Planning A Child's Birthday Party

A child's birthday is her special day. And it's her parents' responsibility to make sure it is special. For some parents, planning a party is a apiece of cake. Others stress over the idea of hosting a houseful of munchkins. Here are some guidelines to help you make the right decisions when planning the celebration.

When planning a party, the first consideration is the guest list. Who will you invite?

Guest List

1. family: siblings, cousins, sisters and brothers, relatives relations, any family members
• Joey
• Billy
• Janey
• Sylvia
2. school: classmates, teammates, neighborhood kids and friends from school, games, classes and local playground
• Peter
• Pat
• Jeannie
• Rachel
• Matty

Where will the party be?

At Home?

Once you have a guest list, you should determine where the party should be. Consider these questions for a home party:

1. Can you accommodate the entire guest list without running into problems?
2. Will you be able to host the party outside?
3. What about inclement weather?
4. Will the parents stay at the party to help supervise the children?
5. Do you want the party at home, is there the space inside should the weather be horrid, and if the weather is great, is the yard big enough?

Away?

If you decide to have the party at a party facility, you have varying choices depending on your area:

• Roller rink
• Bowling alley
• Ice rink
• Aquatic center
• Children's party centers
• Indoor playgrounds
• Glamour party
• Amusement park
• Movies

Check with your first choice early to determine if they can accommodate the size of your party, and if your desired date is available. Find out what they provide and what you need to bring. For some types of facilities, you may want to ask how many other parties will be hosted simultaneously and what the ages of the other parties are.

Invitations

Once you've set the date, time and place, it's time to send out invitations. Keep a checklist of names near the phone. If you plan to present personalized goody bags or parting gifts, ask each respondent for the correct spelling of their child's name.

Most party places provide invitations and driving directions. If not, be sure to include driving directions and a phone contact in the invitation.