Birthday Parties for “Ones”

At our site we do a lot of invitations for 1 year old birthday parties. Of course, we all know that a one year old usually has not much of a clue of what is going on, though he or she knows what to do with the cake! 1 year old birthday parties are more for the parents and grandparents and other family. I treasure the pictures of my daughters and grandsons on their first birthdays.

If you let your 12 month old feed herself or himself cake, you’ll probably need to plan a bath afterwards. Often icing and cake go in the hair, get smeared on face, clothes, high chair and anyone within reach. If you’re lucky, only face and hands will be covered. We have pictures of my first grandson tossing cake to the floor – the universal “I’m done” signal.

I’ve recently discovered there are first birthday highchair kits – they include a mat, bib, party hat, and a banner to decorate the highchair. Pretty cute. Eventually we’ll be offering them at our new site Parties and Games, which we’re working on now. There are lots of cute 1st birthday party themed tableware out there – we have some at Invitations by You and will be offering more at Parties and Games.

I also recommend that presents be done before the cake or after the cleanup. Your little one will need help opening packages. Often older children like to help with this process, but you have to watch out that they don’t take the toy or gift away from the baby once it is open.

Here are some resources if you’re planning a 1st birthday party:

First Birthday Party from the Berkeley Parents Network

Five Ways To Have A Successful 1st Birthday from lifetips.com

Planning Your 1st Birthday Party from amazingmoms.com

1st Birthday at kidspartyfun.com

1st Birthday Party Ideas, Activities and Tips from birthdaypartyideas4kids.com
Click here to read more!

Teen Hollywood Party

I just read some really creative ideas on Yahoo answers for teen Hollywood parties and thought I’d share them with you:

- One girl created a DVD with spoofs of movies (Indiana Jane, The Incredible Hulkette, Legally Strawberry Blonde, etc.) – sounds very fun.
- Another girl had great decoration suggestions including: “Now Playing” posters made from pictures cut out of magazines advertising movies, red fabric draped as a carpet, and silver stars cut from wrapping paper on the wall, flashlights angled against large Hollywood lettering in a window.
- Someone else suggested playing the Hollywood game with questions and answers about celebrities.

Here’s a whole Hollywood party scenario from teenpartyideas.com.

I found a helpful article on an “American Idol Teen Birthday Party” at suite101.

The article “Lights! Camera! Action! Birthday Party Theme” by Denise Witmer on about.com had some great ideas.

Don’t forget the idea of doing hair and makeup and taking glitzy “head shots” of your guests, too.
There are some fun Hollywood themed invitations and paper products out there, as well. My favorites on our site are the Director’s Cut Tableware.
Click here to read more!

4th of July – a whole day to celebrate

Now that Memorial Day is behind us, the next holiday on all calendars is Independence Day. At IBY we are already having people order their party invites for July 4th and several have chosen one of our brand new patriotic cards.

This year the holiday is a Friday, which means another 3 day weekend – woo whoo! 4th of a July is another good time for family gatherings, summer activities, and, of course, fireworks. I prefer the professional fireworks. A couple years ago, I got to watch them while listening to a concert, which was great fun! Though probably the most memorable was watching them with the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop.

When our kids were young, the town where we lived put on a 4th of July parade. Kids could participate by dressing up in any holiday related theme. Once our girls marched as cowgirl and Indian partners. The other years we were merely spectators, but that was fun, too.

One year I made a rectangular chocolate cake, used whipped cream for the icing, then decorated it into a flag using blueberries for the blue section, and strawberries for the red stripes. Looked and tasted good!

Thought you might be interested in some ideas to make your day even more fun, especially if you don’t have a parade to attend.

from FamilyFun

4th of July Parties, Printables & Games

Party ideas from 123greetings

Want something a little more unique? Check out these articles:

How to Go Green for the Fourth of July from ehow

How to Plan a Spectacular 4th of July Menu! from ehow

Fourth of July Recipes and Menus – includes a Red, White and Blue Menu – from Busy Cooks Click here to read more!

