Although I would love to throw a big party for my kid’s first birthday, we do not live near family nor do we have many friends with kids who would be interested in attending a first birthday party. So, it will simply be my husband, me, and my kid for the celebration. How can I make it special?

One of the BEST kept secrets of the first birthday is it really is more about the parents understanding the extent of the celebration, rather than your kid. This should take a lot of pressure off of you as you plan a small party with your family. The MOST important element of any first birthday is the special cake and that first picture capturing him eating his first bite of yummy birthday cake. This will be a moment that you will love to look at in all of the years to come, and takes little more than a camera and cake. Beyond that, a bright bunch of balloons, a hearty singing of Happy Birthday, and a present or two should top off the day nicely.

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The French aviator, Antoine de Saint-Exupery, was a true genius when he wrote his story of Le Petit Prince.  Full of imagination, special details, and a message that is pertinent to both kids and adults, it is a classic book that is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.  What a beautiful theme for a first birthday party!  If the book holds special interest for you and your child, here are some party ideas to bring the theme alive:

Send out invitations either in the shape of stars in the universe or as the Asteroid B612 that the Prince lives on in his world.  Inside or on the back of the invitation provide the party details. Read the rest of this entry »

What age is appropriate for Pinatas? Kids always love a Pinata as a party game.  It’s a great activity as you can often find them to match just about any theme, you can have older kids make a Pinata, and you can stuff the Pinata with age-appropriate party fun.  Kids who are three or older will be safe with the Pinata.  Make sure to keep the following guidelines in mind when planning:

• Hang the Pinata low enough that the kids can easily hit it.
• Have the kids use a plastic bat to hit the Pinata.
• Fill the Pinata with stuff that is age-appropriate.  The most common filling is candy, but you could also fill it with soft toys if you are worried that the kids will get hurt when the Pinata breaks.
• Keep it organized, i.e. have the other guests who are not hitting the Pinata stand back from the area and out of potentially being hit by the bat. 
• Have an adult supervise the kid who is blindfolded and trying to hit the Pinata to keep him in the general vicinity of the pinata and on track to hit it.
• When it breaks, have little baskets or bags available for the kids to collect their goodies in.  You may want to hand these out before the game begins because when it breaks there will be a flurry of excitement to get to the goodies.

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If your kid is into Arthur, Clifford, Curious George or any of the other very popular kids’ shows on PBS and is looking for this character to be the theme of his next party, you are in luck! 

PBS Parents has just launched a comprehensive Birthday Party Guide  to help ease your planning. 

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If your kid loves Nemo and wants an Oceanic Adventure specific to Nemo and his gang of friends, including Dory!

AmazingMoms.com has a wonderful party plan for a Little Nemo Party. From craft ideas to goody bags, the plan has it well covered for your planning purposes.

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When it comes to kids’ parties, wrapping is definitely involved.  You may find yourself not only wrapping presents for the birthday kid, but also wrapping up the goody items to send home and perhaps even prizes you are giving out as the party progresses. 

If you want something a little different that looks fabulous and is friendly to the environment, check out Lucky Crow Gift Bags, a company that offers ” stylish and reusable fabric gift wrap!” 

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From toddlers to teens, holiday games this time of year are perfect for those holiday parties upon us as well as just some fun with your own family and relatives.  On a cold, snowy day in December when the kids are indoors, try some of these games to keep them busy:

• Play Pin the Nose on Rudolph.
• Play “Santa Says” just like “Simon Says.”
• Have the kids walk walk on their hands and knees to mimic reindeer.
• Place a sign on a wall in your room that says “The North Pole.”  Have the kids race as reindeer to “The North Pole” and back in record time.
• Bake a batch of sugar cookies in holiday shapes, lay out the frosting and decorations, and have the kids race to decorate their cookies.  Whoever finishes first wins.  Feel free to provide utensils – or not!
• Have the kids make Santa Beards.  Provide Vaseline and cotton balls.  Within a set time limit, the kids must place some Vaseline on their chins and see how many cotton balls they can stick on to make their beards.  Whoever has the biggest beard, wins!
• Hold a Holiday Treasure Hunt!
• Hold an Eggnog Race.  Place a big bowl of eggnog in the center of a circle with cups either close to or far away from the main bowl (this can depend on the kids’ ages).  Have the kids use a large spoon to fill their cups with the egg nog.  Whoever fills their cup first, wins!
• Divide the kids into a couple of teams, and provide each team with a “Mystery Stocking” full of small items, i.e. candy, small toys, ornaments, etc.  The kids must make a list of what is in the stocking without looking inside or opening them up.
• Santa Relay Race.  Mock up two Santa suits, hat, pants, coat, suspenders, bears, etc., and have them laying on the floor at the other end of the room.  Divide the kids into teams, and have them race to the Santa Suit, put it on, yell out a “Santa Saying” like HO, HO, HO, and then take it off and run back to the next person in line who must do the same.  The first team to finish the race, wins!
• String popcorn chains for the tree.  Put a timer on, and the kid who has strung the longest chain in the allotted time, wins!

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