We spoke to several veteran moms who know a thing or two when it comes to party planning. Here is our Partydip guide to planning your kid’s next birthday party in 10 simple steps.

When do I begin? Planning a party can be stressful. We recommend starting the process six to eight weeks in advance, and mom Tina from New York agrees. “I recommend beginning six to eight weeks before your party date to give yourself enough time to order supplies. Planning several weeks ahead also gives guests time to get the party on their schedules before it interferes with other plans.” If you don’t have six to eight weeks, don’t worry! We have last minute party recommendations in case you’re in a time crunch. 

Step 1: Pick a date. Your child’s actual birthday is a guide, but the party does not have to be on the actual date. Dinah, a mom from New York, told us her son’s party is usually planned around his actual birthday, but her daughter’s birthday is a little more complicated. Writes Dinah, “My daughter’s birthday falls three days after Christmas, and her friends and classmates are on holiday break from school and many of them travel. To make her birthday more special, we schedule the party in January, one month after her birthday. That way it’s less stressful around the holidays, and her friends are back from the holiday break so they won’t miss the party”. For the party, we recommend a weekend that isn’t a holiday. Many families travel over holiday weekends, even for short three-day weekends. If you want guests to be able to make it, avoid holiday weekends. 

Step 2: Pick a time. Party time depends on the age of your child, and the chosen venue or party activity. Later evening times from 7-10 PM are great for teenagers, while baby and toddler parties work better in the morning to avoid disrupting afternoon nap schedules. When we polled other moms about the best party time for an elementary school age child, 80% responded that Saturday afternoon from 2-4 PM was the best time; followed by 12% of moms who said Saturday morning from 10 AM-12 noon was the best party time.

Step 3: Pick a venue. When it comes to planning the perfect party, the venue can make all the difference. There are so many amazing venue options that offer everything from a budget-friendly, basic space for a DIY party, to partial party packages, and even all-inclusive packages. Most party venue spaces offer 2 hour parties. Party packages include things like private party spaces, decor and themes, food and drinks, cakes and treats, party helpers, activities, and more. For venue activities there are amazing options like open gyms, trampolines, ninja-warrior obstacle courses, climbing walls, painting and pottery, arcades and gaming, cooking and baking, water parks, train rides, escape rooms, spa parties, STEM, science, and Lego parties, and so much more. Partydip lets you check out venues in your area, and you can even contact the venue to inquire about their party packages. Check out local kids party venues in your city on Partydip.

Step 4: Pick a theme. If you want to throw a memorable party, then you have to choose the perfect theme. We recommend starting with your child’s interests, and Angie from Texas agrees. She writes, “My three year old is so into dinosaurs, he thinks he’s a dinosaur! For his next party I’m planning a dino theme with dino invitations, and matching dino decor. I ordered a balloon arch in matching colors too. It’s so adorable and he is going to be so excited! My other son is into Legos. For his last birthday party I ordered Lego-style building brick invitations. We had matching building brick plates, cups, and napkins. I even ordered a Lego cake to match, from a local bakery, and they did an amazing job!”. 

Step 5: Pick your invites. If you have a date and time and theme, you’re ready to choose an invitation. Writes Martha from California, “The invitations don’t have to match exactly. My daughter wanted a Star Wars theme, so we chose space invitations that had stars and planets on them. On the invitation we just said it was a Star Wars theme, but we didn’t mind that the invitations weren’t Star Wars brand.” She added, “It’s a kid’s birthday party. Don’t sweat the small stuff!”. Partydip offers customizable digital invitations you can text or email, and customizable print-on-demand invitations in several party themes. 

Step 6: Register for gifts. Don’t skip this important step! If you think registering for birthday gifts is tacky, think again. It saves parents time, makes the gift recipient happier, and it’s better for the planet. In fact, over 80% of moms we polled said they didn’t mind seeing a wish list included with a birthday invitation. Busy parents appreciate the ease of a registry because it makes gift buying quick and painless. 

But wait, there’s more! Several research studies concluded gift recipients appreciated the gifts they specifically requested, versus receiving gifts they didn’t want. Need proof? Here’s a not-so-fun-fact: each year Americans spend $15.2 billion on unwanted gifts, and a shocking 5 billion pounds of those unwanted gifts end up in landfills (because tossing them is easier than returning them). However, when your child receives a much-wanted gift from their personally curated wish list, they’re more likely to keep and play with that gift because they picked it out. 

Step 7: Order supplies. We get it, you’re busy! Don’t waste time running all over town searching for party supplies that might be out of stock. Or maybe you spend too much time scouring the internet for cute party favors? At Partydip we partner with party suppliers who have a wide assortment of beautifully curated, themed party supplies and decor, high-quality balloon arch kits, and party favors. 

Step 8: Order a cake. At Partydip we want you to have your cake and eat it too! That’s why we partnered with local vendors in your area who make beautiful and delicious cakes, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, doughnuts, and other sweet treats, just for you. Christine from Kansas writes, “I used to bake my daughter’s birthday cake, but it was such a hassle. Now I save so much time, and I’m a lot less stressed because I order her cake from a local bakery. Plus, the bakery does a much better job decorating than I do.” Each Partydip vendor listing includes photos of their work, and you can even reach out to them directly on our website if you have questions. Discover local cake bakers and cookie makers for kids parties on Partydip.

Step 9: Entertainment. If your party is being held at a venue, then entertainment is usually part of the package. However, if your party is at home or at a DIY venue, you’re going to need activities to keep the kids entertained. There are so many amazing entertainment options to choose from, and they will even travel to your home or party location. Options include professional party helpers who keep kids entertained for hours with games and activities, magicians and clowns, face painting, balloon tying, bounce houses, mechanical rides, animals and animal rides; or maybe you want your activity to go with your party theme. In that case options include foam parties, giant inflatable water slides for a splash party, beautifully decorated sleepover tents for your slumber party, pottery parties, tie-dye parties, tea parties, and more. Take a look at our list of local entertainment vendors, and you may even inquire directly with them from Partydip. Entertainment makes your party a blast! Check out the best entertainment vendors in your area here.

Step 10: Decorating & Catering. We all have those mom friends who somehow manage to create Pinterest-perfect food and decor for their parties, and we love them for it! While the rest of us hang streamers, put out some juice boxes, and call it a day. Grace from Colorado writes, “Last year I ordered a balloon arch kit from Amazon, and it was awful! The directions were terrible and hard to follow, and my arch ended up looking more like a banner. Next year I’m either going to order a better quality balloon kit, or I’m just going to hire someone to make it for me”. When you’re hosting a party, as Grace suggested, make it easier on yourself by hiring a decorator. At Partydip we list party decorators in your area who create ornate balloon arches, tablescapes, centerpieces, photo booths, insta-worthy photo walls, and more. You can get creative with catering too! Why order a bunch of cheese pizzas when you could hire a food truck, an adorable ice cream truck, shaved ice, cotton candy, charcuterie, or host an upscale picnic. Check out local Partydip decorating and catering vendors.

You did it! You successfully planned your child’s birthday party, and hopefully with the help of Partydip, the planning process was a breeze, from invitations to celebrations. Partydip is the icing on the cake, and your one-stop shop for party planning, gifts, invitations, supplies, advice, inspiration, and so much more. Questions? Reach out any time. We’re moms and we’re here for you. Let’s party!