Are you considering throwing a party for your preschooler?

Are you worried about the stress of having fifteen small children in your care? Do you fear facing a room of tired, over-stimulated, and crying toddlers a full hour before pickup time?

Here's your guide for throwing a party for anyone five or under. It's surprisingly simple and you CAN do it without losing your mind!

You don't need to host an all day or all afternoon party for preschoolers. Two hours is fine for a child three or under. Three to four hours is great for children up to five.

Small children will tire easily from the excitement of a party. That leads to crying and fighting. With a short span of time you can have a game, food and free play without too many tantrums to interfere.

A good rule of thumb is to invite the number of guests according to your child's age. Two year old's will be quite satisfied with two other party-goers, and do you really think five guests (plus your own) is too few for a five year old? This is especially important if you have other children of your own - you may chose to divvy up the party guests so each child has a friend. It's not about making a splashy show - it's about creating a fun, memorable experience.

You'll have more fun yourself if the moms or dads stay around. The younger the child, the more necessary this is. For older children be certain that SOMEONE is helping. You will need to prepare games and serve food as well as handle potty calls and be on hand to supervise. Having extra eyes and hands will go a long way towards keeping it running smoothly.

The great thing is that this age group will be quite happy to enjoy some amount of free play. If it's summer, try having a sprinkler available. Inside set up tents or tunnels. You will have a difficult time convincing them to even stop for a planned game.

However, party games and activities are what make it special. Try face painting as your guests arrive. Easy treasure hunts, trying to keep balloons in the air, or even ring-around-the-rosy are sure to please.

Move onto the food and provide finger friendly treats like crackers, cheese, and cut fruit they can dip in yogurt. Allow some free play before winding things down with cake or 'make your own sundaes' just before pick up time. This will get the kids sitting down and breaking up the play without too much complications as well as saving the sugar rush for when they get home!