Birthdays are a great excuse to plan a party. Especially when it comes to your kid's birthday, a fun-filled day is mandatory! Here is a checklist that will help you plan a hassle-free day.
Size of the party
Start your birthday planning by deciding how big you want your event to be. This is mostly a decision made on the basis of your child's preference. The size of the party also depends on the guest list. It should be among the first few steps that you start listing down the names of everyone you want to invite at the party.
The next major decision is the allocation of budget. Of course, the bigger the party, the higher the cost. But, that isn’t always true. You could host an extravagant party for a few people or a mediocre event for a long guest list at the same price. Once you decide the budget and number of guests, planning the rest of the party will become easier.
Theme and location
The theme and location are connected factors. If you’re hosting the party at home, the theme will have to be something that easier to create in a closed location. Open air themes are decorated differently. Search online for ideas and let your kid make the final decision. If the theme requires the birthday child to dress up, start searching for an outfit right about now.
Reservations and invites
Finalize a date that’s convenient for everyone. Maybe a weekend is preferable but your kid's birthday falls on a weekday. Keep in mind that since kids are attending the party, it has to accommodate them the most. Once a day, date, and time are decided, instantly make reservations at the location, with caterers, decorators, and all other relevant people. One important reservation people forget to make is with the photographer. If you have a low budget, ask a friend with a DSLR to capture some shots. These won’t be as good but something is better than nothing! Also, send out invites at this point so that the guests can clear their schedule for the party. Mention on the invitation card how many people are invited, if the parents should come along, and if the siblings can come too. You can send out handmade invitations by post or if the distance is an issue, online invitations can also be sent out.
Food and cake
Decide a kid-friendly menu. Keep in mind allergies or specific food concerns. If you’re inviting vegans, hire a caterer who’ll provide vegan options. If you’re low on budget, you can make the food and cake yourself too. The cake will match your theme. Adding cupcakes and cake pops is also a fun idea if you want to emphasize the theme more. If you’re trusting someone new to handle the food, make sure you first go for a taste test.
Add-ons
The ideas of birthday parties are endless. Hire an ice-cream van, cotton candy maker, and entertainers. The creativity is all yours. Magicians can perform some harmless magic tricks to leave the kids in awe. Hire a face painter so that all the kids can have matching tattoos that also coincide with the theme. A photo booth can also be added if you’re planning on capturing beautiful memories. Don’t forget goody bags and thank you notes! You can make goody bags yourself too. It will be time consuming but definitely fun. If you’re conducting games for entertainment on the party, get a couple of gifts for the winners. For convenience, get unisex gifts and goody bag items unless the kids invited are either all girls or all boys.
Wish lists
The most fun part of birthdays is receiving gifts. How sad would it be for your kids if they receive a gift that they don’t like? You can’t really tell the guests what to buy for your kid but you can always make it easier for them to buy things that your kid would want. You can create an Amazon registry. It is a wish list that the guests can tally when buying something for your child. You can mention the link of this wish list on the invites. If your child agrees to donate money instead of receiving gifts, you can also inform your guests of this on the invitation cards. Donating will bring a lot of inner satisfaction and peace. If your kid isn’t agreeing, you should try convincing him or her.
Use this checklist in your birthday planning to host a fun and memorable birthday party for your kid!