Schools Out – Hurray!

At least that’s what the kids say. Sometimes the parents aren’t so positive, although with all that happens the last month, I usually found it a relief. Here in Kansas schools get out this week. I know in Washington state they go another month.

At the start of summer vacation kids usually are just so pleased to sleep in and play, play, play, that they’re pretty content. But it’s also fun to give them the anticipation of a party, say at the pool, or lake, or park.

Encourage your kids to plan the party themselves (of course, adults always have veto power over any ideas). Have the kids pick a theme—whether it’s a food theme (i.e. ice cream sundaes) or an activity theme (i.e. pool party)—decide on the guest list, the food, decorations, if any, and make or choose invitations. Fill-in party invitations are quick and easy, yet are another task to occupy the kids while they enter all the info. Of course, you’ll want to remind them, that part of party duties are the clean-up, too!

Need party ideas? Check out these sites:
more4kids.info
home.ivillage.com
wilton.com
healthy-kid-recipes.com

And here’s one with Slumber Party Ideas:
Summer.about.com Click here to read more!

Spa party food

When planning food for a spa party, first you need to decide whether you want healthy or indulgent foods. When I think of healthy spa foods, I’m reminded of two movies where the main character ate the cucumbers off of her eyes (“Last Holiday” and “The Day in the Life of Miss Pettigrew”). I’d rather have mine off a plate, thanks very much.

But if you’re going for healthy, finger foods, such as veggies, obviously come to mind. Whole grain crackers or breads, low fat cheeses and dips can be a nice addition. When choosing foods, keep in mind ones that don’t become sticky if hands are damp.

If indulgent, my vote would be for anything chocolate, petit fours, mini-cheese cakes. If you don’t want all sweets, bite-sized appetizers and fruit make a nice addition. Appetizers can be warm or cold depending on your situation.

Note for either style: if you’re doing manicures, choose fork friendly foods, that don’t require cutting.

I’d suggest offering teas and coffees, especially for the indulgent menu. You may also want to make a punch. Here’s an easy and pretty punch recipe.
1-2 frozen cans of lemonade
1-2 frozen cans of cranberry juice*
Carbonated water to reconstitute the juices.
Mix well.
Float some lemon or orange slices on top to make it look pretty.
And/or freeze juice as ice cubes to keep your punch cold.

*Use whatever fruit juice combination you like.

We have some fun spa invitations in the Girl Time section at IBY. This one is my favorite:

Elegant Pool

Click here to read more!

Party games for preschoolers

If you choose a venue with “big toys” as my grandsons call playground equipment, the kids usually don’t need game suggestions, they’ll just climb, run, slide, swing, jump, etc. If you want some organized games, don’t forget the old standbys of “duck, duck, goose,” “musical chairs,” and “red light, green light.”

Here’s an article from Today’s Parent to keep in mind as you plan: “Preschool Party Games: Games are a birthday party tradition that often backfires for preschoolers.”

A few resources for game ideas:

Birthday Party Games from ABC Home Preschool

Party Station from Preschool Express

Another article: “Preschool Party Games” by Rachel Paxton from Christian Parent

Do you have fun preschool games you’d like to share with us? We'd love to see them. Click here to read more!

Outdoor preschool birthday parties

We have a bunch of parents gearing up for outdoor birthday parties for their kids. They’re ordering the Farm Scene, Barnyard or Barnyard 2 cards for events set at local kid-friendly farms.

In our area we have the Deanna Rose Farmstead in Overland Park, Kansas that makes a perfect place to have a birthday party for preschoolers. The only cost for the farm itself is if you want to feed the animals, which, of course is a blast. Besides the animals there is an old schoolhouse, fishing area, hayrides, pony rides (these latter 3 for a fee), mining area, milking area, playgrounds, and more. The outside playground has a covered area with tables that would be a good place to do cake and presents.

