This module explained the basics of beginning a career in children's party planning and all of the requirements.

You have learnt that party planning is not as easy as it seems, and that you need to put in a lot of time and effort to organise a successful party. As a party planner for kids' parties, it is your responsibility to make everything work perfectly, from choosing and creating the theme, to food and entertainment and all in between.

You also now know the required traits for a successful children's party planner. It is not essential to have a qualification in party planning. However, it helps to have a certification and affiliation to show as credential. But, the most important factor for success remains your experience and creativity.

Having a portfolio to show prospective clients is a good idea, and you should have one; this is the true mirror of your capabilities as a party planner.

There are many different types of children's parties, and these can be classified according to the age, theme or occasion. The benefit of classifying parties is that it gives you a clear idea of what to include in the party. It also gives you something to talk to your clients about during the planning process. The kind of games, decorations, food, and favours all depend upon the organisation of the party. Classification by age allows you to include age-specific activities, foods and favours. Classification by theme allows you to ensure everything works in a cohesive manner.

As you keep learning more about planning a party for kids, you should remember that the location of the party depends upon the size of the venue. Weather and the budget of the client will also come into play. Whether to include competitive games of not would depend much upon the wishes of your client, too. Finally, don't forget to include some fun activities for the children to enjoy.

This module taught you that there is a world of difference between hosting all girl's party in relation to all boy's parties. While the girl's party may be themed around colours and topics associated with little girls, the boy's party themes are likely to be more physical and boisterous. The requirements for the two are also very different. The decorations, the games, and favours will all be influenced by the gender for which you are hosting the party. You do not expect boys to be ecstatic about getting pretty bow pins or hairbands for favours, just as girls may not very happy with swords. You need to keep the gender in mind while planning a party, and keep the wishes of your clients in mind, just the same.

You can see that there are a lot of things to consider when you decide to set up a party planning business. Whether you really want to take on the responsibility, and if you are creative enough to sustain the work, this will determine your success.

You also have to choose whether you wish to go solo, or want to become a part of a brand and take out a franchise. Each business model has its own pitfalls and advantages, and you have to weigh each and every one of them to determine which would work best for you.

You do not require much by way of office and equipment to start your party planning business; you can start off with a desk and some basic office equipment, such as a phone and an appointment book. But, once the orders start rolling in, you will need to invest money in party supplies and equipment.

The above module gives you a more or less comprehensive list of things that are standard for party planners. All consumables should be bought at wholesalers for best discounts and better margins. Capital investment should be minimised. There are plenty that you can hire on a need to basis, and other things that you would be wiser to invest in as you may need them for all parties. What you buy and what you hire depends entirely upon your capital outlay, and also your storage capacity. Having a reliable network of service providers and suppliers is an important part of your business and can be the key to your success or failure. So cultivate your providers and keep them happy.

It is always profitable to offer extra services to your clients. So, do not limit yourself to just being a party planner. Look for opportunities where you can cross-sell and upsell to your clients. Make suggestions and discuss various alternatives, so you can provide extras to your client. This not only helps your bottom line when it comes to profit, it also gives more client satisfaction, which is just as important in the long run.

Whether it is party bags, or a deluxe cake, you have an opportunity to add on extras at all stages. Do not be afraid to promote yourself by providing freebies. Everyone likes freebies, and if they are tasteful and of good quality, you can promote your business very cost effectively. When booking a client's event, go over every aspect and make suggestions to improve, and you would be surprised at how many times the clients do accept a higher package.

Staffing is an important part of any business, but when it comes to kids' party planning, it can spell the difference between success and failure. The staff you hire must have dedication, be reliable, and responsible. They also have to be social people in your line of business. When choosing staff, you have to keep in mind the amount of work you have and whether you can afford full time staff for your business or not. Once you have the staff that you want, you must delegate the task with full confidence that your staff will handle it appropriately. You may need to hire people on a temporary basis from time to time to cope with the work demands.

In any party you need to have at least two people who should be supervising children at all times, especially to the toilets. There should be someone trained in first aid for every children's event you host as accident can happen without notice. You are responsible for the well-being of these children.