Kids Party Planning Ideas

Dinner plate with miniature clothespin and place card.

There are lots of ways to get kids involved in party planning and help make them feel part of the fun.

After all, party planning shouldn't always fall solely on the grown-ups in the house. A festive gathering at home will, by its very nature, involve the kids in one way or another.

Help them feel invested in the party by getting them involved with these kids party planning ideas.

Kids Party Planning Ideas: Place Card Makers

These kids party planning ideas do double duty - they help with creating festive decor, and involve kids in the party process.

First up: Place cards. It's convenient to have place cards for any kind of sit-down dinner, even an informal one. Place cards eliminate the uncomfortable where-do-you-want-everyone-to-sit dance. This is a definite enlist-the-kids project.

Kids party planning ideas: Have them paint the little cards gold or apply sticker decorations. You can write the names on yourself, unless your tween or teen has terrific penpersonship.

Use first and last names (John Smith), titles and names (Dr. Musto), or only nicknames (Grams and Gramps) for more intimate affairs. Place the cards on top of or in the napkin's center. Better yet, place them on the tablecloth at the exact center of each place setting.

Create Party Place Mats

Placemats: Have kids create leafy placemats. They're perfect for fall gatherings. Start by gathering a variety of leaves of different sizes, shapes, and textures. Position white paper placemats over the leaves. With a peeled crayon, lightly rub the top of each placemat until the outline of the underlying leaf appears.

Repeat with other leaves and different colors of crayons until you have a festive pattern. Cover the paper placemats with plastic and enjoy. You might want to make some for the grandparents, too.

Table Centerpiece

Table centerpiece: Even if you're not eating a sit-down meal at the dining room table, a centerpiece is a lovely decoration. You can tie it into your theme!

Get your kids to help brainstorm ideas. Whether you choose flowers or fruit, your centerpiece is one of the essential pieces of your table setting. Create or order yours well in advance, and, if you ordered it, pick it up the morning of your party. As the name implies, place your centerpiece in the exact center of the table.

Place your brand-new white candles at each end of the table, halfway between the places of the host and hostess and the centerpiece. (You already knew that the host and hostess sit on opposite ends of the table.)

How Kids Can Help Ready the Patio

Backyard with deck, patio umbrella and gas grill.

Ready the patio: Casual parties are often outside, or else they eventually spill outside, so make sure your patio and all the patio furniture is clean.  

Wash off glass tables. Make sure the umbrella is operational. Put out enough chairs so that people can rest somewhere.

Arrange potted plants in beautiful groupings. If you're barbecuing, make sure the grill is clean and that you have plenty of charcoal or propane.

Position the grill in a corner where kids won't be running by. But choose a spot where there's enough room for the Dads to hold court over the flames.

Have a great party!


You might like these:

  • If a separate room isn't in the (house) plan for guests, here are a few easy ways to provide privacy for your guests sharing sleeping space in your home.

    Guests Sharing Sleeping Space in Your Home's Common Areas

    If a separate room isn't in the (house) plan for guests, here are a few easy ways to provide privacy for your guests sharing sleeping space in your home.

  • Party planning tips for kid-friendly family parties. How to plan a soiree where people of all ages will be comfortable, entertained, and safe.

    Party Planning Tips for Kid-Friendly Parties

    Party planning tips for kid-friendly family parties. How to plan a soiree where people of all ages will be comfortable, entertained, and safe.

  • These family 2 strategies ocus on family parties, seasonal entertaining, and hosting guests - both of the day-visit and overnight variety.

    Family 2

    These family 2 strategies ocus on family parties, seasonal entertaining, and hosting guests - both of the day-visit and overnight variety.

  •  This slumber party survival guide includes tips to help ensure the night is a success (and survivable) for all.

    Slumber Party Survival Guide

    This slumber party survival guide includes tips to help ensure the night is a success (and survivable) for all.

  • Family life presents challenges to scheduling, cleaning, and even peaceful co-existence among siblings. These tips and articles can help simplify life at home.

