CHILDRENS PARTY PLANNING

All the information you need as we create your own personalized Childrens Party Planning Checklist. Your Children's Party planned from 4-6 Weeks up to the Day of your Party.

4-6 Weeks before your Party!!!

The best way to use your Childrens Party Planning Checklist is to get yourself a piece of paper & pen and write down the answers to each of the following questions. The idea is to get an overall picture of the Birthday Party.

First question 'Does the 'Birthday Boy/Girl want their birthday party to have a theme'? If 'Yes'. Which theme? Throughout the coming weeks, months, years - kid-theme-parties.com will be adding many party themes to the site. It will be ongoing as ideas & trends change and evolve all the time.

So what's hot!!? Is it a Film Character? Cartoon Character? Super Hero? Footballer? Popstar? It's Your Choice!

IT'S YOUR PARTY!!!

Once you have chosen whether or not you are going with a party theme let's:

Decide on a date:

Ideally this would be the date of the birthday. But for a number of reasons this isn't always convenient

If it falls on a weekday it may be awkward as so many of the children have after school activities or the children's parents may have trouble in getting the kids there because of work commitments. If this is the case your alternative of course is to have the party at the weekend.

Usually a good idea not to have the birthday party in school holidays as you could find that many of the friends invited are away on a family holiday so try to arrange the birthday party before or after the school holidays.

So write down some possible dates in your Childrens Party Planning Checklist.

How long will the birthday party last?

Largely depends on what you have planned but when planning a programme of events normally 2 hours is ample. In fact any longer sometimes can hinder the birthday party as the kid's can get tired and start to lose concentration.

Make a note of the duration of the party.

What time will it start & finish?

This can depend on the age of the party kids. I have found on many occasions the children, especially toddlers are at their best in the morning. For this reason the party is alot easier to control and can be enjoyed a little better.

Early afternoon is also a good time. This means you don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to organise everything and the children get home at a reasonable hour.

For the older boys and girls 7yrs + mid to late afternoon can give a bit of time to recover from any sports activities they may have.

If you are thinking of booking a venue or children's entertainer then you may need to be flexible with your time or even day so try and get down as many times as possible.

And, of course if the party is being held at lunch or dinner times the children will be hungry so best make sure their is enough to eat. Alternatively you can plan the party between meal times.

You know what's best for you! But with so much to consider sometimes the time can be dictated to us.

Write a few times that are convenient for you and again add them to your Childrens Party Planning Checklist.

Are you going to book a children's entertainer? Or hire a Bouncy Castle?

If you are try & keep to the theme of the party, for instance if you have decided on a Circus theme you will want the children's entertainer to be dressed as a clown or the bouncy castle to be a Circus Big Top.

To avoid disappointment contact a few local children entertainers to check price & availability and enquire what they can do to enhance your party. If you find one that suits - BOOK HIM/HER the goods ones do tend to get booked up pretty quick!

Where are you having the birthday party?

At home? Or are you going to hire a venue? - Party Tips & Ideas - Where best to have your Party???


If you have decided to have the party in a hired venue check the availability of the room that you have in mind. If it fits with your plans don't take any chances in losing it - BOOK IT straight away! If not so lucky first time keep trying until you get a room that is suitable.

Once we have organised all of the above let's work on:

Creating your Guest List:

How many guests are you going to invite?

This, of course, depends on many factors. The size of the venue where the party is to be held? How much do you want to spend? How many children can you handle!!! Once you have agreed on a number make a list of the lucky guests names!

Everything in order? That's great! Unless you have added some touches of your own that need extra attention you have completed the planning for this stage.

Keep all the information you have collected from the Childrens Party Planning Checklist in a safe place and we will be ready to carry on with the Party Planning when we are 3-4 weeks before the big day!

That's it for now. See you next week!!!

3-4 Weeks before your Party!!!

At this point we need to make sure we get all the essential Party Supplies.

