Can birthdays be the birth of new thoughts, new experiences...and not only about throwing a perfect party.. 

In this episode we will focus on the various elements which can make the celebration special in many ways for both, the kids and the parents. 

• Having a Birthday Ritual - a special family bonding time
• Meaningful - Associating birthdays with the act of giving
• Mindful - environment friendly
• Enjoyment - education + entertainment and ofcourse the party planning part as well, to make them more healthy and pocket friendly

The first step in planning should be to think what the child really enjoys..Is it food, decor, visitors, gifts, surprises, games or something else? What will make him/her feel really special and loved?  There is a fun way to do this…   Last year a friend suggested this  trick... she calls it- ‘The Magic lamp.. trick.’  and i tried it ... it worked so well… more than a month before Ahana’s birthday our countdown began. I just handed over a small toy lamp to Ahana and told her to make 3 wishes for her birthday. 

So, for her party she had told me  - she wants a 2 tier rainbow cake and wants to call all her friends and have face painting. So I was relieved , if these 3 things are taken care, the food and decor and other things were planned as per my convenience…  

Healthy party food ideas by Shraddha Fogla

• Tofu
• Corn on the cob
• Sweet potato fries
• Edamame seeds
• Crispy Kale
• Guacamole with organic crackers
• Cheese boards - with natural cheese
• Pasta or pizza with whole meal options and natural cheese. All the veggies can be washed and cut a day before. 

How to choose a healthier cake - By Ekta - Factory made cakes include chemicals, preservatives and stabilizers for increasing the shelf life. Home made cakes are fresh and can be made with organic ingredients and completely devoid of any harmful chemicals.

Budget friendly party hacks - By Rakhi Chandra

• Plan ahead and order everything from online party stores
• Cake hack - Get simple store bought cake and decorate it yourself with plastic toys, chocolates, cookies or candies. This saves upto 60% of your cost if compared to a customized cake. 
• We can use online free printables and just wrap them around store bought chocolate bars to give a personalized look

Entertainment:
Adding a bit of education to the activities is fun,  engaging and meaningful at the same time..and there are so many awesome ideas online… my 2 favorite ones are

1. All the baking soda experiments - watching the fizz is so much fun for all age groups! And its not only volcanos, there are many more interesting options available
2. Rainbow science experiments - with prisms or food colouring.. 

Oh yes.. There are tons of options - sink and float activities, giant soap bubbles..the options are endless.

We can also look at these parties as opportunities to help our kids get bolder, by encouraging them to perform a song or dance, put up a small magic show.

Eco Friendly Aspect: 

• Reuse is the key e.g. Name the plates to ensure every guest uses just one plate throughout the party
• Avoid plastics, thermocol as much as possible.
• Look for Compostable products for your décor. If we put in a little extra effort, we can come up with many eco friendly ideas. 

Fun Tip of the Day: The Gift Registry

Our next episode will deal with Sensitivity and Emotional Challenges amongst children. It will be released on 8th April. 

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