Throwing a kids’ birthday party? Tips for party planning

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Are you throwing a kids’ birthday party soon? It is totally understandable that parents want to throw a big bash for their kid’s birthday.  It’s their special day and the accomplishments of the past year are certainly worth celebrating.  After speaking with several experts, the consensus is unanimous. Birthday kids want to feel special and to do that takes thought and a bit of planning – all with a focus on what they love. It does not mean that you need to have a big budget or over the top entertainment.  If you’re throwing a kids’ birthday party, focus on activities that keep kids busy, happy, and included. Party planning should involve the kids and add an extra element of surprise if you want to go the extra mile.

Focus on inclusive games that are also high-energy

Founders of BLUEPRINT DIY party plans, Monique Banks and Ariel Banks Baker, say that the secret to success when throwing kids’ party is focusing on everything your child loves to do, including high-energy games that are inclusive. They created a downloadable plan with pre-designed or custom themes that includes everything a parent needs to know to plan a magical day. Monique recommends that parents, “Stay away from competitive games like Musical Chairs and Simon Says because kids are ‘out’ and sadly waiting for the one winner to be announced. By that time, they are no longer having fun or something else has their attention. Inclusive games focus on camaraderie and the fun comes from the challenge of the activity.”

Another option for inclusive games is custom inflatables which can be of different designs and colors. Kids love bouncy houses, inflatable waterslides, tossing games, and also are crazy about obstacle courses. These types of inflatables provide both joyful memories and lots of energy. 

Keep Kids Involved in the Planning

Alyssa Stone, Board-Certified Music Therapist, Clinical Director of Dynamic Lynks, says that parents can make their child’s birthday party special by truly being in the moment. When throwing a kids’ party, make the whole day about the child and invite them into the planning. Giving them autonomy and choice over elements of a big event gives them some element of control, and an opportunity to explore interests you may not even know they had!

Father of two boys and Founder and Editor of OptimizedFamily, Leo Young, agrees. He says that he always includes his boys in party planning because it makes them feel special.  “To make my boys feel special on their birthday we included them in every bit of the planning and decision-making process. My son is very much into superheroes, so we had a party for him where we made our costumes from scratch and from anything we could piece together. He helped his mom bake and decorate his cake, came up with his own costume, had a backyard treasure hunt, and made up superhero games on the spot had a backyard treasure hunt. He loved every moment of it and talked about his birthday for some time after.”

Add an Element of Surprise

Sometimes it’s about being thoughtful and coming up with something unexpected. Jason Leung founder of the dad blog, The Rockstar Dad, says that the key to success when throwing a kids’ party is to either provide them with something that they didn’t expect or to go beyond their expectations. The element of surprise always adds excitement for a child. Jason shares, “Obviously, you’ll need to really know your child well and use creativity to adapt their interests into a party theme or idea. But putting in this effort will really make your child feel special because they feel all the attention placed on them.”

Don’t Blow Your Budget

If you’re wondering what truly will make a child happy at their birthday party, it’s not how much you spend.  Jada Rashawn, a professional nanny and Nanny Consultant for Sittercity, says the focus should be on encouraging little ones to celebrate such pivotal moments in their lives and another year of life. “Teaching your child to celebrate and embrace growth, and the changes that come with that shows your child that change is a good thing! This was one of my favorite parts of being a nanny — coming up with fun ways to celebrate and make my nanny kiddos feel special on monumental days.”

Jada gives the inside scoop. “Working in high society domestics as a nanny, you have a significant range of budget if planning a child’s birthday party is part of your responsibility. I’ve come to realize that making your little one feel special doesn’t have to cost a lot. One of my fondest memories was when I dressed up as a fairy (in a costume I DIY’d) for my nanny kiddo’s fairy themed birthday party. My nanny kiddo couldn’t believe that her nanny was ‘also’ a fairy. It was the sentimental value on her special day that made her extremely happy. Everyone was there to celebrate her and she could see it.”

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