Planning a party for one of your kids soon? It can require a lot of planning and sometimes, a lot of stress. To take some of that stress away, we’re sharing some of the best kid’s party planning tips with you so you can relax a little and make it the most successful party yet!
-Have the party start before 1pm or after 3pm to avoid naptime conflict.
-Give the party a start and end time so people know how long the party is going to be and so you have already taken the first step in getting the “time to go” hint across.
-Try not to open the gifts until after everyone leaves if there are a lot of jealous 2 and 3 year old guests.
-Write down who gives your child what so you can be sure to send thank you notes!
-Don’t go broke making the goodie bags. Kids love them but don’t always care what is in them. Check out the Dollar Tree for inexpensive little items that little ones will love!
-Plan activities. If your child is 2 or older, the kids will love having planned activities. Face painting, scavenger hunts, music, anything to keep them happy and entertained.
-Save money by making your own invitations. There are so many free graphics you can find online to help you out and it’s way cheaper than buying invitations. If you want to save even more money and go green, consider using a website like evite!
-When thinking of a location, decide if it is easier to do it in your home or elsewhere. If you live in a smaller place, neighborhood parks and playgrounds are always a good idea. We rented out a park playground for my son’s 3rd birthday party and it was less than 50 dollars. The kids got to run around outside and we didn’t have to worry about cleaning up our entire house after!
-Enlist help. If you can’t do it alone, get grandparents and friends on board to help you!
-Overestimate on everything. I think it’s a good idea to always overestimate on things, especially food. It’s always better to have leftover pizza than not enough! Once you get a headcount, round up!
-Ask guests to RSVP in plenty of time. They may forget so send them reminders if need be. It’s important to get a headcount for things like food, cake, space, and goodie bags!
-If you’re looking to save money, consider having a small guest list and having the party at a time other than lunch or dinner time so you can serve small finger foods instead of a full on meal.
-When it comes to the cake, sometimes its easier and cheaper to do cupcakes and the kids won’t mind one bit. Costco is a great place to get a whole huge sheet cake for only $25.
-Make instead of buy. You can totally make the invitations and cake instead of buying them! Make your own salads and fruit and vegetable trays instead of ordering pizza. Decorate with cute homemade decorations. You can save a pretty penny if you’re willing to get creative!
Planned a party recently? What tips would you add to this list? Leave us a comment and let us know!