Want to “WOW” your little ones this year? Want to hear, “You know, Mom, you’re actually pretty cool,” from your teenager? Then plan a birthday bash that will blow them away and make their event the talk of the school.

And don’t worry about going over the top – there is no such thing! Bigger and better is the trend. Perhaps it’s the influence of MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16,” but kids’ parties today are more like mini weddings than the pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey events you grew up with. “People are getting more elaborate in terms of talent, activities and catering,” says Jennifer Herrick of Chic Showers and Events. “People are spending more money now than in the 15 years I’ve been in the business.”

In fact, Herrick recently planned a brother/sister combo birthday party (ages 2 and 3). The parents spent $2,000 for 75 guests! She estimates that most parties cost between $400 and $2,000.

Party theme: The most important detail of all
Throwing a memorable party is no cakewalk. A zillion details will surely go into the planning. But the most critical decision you will have to make is what your party’s theme will be.  And once you nail down a great concept, most everything else will fall into place.

We talked to a handful of local party planners and developed a list of the 10 most creative birthday parties ever, divided by age groups. We hope they get your creative juices flowing. (Costs vary depending on the number of guests.)


Ages 0-5

Party theme:  Finding Nemo
For boys and girls
Location: At home or a park
How it might work: Have lots of goldfish cracker snacks.  Plan a silly game like bobbing for apples, but instead of a bucket, fill an infant-sized inflatable pool with rubber fish kids have to pull out with their teeth. Bubble machines are a must to create an underwater party. Plan a craft young children can make that is fish- or aquatic-themed, such as a paper-plate Dory fish. Color the plate blue, cut out a triangle for the mouth. Attach construction paper triangle fins and draw an eye.
Party favors: Decorate small goldfish bowls and fill them with candy
Approximate cost: $185-$475
Invitation idea: Print wording on vellum paper and attach to a card from a Finding Nemo Memory Card game by threading an orange ribbon through a hole-punch.  Use clear bubble wrap as the envelope for an under water effect.

Party theme:  Backyardigans
For boys and girls
Location: At home or a park
How it might work: Buy character plates, table cloths, napkins and balloons. Decorate with posters of all the characters (available at party stores). Designate one table as the craft table with Play-Doh, rollers and cookie cutters. Be sure to get a Backyardigans cake or cupcakes!
Party favors: Small Bakyardigan stuffed toys
Approximate cost: $185-$300
Invitation idea: The birthday boy can help decorate colorful card stock with Backyardigans stickers.  First, print wording that reads:   “Hi, I'm Pablo, my name’s Tyrone, I’m Uniqua, I’m Tasha and my name’s Austin and we’re . . . Your backyard friends, the Backyardigans!  We’re all inviting you to join (first and last name of birthday child) for his (how old they will be) birthday party.  But we’re not going to have just any old party – we’re going to have a fun Backyardigans adventure party!  That's right; we’ve got the whole wide world in our yard to explore.”

Party theme: Little Mermaid
For boys and girls
Location: At home or a park
How it might work:  Hire a “Little Mermaid” to tell the kids a story, hand out party favors, paint faces and lead games. Most bounce-house vendors have Little Mermaid-themed jumpies. Be sure to play the Little Mermaid soundtrack, and decorate the tables with sand and seashells. Print out Little Mermaid coloring pages from the Internet.
Party favors: Give a live goldfish in either a mini fish bowl or plastic bag (including care instructions and a small food supply)
Approximate cost: $200-$400
Invitation idea: Purchase clear plastic bottles from Oriental Trading Company.  Put sand, little shells and a rolled-up invitation in the bottle.  The bottles can be sent at the post office or hand delivered.


