Children’s
BY LEENIKA BELFIELD-MARTIN
Y ou’ve sent invitations, bought
decorations, made a list (and checked
it twice) … now you’re ready to
throw your child the best birthday party
of the season. But the biggest task has yet
to begin: hosting the party. Don’t let all
your preparation go to waste. Find out how
you can make sure that your guests will
be entertained.

Keep the structure simple
Think about a theme
Listen to your child
Keeping in mind your party’s theme is a great
way to help you stay organized and add some
flair to the activities. Turn simple activities
into exciting entertainment by incorporating
the theme into them. For example, “pin the
tail” on the donkey can be morphed into
“pin the patch on the pirate” for a pirate-
themed birthday.

TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE
FEELS LIKE A WINNER, AVOID
COMPETITIVE GAMES AT A PARTY.

IF THERE ARE PRIZES, FIND A WAY
FOR EVERY KID TO GET ONE.

14 Washington FAMILY MAY 2022
What party guests are going to be able to
bounce on a moon bounce, get their faces
painted, play six different games and eat
pizza all within a three-hour period? None of
them. Don’t overwhelm your guests with too
many things to do. Avoid activity overload
by keeping your party activity schedule
straightforward and easy.

Your child knows exactly what his or her
friends enjoy doing and what activities
they dislike. Let your child provide a list
of suggestions for activities. You may not
be able to accommodate all their requests,
like booking a favorite musical artist for
entertainment, but the experience will give
you a feel for what activities your child’s
peers like to do.

Set a schedule
Schedule what you plan to do with your
guests a week before your event. Your
schedule doesn’t have to be too structured.

Kids lose attention quickly, so most activities
should last only about 30 to 40 minutes.

If your activities are outdoors, weather
BALLOONS: JULIA_SUDNITSKAYA/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; DOORBELL: DORIOCONNELL/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
How to keep the birthday bash going
from the time the doorbell rings until the
last guest departs