Elizabeth M. (CiderSapling) reviewed Perfect Kids' Parties: 12 Fantastic Theme Celebrations on + 13 more book reviews
The book does have 12 theme celebrations in it, but many themes are the same old themes that have been haunting birthday parties for decades. They are: Dinosaurs, Pirates, Carnival, Soccer, Slumber Party, Under the Sea, Bears, Outer Space, Bugs, Construction, Tea Party (with Princess overtones), and Sleep Over. Each theme offers suggestions for cakes, snack, activities, crafts, and decor. There are checklists for shopping to make planning a bit easier.
Overall, this book is a fun way to get inspired for a children's party. The book assumes that you have the time and are inclined towards quite a bit of prep work for the party. We recently used the carnival theme for inspiration, but still ended up planning a lot by ourselves as the offerings in the book didn't work for us in a practical way. My daughter greatly enjoys flipping through this book, though.
Bottom line: fun source for inspiration but not an all out guide to practical party planning. The themes are classic or dated, depending on your view. Given the heavy dependence on 'character' themes in parties these days, it may be difficult to find supporting players to your theme. Themes are subtly gender biased, so it may be difficult to find value in this source if you have only boys or girls to plan parties for. If you are dedicated to planning and orchestrating your child's party, this book is a fun resource to look through - but consider borrowing it from the library.
Overall, this book is a fun way to get inspired for a children's party. The book assumes that you have the time and are inclined towards quite a bit of prep work for the party. We recently used the carnival theme for inspiration, but still ended up planning a lot by ourselves as the offerings in the book didn't work for us in a practical way. My daughter greatly enjoys flipping through this book, though.
Bottom line: fun source for inspiration but not an all out guide to practical party planning. The themes are classic or dated, depending on your view. Given the heavy dependence on 'character' themes in parties these days, it may be difficult to find supporting players to your theme. Themes are subtly gender biased, so it may be difficult to find value in this source if you have only boys or girls to plan parties for. If you are dedicated to planning and orchestrating your child's party, this book is a fun resource to look through - but consider borrowing it from the library.
