There are many ways to commemorate your son or daughter’s birthday. Something interesting might be taking pictures throughout the whole day and creating a photo book or an online journal.  This tradition would prove to be priceless, years down the road.  It would be so extraordinary to have a stack of albums that depict the changes that each year brings. Not only for you to look back on–in remembrance–but for your child(ren) to look back on and share with [his or her] future children.

So when your child’s special day rolls around, pull out your trusty camera, and have fun shooting the day.  Capture the regular aspects life: capture smiles, little tantrums, meals, twinkly eyes, naps, bath-time, play-time, everything. Life is full of these amazing moments for us to highlight and remember!

Some Photo Journaling Tips:

• Plan what you want to photo journal (birthday, party, family outing, etc..)
• Pick a topic that showcases your special day
• Print photos or have photo books made
• Add captions to your photo journal for an extra touch, and
• Have fun documenting your family memories

The Guests

Make sure to get pictures of the birthday boy or girl with all the guests.  It will be nice to look back on to remember who was there to celebrate the special day.   A great idea–made popular at wedding receptions–is to buy disposable cameras and place them around the house, so that your guests can become the photographer.   This will provide you with various angles, perspectives and individualistic takes on the day.

The Cake

Don’t forget to get a picture of the cake before the candles are blown out.  Now-a-days cakes are such wonderful pieces of art that not getting a picture of before it is served would be sad.   Maybe you can assign someone to take some pictures of the cake as the traditional Happy Birthday song is sung.  That way you can enjoy the moment, yet it will still be captured on your memory card or film. This also makes for an excellent cover for next years birthday invitation cards!

The Presents

You are sure to get some great, fun-filled shots during the present opening.  It’s especially fun to watch a toddler do everything in his power to get the prize behind the paper.  Snap a lot, in sports mode, to ensure that you get clear shots of the ripping and tearing.    This would also be a good way to document who gave what present for writing out those photo thank you cards.  Or you might even include a print of the birthday girl opening a particular guest’s present.   What a great thank you and sentiment.

The Fun

Whether the fun involves karaoke, dancing, games, or some other kind of activity, it will be totally awesome to capture these moments with your camera.    Don’t forget to get all the interactions of your guests, too, by capturing the laughter, the hugs and kisses, and the playful times.

The Birthday Boy or Girl

More important than all the stuff that makes a birthday party special and beautiful is the birthday boy or girl.  Be sure to get them before the festivities begin,  in their special party outfit, during the party enjoying all the goings on, and at the end when he or she is asleep on the floor or in bed–after the sugar high is crashed!

Age 1: Invite only family members and close friends only because this birthday is more for the parents than for the child. At age 1, a child doesn’t understand the concept of “Birthday Party.” He or she is getting a lot of attention—which is all a 1-year-old wants or understands anyway. You should not go overboard on presents because too much could scare or confuse a child. You should consider getting specialty items such as a plate that says “First Birthday,” a 1-year-old candle, and possible a table cover that everyone could sign with fabric paint to have as keepsakes that can someday be shown (or given to) to your grown child.

Age 2: 2-years-olds should have one or two playmates over for a small Birthday Play Day. Again I suggest you keep a birthday plate and other keepsakes for your 2-year-old.

Age 3: 3-year-olds should have three to four playmates over, and at this age you might have try a birthday game such as “Who can stack the blocks the highest?” I do not recommend having a clown or playing any games that require a blindfold over a child’s eyes such key due to the fact either can scare children at this age. Remember your child has just turned 3, and the playmates are around that age. They are still not able to understand fully structured games very well. They only know if they do something good or better than other children, everyone will give them attention. Again I suggest you collect keepsakes.

Age 4: At 4, children should now be ready for a “real” party. I suggest four or five playmates. 4-year-olds are ready now for party decorations, but I suggest you do less and save your money for the big number “5” birthday (or buy decorations that you can put away and use again). Games such as Musical Chairs, and carrying a hard boiled egg on a spoon to the finish line without dropping it relay race can be appropriate, but remember that games will be played and finished much sooner than you think. Consider having a few of your child’s favorite videos on hand. Even if the kids have seen them 100 times, they will enjoy them. After an hour or so, you will probably need a break and the children might be cranky. A movie they are all spellbound by will be a great way to relax the kids and you. You might want to consider spreading a couple of blankets on the floor and have some pillows handy for sleepyheads!

