How to Throw a Birthday Party People Will Always Remember

Throw a Birthday Party Tips

Looking for the perfect gift to give a loved one for their next birthday? Research shows that experiences are much better remembered and received than tangible gifts. Throwing a big bash is the perfect way to celebrate a birthday milestone. With the right birthday party planning tips, you can even make the event more entertaining and memorable. 

 Hosting the party at a home gives you much more flexibility over the event date and other details, but read on for more ideas on where to host a birthday party in case your home isn't the best option. These tips on how to throw a memorable birthday party will help to impress everyone on your party guest list. 

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links.

Throw the perfect Birthday Party with these tips!

Pick the Perfect Theme

• One of the key tips to plan a birthday party is to pick a theme that ties in all of the party elements. This includes party decor, games, menus, invites, favors, and other birthday party details.

• Many adult party hosts even plan a signature cocktail around the theme of the party. You can do the same for a child's birthday party, think: goblin green punch, butterbeer, or a colorful layered  smoothie.

• For adult birthday parties, popular party theme choices include: The Roaring 20's, Casino Night, Fiesta, Mystery Dinners, and Luaus. You can also plan the party around a special holiday, like St. Paddy's Day. A themed party encourages guests to dress up, so be sure to add dress attire requirements the party invitations.

Gamer's Theme Party Invitations.

Decorations are an important factor when learning how to throw a memorable birthday party with style. Be sure to order party supplies that fit the theme of the event. Top decor ideas include balloon arches, banners, table settings, and floral arrangements. 

Decorate with Classy Balloons for an Adult's Birthday Party.

Set a Fun and Simple Location and Time

• Picking the right venue and location is key for how to plan a birthday party for adults. Of course, it's best to finalize your guest list before choosing a location. This way you have a better idea of how large of a space you'll need. You don't want to end up with too small a space and there's no need to pay for a large space if not needed. 

• Another venue option is to head to the beach or lake. Guests can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, beach volleyball games, and camping. Make sure you research the open container policy for these types of locations. You also want to ensure there's are restrooms and a nearby pavilion in case of bad weather. 

• Pick a venue that offers fun activities. Try a bowling alley, trampoline park, or escape the room venue. Renting a private room in a restaurant is another simple way to provide a more intimate setting. 

• A special tip is to keep the location easy enough for guests to attend. Meaning they won't need to take time off from work or make expensive travel arrangements to accommodate attending your birthday party. If you really want people to show up, choose a location that's familiar with locals and easy for out of towners to find.

• Keep it casual with a simple backyard soiree. Host a barbecue with fun outdoor games and a firepit. Be sure to have a weather backup plan, like renting a tent in case of rain or making space in your garage.

• Of course, it's best to have the event on a Saturday or Sunday to ensure the best availability of guests. Early afternoon is also ideal for event timing. Many families have sporting events on the weekend and others enjoying sleeping in, so an afternoon party gives them time to plan around personal and family obligations.

Create a Delicious Menu

• An impressive and delicious party food menu makes birthday events even more memorable. Choose heavy appetizers or a buffet-style meal. Serving cocktails and light canapes is a popular choice for an afternoon birthday party for adults.

• An always favorable idea is to grill hot dogs and hamburgers. Then, serve a few different salads and appetizers. Include favorites like a meat and cheese board, veggie tray, and chips and dips.

• It's creative to try and tie your menu in with the party theme. For a fiesta-style event, have a make your own taco bar. Include chips, salsa, guacamole, and margaritas.

• Decide ahead of time if you 're going to make all of the food, host a potluck party, or hire a caterer. Catering gives you more time and energy to enjoy the party. Yet, it's the more expensive option.

• Make sure you have enough supplies, including: cups, cutlery, napkins, and dinnerware. You should also serve a variety of drink options, including: wine, beer, cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, and water.

• Don't forget some type of dessert for guests to enjoy. Maybe you create a themed custom-made cake, cupcakes, or a variety of bite-sized sweets.

