According to birthdayuniversity.com, kid's parties have evolved significantly over the years, and are getting more original everyday. Long gone are the days when the party was held in the backyard, and the guests feasted on hotdogs, homemade chocolate cake and ice cream, followed by a few rounds of pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs.

Now, outside venues like restaurants, theatres and theme parks are all the rage, and colourful birthday cakes in the shape of popular characters such as Barney are every kid's expectation.

Party themes have become increasingly elaborate too, and play a more central role in kids' birthdays. To take the stress out of selecting a theme, entertaining.about.com suggests that you should use your child's interests as a guide and take advantage of their imagination to help give them a party they won't forget.

One theme that is always popular with little girls is Barbie. Parents across Canada can make it easy on themselves by having a Barbie Birthday Popcorn Party at their local Famous Players theatre. A full birthday package with a Barbie twist, the birthday girl receives Barbie-themed invitations to send out to her friends, and the large party includes Barbie decorations, Barbie loot bags, and a personalized Barbie cake.

"We're pleased to provide parents with an option that makes picking a birthday party theme that much easier," says Erica Van Kamp, Marketing Manager, Girls Brands, Mattel Canada Inc. "We've worked with Famous Players to create two totally Barbie-themed birthday packages that every little girl will love. For more information call 1-888-3-FAMOUS."

Check out birthdaypartyideas.com to get great theme ideas, such as these:

• Dress-up Party - Pick up some nail polish, hair accessories, makeup, and dress-up clothes. Then, provide each girl with her own individual makeover followed by a photo shoot.

• Princess Party - Make your little girl feel like royalty - decorate her throne with pastel streamers and balloons, give her a tiara, let the guests make their own wands and then serve a Princess Castle Cake.

• Tea Party - Have everyone dress up and pretend to be grownups while pouring and sipping tea. Set up tables in the backyard with flowered tablecloths and matching tea set, and let each guest decorate their own teacup.

• Stargazing Party - Pitch some tents for a backyard sleepover, borrow or rent a telescope, and purchase a star map from your local hobby shop.

Whether you're planning a party in the backyard, or at a venue outside of the home, save yourself time and eliminate most of the typical birthday party frustration by picking a simple theme that meets your budget and expectations.

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