Such as:

Tableware - Party Plates, Knives, Forks, Spoons, Cups, Serviettes/Napkins, Table Covers.

Party Banners, Party Balloons, Party Invitations & Thankyou notes, Birthday Candles, Party Music, Party Bags & Fillers.

If you are planning on organising any Party Games for example Pinata or Pin the Tail on the Donkey you best make sure you can get the required equipment.

Write down the list of items required in your Childrens Party Planning Checklist and find out where you can purchase them whether it be off a Party Site here on the web or at a local Party Shop.

If you are buying off the internet I would order as soon as you know what you want just to be on the safe side!

What Food & Drink?

No need to go wild here, children normally don't go for anything complicated or exotic so as the saying goes 'Keep it Simple'.

Most parties I entertain at have two or three different fillings in the sandwiches maybe ham, cheese or jam! And you can't go wrong with the variety of crisps that are available for the kid's of today. Then theirs the usual Party food like Sausage rolls, Pizza slices, Chicken nuggets etc.

And just when it seems it can't get any better out comes the chocolate biscuits & cake!!! Yum Yum!!! It used to be Jelly in my day but I don't often see this at parties anymore.

That's all we need to do for this week. Put your Childrens Party Planning Checklist in a safe place. See you next week when we will be planning amongst other things a bit more shopping!

2-3 Weeks before your Party!!!

PARTY INVITATIONS

When deciding on what style of 'invitation' remember if you are having a theme party to stick with that same theme.

If making your own remember to include the following information:

Name of Birthday Party Child.
Day & Date of Party.
What time the Party will Start & Finish.
Where the Party is going to be held.
Don't forget to put R.S.V.P on the invitation with your telephone number or email address.

If the Party is to be of a certain theme remember to let them know how to come dressed.

Write out the Party Invitations & post or send them to the lucky children. Keep the names of the guests already written in your Childrens Party Planning Checklist nearby so you can tick them off when they reply.

Deciding which Games to play

You would probably need 4 or 5 games organised. Again if your party is themed try and link the games to the theme. Their is a few Party Games on this web site that should be able to help you. Make sure you have all the necessary equipment, props and prizes. If not I'm afraid it's time to spend some more of your hard earned cash. Go out and buy everything you need for the activities & games.

What about the Birthday Cake?

Are you buying or making your Birthday Cake? If you are making it then we don't have to concern ourselves just yet. If ordering then place your order with your local Cake Maker or Bakery. Again where possible keep to the theme.

Any volunteers???

Make sure you cut stress to a minimum on the big day by seeking some helpers. This could be someone from your family or maybe a friend or two. Or you could ask a couple of the little guests parents.

You can write the names of the helpers in guess where? That's right the 'Childrens Party Planning Checklist'.

ONLY 1 WEEK BEFORE YOUR PARTY!!!

To get a head start on the week:

*Buy any tinned or frozen foods.

*Buy your ingredients to bake the Birthday Cake (if not ordering)

*Buy drinks

*Buy film & batteries for camera/camcorder

*Organise & test games & activities

*Contact any guest that have not replied to your invitation ( I bet they're coming!)

*Make sure you have enough bin bags for presents & rubbish.

*Organise your Party Bags

*If you have booked an entertainer, bouncy castle or any other service provider contact them to set your mind at ease!

*If the party is being held at home you can prepare, clean & organise the Party area when it suits.

1 DAY BEFORE YOUR PARTY!!!

*Charge the batteries in your camcorder.

*Decorate the Party area (if party at home).

*Make sure there is no potential hazards for children and hide anything that can easily break.

*Arrange to pick up cake (if not baked own).

ON YOUR PARTY DAY!!!!!

Have you picked up the Birthday Cake? Where is your Party banners, music, tableware, games...all the information you need is in your Childrens Party Planning Checklist.

I'm sure you have everything under control so let's go back to some more Party Tips & Ideas - we are now ready to leave the Childrens Party Planning