My brother and his wife are raising my sister’s child, a wonderful kid who is still in elementary school. My sister and her husband passed away, unfortunately, but my brother and his wife have been amazing so far. I’m trying to help where I can. There’s no denying that we’re a little out of our depth, though! Take our current task: planning this great kid’s first big birthday party. We want everything to be perfect for her, but we don’t know much about what makes a kids’ party cool and fun. Should we hire a clown or entertainment, or something? What sets a party for kids apart, and how can we entertain the parents, too?
Condolences on the passing of your sister. It’s wonderful that her daughter has such support from you and your brother’s family. Her party is sure to be a great one!
Before you throw this epic party, you’ll certainly need to do some preparations. For starters, you’ll have to decide where it’s taking place. Hosting the party somewhere else will relieve many of your burdens. Lots of kid-friendly venues have birthday party packages that put everything together for you.
Of course, you may want to do something different. If that’s the case, you could certainly host the party at your brother’s place and bring the entertainment to the location. Clowns are certainly an option, assert the entertainers at Clowns 4 Kids, who offer Clowns in New York – live entertainment is still a thriving business and a great choice for kids’ parties. Just look for good reviews or rely on the recommendation of trusted friends to ensure that you’re getting a performer whom the kids will love. Other performers may show up in costume, and local sports teams may even make their mascots available for such events.
You can also rent party equipment. Weather-permitting, a bounce house could be a way to take your party to the next level. Just be sure that an adult is around to supervise, and make sure that you follow all relevant safety instructions from the rental company.
If all of this seems to pricey, consider DIY party games! Adults have been trying to entertain kids throughout all of history, and there are plenty of great ideas for you to peruse online and in magazines (head to your local library to browse a big back-catalog of old magazine issues, and look for titles like Family Fun and Family Circle). A lot of these ideas are very cost-effective!
As for the adults, they should be a little easier to please than the kids. Just provide supervision so that they can relax a bit, and give adults a space to congregate where they can see – but won’t be too pestered by – the kids.
Good luck! Your party is sure to be a wonderful moment in the life of a wonderful child.
“To me there is no picture so beautiful as smiling, bright-eyed, happy children; no music so sweet as their clear and ringing laughter.” – P.T. Barnum
