Nothing says childhood memories quite like a party. The combination of festive decorations, yummy cake, and the promise of possible presents is a delicious combination for any kid.
Planning, on the other hand, can be a recipe for a headache for busy moms and dads. To help make sure your next event is a memory everyone will cherish, here are my top 10 ways to simplify your party planning.
Top 10 Tips for Stress-Free Party Planning
1. Keep it simple.
“Go big or go home” is not a mantra for good party planning. Especially when you’re planning a family party centered around your kiddos, it’s better to keep it simple.
Children can get overstimulated easily so it’s not necessary to have a detailed itinerary chock-full of interactive, engaging activities for the entire time you’ve blocked out for the party.
Not everything needs to be handmade and handcrafted to be Pinterest-worthy. What they’ll remember is the feeling of fun they had, so let “Keep it simple” be your mantra as you go about your party planning.
2. Pick a theme.
Whether it’s to celebrate a birthday, holiday, or season, picking a theme is a great way to help you make a cohesive event.
Remember, keep it simple. If it’s approaching summertime, have a Summer Celebration bash. Or if your child loves rockets, you could have an outer space-themed party.
Here are a few guidelines for picking a theme that will make a great party:
- Make sure it’s age-appropriate.
- Find a theme that aligns with your child’s personality or interests.
- Choose a theme with readily available decorations to cut down on sourcing time or the need to create them yourself.
3. Create a party schedule.
One of the biggest decisions you’ll need to make is how long your party will be. Too short and you’ll feel like it was rushed. Too long and you may be scrambling to find ways to keep the kids occupied.
Once you’ve decided on how long your party will be (2 hours is plenty for little kids, 3 hours if they’re older), the next step in party planning is to create a schedule of events. Look to create a flexible schedule of activities, games, or possible entertainment along with any extras like singing Happy Birthday or cutting a birthday cake. This will help you feel in control of your party and minimize any stress you have about hosting.
4. Let your kids help with event planning.
If you’re planning a party for children, don’t be afraid to pull your own kids into the party-planning process! They know best whether their friends would enjoy a party game or activity. Plus, they’ll also let you know if any of the plans you do have in place won’t work with their peer group.
Not only will this give you time to bond with your child, but it will give them a boost to know that they helped bring their ideas to life with a successful event with their friends and family.
5. Plan your guest list.
One of the most popular questions when planning a children’s party is whether you need to invite the siblings or not. And the honest answer is: It depends.
There are a few questions you’ll need to answer when it comes to creating your guest list and deciding whether to invite siblings or not.
- How big of a party do you want?
- What is the budget for your party?
- Are there space considerations?
- What is the overall vision you have for your event?
The answers to these will help you decide who you want to invite and whether you want to include siblings (and their parents). Whatever your policy or limitations, clear communication around it will help things go smoothly and save you time and headache.
6. Practice Good Party Etiquette.
While inviting siblings is completely up to you, there are some etiquette standards that will shape your decision, including:
- Younger siblings may need to be included because of age, lack of childcare, etc.
- If you want parents to stay for the event, you will need to include the siblings.
- It is completely fine to specify “No Siblings”. Just make it clear from the outset on your invite whether they are included or not.
- Also, make it clear on the invitation whether you allow parents to drop off their kids without attending themselves.
7. Use technology to help you party plan.
From tracking RSVPs to organizing your party planning list, technology can save you a lot of time and money. Invitation platforms allow you to create gorgeous invites or e-vites that can be completely customized, manage your RSVPs, and allow you to communicate with your attendees all in one place.
You can also use technology to create your event schedule, plan your menu or collect photos after the event.
8. Say “Yes” to dessert.
Now, this suggestion should in no way be seen as an endorsement of cake. (Though who doesn’t love cake?) It really doesn’t matter what you choose for dessert, but serving some sort of dessert accomplishes a few things:
- It ensures that all attendees are completely engaged together at least once.
- It is a sweet moment that signifies the party is coming to an end.
So, whether you want to serve a scrumptious fruit salad or a delicious Tiramisu, having a dessert is a lovely way to round out your party planning.
9. Entertainment is optional.
If you have the budget, booking a performer, balloon artist or face painter is a great addition to your children’s party.
Don’t have the budget?
No problem.
One of the wonderful things about kids is their ability to be easily entertained. There are some great online scavenger hunt templates or our party boxes come complete with activity packs that can help keep kids engaged, without the need for outside entertainment or performers.
10. Expect the unexpected.
If attending over a decade’s worth of children’s parties has taught me anything it is this: expect the unexpected. Uninvited siblings may attend, the cake may not be delivered, or the Super Mario performer may be running late. These things by themselves can not ruin a party.
When you expect the unexpected, you can prepare yourself to deal with anything that comes your way gracefully and shake off anything that doesn’t go according to plan. A perfect party isn’t necessary for the perfect childhood memory, after all.
Download Our Free Ultimate Party Planning Guide
We know that a perfect party may seem like an impossible feat, but with a little bit of planning we believe everyone can have extraordinary events!
That’s why we’ve put together a Free Ultimate Party Planning Guide, complete with checklists, timelines, and more of our party planning tips.
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