Notes for Planning a Child's Party

Birthday parties...we all plan for them, we all attend them, and from my experience, we are beginning to attend them earlier and more frequently (whether to our delight or dismay).

If you are planning the party, your “mommy to-do” list is endless, from the invitations to the balloons, to the goody bags, the gifts, the food, the cake, the attire and the looming “thank-you” cards (which will begin your new to-do list).  All this, and you may not have even settled on the destination yet.

You know your objective is a couple of hours of endless fun and laughter, which would please even the most active and ornery toddler, but your confidence in how to accomplish this is that of a middle-schooler. 

I speak from experience when a say that there is a way that planning a child's birthday party can be done fairly stress-free, as I have just planned and successfully hosted my daughter’s third birthday party.

Not finding my house to be suitable for fifteen, fresh-air deprived, two and three year olds, we decided on a local venue —Flip Flop Gymnastics, located in Westhampton. It proved to be a great decision for us.

Flip Flop offered our children and their friends the opportunity to stretch and play the beloved “parachute” game, followed by free play in their age-appropriate obstacle course.  Children were shown how to bounce and jump on various trampolines and mats, as well as tumble, crawl, and walk balance beams.  Children also had the opportunity to get their wiggles and jiggles out jumping into the foam pit and hanging from the parallel bars.

There were two party helpers, who were very energetic and engaging. We were lucky enough to have Mark, who inspired the children by showing off his amazing gymnastic skills throughout the party, providing flips and mid-air twists that left us all amazed.

After playing, my children and their friends enjoyed pizza and cake, along with the beverages and goody bags, which we supplied. Included in the party package were balloons, paper goods, invitations and a t-shirt for my daughter.

Of course, planning a party for a large group of little children requires preparation, organization and a lot of coffee and prayers, but there are options that provide for a fairly simple and enjoyable experience, for both the kids and parents.

We are fortunate that where we live, there are a number of options available for such events. Although with a one and three year old, I am a novice party planner myself, I have come across and attended a few other fun places to host a party as well. Here is a list of a few of them.

1. Beach Bakery

The Beach Bakery, which offers baking parties, is located at 112 Main Street in Westhampton Beach. For more information, call (631) 288-6552.

2. The Castle at Casa Basso

Located at 59 Montauk Highway in Westhampton Beach, the Castle at Casa Basso offers pirate and princess parties. For more information, call (631) 288-1841.

3. Studio Art

Studio art, which is located at 22 Sunset Avenue in Westhampton Beach offers a variety of art and craft parties. For more information, call (631) 998-0563.

4. Sportstime

Located on Route 104 in Quogue, Sportstime has parties are available for those four years and older.

Other options include Bounce N Play in Center Moriches and Safari Adventure, Atlantis Marine World and Safe T Swim, all in Riverhead.

Whether you are planning a party at a local venue or hosting at your own home, best of luck and be sure that you enjoy yourself too.