Why wait for a special reason to have a party when any day is a great reason to celebrate? Give children a planned fun event to look forward to or just simply surprise them when they come home from school.

Whether it’s an only child enjoying mommy’s attention at a decorated lunchtime table, siblings enjoying snacktimes with a theme or a gang of neighborhood kids in the backyard, the word "party" turns the ordinary into fun.

One of the most fun is to have an "un-birthday" party for a child who has to share their real birthday with a holiday, such as Christmas. Make it a special day all of their own, perhaps in the middle of summer. Let the kids decorate a store-bought or homemade frosted cake as part of the entertainment. And since it's better to give than receive, the "Un-Birthday" child can make favors and gifts to give all the guests.

A Jingle Bells Party in August brings great excitement to kids bored with the nothing-to-do summer blues. Any tree planted in the yard or potted in the house can be decorated with construction paper colored balls, curly ribbon and strung popcorn, all made by the kids and hung with care.

This could also be a craft party where the kids can make gifts for their favorite person just to say I love you.

The easiest turn-an-ordinary-day-into-a-fun-event is making the normal after-school snack a surprise party. Have the table set using a party theme or colored paper plates, cups, and napkins, maybe even a balloon tied to each child’s chair. Select snacks that can be eaten with toothpicks instead of forks. Most importantly, sit with the children and just talk about their day.

Why not have a "Tuesday Party" next week? Younger children can assist in the planning and older children can be the host. It’s great fun for everyone as well as an experience in planning for one or all of the children to create the party, with your guidance, of course. Just some colored papergoods, snack foods, a cake or cupcakes, a game or video or perhaps a craft and an any day party is a sure happening.

Who doesn’t like food better when the presentation is fun? "Left-Overs Night" is a the perfect time to serve the little bits of this and little bits of that from previous meals at a table set with leftover party decorations, a colorful tablecloth, colored paper napkins, cups, plates, and you have an instant party. From the simplest to the most festive of ideas, a theme is not just a theme but a party in the making for kids!

Join them, listen to them, enjoy them.

Mary Ann Ross and Kimberly Lainson are a mother and daughter that have teamed up as business partners last year for different reasons. Mom had taken an early retirement and was bored, Kimberly wanted to stay home with her four children. So they did what they knew best… having fun with kids… and started an at-home business that expanded from one room in Mom’s house to a converted outbuilding on her rural property in Washington.