Age 5: 5-year-olds should have a big party, but remind them that this is because they are the big “5,” and either starting school or just in school, and having a “big” party will not happen every year. Explain to them that big parties are only for special birthdays such as 5 because they have started or are starting school, 10 because that is the first double-digit number, and of course 16 (“Sweet 16” for girls and “Driving Age” for boys). This will save you money in the long run. On the fifth birthday, I suggest you first decide if you want to do it yourself, rent a building or park area but still do it yourself, or call local businesses (like McDonalds) to see what party-planning packages they offer. I personally suggest renting a park area if weather permits because the kids will be just as happy playing on park equipment as they would if you spent a ton of money on a professionally planned party. Have several inexpensive disposable cameras on hand and let your Birthday Boy or Girl take pictures of his or her first “big” party!

Great games for 5-year-olds whether inside or outside are:

How do one give the perfect gift? Ahh! Another occasion, another milestone…excitement is building, adrenaline is pumping; and off one goes shopping. But what should you get for a cousin’s birthday, another shirt, another bag or a perfume? Gift giving can be exciting and nerve wrecking as well. But when all is said and done. There’s nothing like the satisfaction of giving the perfect gift.

What can you do to ensure the celebrant and the gift are a perfect fit? Here are some tips on gift-giving. Prepare ahead of time. Mark it in your calendar and be alerted about few weeks before time. This will give you sometime to think your gift through. Know the celebrant, make sure you find out if; she or he has a special hobby or interest. Is he or she engage in a very physical strenuous job? Does she put in long hours at work? If so, would she appreciate a little extra pampering?

Remember all the little occasions worth celebrating and keep them in mind to help you get started. Special days can be a birthday or anniversaries of your milestones you have accumulated through life. Here are some milestones that are often overlooked but should be celebrated, birthdays, because we are too busy to celebrate, weight loss-because you are too scared of putting the weight back and celebrating maybe premature.

Long friendships, when you quit smoking for the first time or the second time or perhaps the third, getting a project done on time, a new home, seeing your one year old walk for the first time, passing an exam, just finished redecorating the house, landscaped the entire yard, change of season, or just because.

Be sure to add new milestones in your calendar as it happens. Celebrating can in fact make us feel better, rejuvenate and strengthen our relationships with friends and families. It gives us a feeling of accomplishments. It validates us as a person. It gives us a sense of purpose. It also increases job satisfaction. And when this cycle goes on, it makes us a happier person and happy people are strongly correlated with good health. So take time to be healthy!

About The Author
Vivian Dee is the owner of PurpleEgg LLC.

Since it’s not my specialty, I brought in the experts for some advice. I asked a group of scrapbookers what they do when they’re faced with another birthday layout and got some fantastic tips that I’d like to share with you!

Birthday Themes
A birthday theme can help direct your scrapbook page. For instance, a Barbie birthday party would naturally lend itself to a Barbie scrapbook page! Here are a couple of tips and ideas from different scrapbookers on themed parties and layouts.

Have theme parties! That gives you something to work with other than the traditional cake, presents, and candles kind of layout. —Gayla Feachen

For Brandon’s first birthday we did a Time Capsule. I sent a note with the b-day invitation asking everyone to bring something to put in the capsule—it could be a photo of their family or a news article or a newspaper etc. I asked the grandparents and great grandparents to write Brandon a letter and seal the envelope. We will give him this when he turns 21. — Martha Crowther

Must Have Birthday Photos
Sometimes simply taking some strategic photos can make creating a birthday layout fun and easy! Below are some fantastic ideas for must-have birthday photographs.

I usually take a photograph of the cake from overhead. I often silhouette it and use it as an accent/embellishment on the page…especially on the topper or in a journaling block. — Laura Linda Rudy

Take a photos of the cake (candles lit) turned towards the camera, so you can read or see the decorations. — Linda Porter Jones

Take one of the birthday boy/girl blowing out the candles (at our house, this is done with all the lights off, so I’ve gotten a few really cool photos, just the candles and flash) — Linda Porter Jones

Opening gifts. Try to get photo of birthday person, with gift and person that GAVE the gift. — Linda Porter Jones

A “group” shot…birthday person with ALL their gifts around them. (or on table) — Linda Porter Jones

Birthday person getting their birthday ‘spanks’. We started doing this tradition this year…Have a photo of Mike bent over Dad’s knee, getting spanked!! Too funny! — Linda Porter Jones

