I recently organised a birthday party for my two children at a local soft play centre and would like to share the experience with you that you might be able to avoid the pitfalls that befell me

I will not name the soft play area as even though on the whole the experience was fun and the kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves there were areas that I was not too impressed with and these are points that I have raised with the play centre on a one to one basis.

The first word of advice is that if you are planning on organising your childs birthday party at a soft play centre visit it first. In fact the best thing to do would be to shop about for the best deal. I went on the recommendation of a friend and in hindsight should have probably stuck with my local and well visited soft play centre.

Kids love Halloween parties. However you do not need to spend too much to make a spooky party a success. The temptation is to buy a lot of decorations and accessories whereas making your own can save a large amount of money.

Even the invitations can be homemade. Cut out a circle of black card, stick some wobble eyes on it and attach eight pipe cleaners to resemble legs and you have a fun spider invite. If you are not feeling too artistic you can use some purple card and stick some shiny stars to it.

Decorating your house can also add to the atmosphere. Cut out bat shapes from black card and hang them from light fittings and doorways. Putting the cut out bats as well on the lamp shades will result in spooky shapes around the room. Cover the furniture with white sheets which will not only enhance the atmosphere but will also protect from sticky fingers.

One of the most important aspects to ensure that the big day runs smoothly is planning. Leaving things until the last minute may be the easy option but is definitely not the most stress free. So if you want the important day to leave you feeling satisfied
A birthday party does not need to be planned down to the final detail, sometimes impromptu events can be the most memorable though with a little bit of planning you can make it run more smoothly.

Throughout the year be aware of bargains and what you may need and buy at sales or end of line clearances. This will reduce the cost drastically allowing you to spend more money elsewhere. Start stockpiling supplies of tableware and keep a notebook of ideas and themes that may pop into your head. How many times have you thought of a brilliant idea and then forget about it?

Welcome to the March edition of the online Party Basket Newsletter.

We have in this edition:

1. Whats new at The Party Basket Website.
2. Super Spring offers.
3. The Party Survival Guide.
4. Party Manners.
5. A guide to holding a creative party.
6. Planning for Christmas with our pre-filled stocking offer.

Welcome to the January edition of the online Party Basket Newsletter.
We have in this edition:

1. Whats new at The Party Basket Website.
2. A list of possible party games, some familiar, some not.
3. Handy things to think about.

If you have children then the chances are your house and garden have been made safe for them. But you may be surprised. Things that you and I take for granted may prove harmful for a little one. In this article we suggest some handy hints to adopt if you have children or they are coming to visit.

The suggestions in this articles are just that. Suggestions. They have been gathered together from personal and friends experience and at no point should be viewed as expert opinion.

These days, more and more people are using the Internet to accomplish the more mundane tasks in life. Personalised banking, communication, even dating! One of the more established and popular uses for the net though, is online shopping. Anything and everything you’ll ever need can be purchased through the electronic superhighway

Especially when it comes to dealing with something that needs as much organisation as a child’s party, purchasing goods and services over the net can make the process a whole lot easier. Here’s how…

It’s that time of year again. You have started hoarding art supplies, fretting over numbers, and generally running yourself ragged.

Handy Advice To Help With Party Organising
Yes, its The Birthday Party. A time for all sane mothers to turn into harassed harridans who wonder why, every year they put themselves through the horror of The Birthday Party and vow that next year they will be more organised.

So, don’t panic. We are here to help offering you handy hints and sneaky suggestions that we have gathered from friends, co-workers and family. But do remember that these are suggestions, so please read, ponder and if you use even one then our job is done.

The best place to start is at the beginning.

At this age, children love things like color and noise. Remember that this birthday party is not one they will remember but one you will. With that here are some steps to consider.

• First pick the date, time and location. Determine about how many people (adults versus kids) will be there and an appropriate location for the party. At home is fine, outside is great. Larger venues work for lots of guests. Don�t pick nap time or right before as your baby is not going to be the star of the party for the right reasons here.
• Select invitations. Choose a theme that you enjoy too. Again, it’s more about what you like here.
• Send invitations out at least three weeks in advance, four if possible. Make sure to make a checklist so that you can count those that are coming and call on those that haven�t let you know.
• Decor! Here is where you can do a lot of fun things with color, themes and decorations. Balloons (Make sure no one chokes!) paper plates, tablecloths and banners work well.
• Games. If you will have other children there, include some fun games. If not, consider a collage of pictures to entertain your guests with.
• Foods should be easy to prepare, handle and eat. For just a few guests a full scale meal would be okay. Don�t forget the cake.
• Pictures. One of the best things to do now is to take lots of pictures during your party. Plan to do this so that you have ample opportunity to share and for scrapbooking.

To make your child’s first birthday memorable, consider hiring a professional planner to do the work for you!

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Melissa Fishman Children’s Birthday Parties

Always wear bright colours when hosting the parties you will be amazed at the difference it makes.

Suggestions for birthdays by age grouping:

Toddlers (2-3) - Most of these parties are more of a gathering of parents or immediate family. Activities for any child involved cound involve keeping a balloon from touching the ground; bouncing balls; musical statues.

Pre-school (4-5) - This is the age at which parties start to become important. These are best to have at home as they can be more contained. Games as above can start being introduced.

School Age (6-8) - This is when kids get more involved in organising their party and it is good to encorage that. Ask them if they want a theme or which games to play. We have found at this age, kids like choosing their own party bag. These parties are either hosted at home or at a prebooked venue.

Older Kids (9+) - This is when kids are more likely to consider activity type parties: swimming, bowling etc. One option is to have a group of friends over for a sleepover.

Just remember the party is a fun event. Don’t Stress and Good Luck!