• Get a final guest count with RSVP's, so you know how much food to serve. It's smart to have extra drinks and snacks on hand in case the party runs late into the night. No one wants to leave the best birthday party ever!

Make Sure There's Good Entertainment

• The best adult birthday party ideas should include unique entertainment. This keeps energy levels up and avoids guests from getting bored and leaving early.

• When hosting a fun birthday party, music is a essential party element.  The right style of music will improve the mood of your guests and influence your guest's level of happiness.

• Hire a local band or DJ to play music. A less-expensive option is to set up Spotify to play through a speaker system or Amazon Music through an Alexa device. Another fun idea, is to rent a karaoke machine so guests can provide their own entertainment.

• Depending on the party theme,  you can also hire out entertainment including: Fortune tellers, magicians, makeup or henna tattoo artists.

• Fun card games or activities can go a long way to keep your guests entertained. Ladder ball, cornhole, and beer pong are popular choices. Guests will also enjoy playing darts, foosball, or pool.

Set up the Party for Style, Convenience, and Comfort

• A key tip is to give yourself enough time to set up the decor. Ask close friends and family members for help if you need it. Try to do as much as you can the day before to save on time.

• It helps to create an organized timeline and checklist for any deliveries. This includes: furniture rentals, catering, and music equipment.

• Set up tables for gifts, favors, food, and the dessert ahead of time. Be sure to provide plenty of seating for guests layered with the finest chair covers and linens, both inside and outside of the venue. Some guests may want to step outside for fresh air, to talk on the phone, or take a smoke break.

• Keep all of the bathrooms well-stocked with toiletry essentials. You may even want to consider renting a portable toilet for larger outdoor events.

• Lighting is an important aspect of any adult birthday party. Lighting accents help to create the right ambiance for the party. Add bistro lights around any outdoor living spaces.

• Always make sure there are plenty of trashcans and recycle bins placed around the event. This makes for a much easier clean-up when the party is over.

How to Throw a Birthday Party to Impress Your Guests

You'll want to be sure that all of your guest's needs are met and you have set the right party ambiance for the right crowd. And, if your party is outdoors, don't forget to come up with a backup plan in case of inclement weather. No one wants to go to all of the trouble planning a great party only to have it washed out.  Hopefully, these party tips will help you know how to throw a birthday party that wows your party guests. Remember, planning an unforgettable party involves picking the right theme, venue, menu, and entertainment.


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Summer Camp at Home Themes, Schedules, and Tips

Themes and Activities for Summer Camp at Home

Want to give kids the experience of a great summer camp? Whether you do summer camp for your neighborhood, for a church youth group, or your local community, these summer camp at home themes, schedules, and tips will help you create the best, most fun summer camp for kids from six to sixteen! 

Post contains affiliate links.

Work in a retirement village or nursing home? Activity directors can adapt the activities for any age group. The objective is fun! Our website is full of fun, free camp activities, circle time activities, and group games. If you want everything at your fingertips (or on your clipboard) grab a copy of any of the books in our companion book series. These books are designed to help you organize and create an amazing youth group program or a simple, summer camp at home. 

Each books stands alone or get all 3 books for an organized summer camp, after-school program, or extra activities for vacation bible school. 

Our latest book, "Summer Camp at Home Handbook" has a total of five weeks of camp themes and activities. Each week includes: songs to sing, science experiments, group games, art activities, and fun themed snacks. It also includes a welcome pledge, icebreaker game, filler activities, planning calendars, printable today's birthday poster, activity schedule, daily menu poster, registration forms with allergy and photo permission features, and sample letters and forms to create a professional, organized camp program. If you want to do a full-on community summer camp, the only thing you'll need to add is insurance. Some small programs forego insurance for waivers and good luck. It's a good idea to get a short-term summer insurance policy if you plan to include your neighborhood or others outside of your close circle of friends and family.

