Birthday Party Planning Checklist for Parents

Guest list and budget first, everything else after

A birthday party for a child is a small project with a hard deadline, and the parents who enjoy it most are the ones who planned in the right order. The guest list and the budget come first, because everything else, the venue, the food, the theme, and the invitation, depends on them.

Eight to six weeks out: the big decisions

Fix the date first, and check it against school, festivals, and family travel. A birthday on a festival day or a school exam week will cost you half your guest list. Once the date is fixed, write it down and do not move it, because every later decision depends on it.

Make the guest list next, and be honest about the number. Count children and adults separately, because a party for twenty children and thirty adults needs a different venue and a different food order from a party for ten children and ten adults. Decide who is really coming, and who is a polite hope, because the venue and the food depend on the real number.

Set the budget, and write it down. Decide the total, and split it into venue, food, cake, decoration, and the invitation. A budget written down is a budget you can keep. A budget in your head is a budget that doubles.

1. 1Fix the date, and check it against school, festivals, and family travel.
2. 2Make the guest list, counting children and adults separately.
3. 3Set the total budget, and split it into venue, food, cake, decoration, and invitations.
4. 4Choose the theme, with the birthday child's help, from a short list you approve.
5. 5Book the venue, and confirm the date, the time, and the capacity in writing.

Four to three weeks out: the invitations and the food

Send the invitations three to four weeks before the party, and four to six weeks for relatives who must travel. Send them personally to elders and close family first, then to the wider list. A personal message feels like an invitation, while a broadcast list feels like a notice. Put the start and end times on the invitation, because parents plan naps around them.

Order the food once the guest list is firm. Confirm the headcount a week before the party, because the food order depends on it. Ask about allergies on the invitation, and keep the food simple and safe. A children's party needs cake, snacks, and juice, and an adult's party needs a little more. Do not over-order, because a party with too much food wastes money and a party with too little food wastes goodwill.

1. 1Send the invitations, three to four weeks before, elders and close family first.
2. 2Order the food, once the guest list is firm, and ask about allergies.
3. 3Order the cake, two weeks before, and confirm the flavour, the size, and the delivery time.
4. 4Book the photographer, if you want one, and agree the hours and the price.
5. 5Buy the decoration and the party supplies, and keep the receipts in one place.

Two weeks to one week out: the details

Confirm the venue, the food, and the cake, all in one round of calls. A single call to each vendor, a week before, catches the problems that a month of silence hides. Confirm the delivery times, the setup times, and the contact numbers, and write them down in one place.

Plan the party flow, and write it down: welcome, games, cake, food, and goodbye. A party with a plan runs itself, because everyone knows what happens next. A party without a plan stalls, because nobody knows what to do. Keep the plan to two hours, and keep the games to three at most, because children need time to play freely.

1. 1Confirm the venue, the food, and the cake, in one round of calls.
2. 2Plan the party flow, and write it down: welcome, games, cake, food, goodbye.
3. 3Prepare the goody bags and the game prizes, with a few extra.
4. 4Charge the camera and the phone, and clear space for photographs.
5. 5Pack a party bag: candles, a lighter, a knife, plates, napkins, and a first aid kit.

• The venue, the food, and the cake are all confirmed by phone
• The party flow is written down, two hours at most
• The goody bags and prizes are ready, with a few extra
• The camera and phone are charged, with space for photographs
• The party bag is packed: candles, lighter, knife, plates, and first aid

The day itself: the timeline

The party day has its own rhythm, and it helps to know it in advance. Arrive at the venue an hour early, and set up the decoration, the food, and the cake table. Greet the guests as they arrive, and let the children play freely for the first half hour. Start the games when most guests have arrived, not before, because a game with three children is not a game.

1. 1Arrive an hour early, and set up the decoration, the food, and the cake table.
2. 2Welcome the guests, and let the children play freely for the first half hour.
3. 3Start the games when most guests have arrived, and keep them to three at most.
4. 4Cut the cake at the planned time, and let the birthday child blow out the candles.
5. 5Serve the food after the cake, and hand out goody bags at the door as guests leave.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is inviting too many people. A party for fifty children needs a venue, a food order, and a noise level that a party for fifteen does not. A smaller party is a happier party, because the birthday child can actually play with their friends. Keep the guest list honest, and the party will thank you for it.

The second mistake is planning too many activities. Three activities are enough: a welcome, a main game, and the cake. More than that, and the party feels rushed, because children need time to play freely. Free play is an activity too, and children need it.

Frequently asked questions