Something that works really well when you have little ones that need to be amused is to mark the holidays and changing of the seasons with a little party. As the next holiday coming up is Valentine’s, below you will find some advice on how to get your party started in the easiest way.

Step 1: Dates and invites

So to hold a successful party, you need,  first of all, to set the date that you are going to throw it. Are you hoping that your other half is going to take your out for a romantic meal on Valentine’s day itself? Then you may want to hold the kid’s party the day before or after. Then you will be able to do both.

Then send out the invites. While it is easy to text or email the moms of the kids involved. It can be a super cute touch to get your kids to hand make and write an invitation like these, to give the invitees. It’s totally up to you, though, if you are pressed for time you can always skip this step.

Step 2: Planning

So once the invites are out, and the replies are coming in, it’s a good time to think about what you are going to do at the party. Are you going to put on food and refreshments, what about decoration and party games?

Grab a pen and paper, and list each category separately. Then underneath each one write down your ideas. It can also help to put a rough figure of what each thing will cost by the side. Then you will know how viable each idea is in terms of your budget.

Of course, you can save a fortune by doing a lot of the preparation yourself. But this will take more work and time. So make sure that you have a distinct plan of what you need, and by when and stick to it. This will help you avoid too much stress when the day arrives.

Think red, white, and pink for decorations and food. Valentine’s day cookies and rice crispy treats always go down a storm, as does some themed trail mix. Or check out what you supermarket has to offer in the seasonal section.

Step 3: A shopping trip

Whether you are making the food and decorations yourself, or you are buying them, you will need to take a shopping trip to get stocked up. But do not leave the house without two things! The first is a list of what you want. The second is a budget. The idea is to keep to this list as tightly as possible, so you don’t end up putting any old Valentine’s themed thing that you see in your shopping cart.

Of course, it can help to have a little wiggle room in your budget in case you come across something that is just too adorable to pass up. Remember things like these metallic, heart-shaped, paper doilies, can double up and be used as wall decorations and to serve food on.

Step 4: On the day

When the day of the party comes around, do your best to be set up at least an hour before the guests, and their kids start to arrive. This will give you enough time to assess if have missed anything, and get it sorted.

If there is nothing to do then just sit back and treat yourself to a nice cup of hot chocolate, Valentine’s Day style of course! So you are relaxed and happy when your guests arrive for some Valentine’s fun.