Birthday parties vary greatly from person to person. Some parents prefer to keep things simple when it comes to their kids’ parties, while others meticulously plan every detail for months, seeking out new and original ideas (everyone has their own idea of fun!)
Nevertheless, there are certain essential elements that every child’s birthday party simply must have. Whether you’ve been planning for months or just a week (though we recommend a bit more time), these basics are non-negotiable. With this in mind, we have put together a checklist to make things even easier!
Use can also use our low-stress-party-planning system to make sure you remember everything and you meet all the deadlines.
1 – Location Checklist
When researching a birthday party venue, it’s important to know what you and your child want before you explore any. Venues vary from simple function rooms to full entertainment centres. To help you decide, we’ve listed the pros and cons of venues as well as having a party at home.
Top tip: If you’re not having the party at home, bring a box or a case to put the open presents in, you don’t want them to go missing!
📅 To plan:
- Are you hosting the party at home or in a venue?
- Find a date that works for most people.
- Choose a time and the length of the party.
🤔 To consider:
- Do you need to organise carpooling with the other parents?
- Do you need extra tables and/or chairs? If needed, ask guests to bring some as well.
- If you rent a venue, will you have access to a kitchen?
- Do you want to host a kid’s party outside? (If the birthday is in the spring, summer or early autumn, having the party outside is something you can consider. However, you will need to plan the appropriate catering and safety measures)
❌ To avoid:
- If you’re planning on booking a venue, make your reservation sooner rather than later.
- Children’s entertainment centres are extremely packed on weekends so book this well in advance if you can.
2 – Guests Checklist
After the venue, it’s time to put together your guest list. The size of the party will depend on your kids’ age, personality and what his or her personal preferences are.
📅 To plan:
- Guest list
- Paper Invitations
- WhatsApp or Email reminders
- RSVP dates
- All the important details (place, time, theme, etc.)
🤔 To consider:
- Do you want a smaller or a bigger party?
- Do you want to invite your friends and family or just your kids’ friends?
- Will you be sending thank-you notes after the party?
❌ To Avoid:
- Plan 3 weeks for the invitations. Any more and they will get lost; any less and the guest will already be busy.
3 – Party Theme Checklist
You have now hopefully established where you will be partying and who is coming. Now is the time to choose your party theme. To kick-start, your creativity, ake a look at our A to Z of kids’ party themes.
✅ To have:
- Party bags or favours
- A few fun presents for the guests
- Decorations matching the theme of the party
- Theme-related props or items
🤔To consider:
- Do you need/want an outfit or costumes? (Outfits that match the party theme are a great way to set the party atmosphere. However, keep in mind that the children need to feel comfortable. Make sure the outfit doesn’t get in the way and that the type of material is appropriate to the weather.)
❌ To avoid:
- If you’ve chosen a ‘dark’ theme, such as vampires or zombies, don’t get too scary or too realistic for young kids.
4 – Entertainers and Activities Checklist
The most important element of the party is the atmosphere. It should be fun and full of positive energy. Entertainers and activities play a crucial role here.
✅ To have:
- Games and activities that match the party theme.
- Equipment for the activities (balls, chairs, paint…)
- Designated space for the activities
- A simple activity schedule (this will save you a lot of stress on the day!)
- Party prizes that match the party theme
- A music system – unless you’re planning a kids’ disco party, a simple one will do.
🤔 To consider:
- Should you hire a kid’s entertainer? For example, a clown or a kid’s magician?
- Do you want entertainers with special equipment? Perhaps you’re interested in hosting a sporting birthday or a pamper party?
- Is there something for everyone? For example, some children are afraid of noisy animations while others will adore them. A lot depends on age and temperament.
❌ To avoid:
- Make sure the activities are age-appropriate.
- Don’t stretch activities out for too long. 15 to 20 minutes is ideal.
5 – Food and Drinks Checklist
Everyone always eagerly awaits that special moment: bringing out a cake. However, don’t overlook the rest of the food and drinks.
When buying or making the cake, keep in mind that the size and, therefore, the weight of the cake should be proportional to the number of guests. Additionally, if you’re also serving a full meal, the kids will likely eat less cake. Don’t worry, the other parents will be delighted to try it when they pick up their kids!
✅ To have:
- Snacks
- Party drinks
- Fruit Juice
- Water
- A birthday cake
- A disposable paper or plastic tablecloth. Remember, it likely won’t survive the day!
- A lighter or box of matches for the birthday candles
🤔 To consider:
- Are you having a full meal or just the cake?
- Does the food contain frequent allergens? In a perfect world, it’s nice to avoid ingredients such as peanuts, to prevent any unwanted reactions (it’s a good idea to check with parents before the party about any allergies)
- Will the flavour of the cake appeal to all the kids? If possible, choose a cake that will be enjoyed by the majority of the guests.
- To what extent should the cake be decorated? The birthday child will probably have his or her opinion on the matter.
❌ To avoid:
- After the cake, kids will generally have a sugar high and then run out of energy. That is a good time to end the party; Plan accordingly!
6 – Pictures checklist
You’ll want to treasure the party moment for years to come, so pictures are essential. Nowadays, phones have amazing cameras built in. However, if the lighting is bad, or you have the budget, a traditional camera will serve you better.
✅ To have:
- A designated photographer. This could be a friend or family member.
- A fully charged camera/smartphone.
- A power bank
- A spare memory card
🤔 To consider:
- Should you hire a professional photographer?
If you decide to hire a professional photographer, you need to find an adequate one. Some photographers specialize in children’s birthday parties. These are generally better at capturing the important moments.
❌ To avoid:
- Don’t try to be the photographer yourself. You’ll be busy with the guests. Instead, choose one of your friends or a professional photographer.
- Don’t transform the party into a photo shoot. You’ll get the best party pictures from the candid moments.
7 – Decorations
You can purchase a lot of the decorations well in advance of the party (once you have settled on the theme) and can spread the expense of these over time.
✅ To have:
- Balloons
- Party hats
- Plastic or paper tablecloths
- Cups, plates, napkins and cutlery
- Table decorations
- Scissors and tape
🤔 To consider:
- Streamers
- Banners
- Wall decorations
- A sign for the garden
- Candles? Depending on the age of the kids and the party theme, candles might look nice. Proceed with caution!
- Do the children need metal cutlery? We’ve all splintered plastic cutlery before. If you aren’t just planning finger food, consider whether the kids will need metal cutlery.
❌ To avoid:
- Noisy party props such as whistles and party horns
- Confetti – unless you fancy the clean-up after!
- Pinterest browsing when looking for ideas – yes, use it for inspiration, but don’t go down a rabbit hole of ideas that are not real what you want!
Closing thoughts
The sooner you get into planning your birthday; the happier everyone will be. Whatever options you choose, don’t forget to be in a good mood and relaxed. Smiles are an inseparable part of a good atmosphere.
Your child will remember the decorations on their birthday cake, the games and the good times but it’s even more likely that they will remember all the smiles on people’s faces, so enjoy it!
PartyWizz helps you book the best kid’s entertainers and party services in UK and Ireland. From magicians and face painters to party packages and photographers, you’ll find those in your area on our easy-to-use platform. Whether you’re planning a birthday party, christening, communion or a corporate family day, go to PartyWizz to find the perfect service providers hassle-free!
