MAKE THE NEXT BIRTHDAY PARTY
EASY ON YOURSELF
That special day is rolling around again – your
youngster’s birthday – along with all the planning and
anticipation that surround this momentous occasion.
Don’t let preparing for what should be a fun and happy
event get you mired in stress and tiresome details.
Here are a few pointers for crafting a memorable
day without causing yourself undue headaches.
HEAD OUTDOORS
At-home parties can be a super and
economical way to celebrate your child’s
special day.
However, planning indoor games and
crafts can be a bit time-consuming, and
games of Simon Says, musical chairs or
follow-the-leader don’t ever take as
much time as you may think.
Holding your event at an outdoor playground or beach (think a lot of supervision) gives you a nice big block of easy entertainment.
Keep an eye on everyone,
pause for food, cake and
present-opening, and
before you know it, a
successful birthday event
is at a happy end.
If your youngster is a
sports enthusiast,
consider an ice rink,
soccer field or swimming
pool for the event.
Another fun way to keep guests
entertained in nice weather is to have a
scavenger hunt, hire a moon walk or set
up a back yard obstacle course.
STAGE A SUPER
SLEEPOVER
Once your child and his friends are old enough, consider having a sleepover party. But don’t expect to get a lot of sleep.
It may sound a bit wild
having a bunch of kids
bunking at your house for
the whole night …
… but if you stick to a
reasonable number, a
sleepover is a pretty easy
shindig to stage.
Most youngsters are just
excited to be spending a
whole night giggling and
watching movies with
their pals …
… so you won’t have
to worry about
extensive game, craft
and activity planning.
Keep the food simple;
pizza and cake are
always big hits.
You can have a lights-out
time, but be prepared for
some residual whispering
and giggling for a while.
A key component to a
successful sleepover is to
specify a pick-up time for
the next morning.
Whip up some pancakes or
just take the easy route
with donuts and hot
chocolate and then have
them packed up and ready
for their parents’ arrival.
A sleepover birthday
party with a small group
of close friends can truly
be a treasured memory
for your child.
KEEP THE
CHOW SIMPLE
Remember, this is a
kids’ party, so food
doesn’t have to be
particularly fancy.
It is, however, fun to tie
in the menu with the
party’s theme.
A few pizzas are fine for
the main course and you
can make the food
presentation fun by serving
it up on colorful dishes.
Older kids can have fun
preparing the food, whether
it’s building their own tacos
or sandwiches …
… going wild with an
ice cream sundae bar
or decorating their
own cupcakes.
Serve finger foods and bite-
sized pieces to minimize
clean-up afterward.
DON’T HAVE IT
AT HOME
Although it may be
slightly more expensive
to hold the festivities at
an alternate venue …
… the savings in time,
game planning and food
preparation are well worth
the extra few dollars.
Not all birthday party
venues are created equal
and not all are
prohibitively expensive.
Consider your youngster’s
interests and solicit her
input as to where she and
her friends would have the
most fun …
… and then see where this
falls within your budget.
Day camp facilities like
Maplewood Day Camp
are great because they
provide a wide variety of
both indoor …
… and outdoor
activities from rock
climbing to bumper
boats and moon walks.
Whatever party route you choose, try to
just relax and enjoy this special day with
your child.
Let your kids enjoy the birthday party
experience at Maplewood Summer Day Camp.
Experienced staff will keep your child both safe
and busy with arts and crafts, games, water
sports, gymnastics and more.
MAPLEWOOD COUNTRY DAY CAMP
AND ENRICHMENT CENTER
150 Foundry St. (Route 106)
PO Box 88 (Mailing)
South Easton, MA 02375
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (508) 238-2387
FAX: (508) 238-1154
