Plan a Bouncy Party - Part One

Planning a Children’s Party – Part One

 

A perfect party for kids takes quite a planning and a lot of hard work… so it seems. To be a parent who can throw-down with the best party that kids will be talking about for weeks to come, you almost have to be a professional party planner and work full-time at it.  Who has the time? Or even the money?

 

Not to worry.  By following a few steps, using a few tools, and remembering a couple of tips, you too can throw a party that looks and feels like you had hired a professional children’s party planner!

 

1.  Give yourself some TIME

We always find ourselves saying, “If I just had one more day!” Well, give yourself one more day! I suggest about 5 weeks prior to a party to start the planning and preparing. Obviously, this is not crucial, but this will allow you to stay relaxed as you proceed.

 

This pace will allow you to give an ample notice to your child’s friends, and shop for bargains as well.  People tend to pay more for lesser things when they’re in a hurry.

 

2.  Theme of a Party
Once again, nothing about a party is a rule. After all… it’s a PARTY!  But to liven up a party, I suggest for a theme.  A good theme for a party will bring people together easier and provide a mental expectation of a party. We always find ourselves saying, “If I just had one more day!” Well, give yourself one more day!  I suggest about 5 weeks prior to a party to start the planning and preparing. Obviously, this is not crucial, but this will allow you to stay relaxed as you proceed.

 

For an example, a Bouncing Party, where kids will gather in the backyard to enjoy a summer day by jumping, bouncing, and sliding around in a Bounce House.

 

3. When?
CONVENIENT: The most important factor in choosing a date/time for your kid’s party is to find a time when most number of your kid’s friends will be able to attend.  It usually is very difficult to have a party with many children attending, on a weekday, during a school year.  There are just too many after school activities with sports and whatnots.

 

WEEKEND vs. WEEKDAY: Parties on Saturdays and Sundays, during mid-day usually work out quite well.. Many prefer Saturdays, so that the Sunday can be spent cleaning, recovering, and relaxing.  However, Sunday afternoons have the least amount of conflicting activities for your kid’s friends.  Plus, this leaves the Saturday all day to prepare for the party, instead of spending a frantic Friday evening!

 

MORNING PARTY?: For younger children, it may actually be a good idea to try a morning party.  Younger children tend to be less fussy in the mornings than in the afternoons or evenings.  Also, many moms need to run errands in the afternoons, as well as possibly having to pick up the older siblings.

 

SNACKS: Refreshments need to also be considered with the timing of the party.  Between 11 am – 1 pm or 4 – 6 pm, you’ll need to provide a meal for your child’s guests.  Otherwise, light snack and drinks will work fine.

 

DATE: Scheduling birthday parties can be a little confusing.  A birthday celebration can be done very simply by having a small event with just the family, on the actual birthday. Then pick a convenient time for your child and friends to be able to enjoy, even a treat brought to share with the class.  It is alright to move early or back the date to celebrate, in order to enable your child’s friends to share the celebration.  There are some mothers that wait until the fall to have a birthday party for a summer birthday, in order to include the child’s friends from the class.

 

4. Location, Location, Location!
HOME?: Obviously, the most popular place for a child’s party is home.  There are advantages to having a party at home including having plenty of time to set-up (you can start the day before), having all your supplies close at hand, and having the party in an environment your child is most comfortable in, which is especially important for younger children.

 

NOT HOME: There are also disadvantages to having a party at home, like having to clean your house twice (before and after the party), possible damage to your house (how did the grape juice get up there?), space limits (unless you have a big house with a large yard), and lack of built-in play-areas (see a Bounce House or a Water Slide).

 

PARKS?: Nearby parks are nice because they're usually free or low cost (if you decide to reserve an area) and there's usually an open space for group games. However, I've experienced two downsides to park locations. One is that it's a pain to haul all the party supplies to the park and the other is that the park can be crowded and you may have trouble finding a space for your party.

 

WEATHER: For outdoor parties, always have a “plan-B” for inclement weather situations. If the party will be at a park, try to reserve an area with a shelter.  Be sure to know all of your guests’ phone numbers, in case the location has to change at the last minute. Get weather information HERE.

 

SAFETY: We cannot overlook the safety issues, when planning a party for the little ones.  Make sure to remember that your child may know the safety rules, such as ‘not to lean over the balcony railings’, but his/her guests may not. It can get pretty fun and exciting at the party, but that excitement can also cause the children to become unpredictable.

 

Continued to PART TWO