Birthday Party Strategy for Kids

Happy 6th Birthday, Sage!

My Birthday Party Strategy for Kids:

1.  Plan long birthday parties - 3 or 4 hours (I learned this from our German friends when we lived in Germany.)

2.  Invite the number of kids of the age of the Birthday Kid.  (Sage turned 6 so she invited 6 friends.)

3.  Realize that kids enjoy having free time at a birthday party.  (I learned this from Mrs. Updike, Noah and Danny's 7th-grade teacher.)

4.  Ask everyone in the family to choose one game/activity and be prepared to lead this game/activity at the party.  (I know, I know...this is very similar to our Holiday Strategy.)  

Joyce chose to paint fingernails and play "Penny, Penny."  

Painting Nails

Sage chose to play "Do You Love Your Neighbor?" and "Dude." 

I chose my favorite,  "Duck, Duck, Goose"

Danny chose to decorate the cake.

Mercy led kids in a game called "Challenge." 

Noah prepared a Treasure Hunt.

Treasure Hunt

Oak led the kids in an outdoor game of Hide-and-Seek.

The volleyball post was Home Base.

I feel that my kids' birthday parties have been very successful, but also very fun and low-stress for me.    

The boys didn't stick around for all of Sage's party, but they were happy to be involved in their part of it.  

We almost have too many people in our family for #4 part of my strategy.  For example, Sage's party was 3 hours long, and we didn't have any free time.  The girls would have loved an hour just to play together.  We had a great time playing games, though!  

The girls have even contributed games to teenage parties.  I remember Mercy choosing to play "Duck, Duck, Goose" at a party that Noah planned with his 16-year-olds friends, and it was actually a big hit.  

Sage loves dancing.