Everything You Should Know About Planning a Kids Birthday Party
Believe it or not, but planning a kids birthday party is quite the task, no matter how old your children are. Between setting a budget, building the guest list, setting up decorations, and possibly hiring magicians for a party, you have to keep plenty of moving pieces and parts in order. On top of all that, you also have to consider refreshments, reservations, and cleanup. For any parent, this can start to feel less like fun and more like work.
You want to ensure your child’s party is a big hit for your birthday girl or birthday boy. There’s plenty to do when you’re comparing party packages, setting reservations, sending invitations, and booking great entertainment. So, whether you’re planning a clown party, princess party, or a superhero-themed afternoon in the party room at the zoo, there are a few tips you should follow. Between hiring a magician, playing laser tag, or setting up a bounce house, there are plenty of ways to make this children’s party a smash and create fun birthday party memories that people of all ages can enjoy.
Set up a birthday party timeline.
When planning a birthday party, your primary focus should be ensuring that everyone has a great time. Unlike corporate events, birthday parties are less rigid and structured. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have a great time as you figure out party plans. For example, if you’re pulling together a private event or coordinating school events, it’s always helpful if you have an effective timeline.
For instance, consider all the birthday rentals and supplies you’ll need for your event. When planning any event, from holiday parties to weddings and birthdays, you need a solid timeline. Your timeline makes it easier to hire entertainers, schedule rentals, and ensure that your child is the star of the show. If you’re renting a water slide, installing a bounce house rental, or hiring a children’s entertainer, you don’t want to have any issues on your party date.
A few weeks before the party, you should sit down with your child and discuss the theme. Whether you’re hosting a magic show, you’re renting a bounce house, or you’re setting up mini-golf for all of the guests, you want to know well ahead of time to ensure the party’s a big hit. At this point, you should also set a firm date and find professional magicians, mini-golf rentals, arcade booths, or interactive show performers that are available.
Build a guest list.
Nobody wants to be the one who builds the guest list for a kids party, but it often has to be done. After all, when you consider arcade reservations, non-refundable deposit info, gratuity, and birthday party supplies, you may already be stretching your budget. On the other hand, when you maintain a manageable guest list, it’s much easier for you to craft a reasonable, fun event. Then, you craft goody bags, spend more on a longer reservation, or set up an arcade game station that all of your kid’s friends can enjoy.
When you’re building the list for the day of your event, you need to consider whether your venue has any capacity limits. If you’re the party host, keep it to a reasonable number so you can manage any add-ons and refreshments. Smaller groups are easier for group tickets, pony rides, scavenger hunt activities, puppet shows, and other interactive events. If you hire a clown or do events requiring a wristband, a smaller guest list means you can do a detailed check-in with the party guests and give each attendee special attention.
Plan a simpler menu.
Even if you want to plan a menu complete with snacks that adults and older kids enjoy, you might not want to overly complicate your menu. Keep things easy since it’ll dramatically cut down on your prep time and smooth the cleanup process too. Whether you’re supplying cupcakes, hot dogs, pepperoni pizza, cotton candy, or soft beverages, think of things that are quick to make and general crowd-pleasers. You should also keep any dietary restrictions in mind. While the whole thing isn’t all about food, a good menu can make the best birthday party even better. After all, who doesn’t get hungry after going down an inflatable water slide or spending hours in the bounce house?
Select a theme.
If your kid’s birthday party turns into a themed party, you’re not alone. After all, the guest of honor may have specific interests like party games, carousel rides, aquariums, or rock stars. That’s why it’s helpful to talk to your child about their interests and how you can translate those into a themed party. Even if your party involves water slides and photo booths, some decor can help you set the mood.
Selecting a theme can impact the whole party, from the guest list to the party venue. Your theme can even help you pick the perfect place to host the kids party. Then, on the day of your event, you’ll be glad you set a smart theme that your child adores. It can make a big difference for any kids birthday party if their favorite princess, a circus clown, or other children’s entertainment shows up to match the theme. There are even plenty of options for older kids, especially if you don’t mind an undead party crasher or two.
Pick the party venue.
The perfect venue is a key component of creating a great experience for the birthday child. For your child’s next birthday party, it’ll speed up party planning if you have an idea of where you want to go. For example, if the birthday child is interested in go-karts and bumper cars, you’ll want to find an indoor playground. If you want to hire the best entertainers and magicians, you should book a space that gives them room to work with animals like doves and live rabbit performers.
Nothing says “Happy Birthday” quite like a well-decorated venue. For your next party, consider working with an entertainment company that has several years of experience helping you find the right entertainers and rentals. From magic shows to bounce house rentals and balloon animals, there are plenty of considerations to keep in mind for a child’s birthday party.
Some parents will opt to host their child’s birthday. This can be a great way to save money on your birthday celebration, though you’ll want to prepare a bit extra for the day of your event. This means you’ll need to coordinate setup and cleanup. It would help if you also considered providing goody bags to party guests and stocking up on soft drinks, ice cream, and child’s birthday favors. Ensure you have supervision for the whole party and that you’ve established dropoff and pickup times with other parents if they aren’t staying.
Depending on the venue, staff may provide refreshments, but you should also consider bringing desserts like cupcakes or birthday cake. We even offer packages that include bounce houses, arcade games, decorations, attractions, and other activities for children of all ages. Choosing a package can help you plan the perfect birthday party.
You should also pick a venue or private party room with special gift space for the birthday star. If you’re using a party package, it may come complete with balloons, desserts, cotton candy, and a clown for hire, which makes your next event that much easier to plan.
Add a touch of magic.
Hiring magicians for birthday party festivities is an excellent way to entertain kids of all ages and spread a little magic throughout your child’s birthday. When you’re planning a birthday celebration, you want to hire magicians with plenty of experience working as party hosts. If the magician is the main event on your special day, you also want to ensure they have a great place to perform. For instance, a backyard pool or playground party might offer ample room for a magician to perform.
Depending on your child’s party, you can find a magician that does different levels of magic. Some magicians use props, and others also double as clowns or character performers. From princesses to superheroes to mermaids and other costumes, these performers can help enhance any party theme. For the perfect party, you can’t go wrong with a bit of magic and some special requests. You’ll be glad you did on the day of the party.
Work with Clowns4Kids to throw the perfect kids party.
When you’re throwing a kids party, private event, or the perfect celebration, Clowns4Kids can help. We believe that children’s birthday parties can be special events for children of all ages, whether they’re at a playground or in a private party room. We have plenty of options to add delight to children’s parties, and we even have packages that are fun for older kids and attending adults.
Celebrate your child’s special day with their favorite princesses, video games, or professional performers; Clowns4Kids has plenty of party packages and upgrade options to help you build the perfect event. From parties for toddlers to older kids and adolescents, we have packages and rentals to fit all of your unique needs. From Long Island to the Bronx, we work across New York City to craft exceptional party experiences from a birthday party magician and magic lessons to face painters. Contact us today to discuss your next event or kids party and learn more about how we can help you throw a memorable, exciting event.