Birthday parties. Kids love them. Parents on the other hand can find them a source of stress and frustration! Being in the Las Vegas area, we are a beautiful melting pot of cultures from around the world. We can find entire communities here that bring their fascinating cultures and traditions with them, and we are glad they did! I know families that spend THOUSANDS on their first birthday. (If you are even invited to one, I highly encourage you to dress to impress and come hungry!) I also know families of Junior High kids that have just never gotten around to having a get-together. There really is no right or wrong way to have a Birthday Party, it comes down to what your family traditions are. In my case, I am big on making new traditions!
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There are some things to keep in mind.
 | Who to invite? Rules are different for kids of different ages. In elementary school (thing Kinder to 5th) you are expected to invite the entire class if you send invitations to school to be passed out. Once the kids are a little older, they are able to pass out invites with more selection. Once kids are in Middle school, it is mostly a select few friends. You can check with your child's teacher for more information! For those inviting the entire class... they will not all show up. If you know the families you are inviting personally, I would expect 75%. For families we don't know, I expect half-ish. |
When to send Invitations should be sent out 2-3 weeks before the party. Photo. The photo you use on the invite sets the theme for your party. Is this a formal princess tea? Is this a swim party? Does your child like dinosaurs? Dates and times. One of the biggest mistakes is leaving off the END TIME. If there are clear expectations of an ending, your life will be so much easier, trust me on this one! Place. I would recommend adding a place name, not just an address. If you are hosting the party at Nana's, include that. If the party is at a park, add a landmark your pavilion will be near. RSVP SET A DATE. Make a clear date for replies to your RSVP! I suggest 1 week before the party date. Include your name and "TEXT" to easily keep track. |  |
 | Siblings, Tag-a-longs and Helicopter Moms Inviting Siblings. People get so caught up on this one. Keep it simple if you would not prefer siblings. "No Siblings please." If your party is a Family affair, simply state that in the invitation. "Families welcome." "Families expected." Both verbiages are acceptable. What is not acceptable is using the invite to ask a parent to pay. Any $ amount in an invitation is distasteful. (It is also distasteful to show up with other guests/siblings.) It is acceptable to bring this up when a parent RSVPs. If you are THAT MOM, please ask your host if you may bring a sibling that you are paying for. "Is there a discounted rate for Sage's sister?" Or just leave the sibling at home. A child is invited to a birthday because they are friends. Drop Off Situations. I would not try this for early elementary. Why would you want to? As children get older, many parties are geared for children sans parents. You will always have one or two that can't leave the kids alone. You can try to ask them to leave with some class... "It would be great if you would come back around three to enjoy some cake with us!" You can try to introduce them to the adults that will be staying. Personally, I put them to work! "I am so glad you are staying, I could really use your help with..." |
| Party Favors, Piñatas, Slime and Tattoos Party Favors and Elaborate Gift Bags. Parents now feel obligated to send party guests home with gift bags. Many parents include slime and tattoos. Please don't. The most awkward gift bag includes trinkets that are nicer than the gift I got your kiddo. I think this phenomenon started around the time that kids stopped opening presents at the party. It is appropriate to have small bags on hand if you are having a good old-fashioned piñata! Other than that, it's your child's day the party fun should be enough. If you feel compelled to make your party memorable, have a photo backdrop with props, and take lots of candid pictures and text photos to the parents. |  |
 | Food What to serve. Kids are pretty simple. Kids are picky. When preparing a menu for a kid's party, many hosts go overboard. The guide is time. Is your party during lunch? Is your shindig during dinner? If so, party goers will expect something of substance. If you plan a party between 1-4, you can get away with a charcuterie of sorts. When I have parties at home for families, I have an adult section of more select cheese, meats, and crackers. I also have a child spot filled with simple offerings like string cheese, grapes off the stem, salami, go-gurts, BLUEBERRIES, strawberries, GOLDFISH, veggie straws, and cheeseballs. Pick what your child likes. It is their party and they should showcase exactly what THEY like! You can never go wrong with cheese pizza, hotdogs, or burgers to feed a crowd. One year, when my daughter turned three, we literally had a spaghetti party! It was memorable and my daughter was happy to enjoy her favorite thing with her favorite people. If you are the Pinterest mom, you go girl. We salute you. Knock it out of the park! |
| Bringing in Help Successful Parties are not a one (Wo)Man Show! Think ahead and have help. Whether this is a friend, family, or someone you hire, you will need a right-hand man to ensure things run smoothly! You don't want to spend your time running around looking for a lighter and a knife for the candles. You want to enjoy your child's party as much as possible. Birthday parties are FUN remember? During our Adult Christmas Party, we bring in a babysitter so parents can enjoy cocktails and conversation. At pool parties, I highly recommend bringing in a lifeguard. (There are tons of High School teens certified and the piece of mind it gives you is priceless!) |  |
 | Venue Where to have your Party? Each family is different. Each child is different. Each budget is different. Finding out what party depends on you and your child. I would ask your child. What are their dreams? (I ask the kids if they would like a family vacation or a party with friends.) We do not do a big party every year, but we just had the best party for my 6-year-old twins at Uptown Jungle! |
We loved Uptown Jungle for the twins' 6th Birthday. We felt it was in order to have a big, amazing, siblings and family welcome party. I had many, many logical reasons. My kiddos had never had a proper Birthday Party. With recent Covid, we were unable to have gatherings. They were just starting Kindergarten and we wanted to get to know the other parents. They finally had friends to invite to a party. I have many more convincing items on my list, but those are my top three.
My kids have always LOVED Uptown Jungle Henderson. It is Family Fun at its best! Having a party at Uptown Jungle was the easier party I have ever thrown. (If you know me, I am no stranger to throwing parties!) All the information is CLEAR on their website. No extra fees, No hidden charges. I love things that are straightforward. Anyways, I spoke to Kenzie about my party. We decided on pink and the guest list.
Guest List- CHECK. Pick your Package or splurge with Uptown Jungle's after hour buyout! YES. BOOK THE ENTIRE PLACE! Hello... "Families Expected!"
Invitations- CHECK. Uptown Jungle Henderson includes Digital Birthday party Invitations!
Siblings, Tag-a-longs, Helicopter Moms-CHECK With Uptown Jungle Packages (and Free Parent Entry) bring on the party!
Party Favors- CHECK Uptown Jungle provides party favors! (Birthday kiddo gets an Uptown T-shirt for all party guests to sign! They think of everything!)
Food- CHECK Pizza and drinks are included!
Personal Assistant- CHECK Ok, it is not a personal assistant. But our party host did everything from helping blow up balloons to bringing out the cake! She even helped me keep on task and let me know when would be good to do cake and sing.... It was simply a no-brainer! I was able to mingle with other parents and watch the kids play. They collected all of the birthday gifts at check-in and passed out grip socks. (Did I mention they are required and PROVIDED? No hidden fees here!)
With kids in Kindergarten, I feel it is invaluable to get to know the other families! I mean, we could be seeing each other at 20ish birthdays a year for at least, what, 6 years? Plus all of the school events, field days, recorder recitles, in-class parties, and the list goes on! If you haven't had a big party yet, there is no time like the present! (LOL)
Honestly, we had a really great time and it was the easiest party in history! Check out Uptown Jungle Fun Park Henderson for your next Birthday Bash! You will be glad you did. And so will the kids. This is one for the history books. Uptown Jungle Fun Park Henderson also offers annual Membership, Season Passes!
**This is a Sponsored article featuring Uptown Jungle Fun Park Henderson. Uptown Jungle Fun Park Henderson has received the Macaroni Kid Approval Award for its dedication to Family Fun! We know your family will have a great time!
