HOT SPOT The decision between throwing a birthday bash at home or at
a venue like a gym or ice rink can seem daunting. A home celebration can be
more relaxed, especially for a young child who is not yet comfortable in new
environments, says seasoned NYC party planner Linda Kaye. For the older set, an
outdoor location may be your best bet, as children in grade school and up tend
to have higher expectations when it comes to the entertainment and thrill level
(rock climbing, anyone?). Nevertheless, Kaye says, be guided by your child’s
personality and do what you think will make them (and you) the most content when
the big day arrives.
BE OUR
GUEST Stressed about a small
venue and can’t decide who to ultimately invite to the shindig? If your child
is part of a big classroom and you can’t invite the entire class, try to invite
all the children of the same gender. If that’s still too many then limit the party
to three other guests, suggests Wendy Levey, Director of Epiphany Community
Nursery School. If you don’t keep it very quaint or cast an extremely wide net,
feelings are bound to get hurt.
R.S.V.P. Invitations run the gamut—from low-cost
websites such as cocodot and Paperless Post, which provide instantaneous
customization options, to more costly (but incredibly cute) options like Tiny
Prints, Love, Laura Gifts, and Blacker and Kooby. A word of advice? Plan ahead.
Levey suggests that invitations should be sent at least three weeks in advance
to avoid conflicts with other kid’s parties. If your child is in school, it would
be wise to look at the class list to see who else has a pending celebration and
consult with the parents regarding party dates. It’s always better to be safe
than sorry!
STOCK UP When decorating for a birthday party,
sticking to a theme is essential, says Rosie Weissbart, Owner of the Upper East Side party supply store State News. She notes
that peace signs and tie-dye themed paper supplies currently rank as popular
options. Weissbart adds that balloons can make or break a party’s decor, so try
Mylar balloons to avoid the risk of choking with young children. Spice up an
oldie but a goodie by using piñatas as decorations (hanging or stationary) as
opposed to a party activity.
ENTERTAIN
ME Each child’s dream
party may look a little different, but in a city like New York there is an
entertainment
choice for every kind of kid—from clowns to animal husbandry. For the budding
ballerina, try a Twinkle Party where your child and her guests can
participate in an interactive classical ballet story, learn dance moves and get
crafty—all led by a dancer clad in a traditional Russian tutu. Dress-up tutus
can be purchased for the guests, who can keep them as goodie bags too. If your
child is a little more adventurous (and sporty), Chelsea Piers may be the place
for his birthday extravaganza. The field house offers birthday party packages
in everything from gymnastics to rock climbing to the “Ultimate Tykes
Challenge” that includes a field day-esque theme complete with potato sack
races, tug-of-war and an over-sized sports-themed moon bounce.
GOOD EATS Kids are simple eaters, so don’t try to reinvent the wheel
when it comes to party food—keep it simple with a few pizza pies! Just be sure
to have an eye out for children allergic to gluten or other ingredients (like
dairy or nuts). For parents, your options for party fare are more open. If the
celebration isn’t during a normal meal time, you can always put out chips,
veggies and dip (pita and hummus are go-to pleasers) to keep adults satisfied.
Or if you’re looking for something more upscale, you can use a local catering hub
such as Eli’s or Agata & Valentina.
SAY CHEESE With all the munchkins milling around
(resulting in instant perma-grin), you’ll want to make sure that someone is there
to capture all of those adorable moments on film. Professional photographers in
the NYC area like Heidi Green and Suzanne Cohen specialize in snapping children
in their natural environments. But if a pro is beyond your budget, be sure to
have a trusty friend or family member in charge of the party camera for the day,
and keep extra batteries on hand in case of emergency!
IT’S ALL GOOD Goodie bags are meant to be fun, small tokens of
appreciation for attending a birthday party so don’t go overboard. Companies
like Oriental Trading offer large, inexpensive variety packs (tiny trinkets
galore!) to fill gift bags. Kaye recommends linking them to the party theme or
to the current season, like a toy dinosaur if you party down at the American Museum of Natural History (a benefit of the contributor level) or a personalized sand pail and shovel
if you celebrate during the summer.
PIECE OF CAKE For some, a birthday cake is the pinnacle
of the party. For others, it’s a treat the children will devour in seconds. Yet
there’s little question about the presence of this sweet and time-honored
tradition. A cake can be homemade, bought at a supermarket (like Food Emporium
or Gristedes) or custom-made by bakeries like Make My Cake in Harlem. Looking for a different approach this
year? Linda Kaye, author of the Bake-a-Cake Party Book, suggests making
the cake into a party in and of itself by letting guests bake (with oven
guidance, of course) and decorate—taking care of both the dessert and the
entertainment components of the party.
