Throwing a successful children's party is a piece of cake, if you follow these easy guidelines. DIY Family Entertaining host Belma Johnson shows how to give a party that will be the talk of the neighborhood. As you plan, remember: - Keep the child in mind.
- Involve the entire family.
- Be organized.
Theme First, select a good theme. The theme is the engine that drives the whole party. Let your kids choose the theme -- they'll love you for it. Don't worry: you can take almost any theme and shape it into a fun party. Invitations Let the invitations help generate excitement for the party. If you're planning a masquerade ball, attach the invitation to a mask. If you're working with a princess theme, include a small sparkly wand (figure A). Or if it's a baking party, paste a few candy sprinkles on the invitation -- or attach the invitation to a whole jar of them. Decorations Decorations carry the theme too, of course. If it's a luau, hand the guests a lei as they come in, and use leis as decorations. A sports theme might suggest decorating with shakers, megaphones, helmets, footballs (figure B) or other equipment. And remember, you don't have to buy decorations: you can make them. If possible, let the kids help create the decorations. That's a good way to make them feel involved in the preparations. Activities Guests who arrive early can make some of the decorations too. Set up various activity areas, such as modeling-clay stations. Blow up balloons and let the children draw faces on them with markers. Or invite them to make paper chains out of construction paper and clear tape. They'll enjoy helping to participate in the creation of the party. Food Choose food that's easy to handle and that kids like. Let your child help choose the menu, and make sure to have a variety of foods on hand in case some of the guests are picky eaters. Check with the other parents before you decide on the menu. You'll want to ask about favorite (and unfavorite) foods and those that their children may be allergic to. Party Favors A good party favor is anything that seems fun to your child. Perhaps you'd like to give guests gift bags stuffed with crayons, chalk and bubble-making supplies. A pool party might be especially memorable if every kid receives a pair of flip-flops (figure C). Helpful hints: - Invite other parents. You can never have too much help around.
- Have extra treats on hand. They'll come in handy if any of the guests get cranky.
- Extra food and party favors can be party savers.
RESOURCES :
The Only Kid's Party Book You'll Ever Need
(Reader's Digest, 1998)
by Gill Dickinson and Julia Goodwin
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