Do you need a license to operate summer camp? That depends on your city and state. Check with your local government agencies, especially the board of health. Many churches (depending on state laws) are exempt and do not require visits from board of health or other agencies. Often, if the campers are participating in the prep of food it falls under different rules than if you are providing snacks. This is why the Summer Camp at Home Handbook includes theme snack activities and edible art. An easy way to avoid any trouble is to only provide prepackaged snacks and beverages (stay away from milk.) At the least, always have parents sign waivers, waivers, waivers. They won't completely protect you if someone decides to sue, but they do give everyone a heads up and let everyone know you are thinking ahead. Always have parents sign field trip waivers (you can make one for the entirety of camp and list out all pre-planned activities.) Also, be sure you have records of food allergies, immunizations, and authorized pick up persons. Finally, be aware of your state's childcare laws which vary based on the age of children in your care. To play it safe (when doing summer camp at home,) don't have more than five children that are not related to you in each camp session and always have another adult or camp counselor 18+ at your side.

Another thing to consider is first aid and safety training. Staff should be trained to recognize child predators in all childcare, summer camp, youth group, and school settings. In today's world, you can never be too safe or too prepared. That being said, if you are simply doing summer camp at home for your family, close friends, or homeschool group, not all of these steps may be required. However, it's better to be safe than sorry. Make sure you run background checks on anyone that will be regularly helping with your program. That includes your parents, aunts, and older children! This is a safety precaution designed to protect you in case something comes up. In your letter to parents, mention that all adults working with children have undergone a background check. Your local government probably has a background check option on their website.

A big safety consideration is water. Children may find pools and nearby bodies of water enticing. Always, always, keep count of the children in your immediate care. A good rule of thumb is to count kids every 20 minutes. If you are on a field trip or involved in a hectic group game, count them every 15 minutes. If you plan to include swimming in your camp activities or have a pool in your backyard, be aware that special precautions are needed and insurance rates will be higher.

Are you ready to get started hosting your own summer camp at home? Great! You'll want to start with our book, Summer Camp Handbook. This book is full of everything you need for five weeks of awesome summer camp.

Summer Camp Weekly Themes:

• It's all Rainbows: Rainbow Trails Song, Rainbow Snacks, Leprechaun Rainbow Skit, Rainbow Science Activities (Color and Prisms), and Get Moving Games.

• Silly Spaghetti: On Top of Spaghetti Song, Crunchy Spaghetti Recipe, Spaghetti Strength Science, Spaghetti Relays, and lots more.

• Eat Worms: Herman the Worm Song, Worm Theme Snacks, Snakes vs. Worms Game, How to Build a Worm Farm, Slurpin' for Worms, and lots more Worm Theme Games and Activities.

• Do Monkey Around: The Monkey Song, Banana Snacks, Banana Experiments, and Get Moving Games for Monkeys.

• Sharks vs Chickens: Baby Shark Song, Chicken Feed Snack, Egg Science Experiments, Shark and Chicken Hats, and lots of Games to Play as Sharks and Chickens.

With a blank, printable monthly calendar included in each weekly camp theme chapter and extra filler activities in case of a time emergency, the Summer Camp at Home Handbook is an essential tool whether it's your very first summer camp program or you are a seasoned camp director. Don't wait any longer, get on your way to the best summer camp ever today!

Our companion books are also available on Amazon in 8 x 10 paperback book format. These books give you extra credit as a camp director or activities director. Get organized with our 365 Planner. This handbook includes printable planning calendars, daily journal space with shareable quote of the day for note taking and planning, printable lesson/activity planning sheets, birthday logs, printable today's birthday poster, menu and activity schedules, and more. 

The 365 Activity Planner Journal, is a great companion handbook to Summer Camp at Home. It's also a great classroom resource planning tool for teachers. Whether you make copies of the printables to reuse again and again, or cuddle up on the sofa with the book to journal your activities, this handbook will help keep all of your thoughts and ideas organized with the added benefit of motivational quotes to keep you going strong. Get your 365 Activity Planner Journal now by clicking on the image.

