There are many places you can hold a birthday party. You could have it at a restaurant, park, indoor gaming center, or at your home. If you choose to host the party at a public place, you will have to pay for the party, supplies, and other items that will be needed. Hosting a party at home may give you more freedom to play games and talk with other parents.



Below is a list of items that have to be addressed in order to throw a great party for your child. Plan at least a month in advance and try to have the party on the weekend in the afternoon.

Guest list

Invitations

Supplies

Recruiting help

Party games

Guest Lists

Your child will be able to give you a list of friends they would like to invite to their birthday party. Limit the number to a reasonable amount of children. A list of about ten names should be plenty. Some people may not be able to attend. Have four or five names on a second list if you want to fill the spots. The guest list can include children from school, the neighborhood, children from your child's after school activities, cousins, or your friend's children. Make sure that your child is okay with the guest list before writing out invitations.

Invitations

You can get as creative as you want with the party invitations. You can buy them in bulk, make them yourself on the computer, or buy individual cards to use. If you are planning a theme birthday party, you could buy invitations that match the theme.

On the invitations, you will need to include the recipient's name, your child's name, address, phone number and directions to your home. You should also include the date of the party, when it begins, and when it ends. Give a date of when to RSVP by.

After filling out the invitations, give the invitations to your child so that they can pass them out in their classroom. All other invitations should be mailed. This is why you should plan a party a month in advance. Not only will you need time to get all the supplies ready, you will also need to give people time to RSVP.

Have a few extra invitations on hand in case one is lost. Children will sometimes leave invitations at school or misplace them on the school bus.

Supplies

Make a list of supplies you will need for the birthday party. This list should include food supplies, party decorations, wrapping paper, party games, party favors, and cleaning supplies.

Decide which foods to serve at the party. Many people serve mini sandwiches and other finger foods that do not require plates. Other people will cook hotdogs and hamburgers or order pizza. If your child has a favorite food, then serve it along with other foods. Have chips and candy to serve before and after the meal.

As for the cake, you should choose a cake that your child likes. There are many varieties to choose from or you can bake your own. Decorating the cake is easy with cake decorating kits that you can find at the grocery store. If throwing a themed party, have a cake that demonstrates the theme. The grocery store bakery will have many cartoon characters to choose from.

When throwing a birthday party with a theme, buy decorations that match the theme. You can buy everything from plates to candles for the cake.

Party Games

There are many party games you can organize for your child's birthday party. Simple games include musical chairs, the telephone game, or board games. If you hold the party outdoors, you can hold races, eating contests, hide and go seek, tag, and many more.

Organizing games can be difficult with a larger group of children. If not all children want to play a game, then it is okay to separate them. Have smaller games on hand so that children will not get bored.

Keeping a party fun for the children is the biggest job you will have when you host a birthday party. Plan in advance and have plenty of options to throw out there when it is time to play a game. Hand out small prizes to those who win.