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



PARTY: LSOPHOTO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Party Activities
permitting, make sure to have a plan B for What about a movie?
alternate indoor things to do. Classic party Wind down a party with a movie. Pick
games make a convenient alternative.

three or four options for kids to vote on,
then turn on the movie while you begin the
Don’t forget to delegate
cleanup. Don’t forget to pop some popcorn
You can easily get overwhelmed when you’re and get some blankets together to make the
hosting an event. Lift the weight off your experience as cozy as possible (bonus points
shoulders by putting together a “party crew” if you’ve chosen a sing-a-long film).

of family members and friends to help you on
party day. By delegating tasks to your party Keep calm
crew, you’ll free up your time to host. Having The most important thing you have to do
the parents of your child’s friends stay for the while hosting your child’s party festivities
duration of the party can also help things run is to keep your cool. Your attitude and
more smoothly. Just be sure to have enough enthusiasm set the tone for the vibe of the
food and drinks for your adult guests.

party. Your child and their friends probably
won’t remember the little bumps in the
road that happen along the way, but they’ll
When in doubt, dance it out
How do you deal with the awkward transitions remember the joy they’re celebrating at
from one activity to another or a waning your party. T
interest from kids? It’s time for a dance
break! Turn on tunes and let the music work
its magic. You can have the little ones
help you pick out a few trendy
songs beforehand, or you
can use child-friendly
party playlists that
music streaming
services offer.

Hiring Help
Bringing in the party
professionals to lead the
fun can keep children
occupied and give parents
a break from working
the party. Consider
balloon artists, magicians,
musicians and storytellers.

Fees vary depending on
the entertainer and length
of time you select. Look
for entertainers who let
the kids get involved. For
example, you may want to
ask a magician to provide
a scarf and magic wand
for each child so that the
magician can have kids
follow along with a simple
magic trick.

Check our party
directory in this issue
and on our website
to find entertainers
in our area who
specialize in kids’
parties. You can
also contact
children’s museums,
schools or
parents you
know for
ideas and
recommendations. —Michael Vyskocil
WashingtonFAMILY.com 15