I am planning to having a birthday party for my six year old son.  Would you give some tips for the child’s home birthday parties?

Such a fantastic question.  I absolutely love home birthday parties for children.  There is something very special about looking back on pictures from years past and seeing photos of your home and how things have changed over the years.  Birthdays are such a special day for children and each should be celebrated with joy.   They can be absolutely fantastic when they are planned well and in advance.

1 –Guest list – Determine the size of the party.  Will you be inviting your son’s classmates or will this be just for a few friends?   This can have a major impact on budget and overall theme of the party.  Small intimate home celebrations are delightful for children and you will want to make sure that your home can accommodate a bunch of rambunctious 6 year olds!

2 –Learn from the Guest of Honor – Whenever I approach planning a birthday party or party in general, I always try to keep the guest of honor in mind and take cues from them. What are your son’s favorite things?  Is your son MAD about the Wii?  Perhaps a Wii themed birthday party would be right up his alley.  What’s his favorite movie?  Look at the latest trends in popular movies.  Perhaps arrange for their favorite characters to show up with a gift! The key here is to select a theme for the party.  Once a theme is selected subsequent decisions should be made that are cohesive with the theme.

3–Document Your Plan – Planning a party in any location can be a daunting experience in itself but hosting one in your home can undoubtedly cause additional stress.  When hosting a party at home it is imperative that you document your plan, create a “to-do” list.  This list will be very important in ensuring that all things are covered.   Here are the top categories you want to define:  Budget, Menu, Activities, Decorations, and Desserts.  Identifying and sticking to your budget is essential because as with most parties expenses can get out of control if you don’t manage your budget.  All of these elements should be selected to be in line with the overall theme.

4- Walk Through Your Home – When hosting children in your home it can become quite the task to keep them in one place.  Since you have decided to host a party in your home, you should walk through your home and determine where you want the party to stay.  Do you have a great outdoor space?   Incorporate it into the party space.  Identify which rooms are open for the kids to use and create cute signs pointing them in the right direction.5-Plan for Multiple Activities– Activities are very important in children parties, let’s face it they want to be entertained.   Old School games like ‘pin the tail on the donkey’ are out.  Plan for multiple activities because some may be a hit and others may be a flop. Allowing the children to make something is always a fun activity.   Keep them active; rent a moon bounce and let them jump for joy!

Planning a party of any type can be very overwhelming and the stress can take the fun right out of it.  Here’s my tip: Break down your tasks into mini manageable steps and remember to smile along the way!  At the end of the day, children are so happy to celebrate their birthdays so I’m sure your son will LOVE anything you do for him.

Trend Alerts – Sheet cakes are out; dessert tables with a variety of sweets are IN! Custom printable invitations and accessories will add a unique touch to your son’s party. “Fun Stations” are IN (e.g., face painting, pizza making, decorating your own cookie/cupcake)!   Lastly, you could always hire a planner so you can be a guest at the party as well ;)