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Throwing parties for children can be tricky, to say the least. Short attention spans, coupled with temper tantrums, an overdose of energy, and an endless supply of sugar can leave the host or hostess wondering how to manage any event marking a child's special occassion.
This article provides a compilation of top tips from party professionals with years of experience in the party industry. See below for my personal favorites.
Top 10 Tips for managing parties for kids between the ages of 3 and 8:
1. Take a shortcut, and don't feel guilty about doing so. McDonald's is happy to host children. For about $1 - $3 per child, you can feed kids, entertain them, provide ample parking, and allow someone else to handle the clean up. There are over 2000 McDonald's across the country. This means that there is bound to be a McDonald's near you.
2. Google it! Keeping the kids busy is a cinch with some many activity ideas at your fingertips. Google provides thousands of ideas for activities. Type "birthday party activity ideas" for some quick brainstorming.
3. Invite the appropriate number of guests. The younger the child, the more family members that will typically be present. In terms of inviting friends, use the child's age as the basis of a formula to determine the number of guests. The formula is "child's age + 1 = Number of Guests." For example, if your child is 8 years old, plan to invite 8 children + 1 = 9 children.
4. Consider the time of day. Parties should be start some time between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. This window allows for lunch to be served, and also allows for a nap later in the day.
5. Don't Forget the Cake! 96% of parents surveyed by American Greetings revealed that parents planned to purchase a cake for their child's birthday. Naturally, this means that you will need party supplies for the food. Remember to include plates and napkins that match the theme of your child's party. The possibilities are endless: horses, dinosaurs, Sponge Bob, Transformers, Dora, etc. Check out CelebrateExpress.com coupons before heading out to purchase party goods, party supplies, party favors and party decorations.
6. Keep the party short. The party should not last more than 2 hours. Two hours is plenty of time for introductions, activities, entertainment, food, cake, and opening gifts.
7. Create a schedule and stick to it. Reserve the first 15 minutes of a party for a meet and greet. Use the next hour for activities. Use the next 45 minutes for gifts and cake. Remember to have a few backup activities on hand, in the event of getting ahead of schedule.
8. Keep food simple. Children will dedicate about 15 - 20 minutes to eating. Children will gravitate to the activities and playing with the other children. Stick to finger foods, like pizza, hot dogs, or chicken fingers.
9. Enlist the help of others. Ask friends and family to help with set up, clean up, and assisting with activities and monitoring the children.
10. Budget wisely. Kids parties need not be expensive. This is not the Inauguration Ball. You can throw an amazing party for less than $5 a child. In fact, you can throw a good party for less than $3 a child. Take advantage of party supplies coupons to keep your budget in check.
The key to throwing successful parties for children is to keep the party simple. By simple, I mean simple food, simple activites, and a simple schedule.
Children will not remember the goody bags, the decor, the food, or the venue. They will remain in the moment, and will revel in whatever is in front of them. It is important to keep them entertained, to make sure they are safe, and to make sure adults are on hand to help them if they need assistance. CelebrateExpress.com coupons provide an endless supply of themed party goods and ideas.
No matter what the occassion, saving money is always reason to celebrate. Children's parties can be easy, breezy, inexpensive and fun when online coupons are part of the plan.
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