Birthday party planning for boys should start with following the boys' interests, especially in the elementary school years. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
The Venue
In the Home. Having a birthday party in your home can be cost-effective. The cons to having it at home are the cleanup involved, and everything needs to be purchased separately, including food, party decorations, paper goods and entertainment. The pros are that you have ultimate control over what is going to be purchased and what activities will take place.
A Party Place. Many venues specialize in children's birthday parties. Advantages to having the party in one of these places include no cleanup, instant entertainment and maybe food. Supervision is often up to the parents and staff of the venue. Disadvantages are that these parties can be costly, and they aren't original. In fact, you may find that several of the boys from the same class are having their birthday party in the same place.
The Activities
No matter what age the birthday boy will be, birthday parties should be planned with a choice of the boy's interests as the theme. Generally speaking, the number of guests should be around the same number as the age that the birthday boy is turning. For example, five guests for a five-year-old. There are many ways to create a party around a theme, such as race cars, trains, super heroes or karate. Have each category relate to the theme, and the party will work. The party categories include craft, food, entertainment and party favors. Think of something for each category that goes with the theme, prepare them in order and the party will be a success. This may involve bringing in hired entertainment, such as a clown or magician.
But, for the younger set, you could purchase crafts from a discount store. Kids also like to decorate cookies and cupcakes. For a healthier alternative, decorate apples with raisins and mini-marshmallows on toothpicks.
Preteens and Teens
Boys age twelve and older have mostly outgrown the traditional birthday party, and they would usually prefer an outing that includes a number of their friends. Outing ideas could include pizza and a movie, a sporting event, a trip to a local rollercoaster or water park or something else that he enjoys doing with friends.
 | If you view the party from a pint-sized perspective when you think of kids birthday party ideas, you can make a birthday party the stuff of lasting memories. |
 | Baseball birthday parties are lots of fun to plan, and easy to throw. There are many ways to turn baseball themes into party ideas, so take or adapt any or all of these to suit your baseball birthday party needs. |
 | Whatever method you choose for decorating simple birthday cake recipes, the decorations will stand out and bring something special to the birthday cake. You can also decorate it in a large box tied with a colorful ribbon. |
If your child cannot tear himself away from the television when "Bob the Builder" is on, then consider holding a construction-themed birthday party that will let kids play with their hands. |
Party food should be the last thing you should stress over when you are planning a kids birthday party. Handling a room full of kids is no small feat, so low-maintenance party food is a must. |
