The Party Planning Blog for Modern Moms
How to Throw a STEM Birthday Party Your Kid Will Never Forget
If your child lights up around science, numbers, or how things work, a STEM birthday party is one of the most memorable themes you can plan for your little scientist. With a STEM party, you can combine party time with learning while keeping your kids entertained. Kids...
Creepy Halloween Tablescape with Skulls (Dinner Table Ideas)
This is the story of how your party inspiration can take a turn. I started planning my Halloween dinner table to feature a big backdrop collage of white paper fans with google eyes — so each one would look like a giant eye. I kept adding googly eye elements and then...
How to Dress Up Soda Bottles for Your Party
If you look at your parties and feel like they don't look quite pulled together, it may be that little details got overlooked. Which leads us to: how to dress up soda bottles for your party. Are these touches ultimately important in terms of how much fun your guests...
How to make chocolate covered googly eye Oreos (Easy Halloween Dessert)
Chocolate covered Oreos look like something you'd order from your favorite Etsy seller. They're also shockingly easy to make at home. Baby B and I made our first batch for our back to school party. I used the same method to make chocolate covered googly eye Oreos for...
How to Cut a Round Cake for a Party
Cutting a round cake for a party shouldn't feel like a math test. It's not. That googly eye cake from my Halloween dessert table was a showstopper, and I wanted to make it stretch without going back to unified geometry. (Poor Mrs. Eck. She really tried with me.)...
Googly Eye Halloween Dessert Table
A few years back, I realized I was not a “decorate the whole house for the holidays” girl — especially during the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s marathon. Putting it all up just to quickly take it all down? Give my tired hips a break. The perfect...
How to make a googly eye garland
For my Halloween party, I'm going all in on googly eyes, and I thought a 3-D googly eye garland would be fun. I started with ball pit balls and turned them into giant googly eyes. It's a very easy process, and I've also got a tip to make it even easier if DIY isn't...
I Don’t Have Time to Plan My Child’s Birthday Party
You keep meaning to sit down and figure out your child’s birthday party. Pick a theme, set a budget, order something. But between work and school pickup and everything else on your plate, party planning keeps sliding to tomorrow. And tomorrow is getting closer to the...
Back to School Party DIYs: Pencil Forks & Notebook Paper Napkins
If you caught the full Back to School Party post, you already saw a few photos of these. Today I'm sharing the how-to for my two favorite details: pencil forks and notebook paper napkins. Both use supplies you may already have in your craft stash, and the napkins take...
School Supply-Themed Back to School Party
Some of my favorite parties to host aren’t birthday parties at all — they’re parties for special days and milestones. There’s less pressure with these, which means more room to get creative. I’ve thrown a back to school party for my girls every year, including the...
How to Plan a Kid’s Birthday Party Step-by-Step
Let's be honest — birthday party planning has gotten complicated. You want to do something special for your child, so you open Pinterest. Three hours later you've saved sooo many pins, you've seen everything from $50 backyard setups to $5,000 professional productions,...
70+ Fun Summer Activities for Kids — Organized for Real Life
Summer is here — and if you've been searching for fun summer activities for kids, you already know the problem: there's no shortage of ideas. What's in short supply is time, energy, and a list that actually accounts for your real life. Ten weeks of "I'm bored" before...
How to Tell Parents It’s Not a Drop-Off Party (Without the Awkward Conversation)
You've planned your child's birthday party. The theme is set, the cake is ordered, and the invitations are ready to go. But there's one thing nagging at you: How do I let parents know they need to stay? If you've ever stared at a blank invitation wondering how to...
Balloon Garland 101: How to Make One, How Long It Lasts, and Whether to DIY or Hire a Pro
Balloon garlands have been around, but if you've never made one, it's all new to you! Every time I'd see a video of someone inflating two balloons at a time and then twisting them into sets of four, my brain would go blank and I'd think, "I could never make that." So...
Easy Shark Cookie Cake for Shark Week or a Shark Birthday Party
It is almost fruit pizza season in our house — we always make an American flag fruit pizza for Memorial Day and the 4th of July. And that gave Baby B the idea of creating a shark cookie cake version of fruit pizza. I was all on board because: shark gummies are yummy...
How to Choose the Right Birthday Party Theme for Your Child
Sometimes, I see parents making party planning more difficult than it needs to be, especially when it comes to picking a party theme. I'll see a mom post about a cute name she's considering for her party — "Taco Bout a Party," "Choo Choo I'm 2," "She's a Real Gem" —...
8 Things Every Beginner Party Planner Should Know
When I first joined Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok, I loved the party planning content and wanted more, more, more. It's great for browsing and killing time. It's great for searching for tutorials. But what I didn't know then was how overwhelming those sources...
How to Trim and Assemble Party Printables Like a Pro
Party printables are one of the most budget-friendly ways to create a cohesive, custom look for your celebration. While they do require some hands-on assembly, you don't need to be a crafting expert to get professional-looking results. If you can cut in a straight...
How to Get Kids to Actually Show Up to Your Child’s Birthday Party
A mom invited her daughter’s whole class to her 9th birthday party. She and Evelynn spent weeks planning together: creating prize ribbons, decorating bottles with doilies, preparing mini pie stations and friendship bracelet activities. They styled a beautiful country...
4 Big Mistakes You May Be Making in Your Birthday Party Planning
If you've ever stood in the party aisle, cart half-full of random supplies, wondering how you got so far off track... Or maybe you’re an hour deep into a Pinterest scroll session at 11 PM, saving ideas that have nothing to do with what your child actually loves? These...
How to Host a Christmas Cookie Decorating Party for Kids
If you’re thinking about hosting a Christmas cookie decorating party for kids, I’ve got loads of tips for you. (You also may want to grab my Christmas Cookie Decorating Party Plan for all my tried-and-true strategies.) We host this party every year and have learned...
