Tips for Holiday Parties with Kids

As the holidays roll around, the calendar begins to fill up with festivities and various holiday parties. In fact, you may be having a holiday party of your own that you’re inviting your family, friends and/or co-workers to. One of the toughest decisions to make when hosting a holiday party is deciding on whether or not to invite children.

Children are a lot of fun, but they can be a distraction for adults who are trying to converse with one another at social events. While you may prefer to make your holiday party an adult-only party, which is perfectly within your rights, by doing so you may be making it impossible for some of your guests to attend. So, below you will find a few tips for hosting a holiday party with kids included.

• Have a “Kid” Room – For the people who will be bringing older children to your holiday party, set up a room just for them to hang out in. If you have a second living area with a television, consider providing the kids with a variety of movies to watch during the party. Or, if you are comfortable with the kids attending and your children will also be there, you may even want to hook up the Wii or Xbox Kinect for them to play. This will definitely keep the kids entertained during the party and allow the adults to talk.
• Have a Variety of Food – One of the keys to having a successful holiday party with kids is to have a variety of different foods available. Since there will be children attending, you want to have some finger foods there that they will enjoy. For instance, pigs-in-a-blanket, Velveeta cheese dip, chocolate covered fruit and other similar foods are big hits with kids of all ages. Also, think about the types of drinks you will have available for children. In addition to water and tea, you might consider having a variety of soda for them to choose from.
• Activity Tables – Many people who host holiday parties and invite kids have a television room for the older kids and then activities in another room for younger children. Activities your child-guests may find fun include: floor puzzles, an art table, truck/Barbie center, etc. Basically, anything that you can think of that younger children will enjoy playing with, and you don’t mind setting out for them, is most likely going to be a good way to keep them entertained.
• Clothing – Finally, if you are inviting kids to your holiday party, you may want to make the party a semi-formal event. While children look great in holiday dresses, suits and/or tuxedos, kids are generally not comfortable for long periods of time in this type of clothing. Therefore, consider allowing your guests to bring their children dressed in comfortable clothing for the party. It will make it more enjoyable for everyone.