"You can't underestimate how much kids love doing the silliest things," says Jenny Rosenstrach. This may explain why the birthday party chapter in her latest book, How to Celebrate Anything, is full of loopy themes and old-school games. Her experience is hard won: "We had a couple of toddler parties with nothing planned that were doozies," says the mother of two who has built a loyal readership based on her wry humor and dedication to nightly meals at the family table. "I figured out early on [that] you either had to embrace the chaos or know that you have to be on for two hours." An inveterate planner, she came up with a master formula, breaking up a party into six elements — an art project, two games, food, cake and party favors. Once you choose a theme — say, secret agents or Japan — the slots practically fill themselves.

Photography by Heather Ramsdell