You know the feeling -Your kid’s birthday is just around the corner, and you have no idea how many guests to invite, what to serve, what activities to do? Organizing your child’s birthday party can be a stressful task with so many things to consider.  If you are on a budget and have to invite many guests, it can be even more stressful. Remember that it’s supposed to be fun, so keep it simple and don’t stress over tiny details. After all, kids aren’t so difficult to please. You just have to keep in mind some aspects that will make it easier for you. Here are some tips to help you prepare.
#1 Consider Your Child’s Age And Preferences
Your child’s age is an important detail when organizing the party as it’s not the same to have a birthday at 3 or 10 years old. Do you really have to throw that over the top birthday party to end all birthday parties for your child’s 1st? They are not even going to remember it so face it; the party would all be for you.
Children have different preferences depending on their age, especially with the activities, favorite cartoon characters, music or food. Ask your kid’s opinion first. They might give you an idea you haven’t thought of and will be enthusiastic to help. After all, it’s their party, not yours and they are supposed to have lots of fun. If your child loses the interest, the party can quickly turn into a failure.
#2 Stick to a budget
It’s easy to spend a lot when it comes to your child, but the key is not waste money on material things since the kids will most probably remember only the fun they had. Keep costs low by doing most of the stuff yourself and involve your child if they can help. Here is how:
- Try to cook child-friendly food instead of ordering pizza or snacks: home-made cookies, muffins, cupcakes, appetizers…the sky is the limit (and your time). You don’t have to be a master in the kitchen, and you’ll know exactly what the children will eat, plus your guests will definitely appreciate it, so it’s a win-win for everyone.
- Decorate your home with what you already have at hand. There are plenty of DIY decoration ideas on the internet, but try them only if you enjoy doing it. Otherwise, it might be best to look for cheap alternatives online.
- Be the entertainer yourself and organize games, instead of hiring puppeteers, clowns or cartoon characters. Some young kids might be frightened by costumed persons
If you’re not hosting the party at home, then you won’t have to bother at all, and it might even be cheaper, depending on the venue.
#3 Choose a location
There are plenty of locations where you can throw your kid’s party if you can’t or don’t want to organize it at home. Set a budget and decide on a venue, considering the age of the participants. Kids love outdoor activities, so a place where fun games are organized can be an excellent idea for the group, especially for older children. The adults can have a drink while watching the kids having fun or take part in the game, why not? This way you forget about all the fuss of hosting the party at home and all the mess that comes with it. A park where you can set up a picnic, a playground or even a restaurant that is specialized in throwing kids’ parties with entertainers, music and food, all of these are great locations.
#4 Choose an appropriate time
It doesn’t matter how well you organize the party if your little guests are not in the mood for it. Choose an hour that is suitable for your guests and doesn’t intervene with their sleeping program.
- Toddlers – they are usually more energetic earlier in the day, before the afternoon naps
- Older children – they may do better in the afternoon
Of course, you can also discuss with the parents to agree on the best time together. The party should not take too long as kids get tired quickly. You don’t want your party to turn to chaos, so an hour and a half should be enough for small children, while older kids may stay up to three hours. They (and their parents) will have plenty of time to eat, have fun, play games, and spend quality time together.
#5 Decide who’s coming
Your kiddo will probably want to invite all their friends from school/kindergarten and outside activities. If you cannot accommodate everyone stick to the closest friends or playgroup kids, besides the family. Also, consider that if you have toddlers or preschoolers, the grown-ups will also need a little party of their own, so you’d need to have something prepared for them as well, such as drinks and some snacks.
#6 Organize age-appropriate activities
Keep the kids busy – that should be your motto. What they are most interested in are the activities and games they play. Instead of hiring someone to entertain them, you should prepare some classic games, such as keep-up-the-balloon or freeze dance. Ask your kid what would be one favorite game they should play at the party and make it happen. After all, kids know better what they want to play.
If most of the little guests are toddlers, including your child, then besides some simple interactive games, it may be a good idea to set up a playing area with some toys, but make sure that your kid’s favorite ones are kept out of their reach. Toys are a vast source of conflicts among little children as their feelings change all of a sudden and don’t want to share what’s theirs.
#7 Open gifts later
It would be wise to wait until all the guests have left to open the presents. Sometimes feelings can get hurt. Your kid may not like the gift, or they can fight over a new toy. Also, children are usually the most sincere, so if they are not satisfied with the presents, the guests will quickly notice it.
It’s not easy to throw a kid’s party, but with a bit of planning ahead, it will be a success. Just think about and decide what you and your little one want. Make your kid feel special so that you can have an unforgettable day.
