Introduction
Planning a kid’s birthday party can be a fun and exciting—yet sometimes stressful—time.
There’s nothing better than seeing your child enjoy their big day surrounded by friends and family. However, to make amazing birthday moments happen, parents, grandparents, guardians, or whoever is in charge must plan the day out in advance so things run smoothly.
Planning a birthday party for kids can seem overwhelming at times. There is so much to take care of—pick a date and venue, send out invitations, and arrange food and activities are examples of just a few of the things that need to get done.
If you have a child’s birthday coming up have no fear. You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we have compiled the best kid’s birthday party ideas to help you plan the perfect event.
How to Plan a Birthday Party
No matter the size of your kid’s birthday party—big or small—it’s important to plan things out in advance and stay organized. Having the party planned in advance makes life much less stressful on the big day.
Remember that birthday parties for kids don’t have to be complicated, grand, or expensive to be memorable. The person celebrating will enjoy their birthday as long as they are surrounded by friends and family having fun.
Here are our top tips on how to plan a birthday party.
Food Can be Fun
There are all sorts of ways to get creative with food when planning a birthday party for kids. You can even incorporate the party’s theme into the meal or snack with your food or beverage choices. Serve Gatorade for a sports-themed party or call the soda you’re serving “rocket fuel” for a space-themed one.
Another way to have fun with food is to use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches or pizza into different shapes and symbols that match the event’s theme. You can also use a knife to cut freehand shapes—if you think you have the skills!
You also may want to turn the food into one of the party’s activities by for example having the kids pick and place their own pizza toppings or ice their own cupcakes.
Get the Birthday Child Involved in Planning
The child whose birthday you’re planning will almost certainly have an idea or two themselves of what they want for their party. Get them involved in the planning process. Maybe let them pick the theme of the party, help with shopping, or have them assist in preparing the food.
Younger kids may just have a preference for the flavor of their cake but older children will likely have specific requests for the day’s theme and activity.
Have an Inclusive Guest List
There is nothing worse than a child feeling excluded because a classmate didn’t invite them to their birthday party. In order to avoid hurt feelings, it’s always a good idea to be inclusive when creating a guest list.
Being inclusive may mean inviting the child’s whole class or sports team or just the boys or girls depending on the situation.
If you can’t invite the whole class or team then make sure to send or give invitations outside of class. Many schools don’t permit the distribution of invitations on school grounds unless the child’s whole class is invited.
Remember to also invite the right number of kids for the activities that are planned. Three kids aren’t enough for a soccer game and fifteen is probably way too many for a sleepover.
Another thing to keep in mind while planning the kids’ guest list is the ‘supervising adult list’. Make sure you have enough parents or other responsible adults around to manage the number of children you have invited.
There is nothing worse than feeling overwhelmed by fifteen hungry 10-year-olds with no backup.
Location, Location, Location
Selecting the right location for your kid’s birthday party is one of the most important decisions of the planning process.
Those looking to save money may wish to host a party at home or in a park. This can work out well just make sure you don’t invite too many kids if having the party at home and have a backup plan if planning to celebrate in a public park as you never know what weather you’ll have.
You can also see if local community centers, YMCAs, or churches have space that can be rented—usually for a nominal fee.
Another option is to have your child’s party at a venue such as Main Event. Main Event is an entertainment center that features bowling, virtual reality, laser tag, billiards, shuffleboard, gravity ropes, and even more games!
It’s a fun and activity-filled place that kids who visit can’t wait to come back to.
Their “The Main Event” package is perfect for children’s birthday parties. It includes access to four activities, one $10 FunCard per guest for video games, choice of food—options include pizza, sliders, hot dogs, and mac and cheese, unlimited fountain drinks, a dedicated host to supervise the party, reserved space, and online invitations.
Main Event takes the headache out of planning a kid’s birthday party as the big day’s activities and food are handled professionally by them.
If you can’t or don’t want to meet up in-person, Main Event can host a virtual experience for your birthday that puts your party in a board game. Coming soon is an escape-room themed virtual party option. All you need for setup is a webcam and stable internet connection!
Stay on Top of Things with a Schedule
In order to stay ahead of things, you should set a schedule for executing your child’s birthday party. Make a list of things you need to buy and get done the month before, days leading up to, and day of the party.
Taking everything that has to be done for the party and breaking it down into manageable checklists can keep planners from feeling overwhelmed. It’s also a great way to keep organized and make sure nothing is forgotten.
Conclusion
The last thing to remember about planning a child’s birthday party is that you should also be having fun! Planning a kid’s birthday is a great time to bond with and celebrate your child.
If planning the party gets too stressful or you just want to take it easy and relax on the big day—knowing that everything is taken care of—host your child’s birthday at Main Event.