Carnival: How to Plan a Springtime Birthday Party for Little Girls

With the warm weather showing it's face more often, tiny buds waking up from their slumber, and birds chirping their melodic songs each morning, we all know that Spring is in the air! If you're like me, thankfully, you celebrate the gorgeous weather each time you step outside to start a new day. And if you have a little princess that's ready to turn one year older, I know you'll also want to celebrate how she's blossomed before your very eyes.

Look no further. I've stumbled upon a fantastic article at About.com that gives pointers on how to make your daughter feel extra-special on her birthday.

Every little girl loves a party! And why not go all out. Whether she's into ballet, crafting, or rhinestone-studded everything, with a little questioning and know-how, you can produce the party of your sweetheart's dreams. Read on to take note of some helpful tips:

Your primary goal is to make the birthday child feel special. A secondary goal is to ensure that everyone has a good time at the birthday party. The children will remember whether they had fun, not whether your house was spotless or whether you carried out your chosen birthday party theme down to the last tiny detail. As far as I'm concerned, a successful birthday party is one in which no one bursts into tears.

The first step in planning a birthday party is to sit down with your child and find out what type of birthday party he or she wants. Then determine if your budget, your creativity, and your energy can deliver that type of birthday party. If not, scale down. Don't worry that your preschooler is going to want clowns or ponies. You may be pleasantly surprised. For his first "friend" birthday party (i.e. not just the immediate family), my son wanted to go to the play place at a nearby fast food restaurant. When my daughter turned four, she wanted everything to be pink -- pink balloons, pink lemonade, pink cupcakes, pink napkins. Both birthday parties were incredibly easy and inexpensive.

You can't be in two places at once. In birthday party terms, you can't play musical chairs, cut the cake, and direct traffic to the bathroom at the same time. Enlist one or more "big people" (adults or responsible older children) to help you at the birthday party. If your birthday kid is very young, chances are the parents of your guests will ask if they should stay for the duration of the birthday party. The answer is yes! They can help with games, pour the punch, and take care of minor boo-boos. Just be sure to reward them for their service when you pass out the birthday cake. If you don't expect any parents to stay, and you can't talk your best friend into helping, hire one of your regular baby-sitters to help you. It is well worth the investment in terms of stress reduction.

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Check out these Etsy items to help you plan that sweet Springtime birthday party:

How to Plan a Springtime Birthday Party for Little Girls