Things to consider for a child's party

When hosting a child's party we have the challenge of balancing fun with sanity and safely. Here are some things that can help the event go well and remain manageable.

Here are things to consider to make your event memorable (in a good way).

1. Consider the venue
2. Ask about allergies
3. Arrange transportation
4. Limit Sugar
5. Be specific with start and end time

Consider the Venue
A place might sound like a good idea in theory but turn out to be impractical or unsafe. For our daughter's birthday, she wanted to go ice skating with her friends. We were excited to grant her request but after some consideration we decided to do something different for her birthday party. She had never ice skated before, and many of her friends had never ice skated either. The idea of 10+ kids falling on the ice, being cold, or getting hurt was pretty scary. This was scarier when we realized that many parents wouldn't be on the ice with them. We decided to take her ice skating in a more controlled environment where she was able to invite just a few friends. For her actual birthday we hosted the invent at an indoor playhouse and the kids and adults all loved it.

Ask about allergies
Many children have allergies and sensitivities, and you want to be accommodating and mindful of them. This especially applies if you plan to provide food. In your online RSVP form you can ask parents to include allergies, so that you can prepare. It also doesn't hurt to have a backup plan since kids can sometimes be picky.

Arrange transportation
Kids usually don't drive, that means they will have to be driven to the event. If a parent is unable to bring their child, but still wants them to attend see how you can arrange transportation. Some ideas include, carpooling with another parent, or having the child dropped at your home. Remember you need to get to the event on time, so be mindful if you decide to pick them up yourself.

Limit Sugar
Many of us love sugar, but at a kids party it's best to limit it. Sweets can make the children hyper and then eventually grumpy when the sugar wears off. Also you don't want to send your home other kids on a sugar high where they feel out of control for the rest of the day.

Be Clear with start and end times
Being clear and specific with start and end times will help everyone to enjoy the event. If the venue is available for a set time block, let the parents know. You can even ask your guests to arrive a 20 minutes early. Kids can feel very sad when they arrived late having missed most of the party fun. Being specific with the time also helps you at the end of the event. The parents will know when to pick up their children and plan accordingly.