With my kids and their friends I remember preschool birthday parties at farms, zoos, aquariums. Some have entrance fees; some are free. In all cases entertainment is easy, parents come along for crowd control, and everyone has a great time.

So what is available where you live? Check it out and you might find a wonderful place to have a party for your children.

P.S. Feel free to share your ideas by commenting, too! We'll all benefit. Click here to read more!

Slime Time

Need a party idea for those elementary age kids, especially those ones who like icky slimy stuff? What about a Slime Party? One place you can buy slime is at Arsa Toys: SLY1130 -- Slinky Toys FunLabs Power Putty Slimes Kit (For Ages 8 and Up). There’s even a recipe to make your own slime here. Or for younger kids, Arsa has an appropriate snail game: Speedy Eddy.

And IBY has an invitation that fits the theme. It’s appropriately called Slime Time.

Party favors could include slug or snail themed items. I found a Snail Puzzle at The Jungle Store that would work well as a prize. I’ve seen slug candy, and there’s always gummy worms that would mix in well with this theme. A cake could be made to match the slime theme, too.

Click here to read more!

Graduation Party Time

When you have a high school or college graduate—or you yourself are a graduate—it’s often nice to have an “open house.” With this style of party your invitations give a span of time when people can drop in. Family, friends and neighbors of all ages can come, visit with the graduate and others, enjoy refreshments, and leave when they are ready to go. Sunday afternoons are often a good time for an open house.

Make your food easy to replenish and self serve. I’ve been to parties where the offerings are appetizers and finger foods, others with sandwich platters or plates with sandwich makings to “build your own,” desserts or a large sheet cake, or combinations of these. Beverages have ranged from punch or sodas to tea and coffee. Whatever food items you choose, you don’t want to have to spend a lot of time during the party with food preparation. Instead enjoy visiting with your guests.

Decorations can be as simple or as elaborate as you desire. Balloons are always festive. It’s nice to set out some graduation pictures, if the party is after graduation. Or how about the high school yearbook for those high school graduates with pages bookmarked where their photos are found. I’ve also seen baby books or photo albums on display. They make fun conversation starters.

I’ve not seen games at these type of parties, though I have seen a room set up for the younger set with toys and videos playing.

We’re featuring some of our graduation invitations on the front page of our website. For more click here.

And if you’d like to read about Graduation Announcement Etiquette, check out this article. Click here to read more!

Bachelorette parties

Often put on by the bridesmaids or close friends of the bride, this party can be a fling before the wedding. Or just a fun female celebration. Here are some resources:

14 rockin’ bachelorette ideas from theknot.com

Bachelorette party icebreakers

An article – “Ideas for Throwing a Bachelor or Bachelorette Party” from about.com

Bachelorette Parties from bridesmaidaid.com

Welcome to Bachelorette Party Tips from lifetips.com

IBY has a Bachelorette Party Invitations section, too. Click here to read more!

Teen birthday party themes

Teens may or may not want a party theme, but it sure makes decorations easy if you have one. Sometimes a theme can be sparked off of something the teen loves, does, or wants to do. It might be inspired by a food, an invitation, or from a list such as one from the references below.

Love to Know not only has good ideas, but some questions to consider

Discovery Center has an article on “Teen birthday party ideas.”

About.com offers an article called “Teen Birthday Party Planner.”

The Teen Party Ideas website has a whole section.

Another article “Birthday Party Ideas for Teen Girls: Throw a Party They'll Love” focuses on girls.

Boardman’s Birthday Party Ideas site also has a teen section.

Of course, doing matching invitations is fun. IBY.com now has a teen birthday section. And remember you can customize the wording to fit your teen and party. Click here to read more!

Planning a Valentine’s Day Party?

Today’s offering is a collection of resources for you.

