1. Decide on a Birthday Party Budget

While this isn't the most fun place to start when planning a birthday party, it's the most important. Before starting any kind of birthday party planning, determine just how much you're going to spend on the total celebration.

This will help you decide on later steps, such as picking a venue (which could be a rental spot, the park, or your home/backyard) or decorations (which could be homemade, purchased, or simply flowers from your yard or neighborhood!).

Don't forget that fun doesn't have to be expensive. There are tons of ways to celebrate your kid's birthday for FREE at home.

 
A boounce house gives kids a contained place to play. Photo by Kelly Verdeck via Flickr

2. Pick a Theme

Picking a theme for a kid's birthday party can feel overwhelming. No need to panic – just remember to go with a theme that makes your child happy. If a blank slate feels overwhelming to your child, you can help them choose from this list of 100 of the most popular birthday party themes for kids.

Party theme ideas can range from birthday theme ideas for 1-year-olds to a Bluey-themed birthday party to creating an Escape Room to a Taylor Swift birthday party. The world is your oyster.

3. Set a Date & Time for the Birthday Party

This seems easy, right? But planning a kid's birthday party gets complicated when scheduling around holidays, family and school schedules, and days of the week. And that's before you even touch friend availability, which gets very important as kids get older (and they want to make sure a bestie or popular friend can make it!).

When setting a date for your child's birthday party, weekends often work best for people, especially during the school year. For little ones, you may want to consider your child's nap time.

If the group is small, ask your child if there are any kids they want to make sure can make it, and reach out to their parents. Don't worry if the party ends up being a month after your child's birthday, if that's the best date. They really just want to celebrate with friends.

 
Maybe hold your party at a zoo, science center, or in your yard. Photo by Steve Freeman via Flickr

4. Choose a Venue

This is one of the reasons we started with the budget! Choose a venue that makes sense for your child's celebration depending on how much you plan to spend and your birthday party theme. You could have the party at home, at a local park, a church or community center, or a rented venue.

5. Send Party Invitations

You want to give your party guests plenty of time to plan, respond, and attend. A good rule of thumb is to send out birthday party invites around 2-4 weeks before the date of the party.

Another great rule of thumb is that physical invites are more fun for kids, but physical invites should only go to school if everyone is invited! If you're only inviting a few kids, send emails or make phone calls to parents.

However you choose to send your invitations, make sure to include all important details and an RSVP option so you know who's attending and how many people to plan for.

 
Have an fun, easy to learn, and age appropriae game ready to go. Photo courtesy of Kids Against Maturity Amazon Store

6. Plan the Birthday Party Games & Events

Speaking of planning, it's time to plan what you expect to happen at the actual party!

If you're hosting your kid's birthday party at home, there are tons of games such as backyard scavenger hunts, relay races, and water games that are sure to be a hit. If you're planning for an outdoor birthday party, you may want to try your hand at some lawn games and old-school games like Red Rover or Ghost in the Garden. For older kids, a sleepover party might be perfect.

This is also where you want to decide if and when to hire party entertainers. You may want a themed character to visit, an entertainer like a local singer or magician to come, or animals or gaming trucks to arrive. Plan these special events to take place in the middle of the party, so latecomers or those who must leave don't miss all the fun.

No matter what you plan, be sure to have 3-5 backup ideas ready. It can be something as simple as having Twister and Kids Against Maturity on hand, or having a movie picked out that you can put on when kids get tired and the party is winding down.

 
All that really matters is a cool cake. Photo by Jody Mercier

7. Organize Food & Beverages

Let them eat cake! Birthday cakes come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Rainbows and unicorns tend to be some of the top designs, but if those don't match your theme, there are tons of other birthday cake ideas out there. You may also opt for cupcakes instead of cake or mix it up with some other delicious dessert.

Next, start by thinking about the time of day of your party and how many kids are coming. Finger food snacks (like carrots and hummus) or snack bars are easy and popular picks, if the party isn't coinciding with a meal time. Bagels or (cheap!) pizza are also tried-and-true birthday party foods if you need to cover a meal.

Here's our #1 tip: don't worry about impressing kids or feeding adults! (Unless this is a party for a baby and most of your attendees are grown ups.) If parents are sticking around, just make sure there are enough bagels or pizza to go around if they're hungry. And maybe offer adult beverages, if you like!

Speaking of drinks: Kids' birthdays are full of intense play, so make sure to have water on hand for everyone to hydrate.

 
Decorations can be simple or elaborate. Photo by Verified user Rachael on the Reykeosun Amazon store

8. Decorate, Decorate, Decorate

Coordinate your decorations to match your kid's birthday party theme. Streamers, balloons, confetti – oh, my!

Some themes are easier to shop for than others. For example, if your little one loves Frozen, you can find about every kind of decoration to make an Elsa and Anna extravaganza. Plates, napkins, wall hangings, and tablecloths are all easily purchased. If specific themed decorations aren't available to buy, you can simply get colors that support your theme.

Much like the food, don't worry too much about decorations! Kids are thrilled with a banner and cute plates.

Another pro tip: while we always try to be environmentally conscious and not buy too many single-use items, this is one instance where it's easiest to just go for the disposable plates, forks, napkins, and cups. It makes cleanup a snap.

9. Prepare Birthday Party Favors & Thank You's

Goody bags/party favors are a great way to say "Thanks for coming to my party, and here's something to remember it by." However, you don't want to spend a fortune or add loads of plastic trash to landfills. We researched this topic thoroughly and came up with dozens of ideas for every age, interest, and price point. Check out our list of unique, memorable, and cool goody bags for birthday parties.

It's also nice to have a set of simple thank you cards ready to go, so kids can learn to thank people for their presence and presents. I ask my kids to write one thank you a day following birthdays and holidays until they're all written, so it never feels like too daunting a task. Even the youngest kids can draw a picture to say thank you!

 
Once your party is planned, all you have left to do is have fun! Photo courtesy of Canva

10. Celebrate!

You've done it! You've successfully planned your child's birthday party. Now you get to celebrate, take photos, and make memories. It's party time!

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