Schedule the party for late afternoon, perhaps from 3pm to 5 pm. This gives young children plenty of time for an after lunch nap, so that they arrive rested and not cranky.

Keep the party-time at two hours, as this is a reasonable amount of time for children under five. Indicate hour on you invitations, so mothers will know how to plan their afternoon the day of the party. Some mothers may want to stay with their children, others may wish to drop off and pick up their children. Send out correct easy to understand invitations two weeks ahead of you party so that everyone you wish to invite can plan to come.

Limit the party to one room, where the kids can play and have fun. Be confident in knowing that your breakables are not in the party-zone. This also helps the decorations to stand out and catch the eye of every guest. Child size tables and chairs in the party room can put everything at eye level for young children, and keep their attention. Encourage adult guests to sit on a cushion on the floor and participate completely, but also have a standard size seat on hand.

Music should not overpower a birthday party; a low volume for background music is a good way to wind down an event. Children love to star in every event, so have more songs than ’happy Birthday ’ planed. Birthday party songs that kids love to sing and act out include The Wheels on the Bus, The Farmer in the Dell, Nanny’s Shopping Cart, and The Name Game.

At a birthday party ice cream and cake are traditionally served, but you can also serve cookies or cupcakes. Breaking bread together is a fabulous way to celebrate even for three to five year olds, so you may want to serve an afternoon snack right before the sweets. Children love eating finger-food. Suggestions include mini sandwiches or pigs in a blanket, nachos and fruit kabobs. This way, the children do not arrive home just in time for Tea (dinner) but with a ruined appetite.

A birthday party should be fun for everyone, so plan at least one activity suitable for every party guest. Having extra paper-plates on hand with markers and streamers so that everyone can make a mask leads to hours of imaginative play. If you have an old or unused shoe box on hand, then ask each child to draw a cake or a decoration for a part of a pretend cake on a index card. Then glue the finished index cards on the shoebox and display the pretend cake on the gift table.

Party games are a wonderful way to keep children moving and smiling. If you plan to play games make sure no child is left out of playing. Simple, short games are best and the most fun for young children. Ideas include, Red-Light Green-Light, Duck Duck Goose, and London Bridge. If you are going to have a piñata make sure that you have 3 to 5 pieces of candy per child, or 2 toys per child.

It is becoming command place to send each partygoer’s home with a goody-bag. Party favors are a wonderful way to teach the guest of honor that it is a nice to give a gift as it is to receive a gift. Remember young children who have just had a lovely snack and party sweets do not need a treat bag full of candy, but two or three for later are wonderful reminders of a wonderful time had by all.

Within two weeks of your child’s birthday party it is good form to send out Thank You notes to everyone who attended, even if they did not bring a gift. Involve your child in writing the thank you notes. Children as young as three can understand the concept of gratefulness and have fun adding a thumb print or a finger-paint hand print to a thank you note.

Themes for birthday parties should be kept age appropriate and with clean up in mind. Keeping entertaining fun and simple will help you as the host or hostess have a great day too.

Copywrite By Lariena  Nokes-Moser March 3 2005