Every party we plan comes with an itinerary. It isn’t a rigid timetable, more a script that the whole team knows by heart, so the parents never have to wonder what happens next. Here’s a version you can borrow.
Before guests arrive
The set-up should be finished at least an hour before the first guest. That hour is for the photographer to shoot the décor while it’s untouched, for the family to take pictures, and for the birthday child to see the room before it fills up. That first look is often the best photo of the day.
Arrivals (first 20 minutes)
Guests never arrive together. Give early arrivals something to do straight away: a colouring table, a tattoo artist, a small bubble station or the photo corner. An empty first twenty minutes is where parties lose momentum.
The main event (40 minutes)
This is the entertainer or the big games block. A magician works best when children are seated in front of a backdrop; group games need open floor. Our game hosts read the room and change games if the kids aren’t into it.
Cake (15 to 20 minutes)
Gather everyone, dim the lights if you can, and let the birthday child stand behind the cake with the backdrop behind them. Plan this moment for the best light and the full guest list, not at the very end when half the families have left.
Food, gifts and goodbyes
Children eat quickly. Adults don’t. Serve kids first, at their own tables if possible. Return gifts go out at the door as families leave, which also stops them being opened and lost mid-party.
- Keep music low during food so parents can talk
- Have someone at the door with return gifts
- Thank every child by name if you can; they notice
Build in a buffer
Whatever your plan, add fifteen minutes of slack. Cake candles won’t light, a guest will arrive late, a toddler will need changing. A good run of show bends without breaking. If you’d rather someone else held the script, that’s exactly what our birthday party planning team does.
Quick answers
What order should things happen at a kids’ party?
Welcome and free play, then games or an entertainer, then cake, then food, then return gifts as guests leave.
Should cake come before or after food?
We usually recommend cake before the meal, while children are fresh and all guests are still there.
How long before the party should décor be ready?
At least an hour before guests arrive, so photos can be taken of the untouched set-up.
