How to Involve Kids in Birthday Party Planning
You could plan your son or daughter’s birthday party by yourself, but you’d be missing out on half the fun!
Planning a birthday party with your child also gives them a sense of ownership, opens up opportunities for teachable moments, and allows you to manage expectations for the day.
So, without further ado, here are 10 easy ways to involve kids in birthday party planning.
Choosing a theme: What kind of party would your child like to have? A pirate party? A princess party? Brainstorm some party ideas on your own, but then ask your child for suggestions, too.
Getting party supplies: To avoid over-spending, make a list of party supplies. Then give your child a special responsibility like “You’re in charge of making sure we get balloons.” You can make them laugh by pretending to forget what you came to the store for. When they say, “We need balloons,” pretend to mishear them and say, “We need baboons? ” Ad lib as needed. This word-play can be very funny to kids between the ages of 4-6.
Creating a guest list: A fun way to reinforce letters and spelling is to ask your child to either say or write down names of people they’d like to invite.
Choosing games and activities: Popular party games include Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Pass the Parcel, and Musical Chairs. Your child may also have a favorite game he or she plays in gym or during recess. Time flies when you’re having fun, so be sure to plan more activities than you think you’ll need.
Writing invitations: Add a personal touch to your invites by having your child write his or her name and draw a picture.
Sending party invitations: Putting stamps on envelopes can be tedious, but you can make it fun by turning the task into a game. Divide the invitations into two piles (one for you and one for your child) and see who can finish stamping their pile first. Then go outside and put them in the mailbox together.
Choosing a birthday party entertainer: Sit down and watch demo videos together. Which one holds their attention? Which one does your child ask to see again and again?
Decorating: Make your child’s day extra special by creating a ritual out of decorating their room together. You can also put them in charge of writing and/or decorating a sign for guests that says, “Welcome!” or “Please take off your shoes.”
Making party favors: Tie dying tee shirts is an easy and fun activity to do together, and they’re perfect for goodie bags, too!
Baking the cake: Depending on your child’s age, you can reinforce sizes, fractions, textures, vocabulary and more as you cook. Literacy has never been so delicious!
See how much fun planning a birthday party with your child can be?
After soaking up these ideas, you’re bound to discover your own fun ways to involve your child in the birthday party planning. Enjoy, and have fun!