The Ultimate Guide To Throwing A Kids Party in 2022!

This ultimate guide to throwing a kids’ party that impresses will cover all bases; giving you a stack of kids’ party ideas and info on all the things you need to keep in mind when planning and putting together a birthday party for your little one.🎈

A kids’ party can be a wonderful event, with family and friends coming together to celebrate. But there’s a lot that goes into putting a great children’s party together – it can seem quite overwhelming just thinking about everything there is to do. 

How do you plan a kids’ party?

There are 5 key steps to cover when planning a kid’s party:

1. Venue
2. Food
3. Decor
4. Entertainment
5. Party Bags

What makes a kids’ party successful?

The key elements of a great children’s birthday party are:

• A great party theme
• Creative ideas for the party that’ll set it apart from the rest
• Guests! 
• Amazing kids’ party decorations
• Kids’ party games & entertainment
• A great selection of tasty children’s party food
• Party bags 
• A great birthday cake 🎂 (optional, but we think very important!)

We’re gonna go through each of these in this guide, starting with party themes.

What Is The Best Party Theme For Kids in 2022?

Naturally, the best theme will be one that your child will enjoy the most but here are 9 of the most popular ones for 2022:

• Teepee Party 
• Superhero Party 🦸‍♀️
• Pamper Party
• Unicorn Party 🦄
• Minecraft Party 
• Princess Party 
• Dinosaur Party 🦖
• Circus Party
• Animal Party 🦓

Often, children want their party theme to be based on the shows they watch or the toys that they play with. But there are some themes that will always be popular – have a look at these party themes that will never go out of fashion which are sure to be loved by children and adults alike (after all, even though the aim of any children’s party is to make sure the kids have the best time possible, this doesn’t mean you should leave the adults out of the fun!).

Lots of children have parties and there’s often lots of overlap in the themes. Although this can save you money on buying your child a new costume every time, it’s nice to have variety in party themes to make each one individual and exciting (and also to prevent unfriendly competition between parents about whose jungle party was the best! 🙈).

To help make your celebration different, we’ve put together 5 weird & wonderful party theme ideas – even if you don’t pick one of these, hopefully, they’ll spark an idea that you’ve not seen done before.

Things To Consider When Choosing A Kids’ Party Theme

1. Age – A Great Gatsby party probably isn’t ideal for a 2-year-old birthday party theme
2. Budget – There are some easy party themes like “pink” that can probably be pulled off for much less money than something more quirky like a circus birthday party. 
3. Venue type – A paint party might not be ideal if the venue is your living room with a light grey carpet! 
4. Time of year – If you’re having an outdoor party, the weather may have a huge impact on the themes you shortlist and the ones you don’t 
5. What your child likes and will enjoy!

1st Birthday Ideas – What do you do for a 1st birthday?

A topic all of its own, the 1st birthday party really is a big one…. 

If your little one is turning one this year, you’ll want to look at these 9 great 1st birthday party ideas.

You may also love these 1st birthday balloon ideas – hit right-click to save these for inspiration. 

Once you have a theme, you can get stuck into the real planning process – but first, you’ll need an idea of how many people are going to come!

The Guestlist – Who’s Invited?

Now you’ve decided on your theme, we need to add some guests! It’s a good idea to draft the guest list early to make sure you don’t forget anyone and that you have enough space to host them. 

How do I make a guest list for a kids’ party?

Start with the most obvious people – your family, closest friends and your child’s closest friends. Budget and space allowing, you can then branch out into more extended family and other people you know. 

Once your list is done, get the invites out as soon as possible and be strict with your RSVPs! You’ll want to know who’s coming so you know how many you’re catering for, how many party bags you’ll need etc etc. 

How long before a party should you send out invitations?

You don’t necessarily need to send out invites right away. Send them too early and people might just forget about the whole thing. Send them too late and everyone could be busy! You know your friends and family best but around 4-8 weeks beforehand is generally a good time to send invites for a kids’ party. 

We’ll get on to some inspiration for children’s party invites shortly, but for now…let’s look at entertainment! 

Booking Suppliers For Your Kids’ Party

First things first, make bookings EARLY! Bouncy castles, soft play hire, nerf parties, teepee parties…many of the popular kids’ party suppliers book well in advance. 

It’s a great idea to use Kids Party Town to find, compare and book your party suppliers as soon as you know your theme! On Kids Party Town, you can check reviews, see photos and videos from other parties and compare prices, so it’s the best option for booking the best suppliers with confidence. 

But who and what to book?

Entertainment For Children’s Parties 

What does a children’s entertainer do?

