We can’t be the only parents that were completely unprepared for the stress of planning a kids birthday party?! An entire class of kids, party games, party food and birthday cake… how hard can party planning be? Or perhaps the better question is… what could possibly go wrong?!
There’s lots of things to do and remember when planning a kids birthday party, especially if you want to make sure all of your child’s friends are able to make it. So, we’ve put together a complete Kids Birthday Party Checklist – telling you exactly what to do and when to do it.
Here we have the bullet point list, keep scrolling for a detailed chat about each step!
Phase 1 – 2 months in advance
Phase 2 – 1 month in advance
Phase 3 – 2 weeks in advance
The main decision when planning a kids birthday party is the venue. Kids birthday party venues can vary in cost, capacity, and what’s included. Browse “kids birthday party venues near me” for one that best suits your needs.
Here at Wild Things Play Project indoor play in Bristol, we offer a variety of kids birthday party packages with prices starting at £11.95 per head. Food, refreshments and workshop-style entertainment are included – leaving you with much less to worry about in the lead up to the event!
Once you’ve decided on a venue, give them a call to find out which dates they have available. It’s normally recommended to book at least 1 month in advance, especially if you want to secure a specific date. Booking 2 months to 6 weeks in advance will make sure you get your desired date and have time to send out invitations.
Now that you’ve booked a venue, you can decide if you want to have a themed kids party. Whether your little one loves dinosaurs, princesses, Toy Story or Peppa Pig – giving your party a theme will make their day extra special! Talk to your child and find out if there’s a specific theme they might enjoy.
If the venue you have chosen does not already include entertainment, now is also a good time to browse children’s party entertainers or activities and decide who or what to book.
Once your chosen party date is a month away, it’s prime time to send out some invitations!
If you’re sending out invitations to the entire class – traditional paper invitations are a nice touch. For our Wild Things party bookings, we are able to provide branded kids party invitations for just 75p each (or 15 for £5).
However, if you are unable to invite everyone in your child’s class, it’s polite to simply reach out to the parents and arrange through them – avoiding disappointment for any children not invited.
If the venue you have chosen does not supply food and drink, now is also the perfect time to plan some catering – whether you’re making homemade sandwiches or using kids party catering. Make sure you request allergy information from the parents of all children invited and inform the caterer accordingly.
If you’re having a themed party, some themed decorations will help transform your venue into something really special. Balloons, bunting and party hats are all classics – order them around a month before to ensure no last minute stress!
Now that you’re just 2 weeks out from the big day, you’re almost ready to throw a day of stress-free fun for your child and their friends!
All that’s left to do is count up the RSVPs and finalise your guest list, letting your venue know just how many are coming. You will also need to arrange some party games (if entertainment is not included in your kids party venue), order a birthday cake, and make party bags for each child.
At Wild Things, we are able to provide party bags for £3.95, a birthday cake for £20, and face painting for £1.50 per child. That way, there’s much less for you to worry about! You can just turn up and enjoy.
We take the hassle out of kids birthday party planning by making every effort to throw the perfect party for your little ones!
Kids get to run WiLD in our totally unique, nature-themed indoor play area (complete with slide, rope bridge, tunnels and sand pit!). We’ve also got a games area and a craft workshop where kids can get stuck into making a woodland crown or building a den.
Browse our party packages and pick one that suits your budget and needs. Plus we offer a number of add-ons to make party-planning easier than ever – including invitations, party bags and birthday cake!
PLUS: Book a midweek party during term-time and get 15% off!
Enquire about parties now at 0117 959 2514 or cribbs@wildthingsplay.co.uk.
Article written by Eleanor Margaret.
