Really cool party ideas for kids

Having performed at hundreds of kid's parties in the past 20 years, I have a unique perspective on the do's and don'ts of kid's parties.

Let's Do the Do's first

1. Plan well in advance. The best clowns, jugglers, facepainters and bounce castles get all booked up anywhere from weeks to months before events.

2. Have a back up plan in case the weather turns bad. Clowns, for example, can work indoors or out. But pony rides and bounce castles usually can't.

3. Plan for late arrivals. It's a lot of work getting kids ready for a party. Just assume people will run late. If you hire the face painter from 12 to 1 and half the kids get there at 1, the face painter will be leaving right as they get there and they will get left out of the fun.

4. Have a party theme. It really helps make a cohesive event. There are many themes. A few are Pirates, Renaissance, Harry Potter, American Girls, circus, outer space, goth, or luau. Let the entertainer know the theme so they can dress accordingly.

5. Have a treasure hunt or scavenger hunt around your yard or home. Hide 'treasures' and provide clues.

6. If there are all different ages and sizes of children, make sure you provide a little kids time and a big kids time in bounce castles, games, and projects.

7. Craft parties can be a lot of fun. Let the kids make their own party hats or decorate their own cupcakes.

8. Keep it simple. Little children can get overwhelmed easily.

9. When it comes to parties, girls and boys have different needs. Make sure the party offers something for both genders.

10. Send out invitations early. It's amazing how overbooked families get.

Now for the Don'ts

1. Don't make the party too long. Grumpy sugar filled children stop having fun and start looking for trouble.

2. Don't spend the rent money. Stick to a budget. Especially if the child is under 5, they won't remember the party years later anyway.

3. Don't assume everyone can eat sugar. Have some alternatives for those with allergies. Label food so people know if it has peanuts or animal products in it. Have an assortment of drinks.

4. Don't have two big entertainment items going at the same time. I remember one party where they called the kids in to open presents when I still have half an hour to go as a clown and the pony rides were leaving in half an hour. All the kids ran inside, no one was watching the clown, and no one was riding the ponies. They probably paid $500 to have us standing there alone.

5. Don't assume the entertainer is the babysitter. You can't park the kids in the front yard with the clown while you go in the backyard and drink with all your friends. Kids that don't want to watch the show will wander off, walk into the street, etc. They need an adult supervisor.

6. Don't forget to pay the caterers, entertainers etc. before their time is up. Overtime is expensive and you will make the people late for their next party. Don't make them come hunt you down. Don't leave the party without leaving their payment with someone.

7. Don't forget to take photos or videos.

8. If it's a wedding reception and there are children present, don't forget some type of kid's activity.

A wandering juggler or balloon artist or a strolling magician are good choices.

9. Don't have a pinata without explaining the safety rules. Getting hit in the head with a bat is not a good way to have fun. My personal rule is once the hitter is done, get them out from under the pinata and then allow the kids to rush in. You might want to let the kids under 10 go first. Or let the girls go first.

10. Don't expect the clown to sit down and have cake and hang out and open presents. You can offer them a plate of food to go but don't be surprised if they turn it down. They will most likely be off to the next event and eating will damage their make-up and ruin the clown illusion. Many clowns have a 'no eating, drinking alcohol, or smoking' rule while in costume.

I hope these tips help and I wish you many fun and joyful parties.