Spectacular Preschool Parties

by Natasha Polak
(Indianapolis, IN)

With my daughter in preschool on a daily basis, I have on occasion assisted her teachers with birthday and holiday parties held in her class. The key to having parties for that age group is providing small activities in short bursts of time to capture their attention.

Music is a must for any party! Having cheerful music in the background sets the tone for the party, and loosens up even the shyest of children among his or her peers.

For food, the teacher posts a list ahead of time on the door, and parents must sign-up to bring enough of a particular item. Foods usually include a variety of fruits and vegetables, juice, cheeses, and either cake or candy. They emphasize on having the food as snacks, not a meal.

And what’s a party without the games? Overall, the parties last for maybe an hour or two. So once all the food has been eaten, the children have to run off some energy by playing “Duck, Duck, Goose”, “Doggy, Doggy, Where’s My Bone?”, “Musical Chairs”, or dress-up. Alternatively, or in addition to the games, the children might sing a few songs as a group, and wrap up the party with a themed story. Goody bags are also presented to each child, and kept away for them to take home.