Planning Birthday Serenade

Preparing The Perfect Birthday - How To Make Planning Quick And Easy

Birthdays rank as the most important date of the year for many young children. Besides the cake and the presents, it's a day when families communicate that a child is special and loved.

For a parent, this can mean a whole lot of pressure and money. Statistics Canada hasn't yet studied the birthday party economy, but with 5.5 million kids 13 and under…that can add up to some serious dollars and serious stress in planning.

Across Canada, time-starved parents may find it extremely difficult to fit birthday party planning into their busy lives, especially when they want it to be a memorable party for their child. But there are quick and easy ways to plan parties that will leave parents with the energy to actually enjoy the party, and more importantly, won't have them dreading next year's bash.

The most important thing to remember is that you don't need ponies and jugglers to create memories for your child. Instead, focus on simple ideas and take advantage of your child's active imagination by letting them help with theme and activity ideas.

According to www.sunsationalkids.com, theme parties are wonderful because they set the stage for the gifts, activities and party favours, and best of all, they take much of the guess work out of the most important step of a party…proper planning. Other tips include:
1. Think about how old your child is turning because each age has different interests
2. Grab a notebook and sit down with your child (if they are over the infant/toddler age) and discuss with them what type of party they have in mind.
3. Create a list of people to invite (four to six children for ages one to three, ten to twelve children for ages four to 12).

The absolute easiest way to throw a birthday party for your child is to do it at a venue that will either plan the party for you or at least include all the required elements. For example, little girls who love Barbie are all going to want a Barbie Birthday Popcorn Party for their next birthday. Available at Famous Players theatres across the country, the Barbie Birthday Popcorn Party is a full birthday package with a Barbie twist. The birthday girl receives Barbie-themed invitations to send out to her friends, and the large party includes Barbie decorations, Barbie loot bags, and a personalized Barbie cake.

"We've worked with Famous Players to create three totally Barbie-themed birthday packages that no Barbie fan can resist," says Erica Van Kamp, Marketing Manager, Girls Brands, Mattel Canada Inc. "These parties are not only great for the girls, but also for the parents - a Popcorn Party coordinator does all the planning for you, and is even on hand to help out during the party. For more information call 1-888-3-FAMOUS."

Other venues also offer inexpensive birthday party packages. Check out your local zoo, favourite family restaurant, bowling alley, community pool, or skating rink.

If you are going to plan the party at home, it still doesn't have to be a stressful task. Just get creative and use the internet for some great theme ideas like Hot Wheels, princess, Barney, and Blue's Clues.

Whether you choose to have a party at home or at a venue such as Famous Players, just remember that the best part of any birthday party is that you are creating memories for your birthday girl or boy that will last a lifetime. Don't forget your camera!

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.


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Girls Birthday Party Themes Opus

Birthday Party Themes That Put Little Girls Centre Stage

The mere thought of planning a birthday party fit for a princess can cause parents to panic - but there's no need to stress because with the proper theme, your little girl's party can be a huge success.

According to birthdayuniversity.com, kid's parties have evolved significantly over the years, and are getting more original everyday. Long gone are the days when the party was held in the backyard, and the guests feasted on hotdogs, homemade chocolate cake and ice cream, followed by a few rounds of pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs.

Now, outside venues like restaurants, theatres and theme parks are all the rage, and colourful birthday cakes in the shape of popular characters such as Barney are every kid's expectation.

Party themes have become increasingly elaborate too, and play a more central role in kids' birthdays. To take the stress out of selecting a theme, entertaining.about.com suggests that you should use your child's interests as a guide and take advantage of their imagination to help give them a party they won't forget.

One theme that is always popular with little girls is Barbie. Parents across Canada can make it easy on themselves by having a Barbie Birthday Popcorn Party at their local Famous Players theatre. A full birthday package with a Barbie twist, the birthday girl receives Barbie-themed invitations to send out to her friends, and the large party includes Barbie decorations, Barbie loot bags, and a personalized Barbie cake.

"We're pleased to provide parents with an option that makes picking a birthday party theme that much easier," says Erica Van Kamp, Marketing Manager, Girls Brands, Mattel Canada Inc. "We've worked with Famous Players to create two totally Barbie-themed birthday packages that every little girl will love. For more information call 1-888-3-FAMOUS."

