How to plan a kids' birthday party
A kids' party runs on two clocks: the six weeks of booking and inviting beforehand, and the three hours of energy on the day. Get entertainment booked early, keep the schedule tight, and bring the cake out before anyone melts down.
Kids' birthday checklist
6 weeks before
- Draft the guest list
- Book the venue, or confirm the space at home
- Book entertainment: bounce house, magician or face painter
4 weeks before
- Send invitations
- Choose the menu
- Pick a theme and décor
2 weeks before
- Chase RSVPs from anyone who hasn't replied
- Confirm vendors in writing
- Order the cake
7 days before
- Lock the headcount
- Collect allergy and dietary notes
- Buy decorations and non-perishables
- Draft the party-day run of show
3 days before
- Confirm every vendor's arrival time
- Pack goodie bags
1 day before
- Send guests parking and arrival details
- Buy perishables and ice
Party day
- Set up décor and the space
2 days after
- Send thank-you notes
- Settle costs with co-hosts
- Share photos with guests
Add your date, guest count and budget and get this checklist with real due dates, plus a menu that respects dietary needs.
Plan mine freeHow to split the budget
A typical split for a kids' birthday, shown for 30 guests and a $600 budget. The percentages hold at any size.
| Category | Share | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Food & drinks | 35% | $210 |
| Entertainment | 25% | $150 |
| Decorations | 12% | $70 |
| Cake | 10% | $60 |
| Goodie bags | 8% | $45 |
| Plates & supplies | 5% | $30 |
| Buffer | 5% | $35 |
Party-day schedule
A 3-hour party starting at 3:00 PM.
- 2:00 PMSet up the space and décor
- 2:45 PMFinal walk-through, music on
- 3:00 PMGuests arrive, free play
- 3:45 PMGames or entertainment
- 4:30 PMFood
- 5:15 PMCake and birthday song
- 5:40 PMGoodie bags and goodbyes
- 6:00 PMParty ends, start clean-up
Menu ideas
- Mini cheese pizzas
- Chicken nuggets
- Fruit skewers
- Veggie cups with dip
- Popcorn
- Birthday cake
- Juice boxes and water
Shopping for 30
- Plates45 plates
- Cups90 cups
- Napkins90 napkins
- Drinks90 cans or bottles
- Ice3 10 lb bags
- Trash bags2 bags
- Cake30 servings
- Candles and matches1 pack
- Goodie bags14 bags
Tips from the plan
- Book entertainment first
- Bounce houses, magicians and face painters book out weekends a month or more ahead. Lock them in before you send invites.
- Count kids and adults separately
- Parents often stay. Ask for both numbers on the RSVP so food, goodie bags and seating all come out right.
- Ask about allergies on the invite
- Nut, dairy and gluten allergies are common at this age. Collect them a week out so the cake and snacks are safe for everyone.
- Keep it to two or three hours
- Younger children run out of steam fast. Free play, one organised activity, food, cake, then goodbyes is plenty.
Questions
How far in advance should I plan a kids' birthday party?
Six weeks is comfortable: book the venue and entertainment first, send invites four weeks out and chase replies two weeks out. Two to three weeks can work if you skip nice-to-haves like a theme.
How many kids should I invite?
A common rule of thumb is the child's age plus one for small parties. For a whole-class party, plan on most of the class coming and roughly one adult per family.
How much does a kids' birthday party cost?
It varies widely by city and venue. At home, food and entertainment usually take the biggest share, about 35% and 25% of the budget, with cake, decorations and goodie bags splitting most of the rest.