I just finished planning and celebrating both of my sons' birthdays in August and September. Armani turned 13 and he asked for a water slide party. Nevante turned 12 and he asked for a ghost-themed party. I accepted the challenges and dove right into organizing many ideas on each theme. It gives me great pleasure to provide fantastic parties for my children and to watch them create great memories with their friends.
Here is a simple format I use to plan parties:
THEME: Choose a theme that you know your child will just love and you know it is age-appropriate. Infants and toddlers would not be able to fully enjoy the water slide theme, but they could enjoy baby pools in your backyard. Or preschoolers would be terrified by the ghost tour, but could fully participate in a pumpkin patch party.
DECORATIONS: Following suit with your theme, find or make decorations accordingly. For example, I used my halloween decorations (the ghostly ones) for the ghost party; two large spirits haunted the kitchen walls and tiny apparitions greeted the guests at the front door. Try not to go overboard with decorations as you can quickly go over your budget!
FOOD: Decide whether you are having a meal with your party or just fun snacks, of course, along with your festive cake. Many themes lend to coordinating meal or snack ideas. These can easily be researched through books or on websites (see below). For the water slide party, which was held at a water park, we consumed sandwiches and chips before splashing into a tropical water slide cake, http://www.flickr.com/photos/57442074@N00/2800917879. The ghost party was held in Salem so we went out for pizza and buffalo wings, but the boys ate ghostly white cupcakes with ghost marshmallows on top. For the family party I will be creating the full ghost cake from Martha Stewart, http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/chocolate-marshmallow-ghost-cake-and-mini-cupcakes. For the long ride home I found ghost cookies at Target.
GAMES/ACTIVITIES:
The same websites below will provide you with games to match your themes-or you can go with the same old stand-bys-Pin The Tail On the Donkey or musical chairs. Some of the activities for the water slide party included an outdoor scavenger hunt and Pixie Stix sand art. Since the ghost tour was an hour and a half drive away, I had to find car activities which included a scary crossword puzzle, a ghostly jumbles game, and creating a word list from the two words, ghost adventure. Then, of course, on the way home we read true local ghost stories by flashlight.
GOODY BAGS:
To complete the event, send off your party-goers with creative goody bags. Remember to try to stay consistent with your theme. Water Slide Party: sunglasses, pixie stick activity, and blue air heads. Ghost party: ghost candy bracelets, gummy ghost candy, white air heads, boo bracelets, and ghost tatoos.
Websites: http://www.orientaltrading.com/, www.rinovelty.com, www.birthdaypartyideas4kids.com, www.birthdaypartyideas.com, www.familyfun.com, and my favorite, www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com.
Books: Birthday Parties: Best Party Tips and Ideas by Vicki Lansky, Williams-Sonoma Kids Parties:Creative Ideas and Recipes for making celebrations special by Lisa Atwood, Great Parties for Kids: Fabulous and Creative Ideas for Children aged 0-10 by Rose Hammick, Hit of the Party: The Complete Planner for Children's Theme Birthday Parties by Amy Vangsgard.
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