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How to organize a birthday party?
For a first birthday party: it is best to accommodate children at your home. It is much more practical level Organisation and less expensive. The prince? On your invitation, the parents of the little guests will bring their tribe at the scheduled time and pick them up at the end of the festivities. On D-Day, all you have to do is prepare the ground and put away all the fragile items. The user manual : cover your armchairs and sofas with a bed throw or tablecloth to avoid unfortunate stains. Make the house look festive with pennants, balloons, garlands, etc. For safety reasons, prohibit access to the kitchen with a suitable panel stuck on the door and block the stairs with approved barriers.
What day to organize a birthday party? Contrary to popular belief, Wednesday is not the ideal day. Besides the extra-curricular activities possible and regular appointments (speech therapist, psychomotor therapist, etc.), some children are looked after by nannies who cannot necessarily travel. Choose instead Saturday afternoon. Set the start of the festivities around 15:30 p.m. – 16 p.m. (nap required). The party must not last more than two-three hours : beyond that, the fun risks giving way to excitement and fatigue.
How to organize? Get help! Watching four or five children at the same time, serving them food and drink, taking them to the toilet and dealing with nonsense and accidents, it’s a real challenge! To support you in this mission, you can organize yourself in advance with other parents to ensure support according to their availability.
Birthday party: the pitfalls to avoid
Not too much age difference between the children. We don’t have the same games at 4 and 7. And everyone risks getting bored in their own right. Leave your child choose your guests within the limit of the framework you have set for him (three, four, five friends). And don’t force anyone on him. Respect her choice if she prefers to invite only boys or if she wants only girls. For the little ones, it is advisable to limit the number of guests : one child per year, i.e. 3 years / 3 friends, 4 years / 4 friends, etc. is a proven rule
Dare to set clear rules. There we play, there we taste. You don’t walk around the house with your fruit juice. We don’t run after each other, etc. Make it clear to parents the time the party ends. Above all, do not say “come back and get it when you want” at the risk of seeing some disembark at 19 pm.
Quickly, we open the gifts: no need to wait to unwrap the birthday presents, because it’s a great time for everyone. The best is to group them together in a basket. It will be time to take out the Polaroid to capture these magic moments, coupled with the digital camera to print and email snapshots to guests, grandparents and friends.
Birthday: tea time
The simpler the snack, the better: chocolate cake is a safe bet. And why not, a “party pancake” as a complement, as the dough can be kept for three days in the fridge. For drinks, instead of very sweet sodas, prefer fruit juices, flavored cartons of milk (think of the straws which are the joy of little ones) and of course, water.
Either way, don’t over-eat. At 3 years old, you are quickly satisfied.
Birthday party: activities to plan
Write down the animations you are going to offer on a sheet of paper and allow half an hour per game.
Disguises. It’s a good idea, provided that it is not too complicated for the little friends and that it does not compromise their coming (some children hate dressing up). Otherwise, you can put at their disposal, in a basket, clothes and accessories to disguise them yourself.
Do a little survey of parents beforehand. The must: a pinata (Fnac Eveil & Jeux), a sort of huge balloon in the shape of an animal or dragon that is hung from the ceiling and that children pop with a stick to discover the trinkets and treats that it contains. The other games: la angling (buy mini-gifts at fairs à tout), “Jacques a dit”, soft pétanque, 1,2,3 soleil, a memory for several, riddles. Alternate calm games and more ‘restless’ games.
A make-up workshop. There are a lot of books out there with very simple makeup ideas. Another idea: the lottery. Everyone draws a number and wins a prize. Not only do they love it, but it also gives them a break if they get too aroused. Finally, video is obviously a precious remedy for high-pressure atmospheres.