Some themes will obviously be more difficult than others. Go with your child to a couple of party stores and see what’s available or go online. It’ll be easiest to pick a theme based on what you have at your disposal. Most parents aren’t Martha Stewart; you certainly don’t have to be.

Take your child’s age into account. Generally, the younger the child, the earlier the party. You do not have to entertain all day–a few hours is more than sufficient. If you’re not having it at home, consult the desired venue to see what times are available.

As for guests, a good rule of thumb is the child’s age plus 1. [5] X Research source And if parents can come along, great! It’s best to have a couple others to help with monitoring and clean up. Have your invitations in the theme of your party. The other children will probably get excited, too. Your child can hand them out at school (if possible to do it discreetly) or you can give them to the parents if your child is too young (or forgetful!). Your child shouldn’t hand them out in front of those not invited – it might make the others feel bad. Give them to the teacher to put in the take home folder or have your child put them in desks or lockers.

It’s always an option to make your own if you’re DIY handy. And your child can always help if you want someone to blame the poor penmanship on! As an alternative idea, a few children can come over a bit earlier to make decorations themselves, if they’d like.

Don’t be afraid to go super theme-oriented. If you’re having a Wild West party, have them pan for gold in the sandbox. Conduct a scavenger hunt with theme-related clues and a final prize. Don’t be afraid to go super simple. Nowadays, kids aren’t playing the old school games they could be. Instead of having them all plop down in front of the Wii, have them Capture the Flag, play Red Rover, Blind Man’s Bluff, or have relay races. Bingo is also a great birthday party game for a big group. [7] X Expert Source Natasha MillerProfessional Event Planner Expert Interview. 29 January 2020. For older children, have more free time. The older the child, the less structured the party should be. Kids will likely want to do their own thing at one point or another. If they express this, don’t stress. More free time for you and the other parents!

They could make potato print t-shirts, simple masks, jewelry, fishing rods, badges – the list goes on and on and on. This requires a bit more forethought, but will pay off in the long run. You could have this be the first activity – so children that come earlier have something to busy themselves with while the others slowly file in. Any late arriving child can take the necessary materials home with them if they’d like. Let the kids take home the decorations. This is an easy and quick idea if you have something with a general theme, like princesses or baseball. And it allows for minimal clean up!

Despite what logic dictates, cake isn’t enough. You’ll need food food too – make it easy on yourself and get some pizzas delivered or get a fast food restaurant or catering company to take care of everything. Finger sandwiches and lunch bags with sandwiches and fruit, jellos, or chocolate chip cookies are great choices, too. If it’s a nice day outside and you have a grill, kids love hot dogs and hamburgers. Don’t forget the buns, mustard, and ketchup! If there will be other parents or adults attending and watching over the kids, have food for them, too. They may not be so keen on chicken nuggets and Sprite.

Have glasses (and cutlery in general) that are safe for the kids to use. Things may get broken – so don’t break out your fine china. Be prepared for a mess.

As the child leaves, take note. Have them say goodbye to everyone, gather their things, their party favor, and mentally check them off their list. Never let the child leave on their own or with an adult you don’t recognize.