Nothing makes time slip by faster than your children’s birthday coming back around every year. It probably seems like you just celebrated their birthday, and here it is, time to plan another party. As your children get older, they make more friends, the guest list gets longer, and it becomes more important to plan safe activities. With these ten tips, you can ensure everyone has fun and goes home unharmed.
Choose a Safe Venue
There is a lot to consider when choosing a venue for your child’s birthday party, but safety is one of the most important factors. There are a lot of safe venues to choose from, including playgrounds, family fun centers, and bounce houses.
Swim parties are a common summer birthday theme, but if you decide to go this route, ask parents to stay with their children to ensure their safety at your party. Also, make sure the venue you choose has a certified lifeguard available.
Provide Proper Supervision
How many children can you safely supervise at a child’s birthday party? That depends on how many adults you have helping you and how old the children are. Use these adult-to-child ratios as a guide:
| Age of Children | Recommended Adult-to-Child Ratio |
| 2 to 3 years | 1 adult for every 4 children |
| 4 to 8 years | 1 adult for every 6 children |
| 9 to 12 years | 1 adult for every 8 children |
Age Appropriate Food and Beverages
If your party is held at mealtime, then you need to supply food for your guests. Be sure to find age-appropriate food, and offer one entree with several snack options because kids can be picky eaters. Remember that while chips and dip might be good for 7 and 8-year-olds, they can be a choking hazard for little kids.
All birthday parties need beverages to hydrate youngsters and wash down the cake. Protect the children and the environment by providing your guests with biodegradable cups and agave straws.
Childproof the Play Area
If you have children, you’re used to childproofing your home. Childproofing the play area for a birthday party looks a lot like that. Wherever you decide to have your child’s birthday party, you need to check for sharp objects and keep them from entering dangerous places like tool sheds and pool areas.
Set Up Some Rules
Nobody likes rules, but if you let everyone know what they are upfront, enforcing them is much easier. At the beginning of the party, pull all the children into a circle, welcome them, and thank them for coming to your child’s party. Then, gently lay out some safety rules by explaining that roughhousing and running indoors aren’t allowed.
Avoid Balloon Dangers With Small Children
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, balloons present a choking hazard to children under the age of 8 and are the leading cause of death by suffocation in children. Instead of using latex balloons, use Mylar balloons that have already been inflated.
Provide Hand Sanitizer
Reduce the likelihood of spreading germs by providing hand sanitizer at your children’s next birthday party. If you play your cards right, you can get the kids to use hand sanitizer without making the party seem lame. Add a little eco-glitter to it and turn it into Magic Germ Blaster.
Hand Out Safe Party Favors
Toys with small removable pieces can present choking hazards if you have little children at your party. It’s traditional to give out party favors, and you don’t want to let kids down by avoiding them altogether, but it’s best to play it safe by choosing one of these choke-free party favors:
- Stickers
- Glowsticks
- Temporary tattoos
- Slinkys
- Squishy balls
Be sure that your party favors aren’t packaged in a material that can also present a choking hazard, such as a small plastic bag.
Keep Track of Everyone Throughout the Entire Party
Depending on your chosen venue, it can be pretty tough to keep track of several squirrelly children all at once. Whether your party is at a playground, a pizza parlor, or a bounce house, you need to make sure the kids at your party are staying put.
Finding a way to identify the children at your party easily is easy with a few simple ideas, and these items can also double as a party favor:
- Glow-in-the-dark bracelets
- Matching t-shirts
- Special birthday hats
- Name tags
Regardless of the items you choose, make sure to keep track of the children throughout the entire party to ensure their safety.
Have a Plan for Emergencies
The best way to deal with an emergency is to prepare for it in advance. Emergencies can happen to anyone at any time, especially when kids are involved. Have a first aid kit with you, and ensure that if someone needs to be taken to the hospital, other adults are available to watch the party.