And, if you are looking for fun games to play in a circle setting check out our Circle Time Handbook. This book includes 39 of the best ever games kids love. Tried and true, we played all of these games in our camp and after-school programs. This book is ideal for teachers who need to fill in some transitional time, afterschoolers who want to have a daily group rap sessions, preschool programs who realize the importance of circle time group activities, and summer camp programs who need filler material for rest breaks and other down time.

Ready, Get Set, Go! You can get all 3 books for under $40 on Amazon. 

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Caregivers and Educators, check out Lora's Recommendations on Amazon 

and Follow us on Instagram for more fun ideas for children.

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Dudley's Spin an Egg Art Easy way to Color and Decorate eggs: Best $5 Ever Spent on Easter Egg Kit

"Dudley's Spin an Egg" is truly the best $5 I ever spent on Easter Egg Coloring Kits: How to Decorate Eggs

It is so easy to color and decorate eggs and make them beautiful. Learn How to decorate Easter eggs with this fun Easter egg coloring kit. These eggs are the best ever. Enjoy!

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.*

Dudley Spin and Egg Easy Decorating Kit.

This is so cool! The kids had a blast and I loved it! It is the good, old faithful Dudley brand, "SPIN an EGG," I got mine at Meijer for $5. Look for them on clearance, so you can have a couple for next year. It is so easy, and there is virtually no clean-up. My kids all give it 2 thumbs up (the teenager too)!

Easy way for Toddlers and Preschoolers to color Easter eggs.

How to Decorate eggs for Easter

Boil your eggs, the old cook books have a recipe for how to boil eggs. I am terrible at it. My eggs always crack or are underdone. Let the eggs cool in the fridge for about an hour, then wipe them dry with a paper towel before coloring.  

Decorating Easter Eggs with Preschoolers with no mess.

'Dudley Spin Art' comes with several coloring packets and the box has color mixing instructions for all your budding little Picassos. If you run out you can make your own Easter egg dye with food coloring. The recipe is at the end of this post.

Start with a clean dry egg. 
This is essential for the dye to properly adhere to the egg.

Cut open a pouch and drop 8-10 drops in the spinner or use homemade Easter egg dye. Add the room temperature, dry egg, place the lid on top, and have the kids push the button to watch it spin! Kids love to watch the process.

Marbled Eggs with Dudley Egg Spinner.

The kit comes with a Dudley "Puppet" (or use a plastic baggie) to retrieve the eggs from the spinner. Between colors, just wipe the spinner with a paper towel to remove excess dye.

Voila! Beautiful one-of-a-kind decorated Easter Eggs.

Look at these beautiful, shiny eggs. Imagine laying them in a homemade nest for a glorious table setting. You can buy perfect nesting material at Walmart. It comes in various colors. It is a string-like, candy substance (looks like colored coconut). The package describes it as edible Easter grass. It would be the perfect complement to these artsy, marbleized Easter eggs. 

How to make homemade Easter egg dye (not die) for Dudley refill 

Can you use food coloring for Dudley Spin an Egg Art? Of course,  you can!

You need: Food Coloring, Vinegar, Water
Optional: White Crayon

In a ceramic cup, mix together 1/2 C. of room temperature water, 1 Tbs. vinegar, and several drops of food coloring. Neon food coloring works best for vibrant eggs. You will need several drops for maximum color. You can also experiment with Kool-aid packets. Use a white crayon to draw circles or shapes that will resist the egg dye.

Use 1 Tbs. of color in your Dudley Egg Spinner or Spin Art kit. 

