Hosting a children's Christmas party can be stressful. The children are usually very excited at the prospect of new toys from Father Christmas. Of course excited children doesn't always mean giggly, energetic children; it also can mean sulky children as they experience a spectrum of emotions as part and parcel of the festive excitement. The Christmas party host or hostess has to be prepared for a number of situations.

Assuming you have the party food and venue covered, all you have to do now is to sort out a line up of interesting entertainment and party games.

Only choose games and activities that are suitable for your party's age group. If your games are too babyish, older kids will not participate. Similarly, younger children will find older kids games too complicated and will not want to play. Choosing games that match your party will mean that the children that you are entertaining will have a more enjoyable party.

If the children at the party are not familiar with one another, make the first few games non prize winning ice breaker games so that the children can play together as a group, and everyone can get over their shyness and make friends.

It's better to have too many prizes than too few. Party games tend not to last as long as you think they will, and you don't want to run out of prizes. You also need to bear in mind that sometimes children enjoy a party game so much that they want to play it again. If your game schedule is too regimented an unscheduled game will make you a prize short. You need to be a flexible play leader.

Dealing with children who don't wish to join in is always difficult. You want every child to enjoy the Christmas party but f course you can't give your complete attention to one child who is reluctant to join in. If after several urges of encouragement during the ice breaker games, and during the first prize winning game; if the child still wishes to not participate give that child a colouring book or a puzzle book and some pencils. This way the solitary child has a prize and fun, and you haven't neglected the rest of the group.

Seeing a display of prizes to choose from may sound fair and fun, but in reality it can cause arguments and sulky children when more that one child sets its sights on the same prize. Simply overcome this by gift wrapping each prize and having a lucky dip type system. This adds extra fun and excitement and the children will be content that this system is fair.

Forward planning at children's Christmas parties is essential if you wish to host an enjoyable party for all, and I hope these tips will go some way to helping your party run smoothly.