For Children

Valentine's Day Party Ideas and Party Games for Kids

Valentine Crafts for Kids

Valentine's Day Party For Kids

Valentine's Day Games and Activities – with printable resources

Valentine Party Games for Children

For Children, Teens and Adults

Valentine's Day Party Ideas for Kids, Teens and the Young At Heart

Games with a Valentine Spirit

Valentine Fun

Everything Valentine’s

And, if you need invitation ideas – click here for a selection of Valentine related Invitations. Click here to read more!

Beach party ideas

If you’re lucky enough to live near a beach in a warm climate, it’s always easy to plan a beach party. But if you live in a cold climate, you might want to warm up your winter with a beach scene of your own. Check out these resources for ideas.

Birthday Party Ideas has tons of beach party theme ideas

Surf Party Theme (For Adults)

Beach Party Ideas for Teens – beach not required

Beach Party food

And if you need invitations, here are some fun beach ones:

Beach Party Festival Fill-in

Beach Chair Die Cut Fill-in

Click here to read more!

Making a Splash! Pool party Ideas for kids and teens.

Have access to an indoor pool or live in a warm climate? Then plan a pool party!

Games
A fun pool party game is Marco Polo. Whoever is "it" has to swim around the pool with their eyes closed trying to tag other players. When "it" calls out Marco, everyone else has to yell "Polo." "It" tries to find people by sound.

Of course, there’s always Pool Volleyball and Pool Frisbee or races with floatable water toys. Here are some Game Resources for you, too.

Swimming Pool Games for large groups

More Swimming Games

Sharks & Minnows How To

Fun and Games for the Swimming Pool

Resources for pool themes and ideas

Kids Pool Party Ideas

Pool Party Ideas for Older Kids and Teens

Pool Party Ideas for Kids – this is aimed at summer parties, but many of the games and décor ideas could be used for an indoor pool

Pool Side Party Ideas - themes

Pool Birthday Party – tons of ideas

Here are some invitations that are great for pool parties, too.

Thanks to M Connors for the pool photo from morguefile.com!

Click here to read more!

New Year’s Eve Parties

Many New Year’s Eve Parties are more about drinking than anything, but they don’t have to be. I’ve been to a lot of family and children oriented parties. The smaller children often watched videos while older kids and adults played board games, card games, etc. And, of course, we had all kinds of snacks and beverages to keep us going until midnight. Once we saw the New Year in with noise makers (kids love wooden spoons and pans to bang on as well as horns, etc.), perhaps some fireworks, and New Year wishes and hugs, those driving home could go safely without having to worry about blood alcohol content. The next morning there aren’t hangovers either!

Check out these resources for more ideas:

New Year’s Eve Party Games from Party Games Central.

E-How has links to ideas for different types of partying for New Year’s Eve.

I-Village offers 4 Fun and Fresh New Year's Eve Party Themes.

Crayola has some kid focused ideas for coloring and crafts for New Year’s.

Party411 has New Year’s Eve party themes – scroll to bottom of page.

There’s a New Year’s Fun Guide at FamilyFun.

We have some fun party invitations for New Year's on our site, too. Click here to read more!

Adult Mixers—people, not drinks

Sometimes you need something to get people relaxed with each other at a party. People Mixers or Ice Breakers can work. Here are some suggestions:

Memorable Mixer for a small group
Ask each person to bring some object that is important to them. At dinner or a set aside time, each one gets to show and tell. You may be surprised at what they bring and the stories that come out! We did this once and not only was it fun, but we really learned interesting things about each other.

Online Resources:

How To Mingle at a Dance Party Mixer for Singles – a lot of these ideas are not just limited to a singles party

Icebreakers Games for different age groups, including adults.

Ice Breaker Party Games

Ring a Bell Icebreaker

Icebreakers for All Occasions

Warming Up Your Next Party with Ice Breakers
Click here to read more!

