"What time is it? Party time! Let’s celebrate!" Say those words and your child will most likely start dancing. Throw in some cake and some special party favors and you are well on your way to being the coolest Mom on the planet. It's time to throw the birthday party of the year--High School Musical-style!!

Getting started is easy:

Invitations: Make it fun. Get your kids involved, cut out pictures of their favorite characters, and jazz it up. For example, "You are cordially invited to my High School Musical Dream Theme Party! Come dressed up as your favorite character and be prepared to have the time of your life!" Get as creative as you want.

Music: The next step is to buy the soundtrack to High School Musical and/or its sequel (if your child doesn't already own both). At the party, this music will be your best friend not only because it's the perfect background music, but also because it will form the basis of some really fun games, anything from your basic karaoke fun to actual singing and/or dance contests. Most, if not all, of the kids will know the words, so no one will feel left out. The best part? You don't need to do much. Just press play and let the kids take the lead.

Party Favors: As your guests arrive, have someone ready to take pictures of each person (be sure to specifically note the name of each person in each photo). They will be used later for both thank you cards and a remembrance book for the birthday boy or girl. For the cards, glue or tape your guest's photo with a little caption underneath thanking them and stating what title they won (more on that later). For the book, treat it like a high school yearbook. At the front door, have a blank journal available for guests to sign and to write fun comments, but make sure you leave space on each page for photos. You can mark them in pencil or tape construction paper wherever you want to hold a space. After the party, you can take the photos of each guest and the candid photos from the party and place them where you want them. Your child will love it.

Activities: We already mentioned a few games you can play using the soundtrack. Other possibilities include a look-alike contest (to see who looks most like a member from the cast) or a basketball relay (if you don't have a standard ball and hoop, a mini-version will do). Whatever you decide to do, keep the competition fun and light-hearted, so nobody feels left out. For a better understanding of the show to inspire more ideas, look for High School Musical online at www.disney.go.com/tv.

Food: You also don't have to get fancy with the food and drinks that are served up at this particular party. Pizza and some refreshments are simple and easy, not to mention tasty. However, I would suggest some crème brulée. Your child will know why.

The last step is the most important: Have a good time! High School Musical is one of the most popular movie franchises of all time. The theme alone will make your child and their friends giddy. Let them in on the fun of planning and they'll guide you in picking all the perfect pieces to make this the birthday party of the year, if not their lives!

BONUS: Think you and your kids have what it takes to throw the most creative High School Musical-style party? Send us your photos and your best party tips to creativeparties@familymagazinegroup.com and we'll publish them in an upcoming magazine!