What
Comes Before
Part B ?
PART PART – – A – – Y Y
Birthday Birthday Party
Party Trends
Trends Your
Your Kids
Kids Will
Will Love
Love BY
BY MICHELLE
MICHELLE BLANCHARD
BLANCHARD ARDILLO
ARDILLO 26 WashingtonFAMILY MAY 2019



A
child’s first birthday party was once a
small celebration at home with imme-
diate family, grandparents, neighbors,
and a few close friends of the parents. There
would be cake, ice cream and presents, but
times have changed, and the sky’s the limit
now when planning a child’s birthday party.

As with real estate, the first big step to
planning is: location, location, loca-
tion. Will the party be at home, at
a public venue with a party room
or at an indoor entertainment
destination specializing in
group parties?
Parties at home are still
very popular, especially
with the resources of
Karen Carbone of Car-
bone Entertainments
readily available. Under
her website’s “birth-
day party” tab, there
are nearly 50 ideas for
theme-based birthday
celebrations that can be
scaled to the age range
of your child. Her com-
pany will bring two ponies
to your front yard for pony
rides, or intrigue your party
guests with reptiles, exotic
birds or a petting zoo. Party mas-
cots are very popular, and Carbone
has a large selection: from princesses
and superheroes to nursery rhyme
characters and walking-talking animals.

Carbone says that among her most
popular parties, for all ages, is anything
that allows the creative side of the party
guests to emerge. Cupcake decorating and
cookie decorating are as popular as ever,
but so are the “paint and juice boxes” par-
ties where guests create a painting to take
home as their party favor. “Everybody
loves painting, whether it is with icing to
create an edible keepsake” or with acryl-
ics and canvas, sipping a juice box and
“becoming the next Picasso.” Carbone
says that hands-on activities are great
for children of all age ranges. Her
“fill a friend” parties are a big hit,
where party guests create their own
stuffed animal. The “fill a friend”
concept is also popular, with
companies wanting to combine a
fun team experience with a char-
itable act, making stuffed animals
to donate during the holidays or to
children’s hospitals.

Destination parties are just the
ticket for tweens and teens. There
are many options available in the
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/SHIRONOSOV
the D.C. area, with everything
from laser tag to bowling and
bocce ball to ropes courses.

ZavaZone’s website, with loca-
tions in Sterling and Rockville,
describes the experience: “Kick
boredom to the curb and create
your own adventure at our active
indoor parks — perfect for guests,
ages five to 105. Adventure awaits
you!” Pinstripes, part restaurant/part
modernized bowling alley that offers
bocce ball lanes as well, entered the D.C.

market in 2014, initially in Georgetown
but now in North Bethesda as well. Laser
tag spots give kids the opportunity to
play a live-action video game, and trampo-
line hubs like Sky Zone take jumping on a
trampoline to a whole new level.

Sara Raak of SKG Designs says that desti-
nation parties are great because “they offer
complete packages of food, favors and the
best of all, they clean up!” She says that home
parties are still really popular, with parents
serving up pizza and cupcakes for the kids,
and cheese-grazing boards and sparkling
water for the adults who stay to celebrate.

Raak says that a new trend in home parties
is “a breakfast birthday party, starting with
pancakes and a topping bar and ending with
birthday donuts instead of birthday cake.”
Raak has at-home theme party ideas for kids
of all ages: Disney and Paw Patrol themes
for the younger kids, and Fortnite and Nerf
guns promise a blast of success for older
boys. Older girls enjoy slime-making par-
ties or spa parties complete with a spa truck
parked outside! If parents want to book
their own entertainment for an at-home
TOP THREE
trending birthday
party themes in
2019, according
to Pinterest:
> SCAVENGER HUNTS
> ENCHANTED FOREST
> BACKYARD FUN
party, R a a k
said that The
Great Zucchini is a local treasure who
entertains kids ages two to seven with a
40-minute magic show guaranteed to bring
the house down with laughter.

With so many options and price points,
planning a child’s birthday party doesn’t
have to be stressful or time-consuming.

Whether you go for a low-key party at home
with or without professional entertainment,
or invite friends to an indoor activity center
for a party package, remember your child’s
birthday comes around only once a year, so
make it special! ■
Michelle Blanchard Ardillo is a freelance
writer and middle school language arts
teacher who knows a thing or two about
children’s birthday parties, having worked
professionally as “Giggles the Clown”
for two years. Follow her on Twitter or
Goodreads @michardillo or visit her
website at michelleardillo.com.

Money Smart
FOUR WAYS TO SAVE ON BIRTHDAY PARTY COSTS:
1 Choose a budget-friendly time. Parties in the morning or afternoon mean you don’t
usually have to serve a meal, which can add in extra costs.

2 Make your own invitations. Save big on creating your own fun invitations. Print them
out on card stock paper. Try using canva.com or fotojet.com.

3 Reuse décor and “shop” your house. Any leftover non-theme specific decorations
from previous events or parties are perfect to re-use. If you have particular theme,
check around your house for items you already have that can work for the theme.

You might be surprised at what you can find!
4 Make the cake. Bakery cakes can be crazy expensive, so buying a boxed cake mix is
always a solid option. Another easier and still Instagram-worthy option is making
individual cupcakes and then arranging them on a platter as your child’s age.

Source: moneysavingmom.com
WashingtonFAMILY.com 27