Birthday Party Checklist

Have you created your birthday party checklist yet?

"What checklist", you ask?

Well, the one that's going to keep you on track so that your party planning goes smoothly without a hitch from start to finish.

Still not sure of what checklist you need?

Well don't worry, because that's what we're about to show you.

Planning a birthday party doesn't simply mean sending out invites, choosing a cake and then filling a few bags with candy to give to the kids as they leave.

There's a lot more to it than that!

Our birthday party checklist below will make it easy and help you to keep on track with what needs to be done.

So let's get started!!

Birthday Party Checklist

1. First things first...we need a date!


• I suggest you start to plan at least 1 month in advance.


The reason for this...we need to be sure we can get everything done on time and that everything purchased will be delivered to us on time as well.




2. Now that we know when, we need to plan for...how long?


• Plan for 1 to 3 hours...depending on the age group.


• Sleepovers should have a pick-up time established for the following day.


The younger the birthday child, the shorter the party. 1 year old's will get tired quickly so a short 1 to 1½ hour session of opening presents and eating cake should be enough.




3. OK, so now we'll decide...where!


• Parties for babies and toddlers can easily be done in your own home.


• Pre-teens will want to get out to places like movie theatres, bowling alleys or other established birthday party venues.


• Teenagers tend to come back home again (pool parties, sleep overs, etc.)



Note: Don't take this step lightly.

You'll want to give this some serious thought. Be sure to include the birthday child in the decision making process...especially the older kids.




4. OK, now comes the big question on this birthday party checklist....how many guests?


• Stick to family and close friends for babies and toddlers.


• For teens and pre-teens, discuss it with them and select a reasonable amount of guests that you can both agree to.



Things to re-consider are:
where is the party taking place (plan for clean-up time after the party if you do it at home);
how long will the party last (can you handle teens chattering all hours of the night);
and how patient are you as a parent (will you lose your marbles).




5. So now, how about a...theme


• The little ones love cartoon or Disney types themes


• The older kids will like princesses and fairies for the girls and definitely Superhero's for the boys


• For teens, try slumber parties, hawaiian luau pool parties and sports parties


Themes add excitement to any party and they also help line up your decorating and costume ideas. This is one topic you should get the birthday boy/girl involved with to see what they really want. You might even consider hiring a life size character to appear at your party for most toddlers themes.




6. Now list supplies and ideas for....decorating


• Will you decorate from items you already have on-hand..


• Choose your color scheme and purchase your items accordingly.


For most of today's themes, you can purchase a large variety of items online with pre-printed characters and other theme supporting art.




7. So with everything else above on this birthday party checklist decided on, now we need the....invitations


• You can purchase these or you can make them yourself. Try to stick to your theme choice if you have one.


• Get these mailed or delivered at least 2 to 3 weeks before the party.


• Ask that your guests RSVP so that your can finalize your plans early on.


If you decide to make these yourself rather than buying them, have the birthday boy/girl participate. It's a great way to spend time together and have a little fun before the party.




8. A party is all about fun and...games?


• Select some games ahead of time.


• If your party has a theme, choose games that support that theme.


Having a few games planned out ahead of time will ensure the party moves at a good pace. If a game flops, you will have others ready so that people don't get bored. Also, this will ensure that any needed supplies to play the games are set aside in advance.




9. After all this fun, people will get hungry. What about the...food?


• Finger foods and a good punch recipe will do fine at short parties.


• Plan for a quick and easy meals like pizza or hot-dogs for sleep-overs and parties that cross a meal time.


Remember your audience. Serve foods according to age groups. Pizza and hot dogs are great for young kids but I wouldn't suggest them for a 40th birthday party.




10. You can't have a birthday without a ...Birthday Cake!


• One of the most anticipated items at a birthday party, choose a cake that supports your theme.


• You can buy it or bake it yourself.


If you plan to bake the cake yourself, you can purchase from a huge variety of cake pan shapes online for some very creative cake ideas.




11. Tally up the responses...who's coming?


• A few days before the event, count how many guests have confirmed.


This step is important as it will help you to plan out your shopping list for food and beverages.




12. Time to prepare the....Loot Bags!


• Prepare your party favor bags in advance.


• You might even want to make a special one for the parents.


Make sure to buy extra items and prepare some extra bags. We don't want a child feeling left out due to a parent forgetting to RSVP. If you're planning to buy these items online, give yourself several weeks to be sure you get your orders in time.




13. The last point on this birthday party checklist is to...whip this place into shape.


• Childproof the rooms that any little ones will be spending any amount of time in.


• Do your basic cleaning and then get the decorations up.


Although you will have some cleaning to do after the party, it's important to do so before as well. Put away any breakables or potentially dangerous or sharp items. Decorate the room based on your selected theme and get ready to enjoy the party!

With these birthday party checklist basics covered, you're well on your way to planning an amazing birthday party event.

Be sure to check and double check this birthday party checklist several times throughout your planning phase in order to make sure you haven't missed or forgotten any important points.

If you're in need of any ideas for the above mentioned points on decorating, invitations, cake or food ideas, be sure to have a look around our pages and read about what others have done.

We've had some great contributions to this site and the ideas keep coming in, so check back often!

Cheers!