The Ultimate Guide to Throwing a Pizza Party for Kids in NYC
Did you know kids ages 3 to 11 prefer pizza over all other food groups for lunch and dinner?
Pizza’s a winner, but it takes more than a couple of pies to prevent the kids from getting bored during your child’s party and asking that awkward question, “What’s next?”
Imagine if there was a way to remove all the guess-work involved in throwing an unforgettably fun party for your son or daughter.
You don’t have to imagine it! Just keep reading and I’ll walk you step-by-step through throwing a pizza party for kids in NYC.
Pizza Party Countdown: 6 – 8 Weeks Before the Party
In the 6-8 weeks before your child’s party, you’ll want to…
- Choose a date and time
- Book the party venue
- Arrange children’s party entertainment
- Create a rough draft of the guest list
Choose a Date & Time for the Pizza Party
My top tip for deciding when to throw the party? Check to see if your son or daughter’s best friend is available before locking down the date.
Once you’ve confirmed that the best friend is free, you can…
Book the Party Venue
There are so many amazing pizza places to eat pizza in NYC. There’s Koronets Pizza, Ray’s, Totonno’s, and on and on…
…but when you’re searching for a place to throw a pizza party for your child, you need to take other things into consideration. Is there a private party room? How many guests can fit comfortably within the space? And, of course, is the pizza delicious?
If you’re looking for a great place to throw a pizza party for kids in Manhattan, then I recommend checking out these kid-friendly venues:
- Uno Pizzeria and Grill, 432 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY: You get your own private party room, the staff is super friendly, and kids wear adorable chef hats while making their own pizzas.
- 55 Fulton Market, 55 Fulton Street, New York, NY: Located in the Financial District, this gourmet Key Food has a second-floor seating area that’s perfect for your child’s party. And since it’s upstairs, it ties in perfectly with the “secret” pizza party theme.
- Freshmade, 636 Broadway, New York, NY: Their 2 hour party package features a themed cooking project of your choice, balloons, party favors and more!
Hire a Children’s Party Entertainer
Allowing yourself to relax and enjoy your child’s party is one of the many benefits of arranging an appearance by a professional children’s entertainer.
The most popular entertainers are generally booked 6-8 weeks in advance, so I highly recommend booking the entertainment as soon as you’ve chosen the date, time and location.
Also, click here for tips on choosing the right entertainer for your child’s party.
Make the Guest List
When deciding how many people to invite, you should consider the following: Are siblings invited? What is the venue’s policy on the number of guests allowed? How many do you feel comfortable inviting?
If you start to feel overwhelmed by the number of guests, consider the “age plus one” guideline: invite your child’s age plus one more guest.
Kids can get overstimulated easily, so when it comes to inviting guests, less tends to be more. Trust your instincts and go with what makes you comfortable.
Pizza Party Countdown: 3 Weeks Before the Party
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Send invitations
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Get pizza party decorations
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Choose games and activities
Pizza Party Invitations
Many parents are sending invitations electronically these days.
If you’re using your laptop or desktop computer, then try Paperless Post or Canva. If you want to create an invitation on your phone, then I recommend the iphone app called WordSwag.
In a matter of seconds, you’ll be able to add text to a photo. Embed the image in an e-mail and – voila! – you’ll have a personalized, fun and great looking invite to send to your guests.
Pizza Party Decorations
Pizza Party Balloon Kit
Pizza Party Photo Door Banner
Pizza Party Games and Activities
Imagine how much fun the kids will have playing these pizza-themed party games!
- Pin the Pepperonis on the Pizza: Instead of trying to ‘pin the tail on the donkey,’ each child takes a turn trying to pin the pepperonis to the pizza!
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Pass the Parcel: Wrap pizza themed gifts (like Secret Pizza Party
by Adam Rubin and Daniel Salieri – what a fun book!) in several layers of wrapping paper. Play music and have the kids pass the parcel around the circle – when the music stops, whoever is holding the gift unwraps one layer of paper. Repeat until someone unwraps the present!
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Pizza Party Freeze Dance: When the pizza music plays, the kids can jump, move and groove — but when the music stops, they stop! Make a playlist with Gimme Pizza by Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen, Pizza Girl by the Jonas Brothers and your favorite pizza tunes!
Pizza Party Countdown: 1 Week Before the Party
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Create guest list & name tags
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Purchase items for goodie bags & assemble
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Decide on a schedule of games and activities
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Arrange extra help if needed
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Re-confirm with party venue and entertainment
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Bake or purchase a cake
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Decorate your home (if celebrating elsewhere, then make sure supplies are ready)
The Day of the Pizza Party!
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Use the pizza calculator to find out how many pizzas you’ll need / complete food preparation
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Display balloons outside so guests know where the party is
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Put goodie bags by the door
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Eat pizza and have fun!!
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. Planning an unforgettable party can be a lot of work, but if I’ve made your life easier and your child’s party more fun, then I’ve achieved my goal.
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Thanks, and I’m wishing you all the best in the planning and execution of the party!
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