Dealing with school party rules

Your kindergartner is having a birthday, and she wants to invite just five special friends from school. You breathe a sigh of relief; experts say five is the perfect number of guests for a sixth birthday party. You’re all set! Or are you? More schools are weighing in these days with birthday-party

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Great gifts for under $10 and $20

GREAT GIFTS FOR LESS THAN $10! INFANTS Oballs and Oball Rattle. Rhino Toys makes these durable balls that are easy to grasp, dishwasher safe and come in a variety of bright colors, $5 to $10. Books ABC and Count the Birdies by local author Matthew Porter, $8.95 each Daddy Kisses, Daddy Cuddles,

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Essential Party Guide: Lots of great options and resources for your child's next birthday bash

Updated March, 2010 Treats Cupcakes are the new cake! Fave options include Cupcake Royale in Ballard, Capitol Hill, Madrona and West Seattle,  Trophy Cupcakes in Wallingford, Bellevue and U-Village and New York Cupcakes at Crossroads Shopping Center. Ice cream cakes: Simplify life with this two-

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Great party ideas from ParentMap staff and readers

Everyone knows at least one of them. You know the type – fantastically creative, thoroughly organized, and mysteriously thrilled at the first sight of a piñata. They are the Party Mavens, and we have a couple on our staff who make Martha look so…so 10 years ago! Here then are some of their best-ever

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Low-Cost Birthday Party Ideas for Kids

Last year, when Medi turned 4, his parents rented an entire room at the “bouncy house” gym for his birthday party. This year, they might skip it. “I’m not sure about the money,” says Medi’s mom, Kayce. “So we’re definitely considering doing a birthday party at home instead.” Medi’s family is not al

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Earth: Plan an eco-friendly bash

Want that birthday party to be a smashing success — without smashing the environment? Along with the happy memories, many parties also leave behind heaps of disposable plates, deflated balloons, torn wrapping paper, packaging and a bunch of new plastic toys your child could probably do without. The

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Should your child open presents at his party?

This is the way it must have begun: Somewhere, sometime, some harried parent, probably a lone grown-up in a sea of 6-year-olds, sat among 35 opened, strewn-about birthday-party presents, searching for puzzle pieces, wayward Legos and newly naked Barbies. Wrappings and ribbons covered the floor, and

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Issues: Perplexing party problems

You’ve planned your kids’ birthday party to a T; you’ve covered all the bases: invitations, decorations, food, games, goody bags — all good to go. So, no more worries, right? Maybe not! Even the best party planner can’t foresee every conundrum and quandary that may arise when others become involved

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