Top Tips For Planning The PERFECT Kid's Birthday Party

 

Photo by Lidya Nada on Unsplash

Whether you are planning your kid’s first big birthday party or have sat your way through your fair share of clowns and party hats - planning the perfect party is no easy task, especially if your children are a little hard to please or their interests seem to change with every passing day. Furthermore, the process can be stressful as there are so many different elements to consider - from themes to the all-important birthday cake. 

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However, with a bit of planning, it’s easy to pull together a party that will be the talk of the playground the next day - leaving a huge smile on your kid’s face. 

With that in mind, here are some top tips for planning the perfect birthday party for your kid (without the stress). 

Choose a theme.

No matter how old you may be, selecting a theme for your party is a great way to make the planning process a little easier. This is because you can then center the rest of your decisions - from food and drinks to games - around your theme. Furthemore, there are simply thousands upon thousands of different themes to choose from - making it easy to find something you know your kid will love. For example, if they’re a big fan of the ghostbusters theme, you can look into throwing a ghostbusters party. Furthermore, letting your child choose a theme ensures that they will have a great time and lets them know that you value their opinion. 

Center it around an activity. 

One of the biggest concerns that we have about throwing parties (even as adults) is the idea that our guests will not be entertained or will feel bored. These worries can be even more intense for children navigating through school, where making friends can feel like an impossible task. Thankfully, there are various steps you can take to ensure that each and every guest has fun. For example, you can play a series of crowd-pleasing party games. Alternatively, you can center the party around a particular activity that your child loves. For example, this could be a sports-related activity, such as baseball or bowling - or you can go for something a little more unique, such as an escape room. In fact, escape rooms are an excellent choice for birthday parties - as they encourage guests to work together as a team while providing them with a bit of a challenge to get their minds working. Afterward, you can celebrate your win (or loss) with plenty of cake! 

Stay at home.

While some parties will require you to hire out venues, you can also throw a killer party in your own home - and this is a great idea for those who are looking to stick within a specific budget. Furthemore, hosting a party at home gives you more control of the number of guests your child can invite - which is perfect if they want to try and bring the whole class along and don’t want anyone to feel left out. However, be sure to kid-proof your home ahead of time if you want to keep it tidy. For example, you could cover carpets or sofas with plastic sheeting to make sure any spills are easier to control (and so you won’t have a lasting reminder of the party besides photographs). Hosting a party at your home also gives you the chance to have fun and experiment when it comes to decorations. For example, you can make your own party garlands or even hang a few embarrassing baby photos of your kid around the house (Though be prepared for the resulting eye-rolls when the birthday boy/girl spots them!)  

Send out invites early. 

While children are unlikely to have the busiest social calendar around, sending out invites to your kid’s party sooner rather than later is crucial if you want to avoid no-shows. This is due to the simple fact that it gives their parents time to add the event to their own calendars and ensures that nobody forgets the big day as they have had plenty of time to prepare. If you’re trusting your kid to hand out the invites - you might also want to send out a text to the parents nearer the time to remind them of the party - in case they have gone missing in the bottom of their school bag. Alternatively, you can send out invites over email or on social media. 

Make your own food.

Despite what you may be thinking, planning a birthday party for your kid doesn’t need to break the bank. In fact, you can save a lot of money when it comes to refreshments by making your own food and drinks instead of getting takeout or purchasing them for a caterer. Remember - kids are usually pretty easily satisfied when it comes to food, so you don’t have to put together a complicated dinner party menu to keep a smile on their faces. In fact, it’s probably best that you keep it simple and go with crowd-favorites you know they’ll love. Don’t worry too much about including a bit of junk food here and there - as a birthday party is the perfect excuse for some treats! 

Furthemore, professionally made birthday cakes can be expensive - which is fine if you’re looking for a little treat, as they also make a great birthday present as well as a snack. However, if you want to plan a little more budget-friendly party, don’t be afraid to grab your apron and try your hand at being a cake maker for the day. However, be sure that you practice ahead of time to ensure that you can pull it off in time for the event. If an entire cake is a little out of your expertise, you could always make a series of fun cupcakes instead. Not only do they taste great, but they’re also a lot easier to make (leaving less room for kitchen disasters). They are also much easier for your guests to take home with them after the party (unless you are planning on eating all of the leftovers yourself) 

Put together a music playlist. 

Music can make or break a party - but you must not try to be ‘down with the kids and stay in control of the Spotify playlist throughout. Instead, sit down with your kid ahead of time and put together a list of their favorite songs and tracks - this way, you know that it will be easy to get everyone up and dancing whenever the music comes on. Alternatively, you could let each guest choose a song to play when they arrive so that everyone is smiling (and dancing) all day long. Furthemore, when selecting songs, you should also ensure that they are age-appropriate and free from curse words! 

In short, there are various ways to make the party planning process a breeze - which also means that you will have more fun and stress less throughout! However, if you aren’t sure where to get started, be sure to put your kids in the driving seat. While you will have to finalize decisions (and set a budget), having them decide how they want to spend their birthday is often the easiest way to get the job done and ensure they have a great time celebrating with their friends. Remember, a good party is all about having fun - not how much money you spend - and your kid will be much more focused on having fun with their friends than they will be on your budget.