We usually have a balloon bouquet, and I try to get a close-up of just the balloons. — Linda Porter Jones

For little kids’ birthdays, take a photo of them holding up how many fingers old they are. — Linda Porter Jones

A special birthday photo that I always try to get is of us measuring Matt’s height. He tracks his height on a wall in the garage. And, yes, I took one of these photos on his 20th birthday! — Jill Winholt

One of the things I make sure I do now after many years of birthday parties is get a good group shot of all the guests. I would have pictures of them as they were involved in the party but it always seemed like someone got left out. Now I have a record of everyone there in ONE picture. I also get a picture of my child with all their gifts arranged around them after the party so they can remember when they got certain items. I do this after opening presents on Christmas morning also. — Alaine, www.scrappingbyalaine.com

Take a photo of the birthday boy/girl’s face being illuminated by candlelight. — Briana Fisher

Take a photo of the birthday boy/girl’s face puffed up blowing out the candles. — Briana Fisher

Capture the reaction of someone that is touched by a gift you gave (perhaps Grandma crying at a special gift you made) or your kids throwing their hands up in joy for something they received. — Briana Fisher

Take photos of the guests playing games (like pin the tail on the donkey) — get a photo of someone trying to put the tail on the donkey (and got it wayyyy over, not even close to the picture!) — Briana Fisher

If you make your own birthday cake, get a picture of you (or your child) making it or decorating it. — Briana Fisher

Make sure YOU get in the photos! Have a picture taken with the birthday person. If it’s your birthday, then give your camera to someone else for the evening! You need to be in your scrapbook pages too! — Briana Fisher

Every year, get your child to stand in a certain place, say next to a tree in your garden, and photograph them. Not only will you see how much your child grows but you’ll see how your garden and/or the tree has grown with them. — Lynn McCorry

Journaling and Layout Ideas
What really makes scrapbook layouts meaningful is the journaling. Birthdays are a fantastic opportunity to reflect on how a person has changed or grown in the past year. Below are some great tips from scrapbookers for different information that would be interesting to include in a birthday layout.

Ask the child questions every birthday about their favorite color, song, hobby, etc. and use the same questions every year. — Martha Crowther

What I love to do for some variety with kid birthdays is to do an interview page. I just use fun shots of them, not necessarily birthday party pictures. I ask them some of their likes, dislikes, what they want to be when they grow up, and if they had three wishes what they would wish for. It’s really fun to see how the answers change through the years! — Heather Uppencamp

Do a page detailing specific things about the month they were born (that month’s flower, zodiac, and/or birthstone) and how you resemble those traits. — Briana Fisher

Journal about (20) reasons why you are glad to be you…and the (20) can be your age… — Briana Fisher

If your family has a tradition you do for birthdays then journal that so the tradition can be carried on and include a photo or photos of the tradition. — Briana Fisher

Do you have a special song that you sing at birthdays? My family is Polish and sings a song that means, ‘May you live to be 100 years’ in which my grandma has taught everyone in the family. Journal special songs that you may sing (even the silly ones your kids always sing!) — Briana Fisher

Make a checklist of things that happened for your journaling and number them (ie. Invited friends, lit the cake, sang the birthday song, blew out the candles, gifts!). Then number your photos to match your checklist. Use paperclips or circular clips to attach the numbers to the photos. — Briana Fisher

Make a timeline and use photos from different birthdays and journal the age you were for each. This will help take some miscellaneous photos and use them in a unified way. — Briana Fisher

At the party, have your guests sign their names on a scrapbook page. Use the guest list as a part of your birthday layout. — Briana Fisher

Journal a list of the presents they asked for (and received). You’ll see how much the things they want change over the years. — Lynn McCorry

Include actual memorabilia or scans of things like party hats etc. in your birthday layouts. — Lynn McCorry

Products
All sorts of birthday themed scrapbook products are available in scrapbook stores.

Use a theme from pre-made products centered around birthdays. That makes creating a birthday layout easy! — Jill Winholt

Use die cuts and get the guests in on the action. Have each person at the party write their good wish (one word) on the candle die cuts. These then make up the border for the page. Words like happiness, love, health, fun, zest, chocolates, humor and wonder and the person’s signature are on a candle. You can also put them all on a cake paper piecing. Very fun idea and I hope to use it some time myself. — Rockester

Jolee’s by You has a lot of birthday embellishments that are fun to use, including a HAPPY BIRTHDAY string banner, wire balloons and more. Some are in primary colors, others are in silver and gold to use in adult birthday pages!! — Briana Fisher

Pebbles, Inc. recently released a whole line of die cuts with a birthday theme!

