Organising a party for kids and teens is no easy task.  As well as keeping them and their chums amused, you're also going to play a major part in maintaining or destroying their 'street cred'.  It is therefore important to get the right blend of autonomy and participation at your party to make your kids the coolest at school.  Of course, the traditional party games are great and should certainly feature at some point, provided you have an extra dimension to make your party go with a bang.

For younger kids, you really want to stick to what you know and go with party games like musical statues, musical chairs and blind man's buff.  You might even want to go for a piñata to add something a bit special.  On top of that there are loads of other things you can do to make the party fun, including dance competitions and pass the parcel.  With token prizes, you can make the party fun for all through these games at very minimal costs.  Combine this with a nice spread to fill the up and you're on track for a great party.  Finally, send everyone away with party bags to round off the event, and your child will be praised for weeks to come.

A teenage party is a completely different matter altogether.  Try the traditional party games and you'll get laughed at.  Teenagers look for more autonomy in their parties - they want the un-cool adults to stay out of the way whilst they socialize.  Of course it is still important that you remain at the party to avoid any problems.  Teenagers in general use parent-free houses to host riotous parties, which could lead to some problems for you and will certainly involve alcohol and perhaps softer illegal drugs.  It is therefore imperative to maintain a watchful eye but at arms length to make sure everything runs smoothly.  You may also like to prepare food and intervene with this half way through the night.  Follow these simple guidelines and you're teenagers party is sure to go down a storm.

Parties are a bit of a fine art, and with experience you'll see they get better.  Fortunately you'll have chance to go with younger parties first of all, which are easier to manage than the parties during the teenage years.  Remember what you'd have liked as a kid, and this should be reflected in your party.