10 Tips for Creating a Special Birthday Party for Your Child

Let me offer these 10 tips to do-it-yourself parents planning to organize a birthday party for their child.

1. Brainstorm with your child. If your child is old enough, ask him or her what he or she would like as a theme. Share your plans with your child, so he or she will feel how special you’d like the birthday party to be.

2. Gild the lily. After determining the theme, select the appropriate party ware, decorations and favors to go with the theme.

3. Draw up a program of activities. You should know exactly what happens during the party and in what sequence. Don’t wing it and expect fun to just happen by itself. Successful parties are always well planned.

4. Your choice of entertainment will set the tone of your party. Whether you plan to hire a Magician or a Clown Host, book early. Most good performers have filled calendars, so hire one well in advance. A good strategy is to book the Magician before you send out the invitations. A recommendation from a friend would usually be enough to help you get a good performer.

5. Find Helpers. Build a team of “alalays” and runners to do errands for you. Dozens of details will crop up in the weeks leading to the party date. You can’t handle them all by yourself. Find some good help to avoid being stressed out.

6. Create a festive mood. Add flair to your sala or garden where you hold the party activities. Decorate it with balloons and streamers. Don’t use helium-filled balloons, because they are flammable and may cause accidents.

7. Make your address easy to locate. If you hold the party in your house, decorate your gate with balloons to help guests find your house easily.

8. Smile for the camera. During the party, take a lot of pictures of your child, guests, activities and highlights of the party. Limit the posed shots to a minimum. Candid and action shots capture better the fun of the moment. If you have a camcoder, assign a family member to record the
party on video.

9. Childproof the party room. If you’re holding the activities in the sala, remove the TV set, antique jars and anything that is expensive and breakable. Kids have a way of ruining precious household possessions or hurting themselves with broken pieces of home articles without meaning to.

10. Have a lot of fun. Expect at least one child breaking a plate or glass, so you won’t freak out when it does happen. Enjoy the party with your guests. Let your team of “alalays” do the bulk of work.

Leodini