About the Author
Andrea Steed is the author and creator of Scrap Tutor, a web site and CD-ROM that teaches you how to create scrapbooks and how to perform many popular techniques used in scrapbooking. For more information, visit www.scraptutor.com.

And photo albums don’t have to be all about pictures. With so many new experiences about to occur for both you and your newborn, they’ll be lots of opportunities for collecting memorabilia to add to your baby’s album. And nothing is too silly, so if you adore it, include it.

Of course, the beginning is the easiest part. Starting with the very first photo taken of your baby – the hospital has already supplied you with what you need to get started – your sonogram picture, baby’s footprint, name tag bracelet, birth certificate, and even the receiving blanket your newborn was swaddled in. So your first page can incorporate all or parts of those things. For sentimental reasons, you may not want to snip that receiving blanket, but later on, a patch of the fabric placed on the birth page makes for a precious addition to your baby’s first photo album.

As we know, lots of babies are born lacking in the hair department. But once it does start to grow in and you give him or her their very first haircut, be sure to save part of those silken locks to add to the pages of your baby’s first photo album. For girls, you can also include a pretty bow they wore or their first barrette.

What about their first bowl of real cereal? Wouldn’t a few of those Cheerios be an adorable piece of memorabilia to include in baby’s first photo album? It may not mean much to your baby now, but once they’re old enough to realize what you’ve done it will surely bring a giggle and a smile when they see it, and the memory it has created for you is priceless.

First birthday photos, pieces of ribbon, and wrappings from the gifts they receive, even one of the candles from their first birthday cake are more creative ideas to add to your baby’s first photo album.

Pictures of the first day of nursery school, masterpieces they’ve created there or at home, first report cards and all of those other extraordinary firsts, are things that you’ll treasure throughout the years. As time goes on, growth and changes occur such as their first baby tooth is also something special that can be kept and cherished in your baby’s first photo album.

So include as many of the pictures and items you adore in your baby first photo album. Because it’s something that you will not only consider your most prized possession as time goes by, but you can also bet that your child will thank you for spending the time and devotion that made their first baby photo album so special.

Pictures Photographs of your child, your children, or your whole family are great gifts for family and friends. Many members of the family, like grandparents, will be happy with ONLY receiving a picture of their grandkids. You can buy inexpensive picture packages at places like Sears and Target, or take your own pictures and go to Clark Photos to print out the quantity and sizes that you want.

Mugs, Calendars and More! Expanding a bit on the “photography” theme you can have items made to give as gifts with your favorite picture on them. Family members will love a calendar that has a new picture of their grandchild, niece or nephew on it every time they turn the page. A mouse pad would be a great gift for the family computer guru or for dad to take to the office with him. These items can all be bought online and shipped to your house, sometimes already gift wrapped making your job that much easier.

Gift Cards Pictures aren’t the only great holiday gift! Who doesn’t like a gift card allowing them to eat out, or go to their favorite store and buy whatever they want. If you have a set amount you are going to spend on each family member, or household, you can go down to the mall, stop in one store and buy gift cards for everyone from that store. Or you can go to a nearby restaurant and buy a gift card from there, treating your family to a night out, and the wives to a night off at the same time.

Lottery Tickets One thing that few people think of, but that is really a good idea and can be a lot of fun is scratch off lottery tickets given as gifts. My uncle used to buy everyone 5-10 scratch off lottery tickets for Christmas. If you won on your ticket you could either give it back to him and he would give you another one, or you could keep it and cash it in. As kids it was fun to scratch these off, even if you seldom won. However, occasionally someone would win $1 on a ticket, “sell” it back to my uncle for another ticket, where they would scratch and win as much as $100. Even though we knew what we were getting for Christmas from him, the element of surprise and excitement was always there.

Home Baked Goods Who doesn’t like homemade cookies and pies? Homemade fudge, with and without nuts is always a big hit as well! For those that are low on money, or don’t have the time to run around outside of the house picking up presents, a good shopping list, successful grocery store run, and good time management skills can come in handy when it comes time to give someone a gift. Homemade goodies can be made throughout the day at your leisure, during nap times and after your baby goes to bed at night. Many items, like cookies, can be made weeks in advance and frozen till the big day, giving you a lot of time to get ready for the holidays.