Ages 6-10

Party theme: Pirates
For boys
Location: At home or a park
How it might work:  Hire a “pirate” to lead the kids on a “treasure hunt” – hide gold-coin chocolates, plastic gems and other “booty” throughout the property. Whether you plan it or not, boys will stage mock sword fights so why not have the talent give a sword fighting lesson? Decorations include red, black and white balloons and a large pirate flag. Use small boxes or plastic treasure chests filled with sand and plastic jewels as centerpieces. For a craft, have the kids make their own treasure map out of tan craft paper or paper grocery bags.
Party favors: Send each child home with a pirate hat, eye patch and sword.
Approximate cost: $150-$400
Invitation idea: Make a treasure map out of sand- colored card stock. Come up with fun pirate wording like, “Ahoy there mateys!”  After you finish printing the wording, tear the edges of the paper for a worn effect.  (If you’re really turbo, you could singe the edges slightly.)

Party theme: Safari party
For boys and girls
Location: The local zoo, at home or a park
How it might work: Pass out a Pith helmet as each guest arrives, with a name badge. Place safari animals all around the yard for a “zoo effect.” Rent a kid-sized train or jeep to drive around the yard, neighborhood or park. For a craft, make binoculars out of toilet paper rolls. Decorations can include animal print table cloths (zebra, giraffe) and animal placemats. Animal masks are inexpensive and can be really fun.
Party favors: Send home photos of each child with the birthday boy wearing their masks, along with a box of animal crackers
Approximate cost: $250-$600
Invitation idea: Playful animal prints set the stage for a wild time.  Pottery Barn Kids has pre-printed safari invitations and thank you notes.

Party theme:  American Girl Party
For girls
Location: At home
How it might work:  Jana Phillips of the South Orange County Activity Center in Laguna Niguel throws all-inclusive American Girl Tea Parties centered on the Felicity, Josephina, Samantha and Molly dolls.  Each doll is from a different era, and the party will follow that same theme.  Samantha is a turn of the 20th century doll, so Phillips has the girls help bake a gingerbread cake and make personalized calling cards.  She provides all the utensils, tablecloths and tableware – and these are the real thing, no plastic here.  Girls get to eat the treat they’ve baked and sip Phillips’ fresh-made raspberry lemonade.  She always plans an activity; for the 1940s Molly doll party the girls learn a boogie woogie dance.  Finally, customized goody bags are included and filled with era-themed gifts.
Approximate cost: $250 for 8 girls, maximum
Invitation idea:  Phillips includes custom-designed invites in her cost.  How easy is that?


Ages 11-16

Party theme: Skateboard
For boys
Location: At home or a park
How it might work: Hire a skateboard instructor to give professional lessons to the kids. They’ll bring in the skate ramp, boards, helmets and other equipment and teach the kids all about grinding, ollies and drop-ins.
Party favors: Skateboard stickers from skate clothing manufactures, such as Volcom and Etnies.
Approximate cost:  $300-$700
Invitation idea: Download a graphic of a boy riding a skateboard. Print the image and party wording on card stock. Be sure to include information on safety equipment. On the opposite side of the card, affix a sticker from a skateboard manufacturer (purchased for $1 or less at any board shop).  

Party theme: Surf Party
Boys and girls
Location: The beach
How it might work: Similar to the skateboard theme, but with a surfing lesson instead. Follow the lessons with a bonfire and barbecue, with a surfer-themed soundtrack playing lots of Beach Boys, and of course, “Wipe Out.”  Tiki torches around the bonfire will set the scene.
Approximate cost: $400-$700
Invitation idea: Local party stores have lots of beach and Hawaii-themed invitations.  Be sure wording includes: “Don’t forget to bring your swim suit!”

Party theme: Bowling Party
For boys and girls
Location: A bowling alley
How it might work: This party is great because it’s so low-maintenance. The bowling alley will do it all in terms of equipment and lanes. (It would be a good idea to purchase a few extra pairs of socks for kids that forget theirs.) You can bring food and drinks, or buy them there. Lots of bowling alleys now offer midnight glow-in-the-dark bowling parties.
Party favors: Give each guest a t-shirt with glow-in-the-dark lettering that says something like, “Connor’s 12th Birthday, August 2008.”
Approximate cost: $200-$500
Invitation idea: Cut out of white construction paper a bowling pin and make black and red lines on the front to read: “Please SPARE an afternoon and SPLIT to a party as we celebrate...”

