A Child's Birthday Invitation

Types of Child's Birthday Invitations

There are so many different types of invitations to choose from; finding one that meets your needs can take some thought. Below are just a few of the many types of birthday invitations you might want to consider for your child’s special birthday party:

Theme Invitations

Young children love to have birthday parties with themes. Party stores offer paper goods and decorations in many appealing themes for young boys and girls based on popular television and movie characters like Dora the Explorer and Blues Clues. Look for party invitations that match your party theme. Older children might like themes around their favorite sport or activity, like soccer or skating. Look for specialty invitations in the shape of a soccer ball or a skate.

Postcards

To cut down on the cost of invitations, consider using postcards instead of cards with envelopes. If you can fit the pertinent information on the smaller postcard, it’s a great way to save paper. Stamps are also a bit less expensive as well. Postcards are also a more environmentally sound option.

Photo Invitations

Photo invitations are especially adorable for first birthday parties. You can write out one large invitation on poster board with all the important information and include it in a picture with your child. These invitations will become keepsakes for many of your invited guests. Older children might enjoy designing a birthday invitation around a special picture as well. Photo invitations can be made into postcards or be mailed in envelopes. Visit Shutterfly.com to find out more about creative photo invitation options.

Printable Child's Birthday Invitations

There are thousands of sites to be found on the internet for printing out free children’s birthday invitations. Many include envelopes as well. If you only have a black and white printer, consider letting your child color each invitation for a personal touch. You can search for printable invitations by theme. You will find invitations that can be printed into postcards or that can be folded in fourths for an envelope. If printing your own postcard invitations, consider using a heavy stock of paper. For more information, read Kids' Printable Birthday Cards.

Evites

Evites, invitations you create and send on-line, are becoming more and more popular. Older children who are already involved with e-mail communication may like evites. Consider making the RSVP for regrets and acceptances so you can tell if someone may not have received the invitation and follow up with a phone call. Sometimes people may not always check their e-mail often or may have stopped using an address all together. Evites can be a very convenient form of communication if you already have e-mail addresses for everyone on your invitation list. To create and purchase a child’s birthday evite, visit Evite.com.

Important Things to Include

Of course, the whole point of a child’s birthday invitation is to inform guests of the date, time, and location of the party; but there are other pieces of information that are also important to include. If the party has a theme, let parents know what the theme is so they can prepare their young child for what to expect at the party. Let parents know whether or not you expect them to stay at the party or if they can drop them off. If the party will have a craft activity or will include playing outdoor games, suggest that children dress casually, wear sneakers, or bring a smock. It is also helpful to let the parents know if and what food will be served so they can plan meals around the party. This is also helpful if guests have special food allergies or restrictions. Finally, including an RSVP with a date will help you to plan accordingly. Consider a regrets only RSVP to reduce the number of phone calls you will have to take and keep track of.

Summary

Once you have chosen the theme of your child’s birthday party and you know the different types of invitations to choose from, it is easy to complete the job of inviting your guests. Keep a checklist by the phone of the people who have been invited. This way when people RSVP you can check off if they are a yes or no. If someone does not respond at all it is perfectly acceptable to follow up with a phone call, especially if you are paying for the party by head. It’s best to send birthday invitations out about three to four weeks before the date.