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The Ultimate Kid’s Birthday Party Checklist

Posted on Feb 06, 2018

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Planning your child’s birthday party can feel like a full-time job. We want our kids to have the best day, and that means making sure everything is perfect, right? There’s a lot that goes into the planning, and sometimes it’s the small tasks that get forgotten or left out. Our goal is to make sure you are set up to have a successful party.

Here’s the ultimate party checklist:

  1. Venue - Where will the party take place? Your home? Somewhere fun (ahem, Monkey Joe’s!)?
  2. Date and time - Pick something that works with the venue and your family’s schedule. Be cautious of holidays.
  3. Theme - What’s your child into these days? Is there something they absolutely love, TV show they watch, or a character they always point to or ask for? If they don’t care, make it easy on yourself and keep it simple! Stick to a color and that’s it.
  4. Invitations - You’ll want to buy or create invitations. You can choose to mail them or even send an evite to the parents. Although, kids do love getting invitations in the mail from their friends. Don’t forget to put an RSVP date and contact info. (You can create your own Monkey Joe’s invitations once you book a party here!)
  5. The guest list - Who’s on it? Think about your family, your child’s friends, their classmates, etc. Once you decide, you can send the invitations. But it is important to note you may need to know this before booking a venue in case your venue has group limits or requirements.
  6. Cake - Using the term “cake” loosely here, because now you can do anything from cupcakes to cake to rice krispie treats to donut holes. It’s really up to you, and you can even choose to opt out of this part. Just make sure you have it ordered or planned for if you’re making it yourself.
  7. Food and drinks - Think about the location here when deciding on what to have for food and drink. You’ll also want to consider the time of the party - is it lunch time or do you just need light snacks? Don’t forget about the parents when planning on food and drinks - they need some, too!
  8. Decorations - Think streamers, banners, party hats, wall decorations, etc. This can be as simple as you want it, or as crazy as you want it. Stick to the theme here.
  9. Supplies - On top of decorations, you’re going to need things like plates, napkins, cups, tablecloth, and silverware.
  10. Goodie bags - Another optional item, but if you are including goodie bags for the party-goers, buy the supplies to make them and go ahead and put them together well before the party. You don’t want to be up until midnight tying up bags the night before the party.
  11. Games/activities - Plan out the event and think through how you’ll entertain the guests. That can include games, small activities, jumping, or just letting them run. It’s completely up to you (and the venue).
  12. HAVE FUN! Spend a moment during the party to take a mental image of your child on their day having the time of their lives. The years go by too fast - try not to spend the day stressed about the details!
  13. Thank you notes - An important, and lost, after-party step. If your child is old enough, have them write out thank you notes or at least sign their name on them. Personalize the note to the guest, but keep it short and sweet. The sooner you do these after the party, the less stressed you’ll be thinking about them on your to-do list.

At Monkey Joe’s, we can take care of almost everything above for you as soon as you book your party. We even have an invitation creator so all you have to do is send! All of our party packages include:

  • Setup
  • Customizable invitations
  • Dedicated party host
  • Dedicated party room
  • Drinks
  • Cups
  • Paper plates
  • Tablecloth
  • Utensils
  • Cleanup

Plus, there are a few addons that vary by location including pizza, balloons, goodie bags, and ice cream, taking even more things off of your list! Your little one will have the best day bouncing around with all of his or her friends.


Interested in hosting your next party at Monkey Joe’s? Book your party here & make sure you’re on our calendar!

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