Just because you have a new baby doesn’t mean that you have to forget about the holidays or not give gifts because of lack of time. With all the internet, pictures, gift cards and one stop shops that are available to consumers today, you can still have a great and successful holiday season and impress your loved ones with your gift ideas. Most families are more concerned with the quality and meaning behind a gift than they are the cost of a gift, making even the inexpensive choices some of the best ideas and most loved gifts of the year.

When To Start Planning Baby’s First Birthday Party

Many moms wait until the last minute to start planning for Baby’s First Birthday Party.  Unfortunately people’s social calendar’s fill up, and last minute S&H add up quick.   This is why organized moms start weeks, or even months, in advance!  We suggest you start thinking about your baby’s first birthday party when your baby is about 44 weeks old.  By 48 weeks, you should have most of the details ironed out so you aren’t scrambling in the 11th hour.  Keep reading, we’ll tell you what you should be thinking about.

Party Time

What time is the best time to invite everyone over for your baby’s party? You want to make sure your baby is not going to be cranky, so you should pick a time when your baby will be well rested and not hungry. If your baby is on a schedule and you know when he should be napping, try to schedule the party between naps. Don’t make the party last too long. Your baby has a short attention span and after too much festivity is likely to begin getting fussy.

Invitation List

Invitation lists vary from house to house. If your main focus is your baby’s birthday don’t invite so many people that he gets easily overwhelmed. Just a couple of family members would be enough to celebrate the big day. If you want to use your baby’s birthday as a time to have a family get together try having an outdoor barbeque so that your baby doesn’t feel closed in, or inviting a few family members early to celebrate the birthday and have the rest come at the end of the party.

Decorations

Everybody loves balloons, especially babies! There is nothing silly about decorating for your baby’s first birthday party, but remember if you make it too “busy” your maybe may get stressed or overwhelmed by it and not be able to relax and enjoy his day. Try keeping the decorations low key, and in bright colors that will catch your baby’s eye. Stick to one birthday party theme and have fun with it!

Cakes

Yes, we said “cakes”.  Plural.  The best part of a first birthday is watching your baby put cake all over his face. No one really wants to eat a cake though that has been in a baby’s face! Many stores will make mini cakes, just for your baby, or you can make a little cake to decorate just for your baby’s birthday. This way your baby has his own cake that he can enjoy making a mess out of, while you and your family have a cake you can enjoy eating.

Pictures

Be sure to take lots of pictures and video! This occasion commences the end of your baby’s first year of life and will only happen once. You will definitely want pictures of every moment to look back on and to share with friends and family members that were not able to make it.  Be sure you designate a photographer, though, so you’re able to enjoy the experience without a camera lens between you and the action.

See Taking Pictures of Your Baby for tips on how to take photos like a pro!

Presents

Let your baby open his presents at his own pace, which means, this process may take hours!  For this reason, you may want to wait to open baby’s presents until your guests leave.  Most people will understand if you choose to wait till it is quieter and less active in the house to have your baby sit down and try his hand at unwrapping packages. It might be that your baby needs a nap before he is able to tackle the task of tearing off wrapping paper.

Be sure to keep a list (as you’re opening presents) of what everyone gives your baby for your thank you notes.

Thank You Notes

It is always good manners to send thank you notes for the gifts your baby receives from his first birthday party. Use the list you made as your baby opened his presents so you don’t forget anyone. You can even enclose a picture of your baby with that gift, or other pictures from your baby’s first birthday party. This is a good way to send out baby’s one year pictures to family members, without having to use an extra stamp.

Birthday Party Supply Stores

You can make preparing for Baby’s First Birthday super easy with one-stop shopping at birthday supply stores like Birthday Express and Birthday In A Box.  The concept is brilliant – invitations, party hats, plates, napkins, decorations, thank you cards – everything you can think of … all themed and relevant to today’s fads, in one convenient package.

Do You Have a Suggestion?

Share your tips and advice for how to have a successful first birthday party with other Babies Online moms in the comments below!

Age 1: Invite only family members and close friends only because this birthday is more for the parents than for the child. At age 1, a child doesn’t understand the concept of “Birthday Party.” He or she is getting a lot of attention—which is all a 1-year-old wants or understands anyway. You should not go overboard on presents because too much could scare or confuse a child. You should consider getting specialty items such as a plate that says “First Birthday,” a 1-year-old candle, and possible a table cover that everyone could sign with fabric paint to have as keepsakes that can someday be shown (or given to) to your grown child.

