A Birthday party coming up?! This article is for you!
Birthday parties are quite demanding and definitely increases parents mental load. There is so much to think about and organise, especially as we want everything to be PERFECT! But there are also incredibly fun and create wonderful childhood memories. In this article you’ll find 5 key steps to help you organise the party beforehand, in addition to 5 Birthday party invitations free templates to download and print.

Organising a child’s birtdhay party

1- Pick a theme

Kids always have a favourite subject! Choose a theme that your child is passionate about at the time, whether it’s rollers, princesses, horses, dinosaurs, video games or anything else they love. This theme will guide the decorations, activities and choice of invitation cards.

2- Make a guest list and prepare birthday party invitations

There are no rules as to how many guests to invite. Some do not imagine inviting less than the whole class, while for others the age determines the number of guests: 4 for a 4 year old birthday party, for example. Where the party takes place is also a determining factor.
Once you have carefully thought and negotiated the guest list, it is time to prepare the birthday party invitations. We have designed just for you 4 birthday invitation cards, free for you to download and print.
Once the invitations cards cut out, all you have to do is to fill in all the party details: date, time, place, telephone number for rsvp and other information you feel are useful.

3- Plan activities ahead

While things might not go exactly to plan, planning and organising activities ahead of the party is essential so you are not left running around like a headless chicken on the day. Bear in mind the age of the guests when planning games and activities. Treasure hunts, quick board games, DIY activities, sports challenges are great fun and there are versions for all ages.

You may have planned to have the party outside in the garden, but always have an indoor backing plan in mind in case the weather decides not to play ball on the day.

4- Match your decor with the theme

Decorating the house or party place in the chosen theme will make the party extra special! Attention is in the details! Make the atmosphere even more festive by choosing plates, balloons, bunting in the theme or so they contribute to it.

5- Prepare the Birthday cake and treats ahead

Whether you go for an homemade birthday cake or a shop bought one, don’t leave this to the morning of the party. Also plan and shop ahead for drinks and treats. So that you have time to find exactly what you want or have in mind. Shops might not always stock what you need.
Whenever possible, adapt the party food to the age of the guests and if possible, check with other parents for possible allergies.

Guests of all ages love to go back home with a little souvenir. If you are going to hand out party bags or party favours, plan those in advance too. Making a few extra is always a good idea in case little brothers or sisters end up staying at the party too.
Your party bag can include some sweets and little treats. If you want a little gift that is different and useful, personalised stickers in the name of the guest will be very much appreciated by both your child’s friends and their parents. They will love to use them as school labels or nursery name tags, to identify in their name their school or daycare stuff.

Extra bonus tips!

Involve your child in the party preparations! Children love being part of the preparation and organisation. Unless it is a surprise party of course!
Get them to write the invitation, fill in the party bags with the treats you have planned, thinks of the games or activities they like to play and do during the party…

Be flexible: Things might not turn out exactly as planned. Don’t let this spoil the party for you. Kids might prefer to keep with what they are doing rather than play another game, or not take part in the activity you had scheduled. As long as they are having fun… it’s ok!

Rope in a party assistant: If possible, get a parent, a friend or someone you trust to give you a hand at the party; especially if you have lots of guests.
You can delegate some tasks like taking pictures, helping you managing younger guests requests or the activities and games

Download your birthday party invitations template

Dinosaur themed birthday party invitation:

Good Vibes birthday invitation:

Roller birthday invitation:

Game Zone birthday invitation:

Horse birthday invitation:

Head just here for the instructions on how to make your Horse birthday invitation card