How to Plan A Child's Home Birthday Party

Most birthday party planning begins with having a child say something like, "I want a Spiderman birthday party." In other words, the theme is the place to start. In the unlikely or rare event that your child has not yet announced his wishes regarding a theme, ask.

If the child has outgrown Disney princesses or Spiderman, or if he has no particular, obvious, interests on which to build a theme; decide on two or three colors as a theme. Good choices for boys' parties are one or two primary colors (with or without white, depending on whether you want a more summer-like color scheme). Most girls have a favorite pastel color or two. Choosing one pastel color and white or two pastel colors for girls works well.

Choosing a color or two with silver or gold can help create yet another theme. Pale lilac and silver balloons make a nice them for girls of any age. Red, gold, and silver balloons can ad a "techno" look for a boys' party. There is also, of course, choosing a multi-color theme, in either primary or pastel colors.

Deciding on a theme, and keeping it in mind, will help guide you in all the other choices involved in planning a party.

In general, planning and preparation for a home birthday party can be done in two phases - Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 involves considering the theme, coming up with ideas, shopping for things that will keep, and getting some tasks done as early as possible. (Sometimes it turns out the local party store doesn't have Spiderman tablecloths after all, and an online order can take extra time.)

Phase 1 may take a couple of evening hours of planning and list-making, followed by shopping and a few extra tasks at home; but making and checking off lists as early as possible will leave little left to be done in the days just before the party.

You will need two types of lists: Lists of things to buy (or if you already have them, get out and know where they are) and a list of things to do.

The "To Do" list should include tasks such as:

Send invitations

(Note: Send invitations as early as possible to allow invited guests to "RSVP". Knowing exactly how many children will attend is important when it comes to some items, but some shopping can be done before you know the exact number of guests. For example, goody bags often come in packages of 8 bags. If you've invited 24 children you'll need three packages of bags unless only 16 children plan to attend. It can be easier on you to just buy the three packages of bags, make them up, and send bags to any children who couldn't attend. In the case of items like potato chips, unless you think an awful lot of guests won't show up, you're better off just buying a "party's worth" of chips. They'll either be eaten or not, and most people can find a way to dispose of an extra bag of chips in the weeks following a party.)

Order cake

Order cookies

Order meal food

Get out items we already have

Shop

Pack goody bags and store them where they'll stay fresh.

Make a separate sub-category for "House, Yard, and Furniture" on your "To Do" list, and include things such as:

Clean

Get chairs

Get tables

Rent a tent

Move furniture (only the biggest parties require this extreme measure)

Mow lawn

(Add your own tasks. Each home and birthday party have their own requirements.)

The "Shopping" (or "Make Sure You Have Ready") Lists:

While some parties are smaller or simpler than others, the following is a list of what is needed for most children's parties:

Decorations and Other Non-Food Items:

Invitations

Birthday candles

Paper or plastic tablecloths for all tables in the party area

Balloons (a few helium balloons are nice, but hanging lots and lots of "plain old" balloons can make any room feel like a party)

Paper plates, cups, and napkins (dinner plates for the meal and small cake plates)

Plastic flatware

Goody bags (to be filled later)

Goodies (small toys, bubble stuff, cute pencils, stickers, etc.) to add to candy in goody bags.

Party Hats (for younger children)

Punch bowl or pitchers, or a way to keep canned and bottled beverages cold (Large, clean, containers filled with ice do nicely; so add "pick up ice" to your "To Do" list if you plan to use these.)

While the items above will do nicely for most parties, other items you may like to have are:

Party blowers

Party horns (I, personally, don't recommend these)

Other items available in the birthday aisle or party store.

Favors (separate from goody bags) and wrappers/ribbons needed to put them together.

Small bunches of flowers for girls' parties.

Crepe paper streamers.

"Happy Birthday" banners

Metallic stars or other glittery decorations.

Pinata.

Special cake topper (If the party store has a particularly great looking "5" for your four-year-old's upcoming party buy it, and bring it with you if order a cake).

Cake decorations (if you're planning to make the cake yourself).

Covered cake plate/stand

Colored or white "Christmas lights" (mini-lights on strings)

Other Items:

Cameras and batteries

Lots of Scotch tape

Ribbon

Gift wrap

Music

Optional but handy, as well as theme-enhancing, are inexpensive plastic bowls and platters, sold where party supplies are sold. Two or three large, colorful, plastic bowls filled with snacks can add to the theme AND be kidproof. Colorful plastic ice cream dishes are cheerful and inexpensive, even if you never use them again.

Also, take inventory of your own dinnerware, dishes, vases, or knick-knacks that are around the house. If you have dishes or other items in the party colors use them. Consider using as many clear glass dishes as well, so they don't conflict with the theme colors.

The items listed above require the most thought and effort, so select which items you will want for the party, make a list ("Decorations and Non-Food"), shop as early as possible, and check off items as they're purchased.

The "Food" Lists

Food items can be broken down into "party food" and "meal food". Make a list for both categories. The cake should be in a sub-category of its own and belongs, of course, on the "party food" list.

