PartyWizz believes planning a celebration doesn’t need to be stressful, whether for a birthday or a family event.
We have listed in this article the most important steps to take and the deadlines that must be met to minimize the stress associated with party planning. We’ve listed all the steps and grouped them into an acronym to make it easier to remember. If you’re ready, let’s dance.
Stress-free planning for a kids’ party
L.E.T. ‘S D.A.N.C.E. is an acronym that we use to plan parties. This will help you prioritize your tasks and ensure you don’t miss anything.
L – Location
E –Entertainment
Theme – T
S – Select/Invite
D –Decorations
A – Accessories
N -Numbers
C_ Cake/Food
E – Enjoy!
The sections below detail each of the nine steps.
L – Location confirmation
The location of the event should be your priority. Do you plan to have the event at your home or a venue? You should book a venue as soon as possible if you plan to do so. Booking your venue 2 to 3 months ahead is a good rule of thumb. This can be extended during busy times such as Christmas and Communion. If the venue is flexible, the availability may affect the date.
E-Entertainment book
The second priority should be entertainment. You should book your entertainer at least two months in advance. Their calendars are often full, especially around communion time.
Plan the activities that your guests will do during the event. For example, 15 minutes to prepare the cake and 30 minutes to play games… Having all the details at this point is unnecessary, but having a general framework will give you some confidence.
T – Theme Set
What will be the theme of your party? You can use your location or entertainment to help you answer this question. For example, you might want a magic theme if a magician is coming. You can get some ideas by reading our kids’ party themes article. Your children will also have some great ideas.
Select/invite guests.
Social etiquette is a big part of the invitation process, even at a young age. It’s always difficult to decide who to invite. You may decide that around 10 to 15 guests are enough for a normal party. In some schools, the unwritten rule states that the entire class of the child celebrating the birthday should be invited.
Send your invitations three weeks in advance. You will have enough time to collect and track down the responses. You risk losing the invitations if you send out more than this.
D – Decorations choose
You can choose to go all-out with the decorations or stick to table decoration and a couple of balloons. You can create the mood you want.
Order your decorations at least one month in advance of the event. You will have plenty of time to deal with shipping delays and other issues. This is also true for homemade decorations. Plan for a few weeks, especially if your children will be involved in the project.
A – Accessories source
What games, props, or prizes do you require for your party? List the activities you plan to do, and ensure you have all the items you need.
If you are using party bags, consider what you will put in them. If you will make an online order, do it at least one month in advance.
N – Numbers Confirm
Now is the time to confirm your attendance. Do not be afraid to send a text message a week before the event or create a Whatsapp Group. They will appreciate the reminder if they forget because they are too busy.
Once you know your final attendance number, you can decide what games or activities you will do.
C – Food & Cake Prepare
You can do your last shopping once you know your final number of attendees. The idea is to buy all the remaining supplies a week before the party and the food two days prior.
E – Have a great time
Relax and enjoy your ride. Make the majority of your final adjustments on the day before. The less work you do on the day of your event, the better it will be for you and your guests.
