Your child’s birthday doesn’t have to just be for kids: it can be just as much a party for you as it is for them, and a time of celebration with all of your loved ones.While the kids run around, play games and enjoy themselves, you and the other adults can enjoy delicious food and a glass of wine or two, and relax knowing that everything is well-planned and running smoothly.
Planning a party can be just as fun (and as stress-free!), but it takes some prior planning. Don’t let your child’s favourite day become your least favourite. If one of your little ones has a party coming up, follow this guide and leave the stress behind.
Your seven-step action plan for a child’s birthday party
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The time
Consider the age of the children when deciding on a time for your party. Younger kids tend to get tired after a couple of hours, so a morning party works best. As kids get older, you can start the party later or let them run for longer. For toddlers and up, four hours is a good time limit.
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Guests
The number of people you invite is entirely up to you. It will differ for everyone, so consider the amount of space and budget you have. First birthdays tend to be larger than, say, the third of fourth birthday. Is it a milestone birthday? Do you want family and friends there, or just one or the other? These are the kind of questions to discuss with your partner.
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Theme
What’s your child into at the moment? Frozen, Thomas the Tank Engine, Finding Nemo or Taylor Swift? If they’ve got a favourite character, band, sport or thing to do, make it the theme of the birthday. The colour scheme, cake, balloons, decorations and party bags can all match to make it truly memorable.
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Invitations
Once you’ve got the date, time and guests sorted, it’s time to send out your invites. It’s best to do this as early as possible—as early as four weeks before if possible. You can either make the invitations yourself or save money (and add uniqueness) by buying them. If the party is themed, get into the spirit early by matching your invitations. And add a little note in the envelope to ask if there are any food allergies you should be aware of.
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Cake, party supplies and decorations
Making the space look like, well, a party, is the fun part. It’s also the part where you’ll spend the most money, so it’s good to have a budget in mind. Buy all of the essentials first, like plastic cups, plates and cutlery (who wants to do dishes afterwards?), balloons, streamers, and candles. Get as creative as you can and see what things you can make yourself. There’s plenty of DIY resources online to help you. Do your research on a local cake designer and get that sorted early—or better yet, make it yourself and get the little one to help you!
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Food
The timing of the party will help you work out what food is required. If the party goes from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, for example, some light snacks will be sufficient. It’s a good idea to specify the food you’ll serve on the invite, so you don’t have any cranky kids (or parents!). For birthdays, small servings and finger food works best. Stock up on snacks like chips, dip, cheese, biscuits, and fruit. Don’t forget the drinks, too. If it’s a summer shindig, lemonade, iced tea and juice are good options.
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Entertainment and games
While the kids will go off and play and do their own thing, it’s good to have a loose idea of some activities. How much guidance they’ll need will depend on the age group. Popular birthday activities include magicians, face painting, clowns, balloon artists, costume characters, animals, and arts and crafts. If you’d like to organise your own entertainment, treasure hunts, musical chairs, and pin the tail on the donkey are fun games to play—and easy to organise. Don’t forget the music to ramp up your little ones (and the adults!).
To make your child’s party even more unique, decorate the area with cool Baby Vegas goodies. We stock all types of party accessories, including party packs and invitations. You’ll find a bunch of birthday planning ideas here.
Pack those party bags without eating all the treats, we dare ya!
