Throwing a great children's party doesn't need to be expensive or stressful. Simply planning everything out ahead of time will make all the difference between a party disaster and party your family will talk about for years.

Below is a simply step by step guide you can use to plan and execute you party.

Choose A Party Date...

The first thing you need to do before you start your party planning is to choose a date for the party. Most home parties work best on Saturdays, but you can choose to your party any day of the week. Whatever date and day you choose, make sure that all your 'helpers' as well as the majority of people you invite will be able to attend before your date gets set in stone.

When to start planning...

The first key to having a stress-free party planning experience is to start the planning far in advance of the party date.

You may need a month or more to stresslessly plan a party, depending on the complexity of your party ideas. Weddings, for example, are planned six months to two years from the wedding date.

Although a children's party should be nowhere near as complicated as a wedding, you should probably start your planning about a month from the party date. That way you'll have plenty of time to make it as special as you want it to be without killing yourself to it all done.

In addition, having a little more time to prepare will allow you to mail order (or order online) special items, decorations, favors, etc. and you'll also have plenty of time to make things for the party if you choose.

If you are an experienced party giver, you can cut your timeline down considerably. However, I still suggest that you give yourself a couple of weeks to plan a party so that you don't stress yourself out.

Find Helpers...

This is an especially important thing to think about when you are having a party for younger children. Helpers can come in the form of a spouse, older child, relative, baby sitter, friend, etc.

Having some designated helpers will make the party day a lot more fun for you and the children. You won't be constantly jumping from child to child and will be able to concentrate on the party itself. The children will have constant supervision and guidance throughout the party. Parents will be able to sit back and relax while their children enjoy the party without having to feel like they have to constantly be on guard for hazards.

During the planning stage, you should make sure your helpers will be available for the party. You can also ask them for party suggestions. You may be surprised at the ideas they'll come up with.

Choose A Theme...

The best children's parties usually revolve around a party theme. A kid party theme doesn't have to be complicated... you can choose a theme based on one of your child's interests, favorite cartoon characters, favorite books, etc.

You can also choose a theme based on things like seasonal events, a special family event, holidays, a planned vacation, back to school, a new movie, costumes, etc.

Basically, anything that you can plan your party around and have fun with can be a kid party theme. The key is to use your imagination.

The great thing about choosing to plan a kid's party around a specific theme is that it will help spark your imagination when it comes to decorating, planning activities, invitations, food, etc. You can see some of my kid party theme ideas here.

Make sure it's age-appropriate...

When you are choose your party theme, make sure that it will be appropriate for the children who will attend the party. A Barney the Purple Dinosaur theme party won't be very much fun for a group of twelve year olds, and Harry Potter will be over the heads of most preschoolers.

If you've chosen a theme that works for all age groups, like 'Under the Sea' for example, then you'll need to keep a special eye on the activities, party favors, decorations, etc. that you work into your theme to make sure they are age-appropriate.

Setting a Budget

Most parties range from $2 to $8 per party guest, but you can spend as much or as little as you want to spend.

Here's what I do... I decide on the total amount of money that I have to spend on a party. Let's say that I can afford to spend $100. Then I decide how many kids will be there -- let's say 15 in this case. That would give me a total of $6.68 to spend on each guest.

Remember, this cost includes food, decorations, cake, party favors, invitations, crafts, activities, and anything else you'll need to pull off a successful party.

You can do a lot to keep costs down by making as many things for your party as possible. You can make your own food, cake, decorations, party favors, and invitations, for example. Making things can cut the price of the party down considerably.

Some other ways to cut costs is to purchase 'party packages' that already have many of the things you need for a party, mail order party items, order party items online, watch for sales, etc.

In addition, if you choose to have your party at a third party locations like a skating rink, restaurant, amusement park, science center, etc. you may be able to pre-purchase a birthday package.

Choose a Party Location...

If they are well planned, home parties are the least stressful parties to give, in my opinion. You can have a home party inside or outside, and they are usually best for younger children.

I personally think that third party locations usually end up falling short of a great party experience. When you have a party at a third party location, you no longer have control of how the party will go and you are left at the mercy of an employee who probably doesn't care whether your party is a hit or not. That's not to say that you can't have a great party away from home. Click here for some ideas on party locations.

Party Time Limits

Setting a time limit for the party will help you keep the party under control as well as let other parents know what to expect. Generally speaking, children's parties should last between 2 and 4 hours. Anything more than that will leave the children either bored or over-tired.

While we're on the subject of time, you should use special care and consideration when choosing a time for your party. When it comes to younger children, you may want to choose a 'before naptime' party time.

I can't tell you how many parties my children have attended that were right in the middle of their normal naptime or the naptime of their siblings (who I had to drag along to the party and keep entertained too). Naptime parties assure that the children will be tired and whiney before they even arrive. If you have a younger child's party in the late morning, then most children will be bright, alert, and ready to party.

For older children, you may want to consider an evening party. Just make sure that the party ends at a reasonable time.

Party Structure...

A successful party is not a free for all -- it is carefully structured and orchestrated so that everyone is engaged throughout the party.

A party should generally consist of four parts: Welcoming/Icebreaking, Games & Activities, Refreshments, Closing

The welcoming portion of the party is pretty self-explanatory. As the children arrive, you'll want to have something for them to do to keep busy until all the guests arrive. Don't expect the children to just stand there and wait quietly. This would be a good time to make party hats, masks, magic wands, cereal necklaces, or other crafts. Remember to keep it simple so that the last child to arrive can make their craft too and not be the only one who didn't.

Once all the children arrive, you should start the games and activities part of your party. You may want to start with a game that gets everyone excited and lets all the children internact with each other. I've also see successful parties with younger children start with a 'dancing session' led by an adult. You may feel silly, but the kids will have a blast. You'll want to alternate faster paced activities with slower paced ones so that the kids don't get too pooped out. You'll also want to make sure that a calmer activity preceeds the refreshments.

Next comes the refreshment portion of your party. This is where you'll open presents (if it's that kind of party), cut the cake, have snacks, lunch, pizza, etc. This is also where you generally hand out party favors.

Now you've gotten through the party and it's time to start working on the close. Generally, you're just trying to make sure each child has all their belongings and wait for their parents to come pick them up (unless they are still there, as with younger children's parties, of course). Don't try to run any organized activities or games during the closing. Free play time usually works best.

Final Tips...

Once the party is underway, don't get too caught up in your schedule. Try to keep the kids on track and gently guide them from activity -- but don't be afraid to skip some of your planned activities or repeat others, depending on the mood of the group. Your party plan is a guide, not a rulebook. When you're with a group of kids, flexibility is the key.

Don't forget to constantly police the children to make sure they are playing safely. The last thing you need is for someone to get hurt at your party. Make sure you clear out a lot of room for the party ahead of time and that you and your 'helpers' keep a close eye on everyone. This is especially important with younger children.

In addition, if you have a child that is acting up too much, don't be afraid to say something to them to correct their behavior. One rotten child can ruin your party -- that includes the party boy/girl.

If you're having a party for younger children where the parents will also attend, it might be nice if you planned some refreshments for them as well as a reasonable place for them to sit. I once took my daughter to a party and had to bring her baby brother along. The host of the party didn't provide any adult seating and there was no room for a stroller. I ended up having to hold my son for about 3 and a half hours. It was totally miserable as a parent.

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How to "Theme" Your Party - Planning a children's party can be a little overwhelming... even scary. After all, throwing a great party is something your child will remember for a long lime. On the other hand, if the party bombs they will NEVER forget it. Read more...