Party Flavors Parties Held At Home

Birthday parties can be as different as the kids they honor, yet the most successful birthday bashes have one thing in common: They are well suited to the parents; comfort level and the child’s personality. For some families, the ideal party is at home, while others prefer it anywhere else.

For some parents, Chuck E. Cheese is a headache waiting to happen the noise and frenzy are nerve-wracking, not celebratory. These parents prefer home parties with streamers, games and never mind the mess.

“My kids love birthday parties at home,” says Pam Strickland of Spokane. She and her husband, Gary, have hosted more than a dozen theme parties for their two children, Cara, 9, and Kevin, 7.

“When you go somewhere else, the atmosphere is created for you,” says Strickland. “At home, decorations make more of an impact, centered around a specific theme.”

Themes can range from baseball parties with hot dogs, peanuts and pennants to pajama parties with waffles and musical pillows.

At the Stricklands’, the birthday child chooses the theme. Then Pam and Gary coordinate the invitations, decorations, games and food. This year, Cara chose a fairy princess tea party; all the girls were asked to wear gloves and hats. Upon arrival, each guest was assigned a fairy tale character for the afternoon.

“Every game focused on the characters,” says Strickland. “The girls looked cute in their finery and said it was their favorite party.”

A jungle party for Kevin included a safari hunt for miniature plastic animals.

“Kids love scavenger hunts, treasure hunts, and hide ‘n seek,” says Strickland. “At every party, I have a hunt within the theme.”

Guests might search for hidden paper fish at a Little Mermaid party or hunt for stuffed animals at a zoo birthday.

Paper chains and balloons create a festive look, says Strickland. Plus, you can set it up as far ahead of time as you want.

Cost is another factor - home parties often cost less than those using rented spaces.

“You can always prepare food at home less expensively and the entertainment is free,” Strickland says.

What works for home parties? Plan an “early bird event,” an activity that the first guests can get started on until all the children arrive. When choosing games, vary them so each child can be good at something. Alternate between games requiring skill, luck, speed and guessing.

Consider planning something the kids can create to take home, such as a mask, hat, placemat or ornament. “Keeping their hands busy rather than entertaining them constantly gives them a sense of fulfillment,” says Strickland.

To de-emphasize birthday presents, she saves gift opening for the end of the party while cake is being served.

“A week before, we talk about etiquette and how to treat the guests,” Strickland says. “Then we read ‘The Berenstain Bears Too Much Birthday,’ which captures the essence of how you can get too caught up and not enjoy it.”

Whatever your recipe for the ideal party, listen to your child and incorporate his or her ideas in the planning.

“At every level, the more involved the birthday child is, the more enjoyable it is for them,” says Strickland.

Some final advice: Plan ahead and then relax, even if things don’t go perfectly. Like children, birthday parties are never flawless and kids love ‘em anyway.

, DataTimes