Recommended Reading:

Crafts For Easter (Holiday Crafts for Kids)*

175 Easy-to-Do Easter Crafts: Creative Uses for Recyclables (Easy-to-Do Crafts Easy-to-Find Things)*

Easter Egg Games for a kid's party

Get your own Dudley Spin an Egg Art*
















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*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)

Ideas for Care Package List for College Students

College Care Package Ideas

Are you looking for ideas for College Care Packages? We're sharing ideas for your care package list to make your shopping trip easier. Scroll down for a link to our free printable care package list for college. Enjoy!

College care package complete with Schick Supplies. 

My nephew has already moved into campus, so I wanted to send him a care package to spoil him. I wondered what to send and started looking at Pinterest for ideas. I wanted to think outside of the box and send items besides just food and treats.

Free Printable CARE PACKAGE list

Free Printable College CARE PACKAGE list.  Click link for printable doc.

Here is what he is getting for his first care package surprise box:

• Schick Hydro Power select Razor 
• Schick Hyrdo Sensitive Shave Gel
• Schick Hydro 5 Refills
• Package of noodles
• Box of microwave popcorn
• Flavoring for water
• Protein bars

I decided to include the shaving supplies because a starving college student may forego shaving his beard for food. I want to help him always look his best. Since he is starting out his freshman year at Purdue, he has so many new things to remember! He may not get around to all of the comforts of home. So, when I stocked up for my daughter, I thought it would be a perfect time to grab some for his college care package.

Shopping for care package and Schick Supplies.

These products are great for the whole family. Our family has some unique skin allergies, and the Schick Hydro Shave Gel is great for us. We have no issues with this shave gel. That is such a relief. Below, are the benefits of Schick Hydro Shave Gel. We love that Schick Hydro Shave Gel is hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested.

Shick Selfie Sweepstakes

Anti-irritation formula soothes even sensitive skin

Infused with aloe and made with beard softening emollients

Forms a hydrating layer that helps soften, soothe, and protect your skin from the redness and irritation caused by shaving

Protects and soothes

Hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested

I can't wait to ship this care package of to college. I know he will be excited to get a surprise care package from his favorite Aunt. :)

Recommended:

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Prepackaged Care Package for College*


This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Schick®. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Helping Your Kids Stay Fit and Healthy

 Get Started with these Quick Parenting Tips Today

All parents want their children to be happy and healthy, but it's often difficult to encourage our kids to follow a healthy lifestyle, especially if they have grown used to sweet treats and like to spend a lot of their time in front of their screens. If you’re a parent who is concerned about their child’s health, or would just like a few useful tips to keep in mind, below are a some simple suggestions on how you can help your children stay fit and healthy. You know how to do it, getting started is the hard part. So, here's your motivation.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links for your convenience.

Diet

A good place to start is looking at your children’s diet and whether or not there need to be some changes here. You don’t have to feed your kid all organic food to make sure they maintain a good diet, and obviously, not all households can afford the more expensive products. If you want to make sure your kids are eating well, make sure they get plenty of fruits and vegetables and lots of good carbohydrates. 

Strawberry Raspberry Smoothie Recipe

If your kids are fussy eaters, think of creative ways to get them to eat a variety of foods, like making them a healthy smoothie or soup so the veggies and fruits are hidden from view. Also consider taking time to cook meals with your children so they can start to learn this important life skill and about nutrition and what constitutes a healthy diet. We've started ordering dinnerly, an economical food delivery service. Teenagers can cook their own gourmet meals or easy weeknight dinners, you choose the recipes each week.

After School Snack Planning Ideas Printable

Exercise

Sticking to a good exercise routine, can be difficult. Kids are no different. The best way to encourage your kids (and yourself) to get moving is by finding a sport or activity that they truly enjoy. By making exercise fun, kids are more likely to engage and exercise regularly, especially if their friends are involved. Get the family out and moving together on weekends, whether it’s going for hikes or playing Frisbee together in the park.

