Franchise for Sale California
top

Party Tips from Playparty-LA.net

How to Plan a Fun and Fabulous Birthday Party for Your Child

car shaped cookie cutterHow do you know that a birthday party has been a success?

  • The birthday child feels special.
  • The kids have fun.
  • Mom and Dad are happy and relaxed.
  • And when the last guest has departed, everyone in the family
    takes a nap!

With a little bit of planning, you can create a fun and fabulous birthday celebration for your child. Here are a few tips.

A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO PARTY PLANNING

WHEN THINGS TO DO POINTERS BY PLAYPARTY-LA.NET
4 to 6 weeks before your child’s birthday
  • Set a budget.
  • Identify a date and time for the party.
  • Decide on the number of guests and make a guest list.
  • Pick a theme for the party.
  • Choose a location for the party and if necessary, make a reservation.
  • If you plan to hire entertainment, make a reservation.
  • If your child is a racing fan, go with a race car theme and book the Ultimate Race Car Party for entertainment.
  • If your child loves LEGO, build the party around LEGO and book the Best LEGO Party for entertainment.
  • Take advantage of our Mid-Week Discount by scheduling the party on a weekday.      
  • For comfort and affordability, hold the party in your yard or at a nearby park.
  • Select a possible back-up site in case of bad weather.  For example, could you hold the party in the garage, living room or family room?
2 to 3 weeks before the party
  • Send out invitations and set up a system for tracking RSVP’s.
  • Select games, crafts and activities for the party.
  • Decide if you want to provide prizes, party favors or goody bags.
  • Plan the menu, including food and drinks.
  • Order the cake, if you don’t plan to bake it yourself.
  • Ask others for help.      
  • Once you’ve booked the Ultimate Race Car Party or the Best LEGO Party, check-off “games and activities” on your To-Do list.  Hurray! 
  • Create a menu based on the theme.  For a LEGO party, feature food shaped like or in the bright primary colors of LEGO bricks.  Serve rectangular sandwich stackers, musubi, block-shaped JELL-O Jigglers and skewered cubes of cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon and pineapple.          
1 week before the party
  • Decide on the order of party activities.
  • If necessary, do a trial run with the planned games and activities.
  • Make a grocery list.
  • Buy plates, napkins, decorations, balloons and other supplies.
  • Confirm reservations for the location and entertainment.
  • Make another checkmark by “games and activities”.  With the Ultimate Race Car Party or the Best LEGO Party, you can be sure that the kids will be busy, happy and engaged.
  • Have fun planning decorations that reflect the theme.  For a Race Car party, turn a hallway into “lanes” with a black plastic runner and white masking tape.  Put orange traffic cones around the lanes.   Make traffic lights by spray-painting empty shoe boxes or instant oatmeal boxes with black paint, then gluing red, yellow and green paper circles onto the boxes.   Ask the local auto parts store if you could have old cardboard boxes for motor oil or engine additives. Place the boxes around the house to boost the party’s automotive atmosphere. 
2 to 3 days before the party
  • Call guests who haven’t yet responded.
  • Shop for food, candles, candy and other items for the goody bags.
  • Check the camera and make sure it has fresh batteries.
  • Assemble the goody bags.
  • Include Hot Wheels® toy race cars in goody bags for the Ultimate Race Car Party.  For a nice homemade touch, bake and decorate car-shaped cookies.  Wrap and tie each cookie with a bright red ribbon and place in goody bags.   
  • LEGO toys are perfect for Best LEGO Party goody bags.  Use a LEGO mini-figure ice tray to make chocolate LEGO mini-figures.  Package the mini-figures as chocolate candy or use them as toppers on butterscotch brownies or Rice Krispies treats.   
1 day before the party
  • Clean the party area and remove hazardous or fragile objects.
  • Bake or pick up the cake.
  • Order take-out food, if applicable.   
  • Discuss party behavior expectations with your children.
  • For younger children, practice saying, “Thank you”.
On the day of the party
  • Inflate a balloon and tie it to your mailbox or porch.
  • Move pets out of the party area.
  • Decorate.  Set-out materials for games, crafts and activities.   
  • Set the table.  Put candles in the cake and find matches for the candles.
  • Set aside paper and a pen or pencil for recording gifts.
  • Bring out a recycle bin for disposing of wrapping paper.
  • As necessary, help the birthday child to get dressed and ready for the party.
  • The Playparty-LA.net staff member will arrive ½ hour before the party begins to set up the Ultimate Race Car Party or the Best LEGO Party.
  • Red and black balloons complement the Race Car party theme.  Decorate the table with a black-and-white checkerboard tablecloth and accessories like toy tires, mini-trophies and “chrome” items.  Display the goody bags in a tool box or tool chest drawer.
During the party
  • Position yourself and the birthday child near the front door to welcome guests as they arrive.
  • If a parent is dropping off a child at the party, confirm the pick-up time and a contact telephone number in case of an emergency.
  • Take photos and videos.
  • Have fun!
  • Ask the Playparty-LA.net staff member about Optional Overtime if you’d like to extend playtime for the Ultimate Race Car Party or the Best LEGO Party.
  • Be sure to obtain permission from your guests or their parents if you plan to publish your party photos and videos.
1 day after the party
  • Help the birthday child with thank you notes.
  • Send your photos and videos to Playparty-LA.net.  We’ll create a photo album for your party and publish it on the Playparty-LA.net Facebook page.   We’ll publish your videos on the Playparty-LA.net YouTube channel, Facebook page and website.  We’ll send you the links so you can share the fun with your guests, family and friends.    

