1.1.Introduction

One of the most exciting things that can happen for a child is a birthday party, especially when a child has a big birthday
party.

The anticipation of a party is great, and every child will be excited for gifts, games, fun, and food, not to mention being the centre of attention.
This is hard to resist for anyone, and for a child, it is a dream come true. What can be more fun and exciting than a kid's birthday party? Children's parties
are no doubt fun, and the fun and excitement
is not simply confined to the children.
Parties create a lot of enjoyment for parents and adults, too. Seeing a smiling child's
face makes an adult  feel happiness and joy, and that it was worth every minute it took to organize the whole event.

 1.2    What is Involved in Organising
a Children's Party 

Planning a party and excecuting it to perfection is not everybody's cup of tea.

Imagine being the parent of a
young child and having no skills nor desire for party planning. These things do
not simply happen overnight, and some parents simply dread the thought of
having to organise an event, especially an event for their precious child. Many
other caregivers and parents, however, might not mind the planning process, but
they are not entirely sure where to begin. This is exactly why our course
offers you a full guideline to manifesting the ideas you have for such an
event, and you can take over for these parents. You might also be a parent
yourself, and simply looking for a way to improve your kid's party planning
skills.

Of course, you will also need to learn other important knowledge, such as considering food allergies and similar potential concerns; moreover, we shall show you how to turn your knowledge into a home-based business and become a professional party and event planner.

Parties and events do not have to imply grand events, but the days are past when a sandwich, a bowl of jelly, and games of musical chairs or pass the parcel suffice for a jolly and fun filled children's party. Peer pressure, social media bragging rights, and pressure from the children upon the parents can reach fever pitch when it's time for a party, and it may be a battle to keep costs and expectations low. Though other pressures have raised the bar, the emphasis of any party remains on the fun.

Keep in mind as you go through the course that younger children are often overwhelmed by a great production; something that was likely was not required in the first place. Nevertheless, the pressure to spend and throw elaborate parties is a growing trend these days, and some parents may struggle with this. Yet, for the remainder and for the commercially-minded, opportunities are widely available. Parties, entertainers, gifts and the whole works will add up to a pretty penny, but it is also important to not lose sight of the core value, which is unadulterated fun...and fun is free.

The types of parties available are as broad as one's imagination. Themes and character events abound so broadly, we shall breakdown this plethora of choices into several categories. What you have to decide for yourself is whether or not this is a career for you.

 1.3    Are You Cut Out to be a Kid's Party Planner?

The first thing that you need to do is answer the question - is this is the right career for you?

To be a party planner,
and specifically a children's party planner, you have to do the following:

Love to spend time with and play with children

If you do not have the wherewithal to be around children, then you are looking at the wrong profession. You have to be very fond of children of all ages to be a children's
party planner. You also must be playful and fun loving to pull this career off.

Have patience

Being around children
requires immense patience.
Just one or two children
will test your patience like nothing else does, but imagine if you are dealing with 20 - 30 hyperactive and excited children.
In this case, you will require extreme patience to deal with all the demands they may make on you.

Be extremely creative

Children have short attention spans and need something happening
to keep them out of mischief's way. You need to be very creative
to find ways to keep children occupied.

Be cautious

You also have to be cautious and careful with children's parties. You have to keep your senses alert, as anything can happen.

Plan ahead

You need good planning skills,
and must keep all contingencies in mind before the party begins. If it is a pool party, for instance, you have to be alert to the possibility of drowning. If it is a garden party, make sure that you have pills and lotions for insect bites and or other allergic
reactions

Be quick and clear thinking

Accidents of all sorts are inevitable at a kids' party. You have to be quick thinking, and your reactions have to be split-second to avoid a major mishap.

Have organising ability

Party or event
planning is, as the name suggests, about
planning and organising. If you lack either of these skills, then party planning is not a vocation that is likely right for you.

Be prepared to work long hours

You have to be prepared
to work long hours and at all odd hours. Each planned party takes immense time, effort, and energy. There are many things that you must take care of for a party to be successful, and this takes time.

Be a peoples problem

If you are the shy, introverted type, then you may not be suitable
for a career in party planning. You need to be an extroverted person with an outgoing and lively personality who can easily talk to people. Excellent
communications skills are essential for party planning.

Have Business acumen

In the end, the success of your
business will boil down to one fact, which is whether you have the acumen to be a business
person. If you can manage your business and keep your balance sheet in the black, you can succeed.

Have a portfolio

Create a portfolio
with all your previous work, as well as plans for future events to show to the clients.
Take photographs of events, request
references and letters
of recommendations  from satisfied clients and put them all into your portfolio to show to prospective clients. Present detailed
plans of all the events you may have planned and executed and add them to your portfolio.If you have ticked all the essential
qualities listed above, then becoming
a party planner might be an excellent
career choice for you. With a strong focus and go-getter attitude,
you will surely find success.

 1.4    Qualifications for Children's Party Planning

Children's party planning is a very niche kind of career. You are limiting your career choice to
party planning, and then to very specific
type of party planning.

You may not require any formal education
for party planning, but it is always good to have done some course to show on
your bio-data. What is more essential than education certificates and degrees,
however, is experience. You will do well to work under a successful party
planner before you decide to start off on your own, too, as it always helps to
learn the ropes before going solo.

If you have a background in hotel
management or catering, you are off to a running start, as you have already
crossed over the biggest hurdle of knowing the business intimately. You also
need to know about management, as you will have to manage others to help you
during events.

It also helps to be tech savvy as a kids' party planner, as you must research and source things for your clients. You also must create and maintain lists and other information for parties, and it helps if you can have them on a computer
for easy reference and retrieval.
You should also have strong networking skills, so you can provide whatever your client demands.

Mostly, you should have an understanding of a planner's
duties and obligations and be able to deliver
them to the clients' satisfaction.

 1.5    Who Needs Party Planning?

These are your target customers,
and you need to understand
your client base in order to tap into them. Your main targets would ideally be parents who have young kids, but you will also work with grandparents with grandchildren and other caregivers who would like to plan a party for a child.

Parents

These days, with both parents
working, it is difficult for them to take time out to plan events and parties
for their children.
They want to celebrate the event but do not have the time to spare from work. These are likely the parents who have the money to spare to engage a party planner, someone
who would take care of the party and all its myriad details, while they continue
with their daily lives. They will pay you for the convenience of having everything done professionally and properly while they can relax and enjoy the day with their child.

Grandparents

Increasingly, grandparents who have the means want to surprise their grandchildren with a party or a birthday party. Though they have the enthusiasm for the event, they are often clueless
about what to do and how to do it. Sometimes, the
will and knowledge is present, but the physical strength isn't. Such grandparents would be willing to hire
you to plan and execute the perfect party for a favourite grandchild.

Other caregivers

Sometimes, friends of parents, a favourite aunt or an uncle, an old sibling, or even a cousin may want to treat a child with a special party. Such caregivers
might not have time or might live in another
town and would like to hire you to arrange for the party on their behalf.

1.6    Ready, Set, Start
Your Career

Now that you have all the relevant
information on hand, it is time to start working on setting
up your business.

Here is what you need to do:

 1. Create your company

 2. Give it a name

 3. Register the company

 4. Find out the requirements for tax and other duties as levied by authorities

 5.Create your resume and portfolio