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By Gary Shelton and Ralph Metzler
I have worked as a magician since 1976 and done hundreds of children’s birthday parties in people’s homes. The settings have varied from intimate gatherings to extravagant events. Each of these parties main aim was to make the birthday one to remember. If you have never planned a party where do you begin?
DATE AND TIME
First off decide on a day and time. Saturday and Sunday afternoons are popular for parties but they are also popular kid’s sports, family outings even other birthday parties. If you should decide on weekend afternoon parties decide early and get the word out to the guest as early as you can.
Saturday morning parties can be a great time for a party. They interfere very little with other activities as it leaves the majority of the day for other activities. This choice can even reduce the birthday stress on the guest of honor. Weekday after school parties can many times solve a lot of timing issues that families face.
PARTY LENGTH
Two hours makes a great party length. The first fifteen to twenty minutes of the party allows time for late arrivals. Then the last forty-five minutes should be allotted for unwrapping presents and cake and ice cream. (I always suggest the cake and ice cream for last send all those kids home before the sugar rush). That leaves roughly an hour for activities you will need to plan and direct for the kids. If you do a 3 hour party that means 2 hours of activities you will need to provide.
DECIDE ON A THEME
You don't need a theme, but it will often help make planning easier. If your daughter's favorite things at the moment are Dora the explorer, theme the party around them. If your son's passion is Harry Potter, you have your theme. Others use baseball, soccer, football, ballet, dinosaurs, Cinderella, etc.
Many people will theme their parties around the entertainment they have planned. For example, a magician will be performing so the theme is MAGIC, a clown is coming to the party so a CLOWN theme is planned, etc.
As far as themes go, don't worry that absolutely everything at the party must fit the theme. A few decorations are fine, a cake is great, but there is no need to stress-out because you can't find an entertainer that does a Star Wars show to fit your theme. Remember that a party should be fun for everyone, including the planner.
DECORATIONS
When it comes to decorating, all you need to find are Harry Potter party items. You don't need to have everything "Harry Potter" either. A few major items are fine; the rest of the decorations can be the themes colors.
INVITATIONS
Your invitation can set the theme for the coming party. It even can make a subtle gift idea for parents unsure of one your child’s favorite things. Send out the invitations at least two weeks in advance so that the guest parents have time to plan.
FOOD
If the party is scheduled during or close to lunch or dinner, serving food is essential. During a party the children are usually having so much fun with each other that serving a "normal" meal is not only unnecessary, but also unneeded. The children want to get back to the party activities as soon as possible; so pizza, pigs in a blanket, or sandwiches and chips are usually perfect. In essence finger foods make for the least trouble and are usually easiest to prepare.
CAKE
Here is an area where you have lots of options. You can have a cake decorated and shaped to go with your theme, or a traditional cake just using the theme colors. You can have cake and ice cream or an ice cream cake. This is an area where your creativity can really come out.
A great idea that is gaining popularity is to have the cake at the party; the child blows out the candles, then put the cake aside and serves the children cupcakes. Kids love them, they are easier to serve, and you will have a lovely cake for an intimate family celebration of the child's birthday.
GAMES & ACTIVITIES
You will almost always need to plan at least one for the party, even if you have an entertainer coming. Activities can range from a game of hide and seek to an inflatable bounce ride in your backyard. Don't overload the kids with activities, but make sure there is enough for them to do so they aren't just running around the house.
ENTERTAINMENT
I left entertainment for last in the FAQ, but if you decide to hire entertainment for your party, do that first! The best entertainers are booked far in advance, so if you send out the invitations and then call the entertainers, you may not be able to get them on the date and time you need.
Entertainment seldom matches your party theme unless you theme the party around the entertainer or hire a costumed character. Don't worry so much about the entertainment matching your theme; be more concerned with making sure the children are entertained. There are a variety of birthday party entertainers out there with a wide range of prices.
When calling, there are several things you need ask. What age group is their show most suited for? What do they do in their show? What does their package include? Do they do balloon animals? How long is their performance? How much experience do they have? Do they have references? Do the have a website? What do they charge? Do they accept credit cards? What are the payment arrangements? The answers to these questions will help you decide which entertainer is right for you.
I hope these suggestions will help you in planning your next home birthday party. If you have any questions at all, please call Gary at (252) 670-1573.