Age 2: 2-years-olds should have one or two playmates over for a small Birthday Play Day. Again I suggest you keep a birthday plate and other keepsakes for your 2-year-old.

Age 3: 3-year-olds should have three to four playmates over, and at this age you might have try a birthday game such as “Who can stack the blocks the highest?” I do not recommend having a clown or playing any games that require a blindfold over a child’s eyes such key due to the fact either can scare children at this age. Remember your child has just turned 3, and the playmates are around that age. They are still not able to understand fully structured games very well. They only know if they do something good or better than other children, everyone will give them attention. Again I suggest you collect keepsakes.

Age 4: At 4, children should now be ready for a “real” party. I suggest four or five playmates. 4-year-olds are ready now for party decorations, but I suggest you do less and save your money for the big number “5” birthday (or buy decorations that you can put away and use again). Games such as Musical Chairs, and carrying a hard boiled egg on a spoon to the finish line without dropping it relay race can be appropriate, but remember that games will be played and finished much sooner than you think. Consider having a few of your child’s favorite videos on hand. Even if the kids have seen them 100 times, they will enjoy them. After an hour or so, you will probably need a break and the children might be cranky. A movie they are all spellbound by will be a great way to relax the kids and you. You might want to consider spreading a couple of blankets on the floor and have some pillows handy for sleepyheads!

Age 5: 5-year-olds should have a big party, but remind them that this is because they are the big “5,” and either starting school or just in school, and having a “big” party will not happen every year. Explain to them that big parties are only for special birthdays such as 5 because they have started or are starting school, 10 because that is the first double-digit number, and of course 16 (“Sweet 16” for girls and “Driving Age” for boys). This will save you money in the long run. On the fifth birthday, I suggest you first decide if you want to do it yourself, rent a building or park area but still do it yourself, or call local businesses (like McDonalds) to see what party-planning packages they offer. I personally suggest renting a park area if weather permits because the kids will be just as happy playing on park equipment as they would if you spent a ton of money on a professionally planned party. Have several inexpensive disposable cameras on hand and let your Birthday Boy or Girl take pictures of his or her first “big” party!

Great games for 5-year-olds whether inside or outside are:

Choosing A Theme
How do you go about choosing a theme for your baby’s birthday? Even a one year old probably has something he enjoys whether that is a toy, a TV show, balloons or some other inanimate object. Pick one of your baby’s favorite things and create a birthday around that theme. Your baby probably won’t understand it at the time, but it is a great way to look back in 18 years and see what your baby was “into” at that particular age. Themes vary widely, but some might include:

• Sesame Street
• Elmo
• Balloons
• Clowns
• Animals (dogs, cats, etc.)
• Barbie
• Disney
• Princess
• Trucks
• Cars
• Movie theme

Decorating
Picking one theme and using it for decorating makes decorating very easy. You can normally find all your party decorations together making it simple to buy plates, napkins and cups of the same theme at the same time. Whether or not your theme is “balloons”, your baby probably loves them and sometimes you can find balloons that can be blown up in your theme as part of your decorations. You may be able to find inexpensive pictures or posters in your theme to hang on walls, or buy them at a party store. You can hang streamers from your ceiling in colors that coordinate with your theme, and if it is age appropriate for your child, a piñata would be fun!

Don’t Over Do It
While a birthday party is fun, and picking a theme is a great idea, you want to make sure you do not over do it and overwhelm your baby. While one years olds can easily be over stimulated, three year olds can often be as well. Too much excitement, cake, candy and punch for a three year old can bring on a total meltdown making it hard for you to get your baby to calm down and rest. Watch for cues from your child to when they have had enough. If you are putting up decorations and it seems to be too much, pull some down. You can stick to a theme with a few decorations and still make it a great party!

Time of Day
What time of day are you having your party? If you are having a mid-morning party then food wise you won’t need much. Even for the guests coming, you could probably get buy with some danishes or croissants since it is between breakfast and lunch. If it is at lunch time you can have a deli tray, mini quiches or little finger sandwiches for everyone to eat. A vegetable tray is a nice addition to a lunchtime party as well. For a mid-afternoon party, try serving finger food snacks such as chicken wings and little taquitos. For a dinner party consider having a pot of chili or stew, or if the weather permits a barbeque outside with hamburgers and hotdogs. If there will be other toddlers at your party, consider having an assortment of your baby’s favorite foods handy for them too munch on if their parents are willing.

