Cook recommends keeping a camera on hand. Pictures can make for easy party favors.

“The Polaroid is my favorite because the kids get to take something home that they will always remember,” said Cook.

“We (also) usually send a goody bag because we always have a pinata. For the princess party, they each got a crown; for the cowboy party, they each got a bandanna and a cowboy hat. And for Kallie’s second birthday we had a rubber ducky theme and the kids got to pick a rubber ducky from the pool to take home,” said Cook.

(Rachel Kubicek writes for The Joplin (Mo.) Globe.)