Are we there yet?

What is the appropriate duration for your child's party? Easy, there are only a few options to choose from and these are mostly dictated by age:

1) If the party kid is 5 and under, always go with an hour and a half. These kids are very young and their attention span is short. If you want to leave it open that your good friends stay around after the party and the kids can watch a show or play independently in the basement after most people have gone home, fine. But do not put cake - the standard final event at a party - outside of the hour and a half.

2) If the party kid is between 6 and 8, the party can either be an hour and a half or two hours. The kids can handle either time span, it really depends on what you are doing, what you have paid for, and what food you are serving. If you have only one small art project, not serving a meal, and have 30 7 year olds in your home, go with the shorter option. If the seven year olds have a full schedule of crafts and games, you are serving lunch too, and there are 15 ofthem, if will be more fun and less rushed to use the full two hours.

3) if the party kid is 9 or above, then a two, or even three hour party is appropriate. Crafts, games, and activities can be longer and more focused. The kids will also just need some time to hang out. Most organized activities will be two hours with food time, then, if you want, put on a movie, let the kids listen to music, or just talk. The older they are, the less likely they are to be getting into trouble or running crazily all over your house.

The length of the party is dependant on mostly the age of the kids, but also, take into consideration the amount and type of structured activities, whether you are serving food, what is included in what you paid for, and number of kids to space. In the end, do what feels best for you - parties are supposed to be fun!

Timing is Everything

Time of year, day of the week, time of day - all part of the very important first decisions of planning your party. Just like the challenge of the "where" and "how", "when" looms bright on the radar.

Consider your guests - a kids party works best on a weekend day, or weekend evening, or on a holiday day off school. That's when the kids are available, and "that's when I can drive!" says Amy, a very busy mother of three.

What time of day? Many Moms who plan parties with Have A Bashery want to know. Age of the children can be a factor - avoid nap times if they are very little. Consider their age with how late in the evening you can go.

My most frequent question back to the Mom who asks about timing is: Do you want to serve food? If lunch or dinner is used in the theme of the party, or the host wants to serve a meal, then the best times are 11:00 - 1:00 or 4:00 - 6:00. If the host wants to avoid serving anything more than cake and/or snacks, then 10:00 - 11:30, 1:00 - 3:00, or 2:00 - 4:00 work fine. If you want to avoid serving any significant food, avoid crossing over the traditional meal hours of 12 noon - 1:00pm or 5:00 - 6:00pm. Also, anything scheduled before 10:00am should include some sort of breakfast treat.

Rule of thumb: When timing is at all close to mealtime, specify in your invitation your intentions. "Desert will be served" implies that no meal is included in the festivities, just like "lunch will be served" is also obvious. Guests appreciate your letting them know what to expect.

Another Rule of thumb: Do what works best for you and the very most important people invited to the party (the people without whom the party can't happen, like very very best friends). For your invited guests, the party will either fit in their schedule or not, just let them know what to expect.

How long should the party be? Check in next week....

Location, Location, Location.

Is this the Most important element of the party? Maybe not as much as in real estate, but still a significant decision on the part of the party host.

Popular options:

• Home
• Park district/community rooms
• Private clubs
• Party places that host all of the elements of the party like a gym or game place.
  

Elements to consider:

1. Finances - If you would rather put the money into the party instead of the space, then have it at home (or someone else's home, Grandma?). Kids love their parties at home, and if you can accommodate the numbers and the activities, it is the best priced option, even if you have to rent tables and chairs.
2. Does the space accommodate the party - home might be great but will it fit the thirty kids you want to invite? Do you have tables or the kitchen space or the other things the party activities require? Is the floor safe/comfortable/appropriate to the party? There are some spaces I recommend for tea parties, and some I recommend for tie dye - these are not the same.
3. What does the space provide - All inclusive spaces, ones that take care of the games or crafts and then the food, all in a nice package, could be your perfect fit. But, if you like to bake your own cake, or you want more games than what the ceramic painting party allows, then bringing it home or to an independent space may be best. A slumber party requires all of the elements of home but a party that needs a pool and food is best done at the country club.

In my opinion, its best to first pick your party, then decide on the space. And keep a positive, "half full" perspective - don't let fear drive your decision, pick a space because of the value it brings to your event.

Check with us next week to learn about the importance of time.

Do'in Some Fundraising

last weekend, Have A Bashery was at the Kohl Children's Museum Turkey Trot, the museum's big fall fundraiser. Kids and their families were able to race, bounce, and play through the museum for the morning. We had a station for our Fluff-N-Stuff animals where participants could pick an animal, stuff and name it. We were so pleased to be able to then donate a portion of the proceeds to the fundraising effort. We also donated the goodie bag bags which included this sweet teddy bear key chain.

About a hundred happy families came out to support this great local resource. If you have a fundraising event in your community, Have A Bashery can help you make it a super fun experience for families.

Holiday Birthdays - To Theme or Not To Theme

Halloween is now over - and wasn't it fun! Did you get to many Halloween parties? How about those Halloween themed birthday parties? I helped one 9 year old celebrate just such an event, because this year, that's what she wanted. How does it work for those kids that have birthdays that fall just before, just after, or even on the date of a holiday?


Well, as you know, kids go through fazes. Some years they want their birthday to embrace the holiday, and other years, they are jealous and annoyed to have to share their special day with a holiday. In those years the holiday becomes something everyone pays attention to instead of them! One adult I spoke with bitter-sweetly remembers how, being born on Thanksgiving always meant having turkey and extended family for her birthday dinner. It doesn't matter if its a cool holiday like Halloween... it could be New Years or Christmas, or the 4th of July, Children usually have a firm view or whether they want to recognize the holiday in their celebration or not.


When your child is in the holiday spirit for their birthday, enjoy. Its a once in a decade event. Have the "spring theme" or the 4th of July paper goods, or the Easter Tea. Next year, your son or daughter will hate it, and be looking for something completely different. That 9 year old I mentioned who had the Halloween Birthday, we already know, next year is a Spa Party!