If your child’s birthday is coming up, you’re probably in full party planning mode. Parties are fun, but planning them can certainly be stressful, which is why many parents choose to turn to a checklist for help. If you’re not sure how to start the planning process, use this checklist to make sure your party goes off without a hitch.

Let your kids help with party themes

Themes are the latest thing to hit birthday parties, but how do you choose one? Parents of young children can choose their own topic without any input from their child, but if yours is older, ask for help. Themes can range from cartoon characters, sports, trains, or anything else your child has enjoyed throughout the year. Consider adding balloons, tablecloths, invitations, and other items to help carry the theme throughout the entire party and venue.

Find fun places for children’s birthdays

Once you’ve chosen a theme, you’ll need to find fun places for kids’ birthdays. Some parents choose to have their parties in their own home, but this can be difficult and stressful as you have to worry about every aspect, including preparing your home and cleaning up afterwards. Instead, find other fun places for kids’ birthdays. These can include sports complexes, bounce houses, restaurants, or even a park. Please note that if you choose an outdoor location, it will be weather dependent and you may be forced to cancel if a cold snap or unexpected storm strikes.

How many are you going to invite?

Next, consider how many people you’re going to invite. Whether you’re choosing off-site fun venues for the kids’ birthdays or your own home, you’ll likely be constrained by space limitations, so keep that in mind when reviewing your guest list. Some places will only charge per child guest, while others will count everyone, even adults. If your child is of school age, you should also check the school’s rules regarding inviting classmates to school. Many require that everyone in the class be invited when you hand out invitations at school. If you don’t have room for everyone, be sure to mail invitations so your child doesn’t get in trouble.

Are you going to give favors?

Finally, decide if you are going to give favors. Many parents feel the pressure to hand out a bag of trinkets because it seems like every other parent is doing it. However, if he surveys most parents, he’ll likely find that they all hate bags full of cheap favors. You may want to ditch the favors altogether, but if you feel like you have to hand something out, consider something edible. A decorated cookie to take home will be consumed and not leave the other parents with a garbage bag to throw away.

If you do it the right way, there’s no reason why planning a party has to be stressful. Use this checklist to help plan and your child will be sure to have a fun party they’ll remember all year long.