Party
2021 LI K E I T ’S
After a year of car parades and Zoom parties, kids are looking forward to
the return of in-person birthday celebrations with family and friends.

If your party-planning skills are a little rusty, don’t panic. We’re sharing tips
and ideas to make your child’s big day fun for everyone.

BY WF STAFF
18 Washington FAMILY MAY 2021
ne of the hardest parts of the
pandemic for parents was
making birthdays feel just as spe-
cial as they did in the Before Times. We
invited friends to honk car horns down
our streets and hired magicians to per-
form over Zoom. We decorated cupcakes
virtually and hosted outdoor laser tag par-
ties in the dead of winter. And we mostly
succeeded in making our kids’ celebrations
seem normal, despite the extraordinary
circumstances in which we were living.

Today, vaccines are bringing us closer
to our pre-pandemic lives, including the
return of in-person birthday parties. But
until children can be vaccinated, health
experts still advise against crowded,
indoor gatherings — especially without
masks. Bounce houses, escape rooms and
bowling alleys may be out, but outdoor
parties are, well, in.

If you’re trying to remember how to
plan an in-person gathering, here are some
ideas to help you get this party started.




Outdoor Party Themes
PARTY: DIGITAL VISION./PHOTODISC/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; PINSTOCK/E+/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Spring is the perfect time for an outdoor
birthday party, whether in your backyard or
a local park. These party themes work well
for a wide variety of ages and party sizes.

They can be as simple or complex as you
want to make them, and many require only
minimal purchases.

MYSTERY A mystery-solving party is like a classic
scavenger hunt — with a twist. Maybe
a stuffed animal has gone missing? Or a
hidden treasure box of candy has been
reported? Plant clues around your backyard,
neighborhood or local park that lead the
group to the solution. You could even
get your neighbors involved to deliver
hints. Offer magnifying glasses and small
notebooks with pencils as party favors for
the young detectives.

CARNIVAL All you need for a successful carnival-
themed party are the right activities and
snacks. Pin the tail on the donkey and a
ring or bean bag toss are simple and fun
games perfect for this type of event. As for
the treats, cotton candy, corn dogs, circus
peanuts, animal crackers and popcorn (extra
points if you snag some classic red and white
striped boxes to serve it in) will immediately
make your backyard feel like a carnival.

MOVIE NIGHT
This one’s simple: all you need is a white
sheet, a projector and plenty of popcorn for
an outdoor movie party. If you want to get
a little more elaborate, rent or buy an old-
fashioned popcorn machine and purchase
some movie theater candy boxes to hand
out to guests. Send tickets with the party
invitations so kids feel like they’re going to a
real theater.

BEACH PARTY
It might not be quite warm enough yet to
swim in the ocean, but you can still bring
the beach to your backyard. Kids can play
in a sandbox, toss beach balls, hang out
on towels and even fish for plastic toys in
a kiddie pool. Fill your goody bags with
sunglasses, small sand shovels and flip flop
key chains. Watermelon, ice cream and
lemonade are all perfect treats to make it
seem like summer’s arrived a little early.

FIELD DAY
For an active group of kids, set up a variety
of field day games to keep everyone moving.

Some ideas include relay races, jump rope,
tug of war, sack races and kickball. Medals
and whistles would work great as party
favors. Just make sure you have Popsicles on
hand to close out the party! T
— ELEANOR LINAFELT
Stress-free Party Planning
For busy parents, just anticipating the prep
involved in hosting a kid’s birthday party
can cause anxiety. How will you set up the
food and drinks? Keep the kids entertained?
Clean up without a hitch?
Pro party planner Ashia Watson, owner
of Party Sticklers in Ashburn, Virginia, has
organized plenty of children’s birthday
parties. She’s sharing her time-tested tips
for planning a carefree celebration, whether
you’re hosting a Batman-themed jamboree
or a party fit for a princess.

MAKE A LIST
As you’ll remember from the days of college
term papers, doing things at the last minute
causes so much unnecessary stress. Watson
recommends starting to plan two or more
months in advance — the earlier, the better.

Search online for free checklists that tell
you how much time to allow for buying
decorations, booking entertainment and
other scheduling needs. Then, make yourself
a to-do list. Watson suggests putting pen to
paper, typing in a spreadsheet or, if you can,
enlisting a party planner like her to help.

SEND FOLLOW-UPS
If you’re waiting on people to RSVP, send
follow-up emails a week or so before your
event. That way, Watson says, invitees will be
thinking about the party and can let you know
WashingtonFAMILY.com 19