Friday 13 May 2016

5 TIPS: Planning a childrens birthday party

Now that Isabella's birthday party has happened and been enjoyed (read all about it here) I thought I'd share a few tips for planning a child's birthday party that I've learnt along the way. Personally, I've loved the planning experience and very much used it as a distraction from returning to work. Planning a party can either be a small or big job, depending on what you want from the party and your own productivity. I spent 3 months planning Isabella's, just little bits here and there as I knew I'd be strapped for time just before her party. But it certainly doesn't need to take that long and doesn't have to be stressful either!

1) Consider having a theme - I know that theme's can divide people, some love them and others avoid them at all costs. Personally, for a children's party I think it makes it a lot easier to follow some level of a theme. This is because it enables us parents, who have limited free time, to buy tableware/decorations from the same range or shop. Shops and websites often have extensive themed party ranges, such as princess, pirate, fairy or branded like Frozen or Spiderman. These ranges include paper plates, cups, banners, table covers, balloons, party bags, party bag fillers, decoration etc. - most of what you need for a party, that all match and can be bought from one place. 

2) If you're having a theme consider the time of year - Depending on what time of year your child's birthday is may have an influence on a theme you choose. For instance, if their birthday is in March/April then there are generally a lot of items covered in flowers and hearts due to Mother's Day and Valentine's Day. This makes sourcing decorations a lot easier and if their birthday is after the key day then there's a chance to pick up some bargains.

3) Browse the shops/internet before starting - It can be helpful to have a look around the shops/internet before beginning to organise your child's birthday party because it enables you to see whats available. Some of my favourite places to shop for party supplies have been: Party Pieces, Paperchase, amazon, Tiger, Meri Meri and Sainsburys. While I was planning Isabella's there were a lot of different ranges for circus/magic/space/pirate themed parties, so they would have been good themes to follow if you want easily sourced products. Also, by seeing what's around you get a chance to see what products brands have to offer. Not long before I started organising Isabella's party Meri Meri had collaborated with Liberty to create a beautiful range of floral party tableware and decorations. This range had a large influence on our choice to have a floral theme for Isabella's party.

4) Start planning as early as possible - Preparation is key and should help you be able to enjoy the day too. No one wants to be rushing around sorting out last minute party decorations/food on the day of your child's party. Isabella's birthday party was on the 3rd April and I started organising it back in January, just little bits and bobs but I got the process started. The date, location and time were the first decisions made, so that we could order the invitations and get them out to people as early as possible. You'll also need to do this if you're hiring anywhere, as the most reasonably priced venues can become booked up early. Starting early also enables you to do a bit more shopping around for the best deals and prices, also always keep an eye out for sales!

5) Consider venue and number of guests - When thinking about where to have your child's party it can be helpful to look at all options, rather than settling for the local village hall or leisure centre straight away. We decided to host Isabella's party at our house, now I know that this won't be possible for everyone but it might be worth limiting your guest list to save the money/stress of hiring somewhere. Our house isn't particularly big, so we knew that we'd have to limit the guest list in order to host the party ourselves. I was particularly keen to have it as our house because it meant I would be able to start to decorate the downstairs in the weeks running up to the birthday party. This therefore reduced my stress levels, as a lot of the jobs on our to-do list could be ticked off well in advance.

What are your tips for planning a children's birthday party?

Feel free to leave a comment :)

Helen x
I'm linking this post up with TheList, PicknMix,
SHARE:

5 comments

  1. These are such great tips...will have to keep them in mind for my baby's first birthday party. I'm thinking a Unicorn theme at the moment x
    The Enchanting Blog

    ReplyDelete
  2. Such a great post with some great ideas. I love planning parties and family celebrations, especially ones for our little girl. Her 3rd birthday is coming up this summer so I am just about to start thinking about what we're going to do this year and will definitely be revisiting this post and some of your others for ideas :-) Emily #thelist

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great tips. I used to be an event organiser so this is right up my street. Thanks for linking up to #TheList x

    ReplyDelete
  4. I will be using these tips as I have 3 birthdays this summer to plan! June, July, and August...by the time I finish one I have to start another! www.messesandmemories.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love planning a party but have a tendency to get carried away. These are great tips. Thanks for linking to #picknmix

    ReplyDelete

© Treasure Every Moment. All rights reserved.
BLOGGER TEMPLATE BY pipdig