- How much money do I want to spend?
- How many kids should I invite?
- Should I do a party for family and another for their friends?
Let's look at each question and some options to help guide you.
How Much Money to Spend
This is probably the most important and the most personal decision you have to make. How much money you can spend will determine the best answers for the rest of your questions. Generally you can expect to spend anywhere from $50 for chips, pizza, beverages, and cake to over $1000 for catering, hall rental, entertainment, and decorations. Most families can expect to spend around $300-$400 dollars for a nice party at home with food and entertainment. When considering you options remember that quality children's entertainment will run you anywhere from $125 to $300 and up.
How Many Kids to Invite
How much Tylenol do you have? How many kids to invite will depend on two main factors; how much you want to spend and where you are having the party. The average party usually has 8-12 children.
If you decide to have the party at your house you need to consider how big your home is and what activities you have planned. A small home will obviously limit your guest list while a large home allows you to invite more. No matter the size of your home a well structured party will allow you to have more children and they will be easier to manage. Consider having a professional children's entertainer come and entertain the children. A good entertainer can take control of a group of kids and keep them captivated for 45 minutes or more.
Having the party at another location is a good alternative to opening up your home. There are many places in the Albany NY area that have package options for birthdays. Some good ideas to consider would be; bowling centers, laser tag, museums, or play centers. Firehouses and church hall are great places to have parties with big guest lists.
One Party or Two?
This comes back to where you are having the birthday party and how much you have budgeted. A good rule of thumb is to have a combined party up until they reach school age then have a kids party and a small family party after that. If you have a small family, you can continue to to have a combined party.
Congratulations! You should now have a general idea of what your party is going to look like. You can start planning the details and purchasing supplies. Good Luck!
Chris "Magicman" LaBarge
