Timeline for Planning your child’s birthday party
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Planning your child’s birthday party can be at times, more than a little bit stressful, so much so that it can often be hard to know where to start. If you don’t have the luxury of hiring an official party planner, here’s my timeline of things to do in order to plan the perfect party.
6 weeks before
- Set the theme – whether its mermaids and pirates, the ultimate Harry Potter party with sorting hat, a jungle themed party or even a magical unicorn party – talk to your child about the theme they would like for their party and start brainstorming ideas. I tend to scour pinterest for some inspiration and love being creative with party games and food.
- Set a date – It may seem early, but have a look at where your child’s birthday falls and check the diary to see which weekend date works best for you. Make sure that you avoid clashing with any big events where you can e.g. mothers day, fathers day etc. These days families are likely to have prior engagements.
- Book a venue and or entertainment – It’s worth remembering that halls can book up VERY quickly, particularly if your child’s birthday is over the Summer months. To make it extra special – something like 360 video booth hire is a great birthday addition and a fab way for capturing those moments that would otherwise be missed!
- Order or create your own invites – For a budget option you can create and print your own invites at home using something like Canva to make your own designs, and buy customised envelopes from www.bestbuyenvelopes.uk to make your invites just a bit more special.
- Write a guest list – Don’t feel under pressure to invite the whole class – parties can prove very expensive, and whilst some parents will invite the entire year group, it’s not always feasible to do so in return.
4 weeks before
If you haven’t already done so, send out your invites as soon as possible, providing a phone number for people to RSVP to.
3 weeks before
Order in any party supplies you may need, including balloons, tableware and anything you may need for party games. In this house I absolutely love a photo booth – a great way to record the guests that attend and chance to be a bit silly.
2 weeks before
Plan out a rough itinerary for the day including a rough timescale for activities, games etc. This will help you feel a lot more organised when the big day arrives.
3-4 days before
Text a reminder to the parents – “looking forward to seeing you on Saturday”. It might feel a bit pushy, but TRUST me, I have been *that* parent before that has got her days mixed up or completely forgotten about a party, despite having the best of intentions. Sending a quick reminder can give you chance to be notified in advance if something has happened and a guest is no longer able to attend.
2 days before
Buy your food items including tea and coffee for the grown ups and maybe some snacks for parents to nibble on to whilst they’re hanging around. Children tend to be too excited to eat at parties so don’t feel the need to go overboard. Party food boxes are a great way of reducing waste by providing them with a set box of food items. We tend to stick to a sandwich, yoghurt, crisps and cake.
1 day before
- Make sure your camera is fully charged and has plenty of space on the memory card ready for capturing all those special moments!
- Start making your cake or save yourself a whole heap of hassle and buy one – whilst the other Mum’s and Dads may be admiring your bake off techniques, chances are your child wont even notice the difference.
- Get notepad and pen at the ready to write down who bought what – kids can open things so fast it can otherwise be hard to remember and if you like to send thank you notes this will otherwise be tricky!
Before guests arrive
Snap a family photo before the guests arrive, as once the party is in full flow its unlikely your child will stand still enough to pose for a group shot!
Most importantly, relax and try and enjoy the day. These years with your little ones absolutely fly by, and these special days will be some of the moments they cherish forever. Enjoy it with them and share the joy!!
Lucy x
