6 party tips for your child's birthday party

Party Tip No 1: Involve your child!

A child's party is often the highlight of their year and an eagerly awaited occasion. This being the case, involve your child in the decision-making. Let them choose their own theme (provided it is age-appropriate). And once you have a theme, let them go through the options for a cake, cupcakes, party packs, invitations and party décor.

Tip No 2: Who to invite?

These days, it is often tricky deciding who to invite and who not to invite to your child's party. Always remember that if unsure about a particular child, it is best to extend an invitation. (Kids talk and if one child has been purposely left out, he or she will soon hear about it). Rather invite the child and leave the decision as to whether he or she will come up to the child's parent.

Tip No 3: Your invitations

Prior to sending out invitations, always make sure that all the necessary information appears on the invite. The day of the party is often stressful and being inundated with calls asking you for directions to the venue can only add to your stress levels. Ensure that the date, time, theme and venue is clearly indicated on the invitation. And if you want people to RSVP beforehand, make them aware of this!

Tip No 4: Balloons

Balloons are a great way of not only sprucing up the party area - they can entertain the children too. There is nothing like helium-filled balloons at the centre of your table to add to the party atmosphere. Get a bunch of balloons in the same colour as your décor and tie them to a cupcake stand in the centre of the table. Or fill an empty balloon with water and tie the strings of the balloons to it to serve as a weight. Put the weight into a hatbox filled with tissue paper to make the balloons look as if they are popping out of the box!

Party Tip No 5: Plates, cups and serviettes

Instead of going to great expense using themed plates and cups, look at using plain coloured plates and cups and use "themed" serviettes to hold the theme together. Alternatively, find stickers in your chosen theme to affix to the centre of the plain colour plates. You'll find you'll save quite a bit doing it this way, and with money as tight as it is right now, anything saved will be a bonus!

Party Tip No 6: Table decor

Use a plain colour table cloth to cover your sweet table - ensuring that it goes all the way to the ground. On top of this, place tulle or netting in alternating colours to match your theme. It not only gives you a terrific-looking effect but you can decorate the table using pictures of the theme, placed between the tulle and the cloth. The children won't be able to remove them and the decoration will last through the whole party.

Author:
Kim Kavonic
Party Packs 'n Pinatas

More parenting articles