We love a good birthday party here at the Nanny Authority and we know a well-planned party can be the foundation for your child’s fondest childhood memories. But just how DO you plan a successful birthday party? Are there things you should steer clear of during party planning? What are the top considerations when event planning? Let us help with some of our key do’s and don’ts!
DO involve your child in the party planning process if they are old enough to express their preferences. Your child may really love superheroes or mermaids and we feel it’s more fun and empowering when we include our little ones when selecting a party theme. Ask them what they are most excited about right now and see if it’s a theme you are comfortable working with.
DON’T assume your child’s interests are too out of the norm to plan a themed party! One of our lovely friends has a little boy who really loved his new kitten, Zoom. For his fourth birthday, he requested a cat and sunglasses-themed event as a tribute to his feline best friend. Complete with inflatable cats, oversized neon sunglasses, and cat-eared headbands for guests, all of his perfect party dreams came true!
DO set the scene with themed invitations, party hats, plates, and more! The options are limitless when it comes to finding the perfect stationery for your family’s needs. We love paper products or customized invitations that fit your theme from a website like vistaprint or minted. Has your family gone digital? Paperless Post has a wide variety of templates as does Canva!
DON’T wait to send out invitations until the last minute. Waiting to send out invitations can be risky business and can jeopardize your child’s celebration. Consider how busy your own schedule and life is and then think of the x number of children you are intending on inviting and how busy their parents may also be! Everyone has different schedules and priorities, especially during holiday times and you do not want your child’s friends to be unavailable because you hadn’t sent invites out on time. It can be common for children in the same class to have conflicting party dates and to ensure your party is the first that classmates have the opportunity to RSVP to, you’ll want to be on the ball for this one.
DO be specific about what guests should expect. Are you serving lunch to your guests? Are siblings welcome? Is this a drop-off situation? Is the party at a special venue and should guests need to dress accordingly? You will want to make sure your guests are clear on what is expected when they RSVP yes to your party. No one wants their kid to show up to a party in jeans only to realize it’s a gymnastics party and there will be tumbling involved.
DON’T exclude kids. It’s ok if your child does not want to invite the entire class but you don’t want to include 14 out of the 15 children in your child’s class either – especially if you’re distributing invitations via their teacher. No one should be excluded based on the assumption of ability or inability or any perceived limitations. Let their parents make the decision if the party is an appropriate space for the child to interact with other children in. Please don’t come from an exclusionary mindset or discriminate against children.
DO include a party favor as a reminder of the fun and as a token of your appreciation for their attendance. This does not need to be as intimidating as you may be thinking. While some families will opt for goodie bags filled with candies, personalized trinkets, and themed knick-knacks, maybe at your party one of the experiences at your event could dually serve as a party activity and a party favor! For instance, maybe your child has a pottery and painting-themed party and they get to paint a piggy bank of their choosing which also serves as their favor. See other creative party favor ideas for kids here!
DON’T open gifts during the party. Gift opening is best left for after the party ends and everyone has returned home. Why you may ask? First off, opening gifts can be incredibly time-consuming and waste time you are paying for a space to entertain your child and guests. You also do not want children comparing gifts and unintentionally offending or hurting someone’s feelings who may have purchased a gift that your child does not immediately gravitate towards. Most party places that are available for events will have a designated gift space where they will collect your party gifts before transporting them to your car for your ride home.
DO call the Nanny Authority or email us at info@nannyauthority.com to find your perfect party planning savvy childcare taker or personal assistant today! We would love to connect you with our top applicants who have versatile skills sets ranging from backgrounds in nursing to handling childcare at large events. Happy birthday party planning!