8 Tips for a Successful Birthday Party 2

Throwing a kids birthday party doesn’t have to be a stressful ordeal. With a bit of planning, you can make sure everything goes off without a hitch, and everyone has a great time. Here are eight tips to help make the planning process more manageable.

Decide on a budget

This is one of the most challenging tasks – pick a budget and stick to it. There are so many cute decorations or party favours out there, it can be hard to resist, but don’t get too carried away. It helps to ask yourself, “What am I comfortable spending per guest on food, favours, etc.?”

Pick a theme

Everything is easier if there’s a theme: finding or making decorations, choosing the cake, picking party favours, all of it. Take it one step further and book a themed wildlife party package that your child and their guests will be sure to remember.

Create a guest list

If your child is younger, and if you are able, invite the whole class to avoid any hurt feelings. When your youngster gets older, sit down with them and have a conversation about which classmates they want at their party. You don’t want to exclude anyone, but this will help with your budget as well.

Send out invites early

Nothing puts a damper on a party like a low attendance rate. Make sure all your child’s friends can come by planning ahead of time and sending out invitations early. Digital invites are a great way to save time and money, plus they’re easier for your guests to R.S.V.P. to.

Have plenty of activities

Make sure the kids don’t get bored and prepare easy activities for them. Arts and crafts are a simple way to keep them occupied while also watching them flex their creativity, plus then each guest has a take-home from the party. Just remember to keep extra supplies on hand in case a guest’s sibling stays for the party unexpectedly.

Keep the food easy

Kids can be fussy about food, so sticking with easy recipes for meals and snacks is the best way to go. Bonus points if you can prepare them ahead of time and serve them at room temperature.

Involve the kids

It’s their party after all! Kids want to help, so why not get them involved? Make decorations, plan the menu, or even bake the cake together with a cake kit. It will make your child feel special knowing they contributed to their party.

Prepare for the worst

Every parent wants to avoid disaster during a birthday party, so make sure you have a plan. It might even be a good idea to have a backup plan, especially if you’re hosting an outdoor party and are relying on good weather. However, don’t be too rigid with your plan because it’s almost inevitable that something unexpected will happen. If everyone’s having fun, take a breath, smile, and go with the flow. It’s also not a bad idea to have a first aid kit around just in case!