Having a child's party out of the home requires a little extra planning. Here are some tips and ideas to consider in the planning stages.
Whether you are planning a fun-filled day at the beach, a special birthday party celebration at your child’s favorite amusement park, a trip to your local zoo, or some other form of birthday fun away from home, the following tips can help you make your child’s birthday party a success.
Extra Information with Invites
When planning a party away from home, be sure to include the following extra information, along with the general invitations:
Transportation. How will children get to the location? Will you drive them, or will their parents be dropping them off and picking them up?
If you are planning to have parents drop children off, be sure to include specific directions, and a map that explains how to get to the location, along with the invitation.
Be sure to designate exactly where children can be dropped off and picked up, such as at the main gate, outside the ticket booth, the bathhouse of the beach etc.
Be specific about both beginning and ending times, if parents will need to pick children up following the party.
Include any special items that children might need to bring, such as a towel (if going to the beach) sunscreen, change of clothes, etc. Or if the weather may be cool suggest jackets, hats, mittens, etc.
Planning for Party Safety
When planning the event consider the following details, for a guaranteed safe, and fun-filled party:
Adult supervision. Make sure there are enough adults along to help oversee children. You may want to consider having one adult for every 3 children. Plan to have more if children are very young, or if your party will be around water, or other areas where there could be a safety issue.
Food, beverages, and gifts. Decide ahead where you will be eating, opening gifts etc. Do special arrangements or reservations need to be made, so that you are sure to get good seating arrangements? This might be necessary if you are planning a trip to the zoo, amusement park or other potentially crowded area. You may also want to have one adult arrive early, in order to hold a special spot for you, if you are planning to celebrate at the park, beach or other area.
Back up plans. Be sure to consider what you will do if it should happen to rain, or the weather should become too cold, hot etc.
Day of the Party Preparations
What to bring on the day of the party:
It’s a good idea to make a checklist, and go over it as you gather the items you will be taking with you.
Besides the food, cake, birthday gifts, any decorations, and materials for games or activities you are planning, you may want to consider bringing extra snacks (the grab and go kind, such as fruit snacks, individual serving sized cookies or crackers, etc.), extra beverages such as juice boxes, bottled water, or cans of soda, extra things you would take for your child (such as hats, gloves, sunscreen, umbrellas etc.) in case someone forgets.
The copyright of the article Planning a Party Away from Home in Children's Parties is owned by Denise Oliveri. Permission to republish Planning a Party Away from Home in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
