Hosting a child’s birthday party can be quite the feat. You have to plan, decorate, make the food, make a cake and then supervise a houseful of hyper, active kids. And just because you plan a party doesn’t mean that it’ll be a hit. An ill prepared party could result in bored kids, fighting and tears. But don’t worry: follow these five tips and your child’s next birthday party will be a huge hit and lots of fun for everybody.

1. Ask your child what they want
There’s no sense in planning the best Dora the Explorer part if your child really wanted SpongeBob Squarepants. Before you start planning, ask the birthday boy or girl what kind of theme they want, games they want to play and what kind of cake they’d like. Having their input from the get-go will ensure that they have a fantastic time at their party. And if your child’s happy, their guests will be happy too. Nothing kills a party faster than an unhappy guest of honor.

2. Plan a few activities
Make sure that you have a few games planned, but don’t over plan things. Quite often when kids get together, they’ll come up with their own games. And if you overscheduled the party you will end up with tired, unhappy kids. Remember: just the fact that they’re at a party is pretty exciting. Make them play games constantly for three hours and you could end up over exciting them. Let the kids guide what happens. If they are occupying themselves and everyone is happy, let them. If you notice that things are lagging, pull out a party game and let the fun start again. And the games don’t have to be structured. Rent some kids costumes or pull out some of your old clothes and let the kids have fun.

3. Offer healthy food choices
Make sure that you have some healthy foods mixed in with the chips and candy. Not all kids enjoy junk food and some parents may not let them eat it. Also, the last thing you want to do is only offer sugary treats. The kids will get hyper and then bottom out, which is never a good combination. Also make sure to find out about any food allergies ahead of time. Nothing stops a party dead in its tracks like an allergic reaction.

4. Allow for problems
Things may not go perfect and that’s fine. The key is to have backup plans in place. If the party was supposed to be outdoors and it rains, make sure that you have some decorations that you can put up inside and some indoor party games planned out. If you run out of food, make sure that you have someone assigned ahead of time to do a food run. And if something comes up, don’t stress. Take a deep breath and deal with it.

5. Have fun yourself
Make sure that you have fun yourself! Get some friends or other parents to help you on the day of the party with the food preparation, organizing the presents, setting out the food. There isn’t much sense in throwing a wonderful party for your kid if you miss it all because you were too busy organizing everything. And make sure to eat! Kids aren’t the only ones who can get cranky at a party.

A birthday party can be the highlight of a child’s year. But for the parents it can be stressful and overwhelming. By making sure to plan and include your child in the decision making process you can have the perfect party for your child and create a wonderful childhood memory.

Andy West is a freelance writer and enjoys writing on several topics like health and nutrition, technology, and global awareness. As a single father he also has experience with costume rental and children’s parties.

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