Children’s entertainers are professionals at keeping children engaged and happy with games, activities and other entertainment. This takes a lot of the weight off your shoulders, meaning you can spend less time thinking about how to make the party interesting and more time enjoying the party. Of course, you can always plan and host your own games and entertainment – we’ll cover this in a moment. 

Some of the best children’s party entertainer options for 2022:

• Balloon twisting
• Party princess or superhero for hire 
• Bubbleologists
• Magicians 
• Circus acts
• Arts & crafts
• Disco parties & kids’ DJs
• Face painting

Lots of entertainers can provide or work to your theme, bringing decorations for your house/the venue and even dressing up as your child’s favourite character!

Bouncy Castles For Kids Parties

Bouncy castles have long been a staple of kids’ birthday parties – it could be something to do with their ability to provide endless hours of easy-to-deliver fun for kids of all ages. 

A few things to think about when choosing a bouncy castle for a kids’ party:

• Do you want a full-size bouncy castle or a mini bouncy castle for toddlers?
• Hire a bouncy castle with a slide for even more fun
• Does your venue have the height for the bouncy castle? 🏰
• Is your bouncy castle well-reviewed by other parents? Not all bouncy castles are equal!
• Would a neutral colour go better with your overall theme?

If you’re looking for a “bouncy castle near me”, go here to find highly rated suppliers who have been approved by other party-throwing parents.

Creative Party Ideas

Creativity is key to making any kids’ party magical. What features can you add to give the wow factor? 

This isn’t easy – with so much on our plates, we’re not all as creative as we once were (maybe you should just get your child to plan the party since they’re likely to have all the great, wacky ideas?).

Some creative party ideas may require you to book suppliers – if so, book early!

Here are some great ideas to help make a party to remember:

• Add a show-stopping balloon arch 🎈
• Soft play hire for toddlers and younger children
• Hire a sweet cart 🍬
• Giant ball pit hire with a slide

If none of these takes your fancy, these 28 amazing kids’ party ideas will allow you to get a nice shortlist of potential things to do and ways to save you time and stress.

As with the theme, the ideas you decide to go with will depend on what your child is like, what they’re into and the resources you’ve got to work with. Here are some other birthday party ideas for adventurous kids.

Decorations For Children’s Parties

Amazing decor is one of the top elements for kids’ parties in 2022. As with your entertainment, if you’re planning to book someone to help you, they may need to be booked several months in advance. 

How To Decorate A Kids’ Party?

Some of the top children’s party decor ideas for 2022 are:

• Balloons, balloons, balloons 🎈
• Themed backdrops
• Birthday milestone posters
• Paper streamer backdrops
• Giant numbers
• Themed plates & cups
• Flowers walls
• Custom stickers
• Cake toppers
• Themed party tables

Balloon Decor For Children’s Parties

Balloons have always been a star of the kids’ party decor world and 2022 is no different. Today, balloon decor is on a whole new level. From arches to giant numbers, there are balloons for every party and for every budget. 

Here are some of our favourite balloon decoration ideas: 

• Balloon arches
• Bouncy castle balloons
• Balloon backdrops
• Giant number balloons
• Balloon stacks
• Balloon mosaic numbers

Take a look at some of our top-rated balloon decor suppliers here.

DIY Decor For Children’s Parties

There are plenty of places to buy the bits you need to DIY your own decor. With a simple Youtube video, you can learn to build your own balloon arch or put together a paper streamer backdrop. 

Pinterest is a great place to get inspiration for DIY decor ideas that match your theme. You can search anything from unicorn balloon arches to Minecraft decor and you’ll find heaps of images to spark your creative juices. 

What Decorations Do You Need For A Kids’ Party?

Here are some of the best and easy-to-do decor ideas for a kids’ party: 

• Balloon arches
• Streamers
• Paper pom poms
• Personalised straws

A Few More Small & Impressive Decor Ideas That Make Any Party Special 

• Custom Name Cake Toppers
• Custom Party Bags

The Perfect Party Invitations For Children’s Parties

Party invitations can take lots of different forms, from a Whatsapp broadcast to a handmade invite in the post. The main thing is that all of the important info gets to the right people!

What should be included in a party invitation?

Your invitation should include:

• Date of the party
• Party times (start and end) 
• Location (full address is usually best) 📍
• The party theme (if you’ve got one)
• What they can expect at the party 
• Anything they need to bring 
• A date to RSVP by 

You can add other things too, but these are the main details you’ll need to cover to make sure your guests can all prepare for the party.

