Fun Kids Birthday Parties
Your 7 Step Birthday Checklist!

We LOVE our kids birthday parties! We sometimes get carried away trying to impress and even lose sight of the real importance of the day. Birthday Celebrations are times to share your joy, spoil and focus on your child.

We enjoy our kids themed Birthday Parties from Pooh Bear, Elmo & Friends to sports themed, Toy story with Buzz Lightyear, The Amazing Race, and a Fun Star Wars Birthday in November and an up and coming search for the Pink Diamond in our Pink Panther December Birthday Party.

Overwhelmed with all you need to accomplish for this one special day?

"We hear you!"
To keep it all together, we made a 7 Step easy-to-follow checklist starting 6-8 weeks in advance that has helped us plan & run our kids Birthdays.
1. Theme, Date, Place & Time
2. Invitations
3. Decorations
4. Food & Party-ware
5. Party Games & Activities
6. Favors & Goodie Bags
7. Thank You Notes
We have broken them down for you here.

Happy Planning!...

Checklist Step #1: Theme, Date, Place & Time
Choose a theme your child will like using their favorite characters, colors, games & food. Whether the theme is about favorite movie characters, animals, sports or the circus, it must keep up the interest of your guests from the time they receive their invitation until they arrive at the party.
Schedule your child's party around holidays, vacations and sporting events. Keep in mind the traveling for out of town guests.
Whether you choose to host the party in your own home or at another location consider safety, space limitations, the weather and the time and organization for set-up & clean-up.
Do you want to plan to run the party for 2,3 or 4 hours?
Will you book special party entertainment like clowns, bands or DJ's? Keep it age appropriate.
Finalizing the theme, party date, time & location will help you focus on setting up and planning all the other birthday party ideas to take care of.

Checklist Step #2: Invitations For Kids Birthday Parties
Creating your own invitations can be lots of fun, allowing you to customize your creativity. If time is tight and your creative juices aren't quite flowing, ordering/buying online or in a store can be quick and easy. Birthdays come up fast. There are 3 Birthday Party Invitations Planning Steps that will save you time and stress. These have helped us time and time again.

Decide how many guests you will have--put a limit to the number of guests
Choose a limit like your child's age or take double their age.

Include a challenge or a dare. Dress up in character and put in all party info on the invite. Add directions, contact info and any special instructions.

Keep your invite theme based, colorful and inviting for your guests.

Checklist Step #3: Decorations & Kids Birthday Parties
Mind map memorable ideas for your theme based party decorations.

Example: SPACE
Use rocket ships, aliens, planets, stars, comets,asteroids, moon rocks, space food, robots, glow in the dark stars, telescopes, planetarium projections of constellations on the ceilings/walls, space pajamas & bring in Buzz Lightyear. Include balloons, streamers, wall deco, place settings, trinkets, artifacts and costumes connected to the theme colors.

Things To Consider
Transforming your party location with your own decoration ideas will add atmosphere and make a comfortable, enjoyable & fun party for all the kids.

Have fun unlocking your imagination & creativity. It is all worth it.


Our star wars birthday party for our son was a real hit with lots of Fun Filled Jedi Training & Star Wars Themed Birthday Activities.  Our decorations included areas in our home and interactive activities where we made Star Wars pool noodle lightsabers and Jedi knight robes that each of the Jedi knights in training took home with them.  Check out some of the great pictures we uploaded from our Star Wars Birthday Decorations, use the ideas you like and have a great Star Wars themed birthday party.

Checklist Step #4: Kids Birthday Parties Food, Drinks & Party-ware
Have some fun quality time with your Birthday girl or boy putting together a menu for their Birthday party celebration. I got disappointed and even discouraged from my daughters first friend party when the kids did not appreciate my home-made chicken balls & fries so I decided to save myself those feelings of rejection and the 'fussy eaters', I now mix together a selection of home foods like flavored popcorn & fruit kabobs with some store bought foods like mini pizzas. Keep it simple and save yourself some time making or buying quick & easy party foods.

Kids are so excited having fun at the Birthday they don't actually eat a lot. We are always clearing up a lot of wasted food, but we keep healthy food ideas with a balance between sandwich platters, savory ideas & sweets.

5 Areas For Birthday Food, Drinks & Partyware
1) Choose 3-4 savory dishes as your Birthday Food Platters
2) Keep a selection of Drinks For The Party, drinking boxes are great
3) Make colorful Birthday Sandwich Platters with veggies
4) Have Birthday Cake and 1-2 Sweet Birthday Treats & Desserts
5) Use theme based Reusable Or Disposable Partyware
Prepare as much in advance with finger picking sizes and fun colored shapes. Use Tupperware or freeze, and Designate the Eating Area!

Have Fun & Keep it Simple.


Checklist Step #5: Kids Birthday Parties Games & Activities
Keep the stress low, be prepared and have the party start as soon as the first kids come through your door. Build your games and party activities around a story connected to the Birthday theme. Develop this story with your Birthday child to thread together all parts of the party. Be creative, even silly but definitely rehearse it together before the day of the party.

Get yourself super excited about the story & the party.

Enthusiasm is contagious!
Being enthusiastic sparks party kids with excitement & imagination.

7 Easy Party Tips To Keeping It Fun
  1. Be organized & Be Prepared in advance
  2. Ask for some help--you don't have to do it alone
  3. Getting The Party Fun Started! with your first Birthday arrivals
  4. Be flexible & interactive. Don't Power Through your activities list
  5. Replace elimination Games with Inclusion Activities!
  6. Allow no guests to 'Rain On Your Parade'

Enjoy the party with the kids & Have Fun!


Checklist Step #6: Favors & 'Loot' Bags For Kids Birthday Parties
Have your Birthday child say 'Thank You For Coming To My Party' to each guest as they're picked up with a 'loot or goodie bag' filled with fun favors.

5 Tips to Make Memorable Loot Bags
  1. Check out the deals & choose a special loot bag for the party
  2. Personalize the loot bag for each guest
  3. Keep to the party theme & add gender appropriate toys
  4. Include re-usable themed gifts
  5. Add some extra loot
Click here for even more details on all five of these Birthday tips for your Goody Bag Ideas & Party Favors For Kids

Remember:
The Birthday child says thank you to their guest and gives a loot bag.


Checklist Step #7: Kids Birthday Parties Thank You Notes
Plan before the Birthday party to take pictures with each guest and make your expectations clear on their behavior & etiquette on opening presents.

Use our 4 Practical Birthday Thank You Note Ideas and send out a thank you within a week of the party to say thanks for the gift & for attending. Include a picture of the Birthday child, their guest & the gift received.

Your child should write something positive, a picture & sign the note.

Use this time together to appreciate and reminisce the fun memories built.

Kids Birthday Parties can be so much fun. Have a Great One!

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