By now you have made all of the major decisions about the party. Your venue is booked and the entertainer has been confirmed. Now all you need is children.

Obviously your little one will want to have a say in who they want to invite but often it turns out that they just want their whole class or nursery group to attend. There are several factors to consider when going down this route. The first thing to think about is cost. The larger the group the more food and party goodies are going to be required. Also the size of your venue will also dictate how many people it can accommodate, with space for the activities and also parents who stay behind to watch. But a major consideration is behavior. A large group will often become boisterous and require a few extra parents or helpers to manage the excitable little ones. Again this is where a good entertainer is worth their weight in gold. They will have a lot of experience in dealing with large groups of children. It really isn’t like dealing with just a couple of children. You have been warned.

It is often a better idea to refine the guest list with your little one so that only the people they actually play with at school are invited. This often helps with the behaviour as those children will be more respectful to the birthday child. They will want to make sure that your child has the best birthday as opposed to the random classmate that just wants to cause havoc.

PARTY INVITATIONS

There is a multitude of party invitation options. Obviously stationary shops, supermarkets and greeting card suppliers are the perfect first prt of call. They will often have themed or branded invitations that match a range of party supplies (Decorations, balloons, party plates and table cloths) These can help theme the event to one of your child’s favourite TV show or character. Click here for some online examples Childrens party supplies boys themes or Childrens party supplies girls themes

There are also plenty of free online solutions downloadable party templates and also your entertainer may also have some themed invitations available free childrens party invitationsYou can even have your own custom invitations made online and shipped to your door! See here custom party invitations

PARTY INVITATION TIPS

1. Check the details you put on the invitations is correct!!!!

2. Don’t send them until you have confirmation of your entertainer and your venue!!

3. Make the start time 15 minutes before the time you actually want the party to start. People always arrive a little late and this will ensure that all the children are there ready for the entertainer to start the show

4. Make sure your provide your information for people to RSVP and tray and insist on it. There is nothing worse than spending money on food and gifts for 50 children and only 10 show up. This will help reduce the planning stress.

5. If possible include information about what has been organised at the party on the invitation(entertainment, attractions etc) This often creates excitement and gets parents talking about it prior to the party. This will ensure that more people attend (even some that RSVP to come will have a change of plans on the day, this will reduce this)

PARTY GUEST LIST SHEET

It is also a good idea to have a full guest list written down on the day so that any parents can give you their contact details should anything happen or their little one gets upset. This is also a good place to note any special requirements.

So there you have it, a few suggestions to make the party planning danger free. Good luck!!