Category: Birthdays

As your kid turns another year older, he wants to celebrate by having a kids’ birthday party with all his friends. You want to do this–really, you do–but the thought of having all those kids over to your house at the same time can make any mom feel just a bit nervous. The secret to a great birthday party is proper planning. When you take the time to do this, you won’t have to turn your back on the kids to prepare more food or worry about them trashing your house because they are bored.

Prepare for your kid’s birthday party in advance by developing a party planning checklist to keep you organized along the way. Whether you are planning a small intimate gathering with close family or inviting all the kids in your child’s class, a written checklist can help you avoid forgetting essential details.

While your birthday party guests came to celebrate your special day and not to critique the decorations, festive and engaging table decorations can add excitement to your party and make the event more enjoyable for everyone involved. When decorating your birthday party tables, you don’t have to invest a fortune or stay up all night, toiling away. With simple planning and consideration of the mood of your event, you can ensure that you build memorable table decorations that enhance your overall party.

Whether planning for a child’s party or an adult birthday party, homemade decorations give the event a personalized look. Before purchasing materials at an art store or a party supply shop, look around your own home for supplies. Look for pieces you can repurpose into DIY party decorations, including fabric, boxes, leftover art materials and colored paper. For a child’s birthday party, leave some of the projects for the guests to do themselves. They can draw a banner, create a birthday collage with thematic images or personalize their favor bags.

Decorating for children’s birthday parties has come a long way since pink and white gingham for girls and trucks for boys. Contemporary parties often represent the imagination and ideas of the guest of honor and features thematic imagery and interactive decorations. Involve your child in the birthday party-planning process, and set aside a special do-it-yourself project for the children to complete, such as painting a treasure chest gold, personalizing a long birthday banner or scattering sequins over the place settings.