(Kids) Hosting Parties
Hosting Birthday Parties for Kids
- Send invitations at least two weeks before the party.
- You don't have to invite every kid in your child's class or activity group but be discreet about handing out invitations if you aren't inviting all member of a group. Mail invitations or deliver/hand them out yourself. Don't give them to your child to distribute in front of kids that aren't invited.
- If you can't figure out how many kids to invite, some experts suggest the optimal number of kids to invite to a party for a child under 8 years old should not exceed the child's age. So invite not more than the child's four closest friends if they are turning 4, five if they are turning 5, and so on. Parties for very small children typically consist of just family members such as siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.
- It's alright to call those who don't RSVP to find out if they are coming or not but don't be rude about not receiving a timely RSVP.
- Teach your child to be gracious to guests. As soon as they are old enough to do, they should greet guests, say goodbye to guests, and of course, always thank guests. It might be a child's special day but that doesn't mean they should be allowed to act like a diva. The host (child) should interact will all guests and display good manners (as much as can be expected of a child depending on their age). Chances are your child won't be the picture of perfect manners all the time (you know how kids are!), but you should at least attempt to teach them and have them follow social graces whenever possible.
- Don't be surprised if you get a younger sibling tagging along with the invited guest or have a parent hanging around when you were expecting them to leave. Being as specific as possible on your invitations might help avoid these situations. You can try to limit the number of unexpected guests by stating only the invited child's name on the invitation. This implies the child should be dropped off alone. If you want parents to stay add "and parent/s" or "and family" to the invite. But even if you send out a detailed invitation people may still do the opposite of what you were expecting. You'll have to incorporate any extra kids that show up in to the festivities so make sure you have extra goody bags and party supplies. Don't be afraid to ask any extra parents who've decided to hang around to help out with the party.
- Don't plan your child's dream party without a back up plan. Make alternate arrangements in the event the unexpected happens such as a no-show entertainer or inclement weather. Confirm all your plans the week before the party. Don't talk up the entertainment before you are sure it will all happen as planned.
- There are no rules against playing competitive games. Just make sure you also include crafts or other types of cooperative games (think scavenger hunt) where everyone can participate and come away with something. Try to orchestrate the competitive games so that each child has a legitimate chance at winning at least once. You can give away prizes for competitive games but don't make the prizes over-the-top. Don't give away something like the most sought after toy around. Make sure all guests leave with some kind of trinket or goody bag (whether or not they win or participate in any games) so that no one goes home empty handed.
- Handle an out-of-control child (party guest) by giving them something to do, distract them. If redirecting an unruly child doesn't work, and no other parents on hand are able to distract them or curb the behavior with niceness, remove the child from the area and let them know a call to their parents to come pick them up will be in order unless their behavior changes.
- If you plan to open presents at the party, make sure you let your child know ahead of time the appropriate way to act if they open a gift they don't like. Let them know it's the thought that counts and to be gracious even if it's not what they wanted. Create a shared birthday registry and tell all your friends and party guests about it so your kids get the stuff they really want! You can also choose to not open presents at the party and avoid any embarrassing reaction your child has to a gift given by a guest who didn't use GiftStasher!
- If your child gets multiples of the same present you can return the ones not needed if there was a gift receipt included. It's not considered polite to ask a parent for a receipt if it wasn't included. You also probably don't want to mention the fact you returned the gift unless you know the parent well. Even then, it's better to thank them for the gift that was given and avoid commenting on returning the item just to make sure you don't offend anyone. Next time avoid these awkward situations by using your GiftStasher registries to let everyone know what presents your kids want and what they already have!
- If you don't want kids to bring gifts, write "no gifts" or something to that affect on the invitation. Another alternative is to have an exchange where each guest brings something like a book. All the party guests then exchange these gifts and take them home. This is also a good way to make sure everyone goes home with something.
- As with any other gift-giving event, your child should send a thank-you note to anyone who gave them a present. If you child isn't old enough to write, have them draw a picture or color the card to personalize it. Sending thank-yous is the polite thing to do and can also be a fun exercise for kids just learning to write. Additionally, it teaches them at a young age about proper manners and the value of gratitude, lessons that will serve them well later in life. Handwritten thank-you notes for any occasion are always best, but other forms of thanking, such as via email or telephone are also considered acceptable these days. Any thank-you should include the mentioning of the specific gift given and something the recipient liked about it, in addition to thanking the person for attending the party (unless they weren't there but still sent a gift). Each thank-you should be personalized and tailored to the recipient, not just a card with a stock saying.
