How to Plan a Birthday Party

As a Mother of three, and a Professional Clown for over 20 years, I know a thing or two about birthday parties. Here are some suggestions... 
Date and Time: Choose a date and time first. Most folks have their parties on weekend afternoons. Although most families are available at this time, this sometimes interferes with other activities - soccer practice, family outing, and nap times. Consider having a birthday party on Friday evening or Saturday at about 11 AM.

Party Length: Most parties last about 2 hours. Although there are no 'hard and fast rules' I have found the most successful parties have entertainment in the beginning to the middle of the party and the cake-and-ice-cream and opening up of gifts towards the end of the party. Adjust the length of the party to fit those activities.

Games and Activities: This is my favorite part of the party. If you do not plan on having an entertainer - or even if you do, make sure that the activities are age appropriate. Your local library is a good source of information here. Be creative and plan on more games than you'll think you'll need. If a particular game is not working, move on to something else.

Entertainment: If you are hiring Professional Entertainment, take care of this early in the planning stages. Good entertainers book up quickly. A good way to find an entertainer is to ask around: Your child's school. PTA, and other parents might have some input into this. Here are some good questions to ask your entertainer:

What do they do in their show? 
How long is their performance? 
What age group is this best suited for? 
What do they charge and is a deposit necessary? 
Do they accept credit cards and... 
Do they have references?