How to plan a back-to-school party for the kids?
If there’s one thing to get your kids excited about another school year, it’s the prospect of a proper back-to-school party! Do they like Narnia, or do they prefer Star Wars? Maybe they would appreciate a race-car theme, or one that is the closest replica of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory you can come up with.
Whoever their heroes might be, you can add a healthy twist to any theme, and set up a memorable day that will help your kids kickstart their year with joy. With a little bit of research, some effort to create the right atmosphere, sweetened up with some healthy snacks, let their imagination do the rest and host an incredible event for your little ones in no time!
An outdoor pajama party
If you have a few spare tents and camping gear idly sitting in your basement, your little ones will go nuts for some starlit fun. Prepare your sleeping gear beforehand, check the weather forecast to make sure everyone is snug and toasty, and set up a large screen and a movie projector for a few of the kids’ favorite cartoons.
They will need plenty of snacks they can easily share, such as home-made burgers and hotdogs, while fresh fruits and veggies can be served as salads just before the main course. Consider warm sleeping bags, and check with the other parents if they can pitch in with the equipment, so that everyone is comfortable!
A picnic fiesta
A fieldtrip and a party all in one is something few kids will be able to resist. Spend an entire morning (or the day before) setting up the snacks together, as they will appreciate taking part in every step of the planning process. They can decorate their meal bags, use cookie-cutters to make their favorite shapes and choose their sandwich ingredients.
Make sure to bring plenty of refreshments and sunscreen, and remind other parents to pack their essentials – a ball for soccer, basketball or volleyball, depending on where you plan to go, frisbees, swimming gear for those picnics on the beach, or by the river.
Ninja-style fun
If the weather won’t let you spend too much time outdoors, there’s no reason to get gloomy or abandon your party idea. In fact, some of the most entertaining options require a few hours spent indoors, and perhaps a fieldtrip to a nearby city! For instance, you can take your kids to climb an indoor rock wall, for laser-tag, a ninja-warrior session followed by pizza and refreshments.
Bring your road trip music mix, a batch of car-friendly snacks and you’re good to go. Make it into a day-long adventure and spend some time making fun stops along the way and sightseeing as much as they would do on a school fieldtrip.
A back-to-school fashion show
If you’re the mom of a little girl (or two, or more!), or even a boy with a keen sense of style, a special catwalk-dominated day would be a perfect treat. It’s that time of year when your kids need a fresh wardrobe, as they’ve grown out of last year’s items, and as the cold weather is approaching, a fashion show is a good way to mix fun and useful.
One part of the show can be the traditional runway strut, while the second part can involve an exchange of clothes among the kids, a design booth to upgrade their existing fashion pieces, and a separate segment to decide which items can go to charity.
Fun for kindness
While we’re on the subject of helping those in need, you and your kids can set up a whole day dedicated to collecting donations via an improvised back-yard sale, a bake-off among kids and parents alike, or an arts and crafts day to donate schoolbags and other essentials to kids who need them.
This is perhaps the most elaborate of parties you can organize, but also the most rewarding and educational one for your kids, as it will nurture the right values and help them raise awareness and become more empathetic. Use this opportunity to send out e-vites and create cards to invite your neighbors and their kids, and your kids will not only be in the perfect giving spirit for the beginning of school, but also ready to make a difference one charitable party at a time!