I know now as an adult that my parents really took our birthday parties seriously.  They were big events that were creative, fun, and best of all, memorable.  As a parent that's the dream, to give your child a special day without stressing yourself out too much or breaking the bank (after all it is just a birthday party!).  Below are four themes that are the jumping off points for your own celebrations.  Follow your child's bliss, even if it means that you find yourself in the licensed party goods section.  Remember it's your child's fantasy, not yours. That said, here are some suggestions to run past your birthday boy or girl!

Here's a very summery theme that's easy to put together.  Depending on the age of your partygoers, pick a craft project or two for them to work on right from the start. Younger kids can make their own Sand Art creations.  It's easy to make your own colored sand with white sand from the craft store and some food coloring.  Have the kids shake up their tinted sand (it's part of the fun).  They can then pour the sand into plastic containers that you'll find at the craft store.  You can also be creative with seashells your family collects if you're near the water (or pick some up at the craft store).  Kids can use the shells to decorate frames or wooden boxes (Elmer's glue works fine!). We also suggest Tie Dying and Beading as crafts for older kids.   Activities will also depend on the age of your kids.  Classics like volleyball are always fun, but take a look at the new Ogo Sport Super Sports Disk and Wobble Deck below.

( Fashion Angels Enterprises $$16$ ) Hands down, the favorite of testers this year in the necklace/bracelet category. Comes with six colorful pendants- "all of them are pretty, so we won't fight," wrote one of our 10 year old testers. Each of the six pendants comes in its own plastic zip bag with beads, making this a great choice for a party activity. Age: Phone: (800) 492-3237.

( Creativity for Kids $$19.95$ ) We're big fans of this type of tie-dye kit, which comes with pre-dyed strings that you wrap around your own clothing (or the included pillowcase and doll shirt). You tie up the garment and then use warm tap water. Take your garment out of the water, let it dry, and voila!--you have your own tie-dyed creation. A fun outdoor project. Age: Phone: 800-311-8684. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2007

( Pottery Barn Kids $$8.99$& up ) A fun collection of "beach" party accessories for your own surf party including invitations, paper plates, gift bags, etc.. Pick and choose according to your budget and taste. We especially like the Surf Luau Canvas Sign that you hang from your own picnic table (or look at the child size Chesapeake Collection from this company.) You can also have kids bring their own beach towel and have them picnic on their towels. Age: Preschool, Early School Years, Late School Years. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2007

( Diggin $$39.95$ ) Great fun for active play with some mental calisthenics built in. This electronic balance board can be played at varying levels of difficulty. It calls out colors or numbers that are marked on the board. Players need to follow the commands that get more complex and faster as the level of play is increased. Age: Early School Years. Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2007