Many times kids' parties can be a party for the children and a headache for you. Simplify things by creating a party theme to provide instant interest, preplan entertainment, and set some strict rules to make things easier on yourself. Set a time for the party to begin and end. Choosing to have your kids' parties after school on a Friday, insures the children will be tired enough to sleep at the end of the night instead of staying awake all night long. Having the children picked up by 10:00 the next morning, will give you plenty of time to clean up, and still have time to catch up on any rest you missed in afternoon. Tents pitched in the back yard, are an adventure for your kids' parties, and save your house a bit of wear and tear as well. Just be sure to have plenty of snacks and drinks handy, and lots of trash cans in your yard. Buy plenty of flashlights at an everything is a dollar store (the flashlights are good for playing flashlight tag as well as finding the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night) and let your little partiers take them home with them after the party. Another helpful hint is to have extra movies and popcorn handy just in case of rain, or too many spooky stories sending the kids and their sleeping bags inside, so you will not be unprepared to entertain the children, if the festivities at your kids' parties move inside. Both for yourself, and the parents of the children attending your kids' parties, set a time for lights out, and stick to it. Nobody enjoys picking up a cranky child who has been awake all night long, and, though it might not be popular with the kids, it will be appreciated by the parents. Have plenty of handy breakfast foods set out the night before, so early risers will be able to serve themselves. Good choices are small boxes of cereal, fruits, muffins, bagels, and a variety of milk and juices. Planning ahead and using these helpful hints will guarantee your kids' parties will be enjoyed by everyone! |