The "Party Foods" List

Under "cake" on the "party food" list, list any items you'll need for the cake if you're baking it yourself. Don't forget pan liner, shortening, or something with which to cover the cake. If you'll be ordering the cake just check it off once you've placed the order. Placing the order a few days before the party is generally best. If you're planning to bake a sheet cake include whatever you'll use to present the cake (whether that's a plastic tray from the party store, your own baking sheet covered in foil, etc.).

For small parties when money is an issue, a last-resort cake option could be to buy a plain, frozen, cake and decorate it yourself. There are also ready-decorated cakes sold in the grocery stores. If, by any chance, you forget to order the cake you can usually find a decorated cake at your supermarket bakery and have the child's name added to it.

Returning to the main section of the party food list, the following items are examples of what could be included:

Ice cream

Ice cream toppings

Candy to put out in dishes

Candy to add to goody bags

Fruit cups

Fruit in dishes

Dried fruits

Snacks in bowls (potato chips, cheese curls, party mix, etc.)

Dips (a plastic spoon in each bowl of dip lets kids scoop dip onto their plate, rather than double-dip - or worse, sleeve dip).

Fancy cookies. If you're ordering them list them under the cake, with a box to check once they've been ordered. If you plan to bake them, list all the ingredients and decorations you'll need. Include any wrapping, containers or plates in the "Decorations and Non-Food List".

Beverages. (Punch can make a birthday party seem a little more special, so a nice recipe for kids' punch, a couple of big pitchers, or a punch bowl with specially shaped ice cubes is something to consider.) If punch is not your choice, consider cans of fruit juice, soda, and bottles of water.)

Note: An inexpensive cookie press and the Betty Crocker Cookbook recipe for Spritz cookies offer nice little shaped cookies, which can be sprinkled with colored sugar or frosted in party theme colors.

Speaking of shapes: Fancy chocolate lollipops in shapes right for the them make a nice goody-bag filler or take-home treat. Plastic candy molds, lollipop sticks, wrappers, ribbons, and meltable chocolate are in an inexpensive way to offer these fun treats. (I made red and blue train pops for one of my son's birthdays, and cute teddy bear pops were handed out at more than one of my children's parties.)

The "Meal Foods" List:

If you're planning to prepare the meal yourself you need, of course, to make a grocery list; but also to consider any dishes, pans, condiments, spices or other items you'll need. If you'll need non-food items to prepare the meal list them in the "Decorations and Non-Food" lists (unless you already have them, in which case, again, get them out of any cabinets and put them where you'll be certain you can find them).

If you'll be ordering the food for the meal make a list of what items you will want, but also put "order food" on the "To Do" list.

The Games/Activities/Entertainment List:

If you will be booking professional entertainment add it to the "To Do" list. Make sure you know well in advance how much notice is required, how outside activities will be handled in the event of rain, etc.

Whether or not you'll be booking professional entertainment, having age-appropriate games and activities makes any party that much nicer. These could be adult-supervised games, such as "Pin the Tale" or "Musical Chairs"; or you could give the children something like a giant bag of colored cotton balls, glue-on eyes, pipe cleaners, and Elmer's glue; and let them make their own little animals in the yard or playroom.

Other activities could be as simple as having a huge supply of blocks or a toy kitchen with fake food for little kids; or offering bigger kids something like velcro mitts and balls for playing catch in the yard. One thing to keep in mind is that it may be best not to have any of your child's toys out at the party if they could, in any way, become damaged (or even taken home).

Something to keep in mind, too, is this: Even older children (including boys) may become very entertained and busy in some activities, such as building Legos or "project-making" in a group. Girls like to make jewelry or crafts. A group of 20 children will usually break up into small groups, if several games are available. This kind of activity is enjoyable, cut downs on "running-around-wild" time, and, in the case of making something, lets children have something special to bring home with them.

Regardless of your choice of your choice of activities, add any items you need to buy or get ready to the "Decorations and Non-Foods" list; and list any tasks related to activities and entertainment in the "To Do" list.

Phase 2: In most cases, after completing and checking off all the things that can be taken care of well ahead of time, all that is left for Phase 2 (the few days before the party) are "wrap up" items.

Make a new "To Do" list; and, again, do what can be done as early as possible, leaving only a very few things until the day before or "day of". It should include:

Finish house/yard chores

Order cake or other bakery items

Order meal

Confirm any orders/arrangements made earlier - just to make sure.

Later:

Pick up cake

Pick up food that won't be delivered

Pick up rented chairs, tables, etc.

Shop for foods that couldn't be bought sooner - produce, milk, bakery items, etc.

Later still:

Put out materials for activities.

Blow up balloons. (Balloons can't be blown up too early. They can start to deflate. They can be blown up the night before.)

Decorate. (Like balloons, the night before is about as early as decorations can be done without having them start to droop.)

Note: Because decorating must wait until the party is hours away, it is always best to get all other tasks taken care of earlier; in order to leave little more than decorations for the day of (or night before) the party.

Set table and add cake.

Set out snacks to be served before the meal.

Serve the meal.

Clean away remnants of the meal

Set out the rest of the "party food" when it's time for it.

If the birthday party will turn into a sleepover (and many do), add night-time snacks, activities, and breakfast food to your lists.

If the "kids' party" will be followed by a "family party" (and many are), make sure to have extra food for the family, or else add any different foods to your shopping list.