A successful childrens party doesn’t always need to be a stressful party. If you have questions like “what food should I serve?” or even “how long should the party go on for?” then you have nothing to worry about. Here you can find out whatever you need to know about planning your next childrens party without having to put hours into researching every aspect of it. Just follow the steps below and you will have all bases covered so you can relax and enjoy your child’s special day.
Set a Budget to Cover Everything
The cost of planning your child’s birthday party can add up far more than you realise. If you want to help yourself here, then you need to set your budget before you even start. You then need to make sure that you stick to this budget regardless of what is happening. It’s much easier to think about the budget overall when you think about the per-person cost. So, what would you feel comfortable spending on every guest in terms of food, drink or even dessert? When you have done this, you can then break down the other stages of your party so you have a number that you can comfortably work with.
Pick a Date to Suit Everyone
Another thing that you have to do is make sure that you pick a date that works for your key planners. This can include your child’s best friend or even your own parents. After all, they are probably going to want to come to the party even though they aren’t necessarily going to be taking part in the festivities.
Make a To-Do List for the Party
Lists help you by organising your thoughts as well as helping you to stop being overwhelmed. You have to also remember that there is nothing more satisfying than checking something off a list when you have accomplished it. If you want to help yourself here then you need to make a list for everything that you need to do on the day, in the week and even at the start of the month.
Do you Want to Use your Home?
The answer to this question largely depends on the space you have and the overall effort you want to put into the party. Home parties might be way more work for you but if you are the creative type then you can easily help them to have the best time without going over budget. A home party is a fantastic way for you to save money because you have full control over how much you spend on food, decorations and even other expenses too.
Book a Venue
If you know that you are going to have to choose a venue, then you have to choose one that suits the interest of your child. Play indoor games, hire a bouncy castle and even attend a museum that’s catered for kids. The best thing about booking a venue is that you can book it way in advance and you can also feel confident knowing that everything is going to come together nicely on the day. If you are hiring a venue, then try and work out where you would like your child to open their presents. For example, if grandparents are giving a dolls houses then these are rather big and therefore might be a better gift to give at home.
Choose a Theme
It’s vital that you choose a theme that your child is going to love, and not something that you think is going to look cute. Ask for help if you need it, or look into your child’s favourite characters, sports and more. When you do this, you will soon find that it is easier than ever for you to give them the best time.
Guest List
If you are having a pre-schooler or early years party, then try and invite the entire class. If you do this then you will soon find that you can avoid hurt feelings and that you also don’t have to worry about anyone falling out. As they get older this isn’t so important, but I recommend if you want to keep the guest-list down, then make it about their immediate friends instead. If you invite half the class but not the other half, then this may lead to some tears and this is the last thing that you want. You can also split it by gender if that fells appropriate which is most often what happens at my kids school and no one feels offended.
Choose the Time
Consider your child’s nap time and plan the party when you know your child is going to be in the best mood. This may mean having it at 11am or 2pm. Either way, it should be noted that toddlers do much better early in the day right before their afternoon nap and older children tend to do much better in the afternoon. If you plan out the time properly then you will soon find that it’s easier than ever for you to have the best day.
Keep it Short
You may think that having a longer party is the way to go, but this is not the case at all. In fact, for younger kids, 2hrs is plenty. If you have older kids, then try and plan the party for probably no more three hours instead. You will have had enough even if they haven’t!
Invitations
When you send out your invitations, it’s important that you include the start time, the end time and an email address. The best thing about putting your email down is that you can receive messages around the clock and when you do, you will be able to keep everyone informed much easier. You also have a much more efficient way to try and monitor everything.
Serve Classic Food
Another thing that you need to do is try and serve classic food. This can include food such as sandwiches, pizza, chicken nuggets and more. Remember that they are kids at the end of the day, and they don’t need a gourmet meal. In fact, if you were to serve them something like this then they probably wouldn’t eat it anyway! So don’t waste your money and save your budget. You’ll be glad you did, and you will also be able to give the kids much more choice as well.
