Are you considering throwing a party for your
preschooler?
Are you worried about the stress of having fifteen small children in
your care? Do you fear facing a room of tired, over-stimulated, and
crying toddlers a full hour before pickup time?
Here's your guide for throwing a party for anyone five or under. It's
surprisingly simple and you CAN do it without losing your mind!
Make it short!
You don't need to host an all day or all-afternoon party for
preschoolers. One and a half to two hours is fine for a child five and
under. Any more and you will probably be tearing your hear out, and so
will they!
Small children will tire easily from the excitement of a party. That
leads to crying and fighting. With a short span of time you can have a
game, food and free play without too many tantrums to interfere.
Make it small!
A good rule of thumb is to invite the number of guests according to your
child's age. Two year old's will be quite satisfied with two other
party-goers, and do you really think five guests (plus your own) is too
few for a five year old? This is especially important if you have other
children of your own - you may chose to divvy up the party guests so
each child has a friend. It's not about making a splashy show - it's
about creating a fun, memorable experience.
Ask for help
You'll have more fun yourself if the moms or dads stay around. The
younger the child, the more necessary this is. For older children be
certain that SOMEONE is helping. You will need to prepare games and
serve food as well as handle potty calls and be on hand to supervise.
Having extra eyes and hands will go a long way towards keeping it
running smoothly.
Plan more activities than you think you will need!
The great thing is that this age group will be quite happy to enjoy some
amount of free play. If it's summer, try having a sprinkler available.
Inside you could set up tents or tunnels. You will have a difficult time
convincing them to stop playing even for a planned game.
However, party games and activities are what make it special. Try face
painting as your guests arrive. Easy treasure hunts, trying to keep
balloons in the air, or even ring-around-the-rosy are sure to please.
Pass The Parcel is a classic game which never fails to
please. At this age you should make sure that there is a little prize on
every layer of parcel (perhaps a lollipop or candy bar), and wrap the
parcel carefully so that you know when the last layer arrives and can
make sure that all the children get a turn!
Musical Statues or Musical Bumps is also a winning
game, and this age will play happily forever as long as you are not
strict about who is "winning" and "losing" and let everyone stay in the
game!
Move onto the food and provide finger friendly treats like crackers,
cheese, and cut fruit they can dip in yogurt. Allow some free play
before winding things down with cake or 'make your own sundaes' just
before pick up time. This will get the kids sitting down and breaking up
the play without too much complications as well as saving the sugar rush
for when they get home!
Parenting - Making A Schedule This article on the benefits of scheduling your day as a parent
really struck home with me. It took me a while to work this out for
myself when I had young children at home, and I wish I had done so - and
benefited from the much calmer household that was the result - sooner!
The Uneducated Palate
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than we think.
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