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How to Plan
THE BEST
Birthday
Party
By
Karen
Sibal
So
what’s
a
parent
to do?
If you
decide
to
have
THE
party,
how do
you
ensure
it’s
THE
BEST
party
ever –
one
that’s
a
great
hit
with
the
kids
and
not a
great
hit on
your
wallet
–
while
keeping
your
sanity
in
tact.
Here’s
a
handy
party
planner
that
will
help
make
the
big
celebration
fun,
original,
memorable,
affordable,
and
stress-free.
General
Considerations
Date
Select
a date
and
time
that’s
most
convenient
to you
and
the
guests.
When
choosing
the
date,
think
about
when
your
guests
will
be
most
likely
to
come.
Check
the
calendar
for
important
events
or
holidays
that
may
come
into
conflict.
Timing
is
everything.
Examine
your
child’s
needs
– for
example,
if
you’ve
got a
toddler,
it’s
probably
a good
idea
to
schedule
the
party
around
afternoon
nap
times:
late
mornings
can be
the
perfect
time.
Also
think
about
the
time
the
party
will
finish.
This
will
depend
on how
long
you
think
the
children
can go
without
getting
fussy.
As a
general
guideline,
for
young
children,
1 ½ or
2
hours
is
probably
adequate.
Guest
List
How
many
kids
do you
invite?
The
general
rule
of
thumb
is to
invite
the
number
of
guests
for
every
year
of
your
child’s
age,
for
example,
if
your
child
is
turning
five,
invite
five
guests.
However,
if you
and
your
child
feel
comfortable
having
more
(or
less),
that’s
ok
too.
Are
you
extending
invitations
to
parents,
or
would
you
prefer
they
drop
off
their
child
for
the
party
and
pick
them
up
later?
If
you’re
having
very
young
guests,
parents
will
likely
stay
for
the
duration
of the
party.
Budget
How
much
do you
want
to
spend
on the
big
celebration?
How
much
can
you
afford?
Determining
your
budget
is
crucial
at the
start
of
your
party
planning.
As you
work
your
way
through
this
party
planner
and
BEFORE
you
spend
any
money,
make a
list
of the
things
you
will
need
and
estimate
how
much
they
will
cost.
A
little
planning
will
ensure
your
party
stays
on
track
of
what
you
can
actually
afford.
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