How To Plan A Kid’s Birthday Party

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Planning a kid’s birthday party can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. This guide will show you how to plan an awesome party for little ones.

What we’ll cover in this post

• Date & Location
• Entertainment
• Theme
• Guestlist
• Food
• Cake
• Supplies & Decor
• Party Favours
• Photos
• FREE Party Checklist

Once you know the location where you’re going to host the party, you’ll want to think about what kind of space you’ll use. Will you rent a hall? Or do you have enough room at home?

Now you’ve found a venue, plan or book the entertainment. 

It’s important to take some time to plan activities for your kids. Take note of what your children already enjoy doing like crafts and try to incorporate those activities into the party.

It’s worth considering hiring an entertainer (like me) to host your party, this has tons of benefits but the most important one is it takes the stress off your shoulders and means you can have the time to enjoy the memories being created on your little one’s special day.

If you do want to plan your own party you can’t go wrong with the classic party games kids love musical statues, pass the parcel and dancing the hokey-cokey. Don’t forget to give out lots of prizes.
You will also need to plan your playlist to avoid getting bored during your party, you could make your own playlist using tracks from your child’s favourite artists and films or use premade Spotify playlists there are hundreds out there.

If you are having a themed party, think about what entertainers would work with the theme. For example, if you’re having a Greatest Showman themed party, the perfect package might be The Greatest Circus.

It’s important that the theme of your children’s party is something they can really get into. If your child loves princesses or unicorns, there are tons of cute decorations to match their style. You can also choose a themed cake or cupcakes that fit with the colour scheme. The more fun, the better!

Start with family members and close friends and if your planning a big party why not invite the whole class.

Make sure you send invitations at least one month before your party date so guests can get excited about attending and parents can mark the date in their calendars.

Ask parents to RSVP at least 2 weeks in advance so you have time to prepare and plan but don’t be upset if people drop out at the last minute, it always happens so it’s not worth taking personally.

The most important thing to remember when planning food is to keep it simple!

Cold food is best and most practical at parties, if you’re planning a buffet, think about what foods would appeal to kids. Sandwiches, carrot & cucumber sticks, sausage rolls, crisps and of course a sweet treat to finish.

If you are worried about hygiene you can make food boxes with pre-wrapped items.

Kids are fussy eaters so skip the fancy stuff, a bottle of mayo or ketchup on the side is better so they can add their own if they want it. 

If you do want to serve a hot meal, you may want to consider serving pizza as this can be cut and served hot. But think about how practical this will be to prepare while stressed out on the day. If you are short on time a caterer might be the best option for you.

For drinks, you can buy individual bottles or get some orange and blackcurrant squash to mix up and serve but don’t forget the cups and jugs.

Always ask guests before the party for any food allergies or dietary requirements that you may not think of. Tell them to let you know at least 2 weeks in advance so you have time to prepare.

There are tons of options for cake, if you are up to the challenge you can make your own or check out local supermarkets for themed birthday cakes. If you want to go all out there are many local bakers that can design a high-quality cake for any occasion.

Check out our list of Friendors that we recommend for ideas and google someone local to you.

If you have lots of guests it might be worth buying an extra cake to cut up for party bags these can be found cheaply at any local supermarket.

Don’t forget the candles and a lighter!

You will want to start shopping for supplies and decorations early or you may want to consider an eco-friendly alternative to disposable plastic tableware and hire a party kit.

Things to remember

• Plates & cups
• Table covers
• Banners
• Balloons or paper fans
• Photo props

Always give yourself plenty of time to set up before your guests arrive. This way, you won’t have to rush around trying to find things when you’re running late.

For favours, you can do something as simple as a paper bag filled with candy. Or you could make a party kit where each guest gets to take home an item from the theme. Try to think of things that guests would enjoy like crafts or a book.

Don’t go for the obvious plastic tat, they always end up in the bin and tend to be a waste of money in my opinion.

Charge your camera (or phone) so you can take tons of photos at the party, these will last a lifetime and bring back a lot of happy memories as your child grows.

Key moments to capture, blowing out the candles, a group photo, lots while playing games and you can even make a photo booth to encourage guests to take their own pics.

It also may be worth considering if other parents are ok with you posting pics of your child before sharing them directly to social media.

Make your party planning easy by downloading our FREE Party Checklist, just click and download the image below for everything you need to remeber on your childs special day.