Birthday Countdown Timer

Start planning 6-8 weeks before the party date. This gives you time to pick a theme (8 weeks), send invitations (6 weeks), order supplies (4 weeks), and handle last-minute details (1 week). For venue parties or parties with hired entertainment, start even earlier — 10-12 weeks is ideal to secure your booking.

Saturday is the most popular day for kids birthday parties, followed by Sunday. Saturday afternoon (1-3 PM or 2-4 PM) gets the highest attendance. Avoid Friday evenings (families are tired) and Sunday mornings (church/sports conflicts). For adult parties, Friday or Saturday evenings work best.

Ages 1-3: 1 to 1.5 hours. Ages 4-6: 1.5 to 2 hours. Ages 7-10: 2 to 2.5 hours. Ages 11+: 2 to 3 hours. Longer is not better for young kids — they get overstimulated. Plan arrival time, 2-3 activities, food/cake, and gift opening. Build in 15 minutes of buffer at the start and end.

Send invitations 4-6 weeks before the party. For holiday weekends or popular venues, send 6-8 weeks ahead. Include an RSVP deadline 1-2 weeks before the party so you can finalize food, supplies, and favor bags. Digital invitations are fine and get faster responses than paper.

For toddlers (1-3): late morning (10-11:30 AM) before nap time. For kids (4-8): early afternoon (1-3 PM or 2-4 PM) after lunch. For tweens/teens (9-13): mid-afternoon (3-5 PM) or evening. Avoid mealtimes unless you plan to serve a full meal — it gets expensive and complicated.