Lets first go over a few things if your party is only a few hours away and you have done nothing.
Things you are going to do
- Order Pizzas - this is going to be the easiest, not necessarily the cheapest, but hey this is last minute stuff
- Clean up a large area that the party can be held in, this can be a living room, or outside.
- Clean up other important areas like bathrooms
- surface clean all other areas that can be seen but will not be entered.
- If you have time go to store pick up supplies sodas, and balloons, colored paper, and movies
- Time for the quick decorating, blow up balloons and scatter them in room of party, cut up colored paper into confetti and place on flat surfaces for a festive look.
Last minute activities, some are free others are not (if you already have the items) but once again this is last minute.
- Indoor golf / silly golf, setting this up is pretty easy you will need to break areas of where you are into sections, set up a few obstacles and have a cup laid out as the hole or a paper plate with a cut out in the center for the hole. If you go with the paper plate as the hole you can use several diffrent sized round objects as the golf ball. Rules are the ball is never to leave the ground, You are to roll, kick, push, or any other way you can think of of moving the ball trying to make it into or onto the hole strokes are counted.
- If there is a arcade nearby you may want to go there for the first part of the party , normally where there is a arcade there is also food near by .
- For more party idea and activities you may want to check out
Kid Party Crafts and Games or 365 Kids Games
Now for those of us who actually have not set up or have but have time to get ready for the kids party we have some time to set up and be prepared. The more time we have the better A great kids party doesn't take months to set up but it makes it easier.
Things to know before the party
- When the party is going to be.
- How long is the party to last
- How many are planned to show
- Will additional supervision be needed
- Specific needs (are any of the children allergic to foods)
- Ages of the kids
- What type of party is it going to be
- The importance of when the party will be gives you a time table of when you need to have everything ready.
- The longer a party is the more you will need activities and entertainment.
- Parties are a numbers game if you know how many will show you can plan accordingly for food, drinks, party favors and so on. Always figure on a few more showing up tho chances are few won't.
- If you know the party is going to be fairly large you will want to have extra adult supervision this is of course dependent on the age of the children.
- I add this in so you will not accidentally give a child who is allergic to certian foods that food. this could be disastrous especially now days.
- The age of the children will also determine the activities and supervision that is needed older children are more easily entertained by movies and video games, where as younger children like to run around a whole lot more.
- Knowing what type of party you are throwing will effect everything else by types of food, how many you will want at the party and much more.
Make time line this will help you keep on schedule, you want to have everything done and ready 1 day before the party minus a few small details like balloons scattered if wanted (they will deflate over night) these small details you can do a few hours before the party.
- Send out invitations at least 1-2 weeks before the party especially if you want them to let you know they are coming.
- Have food ready the day before, this includes calling any food delivery place (like pizza's) and having them have the food ready by the time you want, this is especially important if ordering large amounts of food. The more food ordered the earlier you want to call.
- If you want to have the party at a certian time be ready for people to show up early I suggest you set the time 30 min later allowing for early comers example: start time u want 8am set the start time on invitations 8:30am. Same goes for party end just have it end 15 -30 min before you actually want it to. This actually works well becuase you get a few more minutes of rest if people come at the designated time, and more clean up time if all leave at the stated time as well.
- Activities, should be set up well before hand and have a semi plan for them , example: party starts at 8:30 - everyone in backyard for pinata, 9 am dart golf, 9:30am the Amazing Zambonia comes to do magic, 11am pizza and cake... as you can see having a plan can help have at least 2 extra activities ready just in case one goes faster than expected or something unexpected happens and you need another one.
- You should have everything ready before the party at this point, if you can have everything ready the day before, the earlier the better, then rest your going to need it for the next day.
Be ready for anything, messes, spilled drinks, food on floors, on the dog, in the fish tank.
I bring this up becuase some of this will drive you batty and could make you a little mad. Remember they are kids, and as such they are clumsy, do not always think, and are a frustrating as all heck (almost sounds like your husband, huh)
Because they are like this you will want at least some help, depending on the ages will also depend on how much a good general rule is for every 4 kids have 1 adult plus one so 8 kids means 3 adults, 12 kids = 4 adults and so on.
Also having around the extra adults can help keep you sane, becuase I'm sure the children will do there best to drive you insane, I know I did when I was that age.
Resources
Theme Party Secrets Revealed!
Kid Party Crafts and Games
Party Planning Ideas
Party Planning Secrets