A great and unique idea for a party invitation is a video invite that includes your little one in action. Have a look at these >>

Party Games For Children’s Parties

Party games are a staple of any good kids’ party. They add lots of fun, engagement and laughter and give a chance for all to get involved together.

What games do you play at a children’s party?

Here are 5 great party games for kids:

• The Doughnut Challenge 
• A Prize Walk
• Musical Statues
• Kids Karaoke
• Pass the Parcel

To discover even more ideas, check out these Nine Exciting Party Games For Kids in this blog.

Having some prizes for all of the games you play is also good. These don’t have to be anything huge but it adds lots of excitement to the games for children.

The 2022 Party Game Every Kid Will Love

If you’re having a party for a child between the ages of 7-10, a nerf party is a brilliant option. You’ll need a fair space to host one (garden, small hall)  but all the equipment and game hosting can be done by a Nerf Party Professional. You can find one near you here.

The Best Kids’ Party Food Ideas For 2022

Party food is a key part of any party. Hungry children = hangry children – a situation we definitely want to avoid (not mentioning the hangry adults, too…).

The great thing about party food is that it doesn’t have to be very complicated at all. At a kids’ party, everyone’s happy to pick at finger food – great if MasterChef isn’t your calling. 👩‍🍳

What food should I buy for a party?

Whether you choose to go fancy or simple, these are 7 much-loved kids’ party food options:

• Kids’ Graze Board filled with all the favourites
• Loaded potato skins 
• Pizza
• Cake pops
• “Lunch on a Stick” skewers
• Funky shaped sandwiches
• Carrot & cucumber stick cups

Want to make sure you’ve covered all bases? Have a read of our kids’ party food list that requires minimum effort to make sure you don’t miss anything out. 

You also want to make sure your food stands out, though – you’ve got to include the fan favourites, but what about jazzing it up a bit, too? Look at these 5 kids’ party food ideas to make your party stand out.

Party Bags: The Showpiece Of Any Kids’ Party

For many people, some of the best childhood memories are of great parties followed by getting a bag full of goodies. There’s something magical about party bags – they’re so simple, but add so much to a kids’ party.

What do you put in a party bag?

The wonders you can put in your party bags include:

• Custom sugar biscuits
• Party horns 🥳
• Sweets 
• Lollipops 🍭
• Fidget toys
• Yoyos
• Candy necklaces & bracelets
• Mini toys

Really, you can include anything in a party bag – they’re kind of like little bags of surprises, so as long as they’re things children would like, you can go as random as you want to!

Are party bags necessary?

You don’t have to give out party bags – you’ve already put lots of effort into your party, after all. But they’re a nice way to end any kids’ party! They’re easy to put together and are a nice way of thanking children for coming! 

Using paper bags is a great way to provide that bit of magic while also doing your bit to look after the environment. You’ll find five places to buy paper party bags here.

Kids’ Party Birthday Cakes

Don’t forget the birthday cake! 🎂

We couldn’t end this ultimate kids’ party guide without mentioning cake!

Like decor, this year will see children’s birthday cakes be more amazing and impressive than ever. If you want to channel your inner Mary Berry and make your own cake, the beloved internet has endless inspiration and recipes to help you do it! Alternatively, find a local children’s birthday cake maker-extraordinaire here. 

Several supermarkets also offer some really nice and affordable cake options the kids will love. 

Cakes are so associated with birthdays that they’re basically synonymous. There’s a cake for (almost) everyone. When everyone is singing “Happy Birthday”, we all know they’re just waiting for the song to be done with so they can tuck into their slice of cake in peace. 🍰

The birthday cake is a great way to emphasise the theme of your party. So whether you’re looking for a Minecraft cake or a Unicorn cake, it’s definitely a sure way to add the flair and excitement every kids’ party deserves.

What is the most popular birthday cake?

This is a hard question to answer – there’s no one-size-fits-all birthday cake. But some of the most popular flavours for kids’ party cakes are:

• Classic vanilla
• Rainbow layer cake 🌈
• Red velvet cake
• Carrot cake 🥕
• Oreo & Chocolate Chip
• Salted Caramel

Check out some of our favourite cake toppers and cake charms to give your cake an even greater WOW factor!

And one more thing – don’t forget candles! People sometimes get so carried away making sure they’ve got a cake that they forget the candles, which are almost as important to the birthday celebrations. If you didn’t blow out any candles, did you even have a cake?

We hope after reading this that you feel a lot more confident about planning your next kids’ party! It won’t necessarily be easy, but by putting in the time to organise your party and following this guide, you’ll create a party that people will love and remember for a long time.