WORDS TO THE WISE Hot Wheels 70 Chevelle SS and LEGO car racer

  1. Keep in mind that it’s your child’s party. As much as possible, involve your child in decisions about the party theme, guest list and activities. Don’t worry about trying to impress other parents.
  2. In picking a theme for the party, consider your child’s age and his/her favorite animals, colors, toys, books, TV shows, movies, games and activities and sports.
  3. For younger children, it may be best to have the party at home. Little kids usually feel more comfortable in a familiar environment.
  4. If you’re planning an outdoor event, be sure to have a back-up plan in case of bad weather.
  5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Enlist your spouse, babysitter, relatives or neighbors for assistance. An extra pair of hands is especially important if party guests will be dropped off by their parents.
  6. Although you consider Rover and Kitty members of the family, it’s best to keep pets out of the party area. Some children of afraid of or allergic to animals.
  7. A birthday party usually lasts two to three hours. Plan more games and activities than you think you’ll have time for. Younger children tend to get bored easily. Be flexible. If the kids don’t like an activity, move onto something else. On the other hand, if the kids are unexpectedly captivated by a game, let them continue to play. The goal is for the guests to have fun, not to complete a list of agenda items.
  8. As you decide on the order of party activities, it’s a good idea to start with free play or crafts. Guests arrive at different times and open-ended activities give kids a chance to get comfortable and transition to party-mode. Follow with a period of games or organized activities. Then take a break and serve refreshments, including the birthday cake. Close with more free play or unstructured activities to let the kids wind down. Set aside time for the birthday child to say, “Thank you” and give party favors or goody bags to guests as they depart.
  9. Remember that kid-friendly menus are all about simple, familiar foods. Make it special with a few creative touches.
  10. Be aware of food allergies. Avoid serving anything made with nuts, including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, as many kids are allergic to them.
  11. Make sure that the party site is a safe environment for children. Be especially attentive to hazards such as a busy street, pool, steps or stairs, decks or balconies, glass doors, windows and chemicals.
  12. Check and restock your first aid kit. Keep extra ice in the freezer or ice chest. Bandages, antiseptic spray and ice will come in handy if a party guest gets a boo-boo.
  13. With younger children, be prepared for melt-downs. Their moods can change quite suddenly. Have an extra box of tissues nearby.
  14. If babies will be present, make sure that all party favors and goody bag items are safe and do not present a choking hazard.

PLANNING A PARTY ON A BUDGET

In today’s economy, every smart mom or dad carefully watches household spending. Here are some suggestions for throwing a birthday party your child will love, while saving a few dollars.

  1. Start by deciding how much you can afford to spend. Then, stick to your budget.
  2. Use your home or an inexpensive location for the party site. For example, the neighborhood park is free and offers plenty of space for the kids to play.
  3. Is it possible to schedule the party on a weekday? When you contact vendors about prospective party locations or entertainment, ask if they offer discounts for parties held between Monday and Friday.
  4. Before selecting a time for the party, make a decision about the type of refreshments you’ll provide. Do you want to serve a meal to your guests? Or are snacks more compatible with your budget? You would be expected to provide a meal if the party takes place between 11 AM and 1 PM or between 4 PM and 6 PM. Outside of those time periods, snacks would be sufficient and acceptable.
  5. If all of your child’s friends have email addresses, consider sending electronic invitations. Two options are evite.com and punchbowl.com. Not only will you save on stationery and postage, but these on-line services also make it easy for you to track RSVP’s and send reminders.
  6. Try to make most of the refreshments yourself, including the birthday cake.
  7. Purchase pre-made food, such as crackers, pretzels and fresh vegetables, in bulk.
  8. Serve beverages, such as juice or soda, from large bottles instead of purchasing individual containers.
  9. If possible, use items that you already have at home as part of the decorations.
  10. Buy decorations and other party supplies from a discount store.
  11. Prizes, party favors and goody bags are optional. If you choose to provide them, they need not be elaborate or expensive.
  12. Use paper lunch bags as goody bags. Have guests decorate the bags during the party.
  13. If your child wants to celebrate his/her birthday at an amusement park or another expensive venue, allow him/her to invite just one special friend.

LEGO is a registered trademark of the LEGO Group and Hot Wheels is a registered trademark of Mattel, Inc.

Playparty-LA.net is located in Gardena, California and brings the best LEGO or Ultimate Hot Wheels Race Car party to your child's next birthday party.
We service the Los Angeles South Bay, Los Angeles County, San Fernando Valley, and Orange County.
Call or book a party online that your child will never forget, or contact us at Martin@Playparty-LA.net or 424-271-1621.
Website design by UmeWorks LLC
content area bottom