🎂 Children's birthday party checklist

Ordered by when it has to happen: four weeks, one week, the morning, the two hours. The timings matter more than the decorations — an unplanned hour is chaos.

48 items

1. Four weeks before
2. Agree the date and the length with the birthday child
3. Guest list, and stick to it
4. Book the venue or clear the room
5. Book any entertainer
6. Invitations out, with a reply date
7. Ask about allergies on the invitationAsk once, in writing, and keep the answers where you can see them on the day.
8. One week before
9. Confirm numbers
10. Order or plan the cake
11. Buy the decorations
12. Party bag contents bought
13. Plan the games, with two spares
14. Ask two adults to help, by name
15. Food
16. Something plain that every child eats
17. Fruit and vegetables that will mostly come back
18. Allergy-safe plates, kept separate and labelled
19. Drinks and cups with names on
20. Something for the adults
21. Cake, candles and matchesThe candles and the matches are what people drive back out for.
22. Kit
23. Plates, cups, napkins
24. Bin bags×3
25. Kitchen roll
26. Tablecloth
27. Balloons and a pump
28. Music and a speaker
29. Prizes and party bags
30. Camera or a charged phone
31. On the day
32. Move anything breakable out of the room
33. Set up an hour early
34. Write the running order on a piece of paper
35. Bathroom clean, with a step and soap
36. Front door and stairs made safe
37. Coats in one place
38. The two hours
39. First 20 minutes: free play as everyone arrives
40. Then: games
41. Then: food
42. Then: cake and singing
43. Last 15 minutes: calm activity while parents arrive
44. Party bags handed out at the door, not before
45. After
46. Write down who gave what, as it is opened
47. Thank-yous within the week
48. Cake slice saved for whoever helped