This past weekend the kids and I went to my best friend’s 4 year-old’s birthday party. The kids had a blast, and I learned a few things about holding kid’s birthday parties.
Here are some pointers for your future birthday blasts:
- Have the kids do a simple craft (think coloring activity) as they arrive. This gives them something to do while waiting for everyone to get there.
- Games that coordinate with the party’s theme? Super fun. (Think “Duck, Duck, Fire Truck” instead of “Duck, Duck, Goose.”)
- Keep the games down to 2-3 short ones.
- Prizes really aren’t necessary for games. In fact, with younger kids prizes could cause more trouble. Stick to giving a goody bag instead.
- If the party is for a preschool aged child, inviting the parents is a wise choice.
- Cupcakes are easier to serve than having to cut a cake and then dish out silverware to eat it with. Still want a cake? Make a smaller one and surround it with coordinating cupcakes.
- Once the presents are opened, have the birthday child pass out goody bags to thank his/her friends for the gifts. This gets little ones’ minds off the new toys and also eases the confusion some younger guests may have as to why they don’t have a present.
- Then, after the gifts are done, send them to play outside or in a playroom while you move presents aside. (It’s hard to share new toys for little ones, directing the party elsewhere eases this problem.)
- As for invitations, put the start and END time on the invitation. (For example, Time: 11:00-1:00) This is a subtle hint to guests as to when to start leaving.
- Going with number 9, having the party early enough in the day ensures little ones have time to investigate their gifts before bedtime. (This is something I am going to remember come Monkey’s birthday this May.)
Got another great tip when it comes to hosting a birthday party? Please, share it with us in a comment!
Kristen says
I don’t mean to sound cheap but parties can get a bit costly and I try to set the party time before/after a major meal. This means I can just serve a few snacks, cake and drinks and be done with it. Less money spent, less food wasted and less mess to clean up.
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admin says
They can be! I definitely am going to be planning around meal time as they get older. Right now our parties are usually just family, and since mine drive over an hour to get here, I put it at meal time.
I am going to make sure to put an end time though, b/c last year I wound up feeding people lunch and a a few people dinner…
Making Our Life Matter says
Where was this advice when my kids were little? It’s so much easier now that they are 13 and 11. In fact, we have to tear them from the outside in order to open presents. Isn’t it amazing how things change?
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admin says
I seriously could have used some of this advice for our 4 yr. old’s party last year; peoplel didn’t want to leave! LOL.
This year I”m letting them invite a friend or two, so the whole craft thing and the timing of games is hopefully going to help make things go smoother.
Erinn S says
Great tips. I like #5. I have had the youngest of kids dropped off and then they freak out and I have a crying chikd to try and console. I now get cell numbers for parents who need to drop off!-came from Meme Post hop-3sonshavei
admin says
Good idea to get the cell number if they can’t stay. I will have to remember that when mine get older and kids start coming on their own.