Hi Everyone,
We’ll be starting a new blog theme, one that will hopefully be very useful to everyone out there as well as fun to read. But mostly, our goal is to make it very do-able. These birthday party ideas are complete plans; from themes to invitations to activities to refreshments …and very penny-wise. DIY is the way to go, which means that many items or supplies can either be made or found in simple stores, and adding your own personal touches will only create more excitement and originality, and probably lots of smiles!
So, let’s party!
Many children would agree that their best birthday party memories were from the ones they had at home. Kids don’t need lavish and expensive parties to be happy. They need their family and friends, some good food and entertainment, and knowing that their parents time and energy are going to making them happy. To a child, their birthday is such an important event in their life, and a great opportunity for a family to come together. Getting kids involved in the decision making process is a great learning experience for them.
Half the fun of the birthday party can be the planning. When the birthday boy or girl is given the opportunity to be hands-on with the planning, buying, organizing, and running or a party, there is a different level of appreciation when they realize how much goes into an event like this. Getting ideas from your child as to what interests or hobbies he/she would like to highlight is a great way to build up the excitement. Even a 2 year old can let you know what they love!
A couple tips to keep in mind:
Plan ahead – It’s never too early to brainstorm theme ideas or make lists of guests you don’t want to forget. Refreshments and certain supplies may need to be bought closer to the party date, but often decorations or invitations can be made early on. Keep a list of everything that has to get done and write numbers (1 is top priority, 3 can get to next week) beside each item.
Get help – If the size of your party demands it or you simply want to be able to enjoy yourself, ask neighbors or friends to take charge of something for you. Alternatively you can hire some high school students to help with the entertainment, or a waitress to take care of the refreshments.
Dealing with siblings – Yes it’s the birthday boy/girl’s special day, but siblings do not have to be ignored. Have the brother or sister invite one special friend over. If they don’t want to participate in the activities, the birthday child can give them a job; greeting guests, collecting gifts, or running a game.
Take pictures – Both you and your child will want to remember this party! This task can be assigned to someone else and start as soon as your guests arrive. Creating a scrapbook after the party is a nice gift from the family. Sending duplicate pictures of the guests as or with the thank-you card is a nice personal and fun touch.
~Love From Our Kitchen to Yours