If you're having trouble picking a theme that will delight your little girl and her friends, there are several online resources that offer advice. Websites such as birthdaypartyideas.com and amazingmoms.com provide various theme ideas and suggestions from parents on how to select and create party themes that meet your needs and make your child feel special.

Check out birthdaypartyideas.com to get great theme ideas, such as these:
- Dress-up Party - Pick up some nail polish, hair accessories, makeup, and dress-up clothes. Then, provide each girl with her own individual makeover followed by a photo shoot.
- Princess Party - Make your little girl feel like royalty - decorate her throne with pastel streamers and balloons, give her a tiara, let the guests make their own wands and then serve a Princess Castle Cake.
- Tea Party - Have everyone dress up and pretend to be grownups while pouring and sipping tea. Set up tables in the backyard with flowered tablecloths and matching tea set, and let each guest decorate their own teacup.
- Stargazing Party - Pitch some tents for a backyard sleepover, borrow or rent a telescope, and purchase a star map from your local hobby shop.

Whether you're planning a party in the backyard, or at a venue outside of the home, save yourself time and eliminate most of the typical birthday party frustration by picking a simple theme that meets your budget and expectations.

News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web.

Winter Family Fun Opus

Winter Blahs Become Family Fun

After spending another dreary winter Sunday with not much to do I decided our family needed an exciting activity. I thought I needed a break from planning dinner so I'd give myself a break and give them an activity.

I told my children that they were in charge of dinner tonight. They'd each need to prepare one part of the meal- their choice. Three of my four children were home and quite excited about the prospect of dinner plans. Even my sixteen year old son, who only gets excited about playing hockey was in to it. My husband wasn't as keen on the idea.

Each of my children started their dinner plans. They ran to the computer to locate good recipes. I sent them to Simply Delicious ( http://dateable.com/simplydelicious/) where they found some good recipes. They pulled out cookbooks and ran to find their supplies. Of course, what I thought would be a treat for me turned into a bit of extra work but watching everyone scurrying around the kitchen was fun.

My husband didn't realize I meant business and when he returned to the kitchen I told him if he wanted dinner he too needed to bring something to the meal. He's not much of a cook so he took out our dusty juice maker and went to work. He used up a good amount of old fruit and resurrected the use of the juice maker.

What started out as a boring Sunday became a wonderful way for our family to spend quality time together. The kids learned some new recipes and we're back to using our juice maker!!

Sarah Zanger is a freelance writer and mother of four. She is an editor at Dateable.com. Dateable.com is an exciting online community for singles, couples and romance lovers. Dateable.com has romantic resources, advice, poetry, message boards, event postings, greeting cards, contests, personals, opinion polls and more. You can visit Dateable.com at http://dateable.com.

Father's Day Poem

Celebrating Fathers

On Father's Day, we celebrate the guys in our lives. Not just our dads and the fathers to our children, but all the men who have made a positive impact on a child’s life.

A number of recently published studies call attention to the effects of good fathering. Men who play an active role in their children’s lives stimulate all aspects of development: emotional, academic, behavioral, and social, even when those men don’t live in the same home as their children.

But we don’t need a study to understand that the men in our lives matter, whether he’s a husband who lives at home, an ex-husband who lives across town, a stepfather, a grandfather, an uncle, or a mentor in the community.

Even from a child’s conception, a supportive father makes a difference in the lives of mothers, their children, and the world-at-large. In fact, research shows that women with supportive partners experience fewer health complications in pregnancy and have better attitudes about the inevitable physical changes to their own bodies. Studies indicate that even labor and delivery may be shorter and easier when your partner is by your side.

Men lend a sense of self-control. They model their work ethic. They make us laugh and help us develop a sense of humor. Men teach self-reliance, self-confidence, discipline, independence, and the ability to deal with frustrations, large and small. They help their daughters understand how to relate to men and the meaning of trust and intimacy in all relationships. They help their sons understand what it means to be a husband and a father and a man.

This Father’s Day, let us remember the father’s role. Let us actively engage him in this day-to-day process of parenting. Let us stand back so he can take charge and do things his way once in a while. Let us see his parenting style as a complement - and not an opposition - to our own.

Let us celebrate our fathers and honor them for making a difference in our world.

Susie Michelle Cortright is the founder and publisher of Momscape, a website devoted to nurturing the nurturers through empowering articles, inspiring essays, and daily pampering tips, as well as freebies, contests, and giveaways just for moms. Visit her at http://www.momscape.com and get inspired to be the best mom you can be.