Child Party Planner and Checklist

1. DATE Your first step is an easy one -- choose the date and time. If your kids are young, consider that some may have afternoon naps and so mid-morning parties may work better (at least they will be fresh!). It's good to include an ending time for your party. Think about how much time your child can spend playing before becoming difficult. Also check for upcoming holidays or big events that could involve your guests. Which leads us to...

2. GUEST LIST I've often heard a rule of thumb is one guest for every year of your child's age. Well, I say, invite the number you are comfortable with! If you're taking the kids to an all-expenses-paid day at Great America, I'd say 1 or 2 friends is enough. If it's a cake party with group games, then the more the merrier! Go by your budget and stamina(!). So you should think about...

3. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION (I've always wanted a reason to say that). In this area you have so many choices. Besides the ever-popular home party, you can use a local park, zoo, amusement park, or restaurant. For more ideas, go to our Birthday Venues page.

4. THEME Start by asking your child what she is interested in. You'll probably have some idea by the interests your child has. If your child is old enough, get her involved as much as possible in the planning process. With all of the character merchandising out there, you have no shortage of possible themes. A really great link for themed party supplies is Kids' Party Themes. You don't have to make it complicated, in fact, the simpler the better. Choose your theme and think about how you can use it for decorations, party games, a cake, invitations, etc. For do-it-yourselfers, you can really go crazy incorporating it into everything. One year I did a simple Winnie-the-Pooh party, and had a friend draw a big Winnie on poster board, cut out his tummy, and used it for a bean bag toss. Easy! Think about what your child is into, and look at our Themes page for more ideas.

5. GAMES Now the big question: once they're here, what do we do with them? If you've decided to do a home party, you have so many options. How about using your theme to do a pin-the-?-on-the-? (you fill in the ?s with your theme). For a firefighter theme, why not do pin-the-hat on the fireman? Or you can do a tug-of-war with your backyard hose (for more fun, turn the water on!). Another possiblity is to do a craft where your guests can take home their creations. For example, at your daughter's "Princess" party, have everyone make their own crown with jewels and sparklies. A great source for cheap craft supplies is Oriental Trading Co. Look to our Party Games page for a comprehensive list of games, or Birthday Express' Kids' Activities

6. FOOD Yum, yum. Now for the fun part! If you are having your child's birthday party outside of your home, then you will have to follow the rules of your party site. If it's at home, then you'll need to ask yourself a few questions: - Meal or Birthday Cake? - Catered or brought-in or homemade? - Casual or elegant? Some ideas for a meal are bringing in Togo's long sandwiches and serving them with chips, salad, fruit, or other side dishes; pizza and salad; Costco meat and veggie platters with rolls for make-your-own-sandwiches; family size lasagnes with french bread and green salad; BBQ burgers, hot dogs, and potato salad; and the list goes on.

7. INVITATIONS AND THANK YOU NOTES Once again, let your theme be your guide. You can purchase invitations with matching thank you notes (Birthday Express.com). Have your birthday boy or girl help you make invitations. Cut out construction paper in the shpae of a theme item and write on the back. One example is for a train theme, use red construction paper and cut an outline of a train, writing the party info on the back. If your child is too young to use scissors, have him color the front -- who cares if it's perfect! What about printing something out from your computer? For some ideas and free samples, check HP's website.

8. HAVE FUN! Now that you've done all your planning, it's time to sit back and enjoy the party! Remember the point is to have a party, and you are creating memories that will last forwever. So, have a blast!

Party Checklist: 1 month ahead: - Pick a date - Decide on your theme - Book the venue (if not at home) - Book the entertainment, bounce houses, etc. 3 weeks ahead - Buy party supplies such as hats, plates, invitations, decorations - Buy/make goodie bags 2 weeks ahead: - Send invitations - Plan the menu - Plan activities and games 1 week ahead: - Get a head count - Buy food and drinks that will keep (and buy candles) - Finish making anything you want to use like decorations and gifts - Clean house Day before: - Finish any food that was perishable - Sort your goodie bags - Decorate whatever you can today - Go over your to-do list - Have music, stories, videos, ready to use - Have your camera loaded with film and use fresh batteries Party day: - Finish decorating - Set out the food and plates - Be prepared to pay entertainment (write checks in advance) - Turn on music, video, etc. - Have all game materials on hand and ready to use - Enjoy yourself!