Kids' Games

• Entice the kids to interact with each other by skipping Pin the Tail on the Donkey in favor of games where they work together to accomplish a goal. They can play Decorate a Kid, which requires teams to wrap a teammate with crepe paper. The game is over after every child has wrapped her teammate with a roll of decorative paper and a bow has been placed on the wrapped child's head. Or separate party-goers into groups, and let them run relay races. Set up a three-part relay, where the kids use spoons to roll eggs to a designated area, then balance their unbroken eggs on the spoon before running to an endpoint and being the first to empty their egg from its shell into a bowl. The team that finishes the relay without breaking its egg or in the least amount of time is the winner.
  
  

Adult Games

• Offer adults a variety of games that will entertain them after the cake has been sliced and before it's time to go home. Set up a gaming system in one room, where guests can sing and dance together. If you want more physically active games, create challenging games that require guests to compete against one another. For example, guests can race to see who can move a pile of chocolate candy pieces from side of the room to the other first. Or see who can empty a box of tissue first using only his mouth.
  
  

Kids' Cake

• Make individual birthday cakes for kids' parties to make serving the kids faster and each child feel like he received his own cake. Re-create the beach for a beach party-themed birthday party with 2-inch s'mores cakes. Or host a Minute to Win it birthday party, where you allow the kids to decorate their own cake. Fill a table with frosting, chocolate pieces, sprinkles, fresh fruit and whipped cream, and let the kids go wild for one minute.
  
  

Adult Cake

• At the next adult birthday party, replace the boring yellow cake with gourmet-flavored birthday cakes. You don't need to sacrifice flavor for style. Make a coconut cake with lemon filling between the layers. Decorate the top of the cake with maraschino cherries and candied lemon slices, and birthday candles. Or a raspberry, rose and vanilla layer cake that has been decorated with fresh raspberries and rosebuds. Another option would be to make a champagne-and-whipped cream cake topped by fresh strawberries and blueberries.
  
  

Kids' Decor

• When decorating for a kids birthday party, use bright colors and interactive items whenever possible. Consider going old-school by creating paper chains out of fluorescent-colored paper instead of crepe paper. Fill clear plastic bowls of all sizes with chocolate candy, jelly beans, lollipops and fruit-flavored hard candies. Tie helium-filled, color-coordinated balloons to the back of chairs with colorful ribbons. The balloons can also serve as a "pop the balloon" type of game.
  
  

Adult Decor

• Decorating for an adult's birthday party is no different from decorating for any other adult-oriented event. You will need to create centerpieces for the tables. Line color-coordinated paper lanterns across the table for a low and long centerpiece to an Asian-themed birthday party. Or create a '50s-themed birthday party by covering the table with a pink, poodle print tablecloth. Use records as a charger at each table setting, and top each one with a smaller white plate. Place fountain glasses next to the plates. On the center of the table, arrange candles that look like root-beer floats. Spray-paint CDs black, and hang them from the ceiling to mimic records, and cover at least one of the walls with a soda fountain mural.