Holiday Birthday Parties: What to do when your child’s birthday is near a holiday
Does your child's birthday get lost in the holiday shuffle? You're not alone! My own birthday is two weeks after Christmas, and as I kid, I got lots of "Merry Christmas / Happy Birthday" gifts from relatives, which was kind of a bummer. So, what do you do when your...
No-Gift Birthday Parties: A Modern Parent’s Guide
When you think "birthday party" do you think "presents"? I know I do — and my kids certainly did. (Like when Baby B was three — if I'm remembering correctly — and as soon as gift opening was complete, called out, "More presents!" Imagine me, trying to melt into the...
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brookie Recipe — A Perfect Treat for Fall
Every fall, my mom made pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, a treat we looked forward to all year. They also quickly became of favorite of my girls. This will sound weird, but we've started feeding one of our dogs a little pumpkin at breakfast, so I've had these cookies...
How to make pigs in mud pudding for a farm party
I am all about a simple, no-bake dessert for parties. It's good for my budget and creative itch to make a little something myself for any dessert table. Working on the Farm Party Plan stirred up the inspiration for Pigs in Mud Pudding. Think: rich chocolate pudding...
24 Thoughtful Hostess Gifts That Will Make You the Most Memorable Guest
Being invited to a party is wonderful — it means someone wants to share their special occasion with you! While bringing a bottle of wine or flowers is always appreciated, here are some more creative ways to thank your host for their hospitality. Because nothing says,...
How to decorate wood and plastic craft eggs for Easter
When Baby B and I were shopping for our St. Patrick's Day Party, of course, Easter goodies were already out at the grocery store. And when I saw the egg dyeing kits, it hit me that this year, a lot of folks might not want to waste expensive eggs on decorating. So I...
How to Make Popcorn Box Garland for a Movie Night Party
The other night, I woke up at 5 a.m. with this idea and I have no idea why. (I also dreamed that a friend was trying to go back to work 3 days after a hysterectomy and IYKYK. I guess it was a weird night?) Anyway, I got all excited about sharing how to make a popcorn...
Easy Birthday Party Food Ideas Kids Will Actually Eat
Grab your party planning notebook because I'm about to share the birthday party food tips you've been looking for! After years of watching what actually gets eaten at kids' parties (and what ends up as leftovers), I've cracked the code on party food ideas that kids...
Easy St. Patrick’s Day Tablescape Ideas Your Family Will Love
My girls were just home for spring break, so I declared it early St. Patrick's Day! I've always done a little something for them on St. Patrick's Day, even if it was just making breakfast green. This year, I started thinking about a leprechaun hat that I got at...
How to Throw a STEM Birthday Party Your Kid Will Never Forget
If your child lights up around science, numbers, or how things work, a STEM birthday party is one of the most memorable themes you can plan for your little scientist. With a STEM party, you can combine party time with learning while keeping your kids entertained. Kids...
Creepy Halloween Tablescape with Skulls (Dinner Table Ideas)
This is the story of how your party inspiration can take a turn. I started planning my Halloween dinner table to feature a big backdrop collage of white paper fans with google eyes — so each one would look like a giant eye. I kept adding googly eye elements and then...
How to Dress Up Soda Bottles for Your Party
If you look at your parties and feel like they don't look quite pulled together, it may be that little details got overlooked. Which leads us to: how to dress up soda bottles for your party. Are these touches ultimately important in terms of how much fun your guests...
How to make chocolate covered googly eye Oreos (Easy Halloween Dessert)
Chocolate covered Oreos look like something you'd order from your favorite Etsy seller. They're also shockingly easy to make at home. Baby B and I made our first batch for our back to school party. I used the same method to make chocolate covered googly eye Oreos for...
How to Cut a Round Cake for a Party
Cutting a round cake for a party shouldn't feel like a math test. It's not. That googly eye cake from my Halloween dessert table was a showstopper, and I wanted to make it stretch without going back to unified geometry. (Poor Mrs. Eck. She really tried with me.)...
Googly Eye Halloween Dessert Table
A few years back, I realized I was not a “decorate the whole house for the holidays” girl — especially during the Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s marathon. Putting it all up just to quickly take it all down? Give my tired hips a break. The perfect...
How to make a googly eye garland
For my Halloween party, I'm going all in on googly eyes, and I thought a 3-D googly eye garland would be fun. I started with ball pit balls and turned them into giant googly eyes. It's a very easy process, and I've also got a tip to make it even easier if DIY isn't...
I Don’t Have Time to Plan My Child’s Birthday Party
You keep meaning to sit down and figure out your child’s birthday party. Pick a theme, set a budget, order something. But between work and school pickup and everything else on your plate, party planning keeps sliding to tomorrow. And tomorrow is getting closer to the...
Back to School Party DIYs: Pencil Forks & Notebook Paper Napkins
If you caught the full Back to School Party post, you already saw a few photos of these. Today I'm sharing the how-to for my two favorite details: pencil forks and notebook paper napkins. Both use supplies you may already have in your craft stash, and the napkins take...
School Supply-Themed Back to School Party
Some of my favorite parties to host aren’t birthday parties at all — they’re parties for special days and milestones. There’s less pressure with these, which means more room to get creative. I’ve thrown a back to school party for my girls every year, including the...
Jennifer Needham
Founder of The Party Teacher
I am an Atlanta-based wife, mom and children’s party planner. Between my twin girls, and a full-time job, I am always busy, but party planning is one thing I always seem to be able to find time for. At The Party Teacher, I teach other busy moms how to fit party planning into their lives, so they never miss an opportunity to celebrate special moments with their kids. My blog is your go-to source for party planning tips, party tutorials, recipes and birthday party plans.
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