Inspired Creations: Planning your Child's Birthday Party

When my little boy turned 5 , I knew what the theme would be even before I asked him !!! BEN10 was every 5 year old's dream (and his mother's nightmare) It would be BEN10 - Toys, Tees, Bags, Water bottles, Pencils, Erasers and what not. Believe me anything that had a BEN10 picture on it was in demand !!!

So now back to our topic , Birthday Parties !!! There are a few checklists for a party and once they are ready there's no stopping you !!! Planning a party for your kid is ACTUALLY fun .

One month before the party ( Trust me on this, you have to start planning well in advance)

Ask your little darling what theme he/she wants ( Cross your fingers at this point )
Set the date,time and venue of the party .(Reserve your venue if necessary )
Decide on the guest list along with your child.
Prepare the 3 LISTs : Menu , Entertainment and Party Supplies.
Set your Budget.

MENU LIST - The menu should consider the age of the kids and accompanying adults. Keep it simple.

ENTERTAINMENT LIST - Plan a few games and Entertainment-on-the-side like tattoos, coloring pages, crafts etc.. Plan more games than you expect to use in case you run out of activities before the party is over. Look up local entertainers if you plan on hiring one for a few hours.Make a list of things required for the games and entertainment and include that to your Party supplies list .

PARTY SUPPLIES LIST - Decide on the party favors, game prizes, decorations, candles, tableware(tablecloth/plates/cups) and grocery list.

Two weeks before :

Send out invites.The invites have to be in league with the Party theme. Indicate whether parents are invited to stay (parents of toddlers should remain), and include an RSVP date and start and end times.
Start your shopping according to your Party Supplies list and keep in mind the budget.
Finalize your Menu. Place the order if you are ordering from outside. Make items that can be made ahead of time if you are cooking on your own. P.S : Don't forget your Cake !!!
Arrange for extra help ( for the D-day ) from friends or relatives.

One week before :

Make a final guest count. Make phone calls if necessary at this point.
Write out a final schedule of activities for the party. Be flexible.
If at home start cleaning and keep the party area as child proof as possible.
Check your list of needed supplies and arrange for the chairs, tables, dishes, utensils, etc…
Wrap up your Party favors and prizes.

2-3 Days before :

Decorate the Party area and organise the furniture.
Reconfirm with the Caterers , Bakers, Entertainer and Extra help .
Charge your cameras.
Check your lists.
Decide and arrange for the music.
Bake the cake.
Keep handy emergency supplies like bandages, dettol, cotton etc.

The D-Day :

Finish all the cooking
Finish icing and decorating the cake or pick up the cake from the bakery.(don't forget the candles )
Set out the buffet table.
Have a Party Schedule.
Set out entertainment corners and things required for the games.
Arrange for someone to click pictures (your better half can be given this chore, so that later you can say " I give you one job and you can't do that right !!!" if your pictures turn don't turn out well )

After the Guests arrive :

Greet guests with the B'day boy/girl.
Entrust a parent or friend to help with games or supervise a craft, tattoo etc.. so you’re free to run the show.
Make a list of gifts received and who gave them.( To send Thank you notes later )
and ... HAVE FUN !!!!

These are a few ideas that I used for my Son's BEN10 Birthday Party :

The invites were formatted on a word document and prints taken.

BEN10 wristbands and ID cards were made out of chart paper. BEN10 stickers were stuck on the ID cards. I bought other BEN10 supplies like paper plates, cups, forks, spoons, napkins,table cover,balloons ( black,green and yellow ),party hats, blowouts, BEN10 posters etc..

I made a centerpiece - a vase with paper rockets !!!

( Please excuse the picture quality , never thought I'd want these pics to post in my blog one day )

I ordered a chocolate cake and made marzipan shapes (green colored ones) to decorate it. (Yes I know I should have made the cake too but then I was just learning to bake , didn't want to mess up my little boy's day !! )