By Lisa Kothari, Founder, Peppers and Pollywogs
You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook

It’s summer, and that means it’s time for some fun in the sun. Summer is such an easy season for a kid’s party for several reasons: good weather means you can take the fun outdoors and summer vacations with school being out mean there is less pressure to invite absolutely everyone.  Keep the following important tips in mind when planning your summer parties:

Feel free to limit your guest list.

It’s a great season to not invite everyone because everyone won’t be around. Invite the number of guests that works best for your time and budget. Then send the invitations to those who are in town.

Expect an extra guest or two.

As people may be returning from vacation and receiving your invitation late (even after the RSVP date), expect that some guests you haven’t heard from may just show up.

Parties may fall on weekdays during this time of year.

Given that people often have more flexible schedules during the summer, you may find that parties fall on weekdays or even weeknights. If your child and your schedule can accommodate this, that’s great, but don’t feel pressure if you can’t.

Make a plan B in case of rain.

Often summer parties take place outdoors. If you are throwing your party outdoors, make an alternative plan in case of rain. Make sure that at least some of the activities you have planned can be done indoors or you have a general idea of other activities that will fill the time.

Make sure to plan time for free play.

Given the nice weather and the chance to simply be together with friends, do not fill the entire party with activities. Make some time for fun free play in the yard, or park if you are there. The kids will want to play together, and scheduling free play into the party is a perfect way to handle this.

If it’s a particularly sunny day, make sure the kids are wearing sunscreen.

When the guests arrive at your party, have a bottle of sunscreen available for them to slather on before they head out into the sun. It’s a great precaution to take if the kids will be outside for the entire party.

Happy summer party season! Enjoy.