Sunday morning was bright, sunny and warm – a perfect morning to celebrate a little girl’s birthday.
Sarah and Ross Douglas of Durango were doing just that. They were throwing a party at Folsom Park for daughter Mirelle’s ninth birthday.
Between Mirelle and her younger sister, Marguerite, the Douglases have thrown 14 birthday celebrations.
If you have children, chances are that, at some point, you will be hosting a bash for your child and his or her friends.
Here are a few pointers:
How many kids to invite?
Traditional wisdom suggests the number of children to invite to a birthday party should correspond with the birthday boy or girl’s age.
While that may work for younger children, party attendance can become a little more fluid once kids get to school. The guest list can range from inviting your child’s entire class (anywhere from 15 to 25 kids) to a smaller gathering of close friends.
Mirelle’s guest list has gone down from years past.
“I would say this one was 10, but the largest I think we had was 19 kids,” Sarah Douglas said. “There were a lot of siblings who joined in – siblings and then a few friends.
“But now that we’re getting older, it’s pretty much just friends – it’s more like just the girls,” she said.
What about entertainment?
Figuring out how to keep kids occupied for about two hours may seem a daunting task, but with a little advance planning, you can expect a good time, especially if party planning is something you enjoy.
“It’s definitely something I love to do, so I probably spend more time than most,” Sarah said. “I probably spend hours ahead of time thinking about it. But I love it, so it’s not a burden or something that’s a pain.”
For Mirelle’s party, guests were asked to bring along their dolls, which had their own party on a picnic blanket.
The girls were also kept busy. Each guest made a dream catcher out of a wooden embroidery hoop, floss, feathers and ribbon that she could take home.
“I always try to figure out some sort of crafty thing to do, like the dream catchers,” Sarah said.
Mirelle’s guests were also treated to hair feathers, courtesy of Bailey Schreiner Parker of Beaded Bohemian.
“It’s fun for little girls to have,” she said. “It’s so cute to see their expressions.”
Taking the party inside
If you don’t want to risk the possibility of bad weather ruining your plans, or you’re just not up for throwing a birthday party in your house, don’t forget: You can always reserve a time slot at venues in town.
For those looking for a place where party-goers can run off all that kid energy, the Mason Center offers the use of its gymnastics equipment for birthday parties.
Stephanie Malhmood at Mason said the gymnastics facility has been offering its space for parties for years – in fact, Mason throws almost 200 gymnastics-themed birthday parties annually – and available time slots fill up fast. She recommends that parents call to reserve their preferred date two to three months in advance.
“The kids have a lot of fun,” Malhmood said. ”We’re the only gymnastics facility in Durango, and we’ve got the cool equipment.”
The Durango Community Recreation Center also offers use of the facility’s swimming pool and climbing wall for parties.
Kelli Jaycox, recreation manager for the city of Durango, said the rec center averages about four parties per weekend, and parents should reserve a time at least two weeks in advance, but may want to call ahead as far out as a month to ensure a desired time slot.
She said Chapman Hill is also available for parties, with skiing, ice skating and roller skating available as the seasons allow.
And for those looking for a more artistic way to celebrate a birthday, there’s the Clay Room, where owner Jennifer D’Amadio said she has been offering birthday parties for about a year.
“It’s a fun and inviting atmosphere, kids can be creative,” she said.
The parties have averaged between six and seven participants, D’Amadio said, and she recommends parents reserve a date a week or two in advance.
katie@durangoherald.com
