The Ultimate Kids Party Planner: Top Tips for a Successful Party

By Stefan · 2021-09-16

A kids party planner turns one overwhelming job into a series of small ones. This countdown sets out what to book, buy and confirm each week, from eight weeks out to the morning itself, plus a budget split and an allergy check. For more, browse our other party planning guides.

Use this kids party planner as a countdown. So instead of one long to-do list, you get a handful of decisions each week. Then nothing lands on you the night before.

First, three choices set everything else: the theme, the place and the budget. After that, the timeline does the work.

A kids party planner works best as a week-by-week countdown.

Three decisions before the kids party planner starts

Theme. For example, hook it to the season, because that cuts the cost of decorations.
Place. So choose home or a venue now, since everything else follows from it.
Budget. Also, write the number down, or the party will quietly outgrow it.

Kids party budget: a simple split

A kids party budget behaves better once you split it. So divide the total into four parts, then hold the line.

Venue or entertainer: about half.
Food and cake: roughly a quarter.
Party bags: £2 to £5 a guest. Also, see our party bag guide.
Decorations and invites: whatever is left, because most of it ends up in the bin.

Your birthday party checklist and party planning timeline

Here is the whole birthday party checklist in one table. So treat this party planning timeline as the master view. Then the sections below break each week down.

When	Do this
6–8 weeks	Agree the theme, book the venue, send the invites
3–5 weeks	Chase replies, book the entertainer or bouncy castle
2 weeks	Order the cake, confirm numbers, plan the games
1 week	Buy food and supplies, build the playlist, fill the party bags
On the day	Decorate early, lay out the food, run the schedule

6 to 8 weeks before

Start two months out. First, sit down with your child and agree the theme. Then book the venue, because the good weekend slots go early. Once the date is fixed, write the guest list.

Next, send the invites. Also, put the start time, the end time, your phone number and an allergy question on each one. For example, a mixed-age guest list changes the games you can run, so note the ages too.

3 to 5 weeks before

Chase anyone who has not replied. However, keep it light, because most parents simply forget. Meanwhile, book the extras: an entertainer, a bouncy castle, a face painter.

These book up fast, so lock them in now. If you hire inflatables, check the operator follows RoSPA safety guidance. Our guide to party entertainers in London compares what each one covers.

2 weeks before

Order the cake now, so the bakery has time. Then confirm final numbers with the venue, because most need a headcount to staff the session.

Also, plan the games this week rather than the last one. Pick six, and expect to run four. Our kids party games guide has ten with short rules. Then buy the prizes in one go.

1 week before

Buy the food, the napkins, the plates and the candles. Also, check the allergy replies against the menu. The Food Standards Agency lists the 14 allergens to flag, and the NHS explains why a trace matters.

Then fill the party bags. Finally, build the playlist and test the speaker, because a silent room kills the first ten minutes.

The day of the party

Arrive early. Decorating always takes longer than you expect, especially with balloons. So give yourself two hours at the venue, or the morning at home. Then work through the last part of the birthday party checklist.

Lay the food out late, then cover it, because small hands wander.
Run a rough schedule: free play, games, food, cake, calm game, home.
Note who gave what, so the thank-you cards write themselves.
Keep two spare party bags by the door for siblings.
Hand out the bags at the door. In short, end on the doorstep, not in the hall.

How to plan a kids party without doing it all yourself

Most of this list disappears if the venue handles it. In fact, a package usually covers entry, a host, food and the clean-up. So compare the price per child before you rule it out.

For example, our guides to soft play party venues in London and trampoline park parties set out what each package includes. Also, our kids party ideas guide covers themes, timings and food.

In short, treat this kids party planner as a countdown, not a checklist you dread. Then the day itself belongs to your child, not to your admin.

About the authors

Stefan

Writer — Co Founder at PartyFind

Stefan is a big kid at heart who loves a good celebration! As a Co-Founder and our resident Party Finder expert, he’s the brains behind helping you discover the coolest venues across the UK. Stefan believes every child deserves a legendary birthday, and he’s dedicated to helping parents skip the stress and go straight to the fun.