Organizing your average birthday party is easy, but why settle for an average birthday party? We hope the checklist below will give you some interesting ideas in order to make your next birthday party a memorable event.
Ingredients for a great birthday party:
Guest list: A carefully made guest list can make or break a birthday party. Try to be realistic here. Unless you have a really big house, you will have to either arrange for a small party with a few close friends or rent a place. Either way, remember that you are supposed to invite your kid's friends, not just yours.
Decorations: Once again, location is everything. If you rent a place, you can probably ask them to take charge of the decoration, and they will probably be able to provide for a thematic birthday party. If you are staying home, you still have to choose a theme, but try not to go too wild. That Sponge Bob Square Pants decor that seemed so charming at the party supplies store could lose its charm when you have to get the house back to normal the day after the birthday party.
Childproofing: Try to get into the mind of a child and remove those oh-so-fragile but oh-so-tempting elements of your decor that might get in the way of a sugar-crazed kid. This is not the time to have your good china on display! Also remember to lock the areas that you think is too dangerous for children, like the cleaning closet or the tool shed.
Cake and Piñata: While these two elements may sound pretty straightforward, sometimes they can become a source of distress. Don’t forget the candles and matches for the cake, and also don't forget that you will need some sort of weapon to use against the piñata. If you are not prepared beforehand, you may wind up sawing off a perfectly good broom because nobody thought of getting a stick! It could also be a good idea to skip the piñata, or to get separate piñatas if there is a big age disparity among your guests. Kids will be kids, and sometimes the teens will forget to mind the toddlers when rushing for the candy.
Entertainers: Unless you are really, really good with children, it can be a good idea to book an entertainer for your birthday party. Mere mortals cannot hope to keep children simultaneously entertained and well-behaved, particularly if you also have to worry about the logistics of the piñata queue and the distribution of the cake while you are at it.
Photos: If you are not good with the camera, consider inviting a friend who is. Hiring a pro can be a good investment too. Maybe those pictures won't look particularly exciting tomorrow, but 10 or 20 years from now, a good photo of your birthday party can become a cherished memory.
The boring stuff: Last, but not least, remember that a birthday party cannot run on magic alone. You also have to keep cleaning supplies on hand (someone will eventually spill soda on the floor), keep the toilet well stocked with toilet paper, and try to have some discrete, but not too discrete, trash cans laying around unless you want to personally collect every single paper plate in the house. Also, try to have some band-aids handy.
|
Thanks so much, Sara. (Brisbane)
Birthday Bonus 3 ($9.95 value)
