Planning a kid's party doesn't have to be stressful, complicated or expensive. Plan a budget friendly party that is age appropriate. Go back to your childhood -- think about what you loved -- get kids playing, laughing, interacting. Your child will have a memorable birthday party and will thank you with hugs and kisses. Avoid birthday party meltdowns with the right planning, right mix of friends, right activities and you will be on your way to throwing a successful party for your son or daughter. For more age appropriate planning and activities click here.
Here are some
tips from Ina at Fresh Delights on how to create healthier birthday parties for
kids:
Remove the soda! Serve sparkling
fruit juice instead. Or make your own my combining ½ fruit juice with ½ Club
Soda.
Cut the chips! Offer whole grain
crackers, baked pita chips, veggie sticks, and raw veggies with low-fat dips.
Make your own pizza! It's healthier
and can be a fun birthday party activity. Add diced veggies and low-fat cheeses
with tomato sauce to whole grain pizza crust.
Change the cake! Make your own!
Great options are whole wheat carrot and zucchini cakes, or muffins with
low-fat, homemade frosting.
Improve the ice cream! Replace
regular ice cream with frozen fruit pops.
Replace the candy! Great
alternatives are fruit platters with yogurt dip, or fruit kebabs with dark
chocolate covered strawberries.
Great Cakes Party Girls ages 13-16 Provided by:Good Housekeeping
By Jennifer Saltiel, LMSW
Cost: Under $100
Don't save the best part of the party for last. Let them eat cake the entire time!
With
all of the cake recipes to choose from, it's tough to please everyone.
Now you won't have to. Guests get to bake and decorate their own in
whatever taste they crave. Talk about icing on the cake!
Decorations:
Most
of the action for this party will take place in the kitchen. A few
balloons, streamers, and a Happy Birthday wall hanging are all you need
to set a festive mood. Offer guests aprons when they arrive. Basic
white aprons are available at cooking and restaurant supply stores. For
a splurge, consider personalizing the aprons with the guests' names or
with something humorous such as "I survived [name of your child]'s
birthday party." Have the birthday girl wear a chef's hat in lieu of a
party hat.
Activities:
Make a cake: Consider
hiring a cooking instructor who specializes in pastry and cake
decorating to lead the group. Or enlist a friend who enjoys baking
Divide the party guests into small teams of four or five. Create a baking station for each team:
Print out a basic cake recipe.
Set out premeasured ingredients (as in a cooking show).
Let the team members decide the flavor of the cake and what optional ingredients to add, such as nuts or chocolate chips.
While the cakes are baking, have the guests take a break for lunch. (At this age, pizza still reigns supreme.)
Once the cakes have cooled, help the guests frost their masterpieces (using store-bought or fresh icing).
Fill several pastry bags with icing in a variety of colors for them to use.
Show the guests how to change the tips to create different designs.
Offer additional decorations such as candies and edible flowers.
Once the cakes are ready, the guests can really reap the benefits of their hard work.
Be sure to have a pitcher of ice-cold milk to wash it down.
Note: To save time during the party, you can bake the cakes before the guests arrive and have them decorate them.
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
Sleepover parties can be a blast, but the planning, potential
homesickness, and a house full of rambunctious children can put stress
on both the parents and kids. These tips for party planning and dealing with a homesick child will help ensure your child's next slumber party is a success.
Pre-plan
Sleepovers can range from well-orchestrated, themed parties, to spontaneous campouts in the backyard.
For more extravagant affairs, you'll want to start planning four to six
weeks in advance. This will give you time in your busy schedule to
decide on a theme, gather decorations, make the guest list, mail the
invitations, and plan the menu....read more
Top 10 Birthday Gifts for Young Kids (Ages 6-10)
Searching for cool birthday gifts for kids? These gift
ideas are sure to please. You'll find toys for the budding writer,
scientist, artist, or musician. Grab 'em fast!
Kids too young to actually sleepover? No problem. Have the kids come in their pj's either in the early evening or in the morning. Activities and food can be varied depending on time of day.
Evening "Mock" Sleepoveror Mornng PJ Party Time: 7-8:30pm or 10-11:30am Ages: 5-8 boys and girls Activities: Decorate a pillow case with stencils, fabric markers and puff paint; watch a short movie (Disney classics are always a good choice); if a girlie party, salon activities are always a big hit (polish nails, beaded bracelets, etc.); if all boys, plan a pirate themed treasure hunt around the house. Favors: Anything "sleep" related--- pillow case project, mini pillows, individual boxes of cereal, toothbrush, bedtime book/story, red & white striped popcorn container filled with packet of microwave popcorn, box of candy and sleep mask. Food: Popcorn is always a big hit when watching a movie. The dollar store is a great place to pick up movie theatre sized boxes of candy (for $1.00 each). If it's early evening, you can serve cake and ice cream and forgo the meal; In the morning kids love a big pancake breakfast - make it fun with toppings like chocolate chips, whipped cream, mini m&m's, mini marshmallows, etc. Don't forget the syrup. Decor: balloons, crepe paper streamers, signage in birthday child's favorite colors
Checklist
Invitations - Michael's is a great resource for card stock, themed stickers for do-it-yourself Decorations - dollar store, Oriental Trading, Party City Order cake if you're not going to make it yourself Buy pillowcases - Walmart is a great place for inexpensive linens Plan activities - treasure hunt items/lists, salon supplies, etc Buy and assemble party favor -- plan ahead and look for popcorn buckets in dollar store -- often a featured item Choose a couple of movies Buy grocery items for breakfast Move furniture the day of party of accommodate sleeping bags in family room or other space where kids will watch the movie
Copyright 2009 Party Planning Plus LLC. All rights reserved.
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