Hosting a party can be overwhelming! Take it from our team, we’ve hosted almost 75 parties for all of our kids. From Hello Kitty parties to pool parties, to BBQs to candy themed parties to princess parties to every pre-schooler’s favorite, Elmo! We’ve outlined some tips to make your party go as smooth as possible. Don’t stress! Just read our party advice and sometimes you have to let go and just enjoy the cake!
- Use Pinterest to gather ideas about themes, decorations, cakes, invitations, etc. It’s a great tool and there are so many creative ideas out there to get inspired. If you go the paper invitation route, try hiring a graphic designer for your invitations.
- Don’t be afraid of a good DIY! Find shapes or colors to inspire you for your theme and then use characters that your children want for fun accents.
- Once you pick a theme–get creative! Theme ideas can extend further than you think…give food items clever names, serve chips in bowls that fit your theme, etc. Keep kids busy with activities–we love all of these activities here–bringing a theme to life through food and games really gets kids involved in all aspects of the party!
- Hire help! It’s always best to have an extra set of hands to help serve and clean up! This way you, the host, can enjoy the party just as much as your guests.
- Give out goody bag items that people may actually USE. Do we all need another Batman bouncy ball? Probably not. Kids will be excited to get something interesting and parents will be happy to not add more to the junk drawer. We suggest books–espcially WHERE’S THE PARTY? This adorable book for pre-schoolers and toddlers alike will be drawn to Georgie as he wakes up one day with the best idea, hosting the best party. Children will love as Georgie makes his list, especially remembering cake, and travels around his town to invite all of his friends and each one cannot make his party. George goes home at the end of his day to only realize that his friends threw him his perfect party with everything he loves–balloons, lights and cake!
- Know your audience. Make sure you are catering to your audience. If you are throwing a kids party, don’t go fancy with odd foods, the old standbys are always a safe bet. Save sophisticated recipes for an adult only party.
-
Label your food and beverages. Labels are extremely helpful for kids with allergies as well as to determine if a drink is meant for adults or kids. This happened at one of our parties, a child screamed, “Yuck, this is sour!” Whoops!
Don’t miss Barnes & Noble national storytelling event on Saturday, April 23, 2016 featuring WHERE’S THE PARTY? — this irresistibly charming picture book debut invites readers to meet Georgie and friends — and find the answer to the most important question of the day: Where’s the Party? Join to find out at Storytime featuring Where’s the Party? Activities to follow. Find your nearest Barnes & Noble location here.
Disclaimer: This a sponsored post, however, all thoughts and opinions are our own.