**GUEST BLOGGER** Innovative Dinner Party Decor Ideas (With Kids)

We’re happy to welcome Rudri Bhatt Patel from Modernize.com to share some fun ideas for dinner party plans for moms while keeping the kids in mind. 

Throwing a dinner party is a fun way to entertain family and friends. For those evenings including kids, you want decor to reflect a festive, but child-friendly vibe. Try these decor ideas the next time you entertain adults and kids at your dinner party.

Create a Kid-Friendly Centerpiece

Make a statement with a centerpiece on your table. It will serve as a focal point
for your guests. Try a vase with a fresh-cut roses, lilies or flowers which complement a particular theme. Add some ivy to accentuate the flowers you choose. If your goal is to entertain the kids while the adults engage in conversation, place an art-themed centerpiece in the middle of your table with crayons, markers and sheets of plain paper or coloring pages. While the kids are making their masterpieces, adults have the option to mingle and talk with others.

Experiment With Table Settings

Place butcher paper and chalk as the base of your table. Kids will love drawing or playing tic-tac-toe with these two items, while adults will feel tempted to return to their childhood by also doodling too. If you opt for a more adult centric table setting, provide placements with puzzles on the front – kids love to play crossword puzzles and other games as they wait for dinner. To include kids and adults in the mix, why not teach an etiquette lesson to help them learn which fork and spoon to use during a meal containing several courses.

Use Martini Glasses to Accentuate Your Table

Martini glasses are a great way to display trinkets around the table. Depending on the theme of your party, fortune cookies, sand, candy or beads will take your table to the next level. If older kids are joining the party, place a single floating candle in the martini glass to illuminate your dinner party into a magical night experience. If you want to create an interactive tone to your dinner party, provide paint and let adults and kids paint their martini glass – at the end of the night, it is a fun party favor to take home.

Build Party Around a Specific Theme

Theme parties are a fun way to liven up a dinner party. Decide whether the theme will border on serious, festive or somewhere in the middle. With a preplanned theme, all of your decor will work toward highlighting your table in a special way. If it is a Hawaiian-themed dinner party, add leis for dinner guests to wear, use a floral table cloth and decorate the table with miniature palm trees and coconuts. For a more kid centric theme, like candyland, use a colorful table cloth, sprinkle candies across the dining space and use the game Candyland as the centerpiece.

Use Name Cards With an Accessory 

Name cards are practical and decorative. For a more formal party, use
heavier paper and pen the name of your guests on the cards. Looking for a more festive tilt? Pair your name cards with an accessory, like bubbles, candles or even a deck of cards.

Creating a tablescape with adult, but kid-friendly decor isn’t out of your reach. Brainstorm on various themes to find the right fit for your next dinner party!

For more design ideas and inspiration, head to Modernize.com.

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