However, this work does not need to be overwhelming, troublesome, or frustrating if you use just a few organisation skills. When you use a birthday theme party checklist you can save your extra energy for the day of the party when you will definitely need it.
Many years ago I used to scoff at the idea of making lists when I had to plan a party; whether I just had to bake the birthday cake and other snacks for the party or whether I had to help with the planning of the whole party.
You may think that a checklist for your kid's theme party is not necessary, but believe me, without a checklist you can be sure that something will go wrong on the day of the party. You do not want to wake up on the morning of the party only to realise that you do not have one single favour bag for the party guests or you realise that you have not charged your camera's second set of batteries and now that one perfect shot of your kid blowing out the candles on the cake is lost forever.
Begin your checklists the moment you sit down with your kid to plan the theme party.
Here are a number of headings for lists:
* Theme for the party
* Party location and time of the party
* Number of guests
* Invitations and thank you cards
* Party food
* Decorations
* Entertainment, games and activities
* Party Favours/goodie bags
* and what I call my "What about this?" list - this one includes things like camera, batteries, extra help on the day of the party; literally any ideas that comes to mind
After the initial brainstorming, you can now compile shopping lists for the lists mentioned above, for instance, write down the ingredients you will need if you are going to prepare the party snacks yourself. If you are going to make your own party invitations, make a list of the materials you will need.
In order to keep to your theme party planning schedule, you should also break down your lists into time lines and keep to it.
* 3 - 4 weeks before the party
* 2 weeks before the party
* 1 week before the party
* 2 days before the party
* Day before the party
* The day of the party
Something else that will help you to keep organised during the planning of your kid's theme party, is to keep all these lists together in a folder. Nothing can send you into a panic attack as fast as a list that has disappeared.
Compiling checklists and keeping to it, may seem like a boring and unnecessary task, but parents who come up with good kids theme ideas will tell you that checklists are the secret to childrens birthday parties.
