How to Plan your Child's Birthday Party!

The thought of planning your child's birthday party can be quite daunting. Where to have it? When to have it? Who to invite? I remember asking myself all of these questions on repeat when planning Indiana's party last year. And even though your child might not remember every detail (or be too worried about it), that doesn’t mean you want it to be any less special.

The planning and preparing doesn't need to stressful or crazy though. As long as you have your child's best interests at heart, you can plan the perfect party with whatever budget or plans you have! In this post I'm going to be sharing some top tips and ideas on how to plan a child's birthday party - whether they are 5, 10, or 15.

The Entertainment

Hiring an entertainer can often be a worthwhile means of keeping children engaged and active at a birthday party. It can also be quite entertaining for the adults too. We all know that clowns can often create a lifelong fear of said performers, so this could be a risky move. But what about a magician, a children's entertainer, or even character performers that fit your party theme? We had Elsa and a pirate at Indiana's pirate and princess party, and they were fab! You could even hire a photo booth to capture the fun at the party too.

If you're not having a full class party in a hall, then why not think about attending something that is entertainment in itself. For example, if your child’s birthday is there in the lead up to Christmas, bringing them to a pantomime could be a great idea! The cinema, bowling or even soft play are great ideas for a party - especially if you don't want to invite a large number of guests.

A party at your home can often be one of the easiest yet also most freeing parties to plan. It can help you avoid the worries of taking a large group of children out, and make it feel a bit more personal too. Booking a bouncy castle, purchasing a large paddling pool or simply playing some fun party games could be all you need. You needn’t spend over the odds to enjoy a successful birthday party for your child, as long as they are having fun!

Who to Invite

Invite lists for parties change a lot depending on the age of your child. Most reception classes have a whole 'class party', so everyone is invited and able to join in the fun. However, once your child moves up the school and creates close friendships, it's probably easier to get them to pick a smaller number of guests to celebrate with.

If your child hopes to spend their birthday with a particular friend from school, but you have yet to speak to them or their parents, try to befriend them in the playground. This not only helps with future get togethers, but will maybe create a new friendship for you too! And if your child has requested a sleepover party, it would be a good idea to invite the chosen friends over for a play date first, just to make sure they're all going to get on okay. No one wants an unsuccessful sleepover!

The Small Details

If you invite more than three children to the birthday party, it is a fantastic idea to enlist the help of other parents or friends. Most parents will want to attend a birthday party with their child, but some may not. It can be handy to have an extra hand to keep an eye on everyone, and can also help you offload some of the stress too. It can of course be nice to invite family and friends along if your party venue is big enough, so everyone can celebrate with your child together!

If the parents decide not to stay with their child it's a great idea to keep them in the loop anyway. Give them the address and contact numbers of at least two adults at the party, and contact details for the venue if it's not at your home. Ask for the child’s dietary requirements or medical needs and any emergency numbers you can ring too - it's always better to be safe than sorry.

And finally, make sure you consider the time and length of the party. A short but sweet birthday party can sometimes be better (especially for younger children), then an all day event. Then once you know the venue, guest list and times you can plan the final details such as food, drink and the party decorations!

This is a collaborative post.