Birthday Themes
What’s a kids’ party without a theme!! And boy are you spoilt for choices! From their favourite book to animals to the TV show they like the best, you can go to town with party themes. Do consider your child’s personality while choosing the theme. Also, keep in mind whether the decorations and party supplies for the theme you have chosen will be easily available in India.
The theme will help you in deciding what kind of party space you need, the decorations you will require and also the return gifts can be theme-based. Some of the most popular birthday party themes in India are Farm animals, Under the sea, Princess or Barbie, Chhota Bheem, Angry Birds, Fairy, Hello Kitty, Cars, Dora the explorer, Madagascar, Beach party, Doraemon etc.
Set A Budget
While it easy to go overboard while planning your child’s birthday ( been there done that), it is very important to set a budget and stick to it while planning a birthday party. Remember, you will be having birthday parties every year for many years to come ( for more than one child too) so set expectation levels accordingly. Once you have a budget in mind everything else can be strategized and planned accordingly.
Select a Location, Date and Time for the Party
While we are going ahead with a party at home it might not be the choice for everyone. Popular party locations are Clubs with parks and pools, Banquet halls, Kids’ activity centres, local restaurants like McDonald’s or Pizza Hut etc. Keep in mind your child’s age, the season and weather and of course your budget while choosing the location.
While ideally the birthday should be celebrated on the day of the birth, it is not uncommon for parents to defer it to a date that is convenient for everyone like a Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon. The duration of a kids’ birthday party should not be more than 3 hours especially if you don’t them to end up being cranky or moody in the middle of the party.
Guest list and Invitations
You need to narrow down whether you are going to invite relatives, friends, school friends etc. In my experience for toddlers, it is best to have a guest list of around 10-15 kids. You can invite their moms also so that you can mingle with them. You are not obligated to invite all of your child’s school friends but do ask around other parents to know what is the common practice.
You can either make handmade invitations or order them according to the theme. You can also find many online printable party invitations and if you find one that suits your theme then you can print them off. Don’t forget to mention the RSVP details so that you have a better idea of how many people would turn up which will help you in preparing food returning gifts etc.
Kids Birthday Party Menu
Unless you are using caterers for the party it is very important to sit down and write down the exact menu you would be using for the party. Having a menu will help you in planning your grocery list and shopping list for the party and will save you both money and time.
You can either order or make a birthday cake according to the theme. Keep the food simple, non-messy and definitely kid-friendly. Think bite-sized, simple flavoured finger foods. Keep the menu a balance of healthy and junk food, after all, it is a party! Mini Pizza, Fruit Kebabs, Chicken/Soy Nuggets, Shaped sandwiches, cake pops, cupcakes, juice boxes, french fries etc are loved by kids. If you are also expecting adults at the party then keep 2-3 food items which will be liked by them.
Decorations, Activities and Return gifts
Once you have your theme in place you can accordingly select decorations, activities for kids and party favours or return gifts. For decorations, you can go for theme coloured balloons, streamers, table cloths, party hats, plates and cups etc. You can also go for character cutouts, centrepieces, tableware, confetti and lots more.
For children in the age group of 1-3 years, it is best to go for impromptu activities like dancing, blowing bubbles, colouring, pretend play etc rather than organized activities. For older kids, you can plan activities like a treasure hunt, DIY kits, musical chairs or statues, passing the ball, tug of war, prepared dances etc. Most importantly keep it short, simple and fun!
Return gifts are a recent trend and although as children we used to get occasional chocolate or some sweets as party favours, now the birthday has gone crazy with return gifts. From board games, art kits, personalized cushions, bags, custom cupcakes, the choices are unlimited. But as with everything else, stick to your budget and create goody bags that are age-appropriate and at parity with other kids.
The next few posts will give you more details, tools and helpful kids birthday party ideas on how to plan a perfect birthday party. So keep watching this space.
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