| Birthdays! A joyous occasion to be celebrated | | | | of the guests to monitor the various tables |
| every year! There's a reason kids love | | | | or hire some neighborhood teens for the |
| birthdays and it's not just because they get | | | | afternoon to help keep things under control. |
| lots of presents. Ok, yeah, maybe it is but | | | | Have the kids trade tickets for food or |
| there's more to it than that. Most of the | | | | activities and earn more tickets for winning |
| birthday gifts are forgotten a few months, if | | | | at some of the tables. If you're planning for |
| not days, after the big event and yet the | | | | an outdoor party, have a rain date set just |
| memories of the birthday parties can last a | | | | in case. |
| lifetime. | | | | |
| | | | * Tea Party - The nice thing about a tea |
| Centering your birthday party on a theme is a | | | | party is that you can make it as simple or as |
| great way to create those lifetime memories. | | | | elaborate as you like, depending on the time |
| And it is a wonderful way to make your party | | | | you have and the personality of your child. |
| planning easier, too. So what kind of parties | | | | From a simple "pretend" tea with milk and |
| make for the "this was the best party of my | | | | cookies to an all out English High tea with |
| life" comments from your kids? | | | | scones, Devonshire cream, dipped strawberries |
| | | | and delicious hot tea (the real thing), a tea |
| * Princess Parties - If you've got girls, you | | | | party is a great transition party for a young |
| know the word princess was one of the first | | | | girl who doesn't want to do a more childish |
| words in their vocabulary. Princess parties | | | | theme. Have Dad dress up in his best suit and |
| are not only delightful, they're extremely | | | | play "butler" as he serves all the tea guests |
| popular and because of that it's pretty easy | | | | at the party. This is a theme that would go |
| to find great decor, tableware, crafts and | | | | well combined with a Princess party or the |
| activities to make it easy. Just think "PINK" | | | | teddy bear party too. |
| and you'll be halfway there! Don't limit | | | | |
| yourself to just the popular Disney | | | | * Sports Party - Have a child that just can't |
| Princesses though - keep the theme more broad | | | | get enough sports? Then center his birthday |
| and make YOUR princess the star of the show. | | | | party on them too! Either focus on the |
| | | | birthday child's favorite or make it a combo |
| * Dinosaur Party - Better balance this | | | | party with various sports highlighted. Or |
| article out with a very popular theme for the | | | | take the current sport of the season and make |
| boys - the Dinosaur party. Think green, | | | | the party all about that sport. The easy |
| brown, big and noisy and you've got the | | | | thing about sports parties is that you can |
| making of a great party revolving around all | | | | find great take home gifts and crafts so |
| things Dino! The thing that makes this party | | | | easily and inexpensively and you can really |
| so easy is you can use a lot of kraft grocery | | | | spend much of the "time" of the party |
| bags and other recyclables to really turn | | | | actually participating in some aspect of the |
| your house around for the party. Use them to | | | | sport. Obviously this would be a great party |
| cut out rocks and footprints and more. Use | | | | for someone who doesn't really want to do a |
| some green streamers for the jungle effect. | | | | party at home - take all the kids out to the |
| Make dirt cake as the birthday cake and hide | | | | bowling alley, batting cages or driving |
| green M&Ms inside as the dinosaur eggs. See | | | | range, then out for ice cream and voila... a |
| how fun this is? | | | | great party! |
| | | | |
| * Teddy Bear Party - I can't imagine any | | | | * 50's Sock Hop Party - This is a super easy |
| party that's easier to put together than a | | | | party to put together because much of the |
| Teddy Bear party. Have the kids bring their | | | | party is centered on the music and the way |
| favorite teddy or hire a make your own teddy | | | | the kids dress. Encourage the gals to wear |
| bear entertainer to keep the kids occupied | | | | poodle skirts and they guys to wear jeans and |
| and then the guests will have a great take | | | | white t-shirts with, of course, both in |
| home gift too. A teddy shaped cake is very | | | | bobbie socks and saddle shoes (if you can |
| easy to make with a couple of round cake pans | | | | find them) or keds. Have a little "make up" |
| or you can make it even easier and frost a | | | | station for the girls to put on a little |
| 9x13 cake and decorate it with either gummy | | | | lipstick, throw some blown up balloons on the |
| bears or teddy grahams. Enhance the theme | | | | floor in the living room, turn on the music |
| with either a tea party or a teddy bear | | | | and let the hopping begin! Root beer floats |
| fashion show - or have one of the activities | | | | or make your own sundaes (one with a candle |
| be where the kids make clothes for their | | | | for the birthday child) are easy food for |
| animals. | | | | this party. |
| | | | |
| * Carnival Party - A carnival party is a | | | | So make the most of your child's birthday |
| great theme particularly for an outdoor, | | | | party this year by centering the events of |
| mid-summer party. Borrow some tables from the | | | | the day on a theme. You'll find it to be |
| neighbors or your local church and set up a | | | | stress free, fun and something that your |
| variety of stations for food, activities, | | | | child will remember long into his adult |
| crafts and games. Involve the moms and dads | | | | years. |