Planning a Successful Party by Avoiding the Biggest Mistakes

Hosting a kid’s birthday party is fun but it also requires a lot of effort. You have to plan everything carefully so that it all goes off without a hitch. And the younger the children are, the more difficult that might be to do. Children’s parties can be chaotic, especially once you get them all hopped up on sugar and excitement. But you can also try to plan and execute it carefully so it’s as successful as possible. You can’t control everything, but you can do your best to avoid some of the biggest birthday party mistakes and make sure your party is successful.

Forgetting to Plan Activities

Planning a schedule for your kid’s party will help you to keep it on track. If you don’t have any idea of how the party will go, it will be harder to keep things moving. You don’t want everyone to be sitting around feeling bored or to have no idea of what should happen next. There are various things that you might want to fit into the day. You might want to have games and activities, including a birthday piñata, pin the tail on the donkey, or other traditional games. You’ll probably want to make time for cake, as well as other food. Plan a schedule to follow so you know how the day should progress.

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Picking the Wrong Food

Setting out food for a children’s party can be tricky. Some children have allergies or specific diets, but you also want to make sure your child gets some of the things that they want. It could be a disaster if you choose food that no one will like or that’s too messy or difficult to eat. If you want to prevent things from going wrong, there are some options you can stick to. Finger foods can be the best option for a kid’s birthday party. A range of options is a good idea too, especially because there might be some picky eaters. Remember to get any dietary restriction information beforehand so you can plan accordingly.

Not Inviting Parents

Any child’s birthday party is going to be a lot easier if you’re not managing it on your own. Sending parents home to leave you with their kids means you’ve got to wrangle everyone, which might mean you’re in charge of 10+ five-year-olds at once. Inviting parents to stay and join in can make things a lot easier because they can help out and be responsible for their own children. Of course, if you’re inviting parents to stay, you should make sure there are things for them to eat and drink. You don’t have to spend all your time entertaining them, though. They should be able to chat to each other and they’ll be occupied with keeping an eye on their children at the same time.

Inviting Too Many Children

The general rule of thumb for having a child’s birthday party is to take the child’s age and add one. So if you are planning a party for your six-year-old, you would invite 7 other children. This helps avoid overwhelm for you, your child, and their guests.

Forgetting to Include Crucial Information on the Invitation

Make sure to include the following on the invitation – Who, What, Where, When, and How

Who: Your Child and Who is hosting the party

What: Their Birthday Party – make sure to include their age because Great Aunt Jane may have forgotten and you don’t want her showing up with a child’s toy when your son is turning 16.

Where: The location including the full address

When: the date and time

How to respond (RSVP): Do you want people to text, email, or call you? Make sure to include your name and phone number or email.

Spending Too Much Money

When you go over the top for a kid’s birthday party, you end up making other people uncomfortable. I have seen very extravagant 3rd birthday parties. Unless it is something that everyone in your group of friends is doing, party goers will end up feeling bad about the cake and ice cream party they hosted last month and your child will never remember the party.

Part of hosting a party is to invite guests and make them comfortable. Flaunting extravagance does not make others comfortable.

Scary Entertainment

Planning to have a clown? Make sure to inform people ahead of time because even some adults are afraid of clowns.

Planning to show a movie? Make sure to inform parents beforehand so they know to check out the rating and content before allowing their children to see it.

Planning live entertainment? While your son may love The Joker or Ursula, not every child will be okay with a creepy “villain.”

Not Finding Out About Food Allergies

When serving food, make sure to ask about food allergies. Nothing will ruin a party faster than an anaphylactic reaction.

Kids’ parties have the potential to be chaotic, but you can make sure they’re fun and memorable for the right reasons with some good planning. By implementing these tips, you can avoid the big birthday party mistakes and you can pull off a good party.