    Simplify Family Life

    Family life presents challenges to scheduling, cleaning, and even peaceful co-existence among siblings. These tips and articles can help simplify life at home.

  • Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. These ideas for new family traditions can help make a good thing even better.

    Creating Family Traditions

    Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. These ideas for new family traditions can help make a good thing even better.

  • August means one thing for parents: It's time to start getting our summer slackers geared up to go back to school. These tips  can help streamline the process.

    Gearing Up for Back to School

    August means one thing for parents: It's time to start getting our summer slackers geared up to go back to school. These tips can help streamline the process.

  • You create traditions every day - they're anything that you do regularly as a family. To create traditions family new, first think about what things your family likes to do together.

    Traditions Family New

    You create traditions every day - they're anything that you do regularly as a family. To create traditions family new, first think about what things your family likes to do together.

  • These 10 tips for warding off  the madness of school mornings can help ensure everyone gets out the door on time.

    School Mornings: 10 Tips for Taming the Madness

    These 10 tips for warding off the madness of school mornings can help ensure everyone gets out the door on time.

  • For many families, it's just not possible to give siblings a room of their own. These tips for siblings sharing bedroom can help keep the  peace.

    Siblings Sharing Bedroom: Tips for Success

    For many families, it's just not possible to give siblings a room of their own. These tips for siblings sharing bedroom can help keep the peace.

  • Not only should these slumber party etiquette rules be the rules for kids at your child's slumber party, but also for your child at other kids' slumber parties.

    10 Slumber Party Etiquette Rules

    Not only should these slumber party etiquette rules be the rules for kids at your child's slumber party, but also for your child at other kids' slumber parties.

  • These fun school lunch ideas can help you make the midday meal more appealing to your gradeschooler.

    School Lunch Ideas Kids Might Actually Eat

    These fun school lunch ideas can help you make the midday meal more appealing to your gradeschooler.

  • The most precious thing you can give overnight guests is privacy. Follow these tips to ensure that your guests and your family have the best possible experience.

    Overnight Guests

    The most precious thing you can give overnight guests is privacy. Follow these tips to ensure that your guests and your family have the best possible experience.

  • A spa themed sleepover is one of the most popular party themes for girls. And these party games can help make your soiree a grand success.

    Spa Themed Sleepover: 3 Games

    A spa themed sleepover is one of the most popular party themes for girls. And these party games can help make your soiree a grand success.

  • For best results, studying should be part of the daily fabric of your child's day. He gets up in the morning, brushes his teeth, and goes to school.Here are my top 10 tips for kids homework success stories.

    10 Tips for Kids Homework Success

    For best results, studying should be part of the daily fabric of your child's day. He gets up in the morning, brushes his teeth, and goes to school.Here are my top 10 tips for kids homework success stories.

  • It's a fact of life: Kids love sleepovers. Sleepovers can be quite pleasant, actually.  So long as you follow the rules. Here are my Top 10 Sleepover Rules for Success.

    10 Sleepover Rules for Success

    It's a fact of life: Kids love sleepovers. Sleepovers can be quite pleasant, actually. So long as you follow the rules. Here are my Top 10 Sleepover Rules for Success.

  • Baby, it's cold outside! Here are three easy ways to warm up your home without increasing your energy bills.

    Warm Up Your Home: 3 Easy Ways

    Baby, it's cold outside! Here are three easy ways to warm up your home without increasing your energy bills.

  • Whatever your household rules are, they should address neatness, politeness, and safety. Your child needs to go by all your standard house rules as well.

    10 Household Rules for Young Guests

    Whatever your household rules are, they should address neatness, politeness, and safety. Your child needs to go by all your standard house rules as well.

  • Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. Here are just a few traditions family ideas to consider for your family.

    Traditions Family Ideas

    Traditions make a house a home and a group of people a family. Here are just a few traditions family ideas to consider for your family.



Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.