Birthday

Birthday Party Countdown - The Birthday Party To-Do List

Your child’s birthday party is approaching and you want it to be special. Following is a checklist of items to consider when planning your child's birthday party.
4 Weeks before the Birthday Party
Select the date, time and location of the birthday party.
Get the birthday child involved by letting them pick out the birthday party theme. Themes can range from a favorite character to their favorite place (e.g. a pool, bouncy house, or park) or time of year (e.g. a summertime luau theme for a winter party).
3 Weeks before the Birthday Party
Create the guest list.
Determine if you will need to arrange for party helpers based on the size of the guest list.
Mail the invitations.
Plan the party activities, such as a scavenger hunt or a piñata where it’s easy for everyone to join in on the fun.
Think about party decorations. Consider a welcome sign and colored streamers. This is a great activity for the birthday child to help with the night before the party.
Plan the menu. Will the party be held at a time where you will need to serve pizza or chicken fingers for lunch, for example? Or, will the party be held during a time where a snack may be required? Are you hosting the party off-site? If so, does the facility have special requirements regarding food?
Determine the party favors. Character-themed party bags are a nice addition to a themed-party, though not necessary. Sometimes seasonal party bags offer a fun change, such as a bucket (which serves as the party bag) filled with a shovel, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, or other activities for a summertime party.
1 to 2 Weeks before the Birthday Party
Buy the magical birthday present for your child!
Buy the party supplies, decorations and favors.
Order the birthday cake (unless you plan to make it yourself) and the helium balloons.
1 to 2 Days before the Birthday Party
Pinpoint an exact guest count by calling those who have not responded.
Prepare the party food.
Decorate the party area and prepare for any activities and games.
Pick up the cake, helium balloons and any last minute supplies.
The Day of the Birthday Party
Set out the food, plates, napkins, juice boxes, etc., or order the food, such as pizza, as appropriate.
Place your present for the birthday child in an area to serve as a precedent for where guests should drop off presents.
Set the party bags in a spot where you will remember to hand them out to guests when the party is over.
Make sure your camera is accessible! If you feel you will be busy managing food and party activities, assign a trusted friend or family member to snap photos of the party or videotape it.
Above all, remember that this event is being held to celebrate your child. Don’t worry if you end up one juice box short, or if something goes awry with one of the planned activities. Once the party begins, relax and enjoy the smile on your child’s face.
Hilary Basile is a writer for MyGuidesUSA.com. At MyGuidesUSA.com (http://www.myguidesusa.com), you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. Find birthday party planning tips at http://www.myguidesusa.com/birthdays