Party theme: Pampered Princess Party
For girls
Location:  Day Spa
How it might work: Treat your princess and her imperial court of friends to a day of royal pampering.  Guests can choose between a spa manicure or half-hour facial, and the birthday girl herself gets a one-hour massage.  Many day spas offering such packages, such as Spa Gregorie in Newport Beach, have private party rooms equipped with large-screen TVs for showing movies and sound systems for playing music.  Many offer lunch menus, or will allow you to provide your own catering.
Party favors: A “pedicure package” of nail polish, polish remover, toe separators, nail file and jewel embellishments.
Approximate cost:  $300-$800
Invitation idea: Purchase a mini princess wand and attach the invitation (on pink card stock, of course!) to the wand with lots of curly ribbon.  These can still be sent in an envelope with extra postage.
Approximate cost:  $300-$800

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Go Truckin’!
A different concept in partying

Spider Man and The Little Mermaid will always be crowd pleasers at any child’s birthday party – but not so much with tweens and teens.  Planning a great party for those age groups can be somewhat of a challenge, as their entertainment level has matured far beyond the Disney years.

One creative solution for a tween/teen party just rolled into town: The Game Truck – a video-game arcade on wheels.  It pulls right up to your house, so you can conveniently stage the party from your home – curbside. Inside the air-conditioned trailer, up to 16 kids can have a great time playing the same video game, simultaneously, on four plasma screens, with surround sound.

Party-goers are supervised by a game coach who helps kids understand the mechanics of each video game. The game coach also works closely with parents to select the appropriate games.

Sounds expensive, right? Considering that parents can easily drop $500 for food, entertainment and party favors at, say, a birthday party in the park, the Game Truck is fairly reasonable:

Friday-Sunday (weekend pricing)
$275 (plus tax) for a standard two-hour party. Additional hours can be added at $85/hour (plus tax)
 
Monday-Thursday (weekday pricing)
$250 (plus tax) for a standard two-hour party.  Additional hours can be added at $75/hour (plus tax)

For more details or to book a party, call 888.602.GAME(4263).
gametruckparty.com


Kid Commentary:

 “My favorite party themes are ones at the water park, or hair and nail parties. I like birthday parties because of friends, and because I get to have fun and try new things.” Caley,11, of Temecula

 “My favorite party is a bowling party. I like birthday parties because of the games, the cake and running around with my friends.” Joel, 8, of Ladera Ranch


A sweet idea
You didn’t think we’d forget the most important part did you? The cake! Everybody wants cake at a birthday party, but who wants to cut 50 slices, place them on plates and hand out forks? Skip all that hassle with cupcakes.

“In the last two years, more of my clients have requested cupcakes,” says Herrick. “They’re individually decorated and easier to serve, plus you can build a cupcake tower, which is really fun.”  (If you want to get truly creative, try a Ding-Dong tower or a donut tower.)

Bakeries can certainly do cupcakes as easily as sheet cakes, so check with your favorite for ideas. In fact, Whitney Krudwig, owner of Baked Specialties, says cupcakes are more affordable than cakes at $3-4 per person, verses $4-6 for a cake. “You can do so much more with cupcakes in terms of design and presentation,” she says. “Plus, kids get a kick out of having ‘their own.’  It makes it an experience for the guest.”

If you want to do-it-yourself, Costco is now offering cupcakes with white or chocolate frosting and confetti sprinkles. “They’re huge, and kids love them,” says Herrick. “Plus, they’re really affordable.”


Steps to planning a great party

1. Choose a theme with your child.
2. Pick a date.
3. Decide on a budget (and stick with it!).  Plan the party accordingly – a little can go a long way.
4. Plan the guest list.
5. Make or order invitations.
6. Hire talent (Balloon Artist, Face Painter, Themed Character, Bubbleologist, etc.).
7. Plan decorations.
8. Plan food and favors.

Need help planning your child’s next birthday bash? Go to ocfamily.com for a comprehensive list of party planners in the area.

Elisabeth Handley is a contributing writer for Inland Empire Family magazine.

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