Checklist for planning a girls’s birthday party

07/08/2015

Written by: @GabDiesendorf

Every parent wants to throw an unforgettable birthday party for their child. We often forget how much work this can actually be and how stressful it can get as the day approaches. To help you organize everything with the least amount of stress, we present a basic checklist for having an awesome girl’s birthday party.

1. Consider your budget and your options

Get clear about how many kids you can invite and what kind of a party you can afford. Will it be a traditional house party for a few good friends, an amusement park day with the family or a big birthday bash in a fancy restaurant?

2. Make a guest list

Invite only kids if they are older, if they are under 5, have parents accompany them. Consider inviting some of your friends or relatives to help you with everything and to watch the children. Get everyone’s phone numbers and invite them once you know all your party details.

3. Pick a date

It is usually best to have the party on Saturday. Early afternoons work well depending on what you are serving. You can start at standard lunch times or an hour after lunch. If you have a toddler, workdays are fine as well. Don’t make it longer than three hours.

4. Select a theme

Talk to your little girl and try to make her wishes come true. This should be fairly easy since nowadays there are birthday services like Fairy Princess Parties that can provide all a little girl can dream up, from fairy wands, princess dresses, tiaras and real fairy princesses to play with.

5. Pick a place

Depending on your theme, the season and the number and age of your guests, you can have an indoors or an outdoors party. If you don’t want to decorate and clean up, you could take your birthday party to an aquarium, a restaurant, the zoo, a ballet or dance studio if it’s mainly girls.

6. Plan games and activities

Outdoors parties are easier regarding games, from ball games and freeze tag to hand paint and hide –and-seek. For indoor parties you could arrange for some musical chairs, craft and arts activities like making edible jewelry, or get printable games and coloring pages. You could also have them make party decorations.

7. Get birthday supplies

You will need a lot of stuff, like invitation and thank you notes, decorations – balloons, confetti, banners, party hats etc, party ware like paper plates, napkins, plastic cups and cutlery, matches, candles, art and craft supplies and prizes for games. Start early.

8. Food and drink

Decide whether you are serving lunch and cake or just snacks and cake. Muffins and cookies work well as snacks, as do caramel popcorn and pretzels. Have a lot of sweets including ice-cream. Fruit juices, fruit punch and natural spring water are good choice as far as drinks go. Make sure to ask the parents if their kids are allergic to any foods. The cake should be made according to the birthday girl’s wishes.

9. Miscellaneous

Organize RSVPs, check the weather, clean the house, decorate, borrow extra furniture from neighbors, have at least one adult monitor the kids, charge camera and phone batteries, lock the pets, make sure candles are blown and the birthday song sang.

Most importantly, try to relax and have fun on this special day with your little princess!