Tip 1

Parents ask me all the time, "How should I organize the events at my party?" In the countless magic shows that I've done for Las Vegas and Henderson birthday parties, I've found that the ideal order of events is to have the entertainer first, around 15 minutes after the scheduled start of the party. Serve the food after the entertainment.

At this point your birthday party planning could go in a couple of directions. You could have the presents opened followed by the traditional happy birthday singing finishing with cake and ice cream. Another option is to reverse it and have the cake and ice cream first and the presents last. Personally, I feel it's best to have the cake and ice cream last. Why not have the inevitable "sugar high" when it's time for all the children leave and go home?!

There has also been a recent trend to not open gifts at all during the party. Some parents feel the guests start to feel guilty or restless during the opening of gifts. Other parents view gift opening as a tradition that makes their child feel special and would never think of leaving it out. This choice is completely up to you.

Tip 2

It is best to serve easy to handle food such as hot dogs or pizza. Juice Boxes can be easy and reduce spills. If your having an outdoor party, a really fun idea is to buy all the ingredients to make banana splits or sundaes and let the children create their own and let the kids run through the sprinkler or get hosed down afterwards. This is a very fun idea for the young ones.

Tip 3

Limit the party time to two hours or less for children less than six years of age. Up to three hours is fine for older children.

Tip 4

If you're having an outdoor party, have a back up plan in case of inclement weather. You never know when it will get too hot in Las Vegas and Henderson!

Tip 5

If you plan on having games, here's a clever idea: dress up all the kids with extra large clothing. The children stuff their cloths with balloons and then have a very funny, silly relay race. It is a great photo opportunity! If you do have games and decide to have a reward or prize for the winner, make sure that, "everyone did so well that you're all winners" and give each child a prize. The key here is making the party memorable for everyone and not just the birthday child. Parents will thank you!