Outdoor Play Ideas

Oral Hygiene

As well as making sure they’re eating right and getting their hearts pumping, also watch out for your children's oral health. A lot of kids don’t like having to brush their teeth before bed, particularly if they’re already tired and cranky. However, this is an essential routine they need to get into early to avoid problems with their gums and tooth decay, which can be very painful and unpleasant. Make sure your kids brush their teeth twice a day, and be sure to teach them how to floss. If they hate toothpaste, have them brush with water to get the food out and then do an oral rinse.

Is Chewing Gum good for your Teeth?

Mental Health

Physical health is important, but your child’s mental well-being is also crucial to help them stay physically healthy. This isn't always as easy to see, but the best way you can help is by creating an environment at home where your child feels comfortable talking with you about their feelings and problems. If you discover concerning behaviors, ask your kids' teachers if they've noticed anything at school. The pandemic has been rough on everyone, but especially our kids.Make sure you're paying attention, any changes in behavior might be a cry for help. Kids are struggling with depression from being forced to stay inside.

Mental Health articles from Adventures of Kids Creative Chaos

Raising kids is the most challenging thing anyone can do. Keeping your kids fit and healthy is an important part of parenting. Hopefully, these tips will help you find new, creative ways to keep your kids happy and healthy. Be sure to click on the titles between the paragraphs above, for more detailed information on each topic.

As always, thanks for reading. You matter.

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Self Care Tips for Parents

A Guide to Taking Care of Yourself as a Parent

Self-care is often not a parent’s number one priority. First and foremost, they tend to the wants and needs of their child, and everything the parent wants and needs comes in a resounding second place. Parents need to take care of themselves to properly care for their children. We've compiled some self care tips for parents.

This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you click and purchase I get a commission.

Living without self care for too long, however, will do neither parents nor their children any good. It will lower the elder’s morale and make them more susceptible to fatigue, and the younger won’t get the care they need as a result. If you feel that you, as a parent, are guilty of not taking care of yourself as often as you need to, then, you need to make a change.

To see what you can do to take care of yourself without forgoing your responsibilities as a parent, be sure to check out the following self care tips for parents.

Guide on How to Take Care of Yourself as a Parent

Don’t be adverse to napping

If you find yourself with a bit of spare time on your hands (if your parents offer to have your child for the afternoon, for instance), don’t feel that you need to spend your free time cleaning the home or getting dinner ready. Spend your break wisely, even if that means taking a little nap. Sleeping is always an excellent idea for parents, especially those that feel particularly run down, and even a few minutes here and there will prove beneficial. No matter the time of the day, if you feel in need of some rejuvenation, just get your head down for a nap!

Exercise regularly

On the other hand, physical activity can also prove to be a significant benefit in this instance. Whether you head to the gym, go on a run, take a brisk walk, or workout at home while your child is playing or sleeping, you will release endorphins around your body when you engage in physical activity, and these endorphins will make you feel instantly more positive. When you are tasked with the demanding job of being a parent, being positive as often as you can is pivotal, which, in turn, makes exercising regularly a must.

If you really are opposed to strength training and cardio work, then why not try yoga? This form of exercise, whether it’s rigorous or gentle, will release the endorphins as mentioned above just as well. What’s more, it will keep you in shape both physically and mentally to boot. Making you a better parent!

Engage in therapy

Sometimes, all you need to do to take care of yourself as a parent is to engage in therapy. When you talk to a neutral third-party, you'll be able to dump a lot of the feelings, fears, and worries that you have long carried around with you without having to worry about what your friends and family may think about you. The neutral advice that they offer will also allow you to see your life from a whole new perspective. Again, this will make you a better parent.

For more information on how you can engage in a therapeutic program, especially that that is centered around substance abuse and mental health, make sure to check out Forwardrecovery.com. With compassionate and effective programs on offer, Forward Recovery could help you to become not only a better person but a better parent.

By making a point of taking care of yourself, both you and your child will benefit. Take the advice laid out in the guide above, then, and start putting yourself first for a change. Self care while you're parenting is essential to a healthy family life. Don't feel guilty to the time you need for yourself!

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