Christmas Party Ideas

Want to invite friends to celebrate the season with you? You can make your time special by planning ahead. This article by Julie Henry “Christmas Party Ideas” has some great suggestions. So do these 2 articles by Coral Nafie: “Plan a Memorable Christmas Party” and “Gearing Up for Holiday Guests.” This article, “Christmas Dinner Party Ideas” by Susan Crowley, has a variety of ideas.

The Invitations

Want a unique wording for your Christmas party invitation? What about using a quote about Christmas? Or a quote may inspire what you want to say. Here are some Merry Christmas Quotations for you.

Ideas for Children

Or maybe you want to plan a party for kids. Here are a few resources:

“Christmas Party Ideas For Kids” includes Christmas party games and ideas for a classroom or home party.
“Planning Your Child's Christmas Party” by Kimberly L. Keith
Christmas Party Ideas for Kids

My best advice for any party, is do as much prep as you can ahead of time so that you can enjoy the party, too!

Later this week I'll blog on Christmas games and activities. Click here to read more!

The Festival of Lights

Chanukah or Hanukkah – there’s no exact English representation of the Jewish pronunciation – you’ll find other spellings as well.

Chanukah Basics – this comprehensive site not only has the basics, but also has history, videos, how to, and more.

The Food Network site has a brief history.

Happy Hanukkah – find out more about it from Family Fun.

Celebrating Hanukkah is an article by Donna Pilato.

Planning Resources

Hanukkah Party Decorating Ideas, an article by Gail Leino

Plans and Activities for Hanukkah

How To Throw a Hanukkah Party

How to Throw a Hanukkah Party for Preschoolers

Hanukkah games
From familycrafts.about.com and party411.com

Fun Hanukkah Party Games, Toys and Music - Kids Party Ideas for Chanukah

Chanukah Games and Crafts

Food

Hanukkah Party Menu Ideas for a Traditional Celebration

Hanukkah Recipes

Another article by Gail Leino, Chanukah Menu Ideas for a Happy Chanukah Celebration

Invitations

Favorites from iby.com
Menorah
Shooting Star

And one final resource. Wondering what’s permissible in public schools, regarding Chanukah or Christmas, etc. ? This site has links for a variety of categories.

Click here to read more!

Company or Office Christmas and Holiday Parties

Now that Thanksgiving is over, our thoughts turn to Christmas. I’ll first start with some talk about work Christmas (or holiday) parties.

I’ve gone to company parties at museums (Museum of Natural History and Museum of Flight in Seattle), at convention centers, on board ship, private homes, and more. There’s been food, music, dancing, casinos (with play money and an end of evening auction to spend play money), prizes, photos, etc. Obviously, the bigger the party the sooner planning must begin. Top places can get booked as early as January. Bigger companies can obviously offer bigger more elaborate parties. Sometimes even in a big company, groups do their own special holiday gathering, such as a potluck lunch.

Here are a few resources for your party planning:

Company Christmas Party Planning and Ideas

International Social and Business Etiquette Quiz

Company Christmas Party Games

Christmas Office Party Games

Some of my favorite Christmas and Holiday invites from our site.
Christmas Cocoa Die Cut Fill-in pictured above
Rudolph
Peppermints
Pretty Packages
Ornament Distinction
Did you know you can order as few or as many as you want?

Even just one for the office bulletin board!

Click here to read more!

Mixer games for children’s and teen parties

Preschoolers and early elementary age kids don’t usually need an icebreaker per se, but just need an activity where they can get involved and soon they’ll make friends. As they get older, or if they are in a group where they don’t know others, sometimes an ice breaker is needed. Be careful though when choosing your activity to think about what will not be offensive or embarrassing. I remember my teenage daughters being upset about activities that they were “made” to do. You don’t want anyone in tears.

Here are some resources for mixers or ice breakers:
Icebreaker Games for different age groups.

Icebreaker Games – I think the frozen Tshirt would be a great outdoor icebreaker

Ice Breakers – you have to scroll down to see the games after you click.

At Party Games Central, you can customize game lists by age, indoor or outdoors, type of party, etc. Click here to read more!