8 Tips for Planning the Perfect Birthday Party for Your Child

When you think of your birthday parties as a child, it probably brings up memories of eating birthday cake, playing games with your friends, and plenty of balloons. As a parent, you might be wondering what you can do to make sure that your child’s next birthday party is one that they’ll always remember. But today, plenty has changed compared to the birthday parties that we remember as little ones ourselves. Classic party games such as pass the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey have been have been replaced with Instagram-worthy fondant cakes and photo booths. These kinds of little things and games along with some cute birthday messages can make the day even better. So, what can you do to throw the best party ever for your little ones and their friends?

#1. Keep it About Them:

Bear in mind that your little one’s big day is all about celebrating them, so try and keep it as much about them as possible. All too often, parents get caught up with getting the decorations perfect or providing things that their child probably won’t even notice. So, don’t worry too much about getting the bunting colors just right or matching the cupcake icing; focus on providing the experiences and details that your child truly cares about.

#2. Come Up with a Simple Design Story:

Themed parties can be a lot of fun to put together and give you the chance to base the party on something that your child really enjoys, whether it’s a theme based on their favorite animal, TV show, movie, or video game. And, having a design story helps to give your party setting a more cohesive look, making it easier for you to plan and put together a list of things that you’re going to need. You could even create the whole theme around your child’s favorite food!

#3. Plan Your Menu:

There’s nothing worse than rushing around at the last minute to make sure that all the guests are fed, so it’s a good idea to spend some time planning your menu in advance. The good news is that there are plenty of different options to consider when it comes to providing food for party guests; you could bring in catered food, or if you enjoy cooking and catering, come up with a spread of snacks that the little ones will love. I actually love the idea of a nacho cheese fountain or a chocolate fountain for dipping fruits and such. And, it’s not difficult to get creative with your food without adding much extra effort – use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches into shapes that match with your party’s theme, or get cupcake toppers to add easy, themed decorations to shop bought cakes.

#4. Have a Fun Feature:

Investing in a fun feature for your child’s party will keep little guests entertained for ages, and take away some of the effort that comes with planning a full schedule of party games. For example, a bouncy castle is sure to go down a treat with young guests; check out this company for a range of great inflatables that you can hire for the day at a reasonable price. You can even get a bouncy castle that fits in with your theme, with several amazing options to browse, from theme park, castles, carousels, animals and sports to name just a few. Other ideas include a fun photo booth and props, arcade-style game machines, or anything that your child and their friends are going to really enjoy.

#5. Meet and Greet:

On the day of the party, the best way to make lasting memories for your child and their young guests is to ensure that everybody feels like they are being given the VIP treatment. It’s easy to do this from as soon as they walk in the door; have a party pack ready for them; a glass of soda or juice and some treats in a goody bag will make any young guest really happy. If it fits in with the theme, you could even roll out a red carpet for them!

#6. Plan Your Playlist:

Every party needs some good music, and your child’s bash should be no different. This is something that you could plan when spending some time with your child beforehand; go through the music that they enjoy the most, whether it’s popular pop songs by their favorite singers or tracks from their favorite movies. Make a playlist on Spotify or similar to put together a mix of your child’s favorite, kid-appropriate songs. If your little one loves to move, you could even plan a dance party or dance competition as part of the day.

#7. Make the Cake Together:

What’s more fun than eating cake? For many kids, it’s eating a cake that they’ve decorated themselves. Instead of laboring over putting together the perfect Instagram-worthy cake for your little one, letting party guests get stuck in with decorating the cake for your child themselves can be a great alternative. If you have a cake decorating turntable, various bowls of candy, writing icing, and cake decorations laid out on a table with pieces of ready-frosted cake and ask guests to decorate their pieces however they like. After everybody has finished, put the pieces together to reveal an amazingly unique, personalized cake for your child.

#8. Be Present:

Last but not least, don’t focus too much on the fine details; try and be present and focused on your child throughout the party as, after all, this is what they are going to remember the most. It’s these little moments they will cherish, like having you lead the guests in singing ‘happy birthday’ to them and holding their cake as they make a wish and blow out the candles. In today’s social media centered world, it can be all too easy to get bogged down with the small details of the party that parents end up forgetting what really matters; being there and present with their child and enjoying these exciting and fun moments with them.

Above all, make sure that you have fun, and try to involve your little one in the planning as much as possible. Before you know it, your kids will be planning parties for you!