The PartyFriendz Party Planning Cheat Sheet
Why Choose a Theme?
A theme is a great way of building excitement for your party. For your child, it is what makes their party special. And for you, it is what stops your planning from getting out of control!
A theme works well to tie all of the different elements of your party together. It can inspire many ideas, keep your guests amused and even stop you from over-splurging (Having Spiderman riding a life size Pirate Galleon bouncy castle will be as confusing for the children as it is for your bank manager!).
But what theme should I choose?
There are so many themes to choose from, how can you pick? The first port of call is to consult the birthday girl or boy themselves. The best advice here is to go with something well loved over a long period of time. There's nothing worse than planning your party around their new obsession with Paw Patrol if it's completely forgotten about in a month's time!
Something that has stood the test of time in your child's affections may not be the current trend but will still be greatly appreciated on the day of their celebration.
Keep your theme big and generalised. It is every parent's nightmare to be up till the early hours on the night before the event googling where to buy Hei Hei party bags. Who's Hei Hei I hear you say? Exactly! Your child may love Hei Hei the quirky Rooster from Moana, but his lack of renown keeps him off the shelves at the store. Keep your theme big so your child can enjoy the quirky little things that they love without making your life a complete stress-fest.
How Do I Incorporate My Theme?
The best party themes are ones that can go as far as you want them to go. You might decide to keep it simple; a themed birthday cake is a must. Or you might take it to the max. There are no limits to what you can theme:
Themed fancy dress, a themed party venue, themed presents with themed wrapping paper, themed party bags, themed food… the list goes on!
But if you're a Party Theme Beginner and you want to start out slow, here are three easy ways to get started on your 'theming':
Themed Activities:Themed activities are an absolute must. Try adding a few alterations to your well-loved party games; 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey' becomes 'Pin the Hair on Rapunzel' or 'Pass the Parcel' becomes 'Pass the Pirate Booty'.
Themed Entertainment:Discuss with your entertainment provider about adding or adapting their work to incorporate your theme. For example, a Face Painter might provide animal print designs for a Jungle party or a Balloon Modeller might create T-Rex designs for a Dinosaur party. For an extra special touch, why not invite a Face Character or Mascot Performer to your party? For example, a visit from a Unicorn for a Fairytale themed party or a meet and greet with a Jedi for a Space themed party.
Themed Decorations:Themed decorations are a quick and easy way to incorporate a theme. For a straightforward approach, themed balloons, banners and tableware are easily located online or in stores. You could go further and include bunting, confetti, backdrops, inflatables, cardboard cut-outs and many more. Creating your own handmade decorations is also a good way of saving money and adding a personal touch.
How do I Stop?!
If you've got this far, you've gone a little theme crazy and ideas have started to spiral out of control - don't panic! Establishing a spending budget for yourself will help you to prioritise what themed elements you choose for your party. In the end it all comes down to the fun factor - what will the birthday child and their guests appreciate the most?
What are the most Popular Themes?
We couldn't give you a blog on Party Themes without providing you with a list of popular party themes to choose from. Feast your eyes on these:
Animals
Creepy Crawlies, Dinosaurs, Dogs, Farm, Jungle, Pets, Safari, Sharks, Under the Sea, Wild, Woodland
Books
Alice in Wonderland, The Gruffalo, Harry Potter, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, World Book Day
Creative
Arts & Crafts, Fashion, Glitter
Fantasy & FairyTale
Fairies, Magicians, Medieval, Mermaids, Monsters, Pirates/Nautical, Princesses/Princes, Rainbows, Superheroes/Super-Villains, Unicorns, Wild West/Cowboys, Wizards/Witches, Wonderland
Film, TV & Entertainment
Avengers, Celebrities, DC, Disney Films (also, Disney Characters, Sidekicks or Villains), Emoji Movie, The Greatest Showman, Marvel, Minions, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Thomas the Tank Engine, Transformers, Trolls
Food
Candyland, Chocolate Factory, The Great British Bake Off, Pizza Party, Tea Party
Music & Disco
Disco, Glow in the Dark, JoJo Siwa, Karaoke, Musical Instruments, Neon, Popstars, Rave, UV
Space & Technology
Aliens, Astronauts, Dr Who, Mad Science, Outer-Space, Robots, Star Wars
Summer
BBQ, Beach Party, Camping, Circus, Garden Party, Hawaiian, Pool Party, Surfing, Water
Toys & Games
Barbie, Football, Fortnight, Lego, Minecraft, Olympics, Pyjama Party, Slime, Sonic The Hedgehog, Sports Day, Teddy Bears Picnic
Transport
Airplanes, Cars, Diggers, Emergency Services (EG Police, Fire Truck, Fireman Sam), Trains, Trucks
If you're looking for party entertainment to match your theme, PartyFriendz can provide you with everything you need. From Party Extras, such as Face Painting and Balloon Modelling, to Themed Packages and Character visits.
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