How To Plan a Kid’s Party In 5 Easy Steps

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Are you wondering how to plan a kid’s party, and why it can seem so hard to plan a kid’s party? There has got to be an easier way right?  Good news, there is!  It doesn’t have to be so hard to plan a party for your child.  Don’t miss these easy tips where I’ll share five easy steps to help you plan a kid’s party.  You are right, it doesn’t have to be difficult to plan a kid’s party!

Are you wondering why it seems so hard to plan a kid’s party?  Planning a kid’s party can be so stressful when you have to think about the decorations, details, games, goody bags, guest list and then try to figure out where you will host the party.  I hear you!  It’s a lot to think about, especially if you are already super busy with your everyday mom duties. 

Just know I understand!  I’m a busy mom too and even though I love to plan and host parties, that doesn’t mean I don’t feel the stress and anxiety that comes along with trying to figure it all out.  My hope is that after you read this post, you will feel much more equipped to plan and host a kid’s party and be excited to do it!

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How To Plan A Kid’s Party

Let’s jump in! No need to beat around the bush, let’s get started right now and learn the five steps to planning a kid’s birthday party.

Step #1: Pick a Generic Theme

A generic theme is an easy & low-cost theme. Generic themes don’t already have a trademark attached to them. Generic themes save you time because you have more options to choose from. They also save you money because you don’t have to pay a premium price to acquire decorations and supplies to pull off the party.

If you want to make your party easy for you to plan, it starts with the theme and if you can pick a generic theme, you can guarantee you will spend less time and money on the supplies.  Wondering what a generic theme is?  It’s a non-branded theme. For example, you would choose a car party instead of a Hot Wheels party. 

Step #2: Make A Party Plan

Every good party must have a plan so that you don’t lose your mind during the party or bust the budget in the planning process!

The dream of most moms is to host a spectacular party that her child loves, along with all his friends – and it all happens like clockwork. Where all the guests have huge smiles plastered across their faces the whole time and the party guest of honor truly feels like a king or queen for the day!

Yes, it’s possible to achieve all of this – with simplicity – and it all happens with a plan.

Your party plan should include a planning worksheet that you can edit and change as your plans change, a planning checklist so you can quickly see what needs to be done, and an agenda. Your agenda should include minute-by-minute planning of your entire party from the moment guests arrive to the time they will depart. You can grab our planning toolkit here.

Step #3: Set A Budget

Your budget matters. Set a budget before you begin planning your party and then stick to it. No matter what budget you think you need, make sure to add a little extra for things you didn’t plan on. For example, if your set budget is $100, add in an extra $1-3 per guest for extras that you didn’t plan on needing, and don’t go over it. 

Wondering how to figure out how much you should budget for your party? I know how you feel, because it’s hard to figure out at first, but I have a secret formula for determining how much money you should budget for your child’s upcoming party – it’s called our Super Secret Budget Formula and if you want more information, you can grab our guide here.

Step #4: Set A Time Limit

Time does matter and in the case of a kid’s party, time costs you both money and your sanity! The more time your guests are at your house, the more things you need to provide to keep them busy, so they don’t tear up your house.

When your guests are in attendance for a limited amount of time, you won’t need to spend as much to keep them entertained and I promise you will save your sanity too! You’ll only need to provide a few games and activities and in doing so, you won’t need to spend as much money. Plus, you won’t be sad that the party is over so you can take a breath!

Step #5: Goody Bags Are A Money Pit

Yes, I said it. Goody bags are a money pit. Wait, let me rephrase that, the normal type of goody bags that are commonly handed out at parties are a money pit. You know what I’m referring to, the ones that include little toys, trinkets, and basically cheap junk that breaks as soon as you get it home.

Instead, your goody bags should be creative, purposeful, and make sense with your theme. You absolutely should always give out a goody bag, but you should not spend a lot of money on them! In fact, I like to keep my total cost per goody bag at only $1 per guest.

Easy Steps to Plan A Kid’s Party

Now that you have learned the 5 easy steps to plan a party for your child, for your party, and that starts with picking a generic theme. Then you’ll need to make a plan that includes an agenda and a checklist.

Next, you’ll want to set a budget, and then you’ll need to remember that time does matter so you don’t waste money. Finally, make sure your goody bags are purposeful.   If you can keep these five steps in mind then you can ensure a wonderful party next time you need to plan one!

Want to remember this post?  Pin this post, How To Plan A Kid’s Party in 5 Easy Steps, to your favorite Pinterest board right now!