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Throughout the year, in many homes the special day to celebrate the childs birthday arrives and the possibility of organising a party at home is considered. Although it may sometimes look like a difficult task, it can be done without any problems.
 
The invitations can be sent in the post and even be informally designed in a fun way by the children themselves, with help from their parents. It is important to state the time the party will end, so that the parents come to collect the children, although the details can also be established, and attendance confirmed, over the telephone.
 
Firstly, you must decide on the room which is going to be used, depending on the number of guests, how it is to be decorated and the food which is to be served, as well as the music (depending on the age of the guests) and whether there are going to be games to liven up the party.
 
A piece of practical advice is to put all fragile and dangerous items out of reach and decorate the room with paper decorations and streamers. In order to make it look even more festive you can release some coloured balloons, in such a way that they hang from the ceiling, and in order to ensure that they stay up there a little longer, you can rub them with a nylon cloth so that the static electricity makes them stick to the ceiling for longer.
 
Fun menus
Although it is usually the parents who are in charge of organising these celebrations,  it is recommendable that the children take part in preparing the party and making decisions, either by helping with the decorations or by performing any other activity, in order to stimulate their sense of responsibility.
 
One option may be to have a themed party, so that the celebrations will be even more fun. Both the invitations and the menu itself, as well as the decorations and the games will be related to the chosen theme and this will ensure the partys success in a simple and entertaining way. Whether it is jungle animals or dragons, you can turn the party into a circus where everyone comes dressed up or organise a circus in the garden& anything goes.
 
It is preferable to go for cheap plates, glasses, table cloths and cutlery, which can easily be recycled later. Nowadays, there are numerous shops where you can acquire brightly coloured plastic or paper utensils.
 
You must take into account the age of the guests when planning the menu. It must be something easy to eat, with fun shapes and different colours. Although it is a party, there is no need to overdo the sweets or snacks. You can make unusually shaped sandwiches. There are animal-shaped cutters for this purpose in the shops which make this job easier and guarantee success.
 
The food should be out of the childrens reach so that they do not attack it before it is time to eat. You can make small pizzas and hamburgers interspersed with bowls of crisps, sausages and little bread rolls with different fillings, both sweet and savoury, (ham, salami, chocolate spread, cheese&) so that if there is something that a child does not like, they can always choose another one.
 
You can also make fun kebabs, rolling up slices of bread with slices of ham and cheese and then cutting them into pieces. They are put together by alternating them with olives and are browned slightly in a frying pan. The final touch can be to serve them with a yoghurt sauce or cream cheese.
 
Desserts and cold drinks
At this time of year, fruit is a good option, either in the form of milkshakes or served with different flavours of jelly. Puddings, tarts and chocolate sponges are a must at this kind of party as are ice creams, but it is better not to serve custard or jam, as they can cause problems.
 
When it comes to drinks, there should always be water, which children drink a lot of. Soft drinks should also be served although, if you have time, it is preferable to make homemade milkshakes, freshly squeezed fruit juices and lemonades. The drinks should be served at room temperature, because children usually sweat whilst they are playing.
 
Whether it is held on a working day or at a weekend, the party should be organised to allow sufficient time to enjoy both the lunch (or afternoon tea) and the games and subsequent entertainment, be they childrens entertainers or clowns.
 
When the time comes to say goodbye, it is sensible to have prepared everything in advance, since children are usually reluctant to stop playing. The young host must see their guests out, thanking them for coming and for their presents.