftover favors from my previous kids' parties to fill in this gap nicely.

 For specific party ideas, see my other future hubs.  I will go into more detail for each type of party that I have planned and executed.