We know how stressful it can be to plan your child’s party so here’s our helpful party planning guide to make it easier!
Need more help? Download our Party Planning Checklist so you don’t forget a thing!
4-6 Weeks Before
Budget – work out how much you would like to spend and do your best to stick to it!
Party Date & Time – choose the date and time for the party. Most people choose the weekend, however if it is a busy time of year you could do it midweek before/after school. Don’t start the party too early if on the weekend so you have time to prepare in the morning.
Length of the Party – most parties run for 2-3hrs and it is best to plan the length the party around how long the entertainment will run for which depends on the number of children you are having at the party and their age group. We can assist you with planning this!
Venue – choosing the venue can be tricky! Having the party at your home is easier for catering, setting up and also in the event of wet weather, however if you don’t have the space or don’t want to deal with the clean up then you could book a community hall or have it outdoors at a local park (just make sure there are toilet facilities and have a backup plan in case it rains).
Theme – Get the birthday child involving in this step and let him or her choose which theme they would like for their party. Fly By Fun have a range of characters and other unique themes such as Science, Art & Craft or Sports to choose from. Don’t stress if your child has a habit of changing their minds, we can always accommodate for any changes right up until the day.
Guest List – Again, work closely with the birthday child to decide on the guest list. First choose how many children you would like to invite and go from there. If you are not inviting the whole class, be mindful not to hand out invites at school, rather email or post them out.
Book the Entertainment – Booking entertainment for your child’s special day is always a good idea (and a great investment), as it takes the pressure off so you can sit back and relax, knowing the children are engaged, entertained and having lots of fun! Fly By Fun provides quality and affordable entertainment options to suit both boys and girls of all ages. Whether that’s a character that suits your party theme, a face painter or balloonist or even a jumping castle, we have something for everyone!
Styling & Decorations – Think about how you would like the party space to be styled and decorated to suit your theme. You can look on Instagram and Pinterest for ideas and create a list of what you need so you can organise certain things in advance such as the helium balloons and candy buffet, and then with everything else you know what you need when it comes time to do the shopping! We can also assist with the helium balloons, candy buffets and other decorations, and can send one of our stylists to help set up on the day.
Birthday Cake – Whether you are wanting something simple or more elaborate, or even if you are making the cake yourself, it is a good idea to start looking for birthday cake designs that fit in with the theme. We work with some of the best bakeries and cake decorators around Australia, so we can definitely help you with this.
Photographer – Think about whether you would like to book a professional photographer to capture the beautiful memories on the day (as it would be terrible to not have any photos after all the hard work and planning that went in to organising this special day!) We work with a number of experienced and affordable photographers and can add this to your entertainment package. Otherwise work out who you would like to be the official photographer on the day for you and give them a list of shots you would like taken so they don’t miss any special moments while you are busy running around on the day.
Invitations – Fly By Fun have invitations that we can post to you to use, so upon booking just let us know you would like those and we will pop them in the post straight away so you can give them out!
2-3 Weeks Before
Party Food – Choosing the party food can be straightforward but it is always nice to get creative and prepare a few fun and exciting things that the children will love! Don’t forget to include lots of healthy options, such as fruits and vegetables, and have lots little bottles of water available not just cordial and fruit juices. You should have a table of snack foods that children can pick at throughout the party as well as a few more substantial options if you are wanting the children to sit down and eat at some point during the party. Be sure to check with the parents whether any children attending have any allergies that need to be catered for and also don’t forget about the adults (it is always a good idea to have some platters for the adult guests so they can snack on something during the party too).
Back Up Plan – If you are having an outdoor party, make sure you have a wet weather plan in place. It is a good to keep a list of contact details for your guests handy so you can contact them the night before or on the morning of the party if there is a venue change. Don’t forget to save Fly By Fun’s contact number too (1800 FLY BY FUN or 0421 516 300) so you can keep us informed of any changes.
Confirm Bookings – Confirm any bookings you have made with caterers, photographers or venues and make sure you have paid the necessary deposits to secure your bookings.
The Week of the Party
Shopping – Don’t forget your lists!
Birthday Present – Don’t forget to buy the birthday child a gift from you!
Birthday Cake – if you are making the cake yourself, you can bake this in the week before and freeze it un-iced. The night before the party you can take it out of the freezer and then decorate it. Don’t forget to keep the candles and matches with the cake, so you are not scrambling to find them when it comes time to sing Happy Birthday and cut the cake!
Party Bags – Fly By Fun provide party bags as part of our entertainment packages, so you can prepare some extra little toys or lollies if you would like to add to those. Our party bags are generic though, so you can organise your own ones that match the party theme if you prefer, just let us know.
Run Sheet – It is always a good idea to jot down a simple running order of everything happening at your party, just so it can be in the back of your mind on the day so you can keep things running smoothly. If you are having one of our entertainers at the party, they will let you know when to bring out the food/drinks and also the cake, so that’s one less thing you have to worry about.
The Day of the Party
Party Styling – Put up all the decorations, blow up balloons and set up the cake and dessert table. Have the space set aside in which you would like the entertainment to take place and you might like to put some rugs and cushions down to make it comfortable for the children. If you’re having the party at home, don’t forget to tie some balloons to your front gate so people can easily find where the party is located.
Music – Our entertainers will bring along a speaker to play the music for games and activities they will be doing, however it is always nice to have your own music playing before the entertainer arrives and after they have left to create a fun and exciting atmosphere so the children can dance and play around.
Present Table – Set aside an area or table where you would like all the gifts to go, so they are not in the way and don’t get lost or broken.
Drinks Station – Have someone get some ice to put in an esky/tub so you can set up a drinks station for the children and adults. You can have poppers, bottles of water and soft drinks in there so they are nice and cold for your guests. You can also have a cold drink urn with a tap and some plastic cups at the ready so the children can help themselves and keep hydrated during the party.
Drop Off Party – If children are being dropped off, make sure you keep the contact details for all the parents handy in case there are any emergencies on the day.
The Week after the Party
Opening Presents & Thank You Cards – Of course your child can open the presents at the party, however it is better if the birthday child opens them after the party so you can keep track of who gave what so you can send out Thank You cards, which is a really nice touch. To make these that extra bit special, you could send a nice photo from the party along with the card or you could get the birthday child to decorate them to add a personal touch.
Need more help? Download our Party Planning Checklist so you won’t forget a thing!
