Sometimes you can't predict whether a child will come to a birthday party on time. While planning a birthday party, you should always plan some time-killer activities. This has happened a lot, especially on the first birthday party I had. Always expect the unexpected to happen. One child didn’t RSVP, another came thirty minutes late.
While waiting for the children to come, we had a whiteboard where the children would write their name in the order they came. You could also have small games, like pin the tail to the donkey, or a small trivia game, for example Trivia Pursuit is a good one. Choose a game that will make the children use their brain. Try Quivive, Ticket to Ride, or Monopoly.
Plan some extra snacks too. We had a full bag of cheetos, the large family pack. One of the children ate half of it before the first game even started!
If I remember all this next time, the next birthday party could will be better!