Who is Coming?
What is the main age range of the people coming to the party? You want to make sure you have food and beverages that are age appropriate for all your guests. If it is all toddlers you will want a menu of kid friendly food. If it is mostly adults it is ok to get a little more unique and experimental. Make sure you have plenty of food for everyone because it is much better to have leftovers and everyone happy than not have enough food and people looking for a snack.

Tying in the Theme
What kind of party are you throwing? When possible, if you can tie the theme of your party in to the food you serve people will think you are genius! For example, if you are throwing Sponge Bob or The Little Mermaid birthday parties have a menu of seafood. Fish sticks, small shrimp, or clam chowder on a cold day along with coleslaw and hushpuppies would make a great under the sea variety of food. If you are doing a Dora the Explorer or Diego party, have a menu of Mexican food whether it is taquitos, tacos or enchiladas.

Seating
Don’t expect everyone to sit down and eat unless you specifically tell them in advance that you are preparing a sit down meal. Prepare food that can be easily carried around and eaten standing up as parents will want to be able to mingle with others easily. This also keeps down the chance that parents will forget to keep an eye on their child while you are taking care of the birthday child.

PLANNING

Keep it simple
At all ages, simple events tend to be successful and more fun. Complicated parties usually require extensive planning with little additional fun-value. What’s most important to the kids? Friends, goodies and gifts!

Watch your numbers
To keep things under control, the number of guests should be equal to one to one-and-a-half times your child’s age. (A four-year-old would have 4 to 6 guests, an eight-year-old can handle 8 to 12 guests.) For a sleepover party, divide that number in half. (Multiply the number of guests times three to determine the number of vacation days you’ll need to recover from the event!)

Involve the guest of honor
Involve your child in the planning and set up. Your child will be happier with the results and you’ll be forced to delegate some of the responsibility! Keep in mind that in case of a disagreement, YOU are the ultimate decision maker for the event.

Create a schedule of events
Things will go more smoothly if you have a planned schedule. If you know that cake-eating should be done by 2:00 you can move things along if the kids are dawdling. The schedule will keep you more calm.

YOUR KID

Plan ahead
Discuss the details of the event with your child a day or two before the party. Talk about what behavior you expect from your child. Review appropriate manners regarding arrival of guests, games and activities and opening of gifts. When you clearly describe your expectations, you can avoid the behavior problems that arise when a child is brimming with the excitement of the party environment.

Handle misbehavior wisely
Despite the best preparation, many kids become overly stimulated at their own party. You may find your usually well-behaved child jumping on your new sofa. If this happens, calmly take your child to a private corner. Acknowledge that you understand today’s excitement. Then, clearly identify two things: what you don’t want your child to do, and more importantly, what you DO want done instead.

Pick your battles
Relax your regular rules a bit. This isn’t a good time to insist that your child clean his plate before dessert.

OTHER KIDS

Know WHY they misbehave
If you understand why some of your little guests are acting “goofy” you can keep the proper perspective. First, the excitement of the event can wind kids up. Second, some kids get jealous of the guest of honor. Third, some are just acting normally, but it doesn’t match up to your idea of proper behavior.

Calmly correct bad behavior
If you see something you don’t like, take the child aside and make a specific request for change. Be polite, but clear and firm. “We don’t climb on our furniture. Please stay off the table.”

Re-direct their energy
Distract a misbehaving child by giving him a task to do, such as passing out the cake or assembling parts of a game. A busy child is less likely to be disruptive.

End on a good note
Lots of parties fall apart at the very end, when the planned activities are complete, but parents have not yet arrived. Have a quiet fill-in ready, such as coloring, bead-art, or even a video movie.

Copyright Elizabeth Pantley. (McGraw-Hill, 2003)

About the author:
Elizabeth Pantley is the author of several books, including Gentle Baby Care : No-cry, No-fuss, No-worry — Essential Tips for Raising Your Baby, The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night, Kid Cooperation (with an introduction by William Sears, MD), Perfect Parenting, as well as her latest The No-Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers and Preschoolers and is also president of Better Beginnings, Inc. She is a popular speaker on family issues, and her newsletter, Parent Tips, is seen in schools nationwide. She appears as a regular radio show guest, and has been quoted in Parents, Parenting, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, American Baby, Working Mother, and Woman’s Day magazines. Visit Elizabeth’s web site http://www.pantley.com/elizabeth.