Classroom Party Planning Guide and Checklist

You are an integral part of the school community as a room parent. Typically, the main focus of a room parent is to plan the class parties for the year. Planning events for your child’s class is fun! But in order for your parties to be memorable and fun, being well-organized is essential

Staying organized will also make your life as a room parent much more manageable. Life gets hectic, and adding this responsibility to your plate can seem overwhelming at times. Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with this comprehensive classroom party planning guide and checklist. 

Why Use a Checklist

The checklist is my go-to, and when it comes to planning classroom parties, it’s essential. Checklists keep you organized. It reduces your stress and ensures no details are overlooked. It also makes communicating all the details to your teacher and parents easy. 

Pre-Planning Essentials

Before starting your checklist, ensure you have done these classroom party pre-planning essentials. 

• Make sure you and the teacher have decided on the date and time of the party. 
• Ensure you understand the school policies regarding what is allowed in the classroom and expectations for these events. 
• See if the teacher prefers activities based on years past – they are a wealth of knowledge! 
• Set your budget for the event in alignment with your yearly class party budget. 

Theme and Activity Selection

Class party themes in elementary and middle school are generally dictated by the holiday or milestones you celebrate. Make sure that any activities you choose related to your theme are appropriate for the space you have age-appropriate.

For preschool or kindergarten room parents, plan activities that don’t rely on the child being able to read. Some ideas for that age group are visual bingo and relay races. Often, the teachers will already have some activities you can use for that theme. 

It’s helpful to organize your party at a high level. This is what I use when I’m planning my class parties.

Communication and Coordination

I promise I will get to the checklist, but this is important. Communication in party planning is vital to having a successful event.  

It’s better to feel like you are over-communicating with your teacher and parents versus under-communicating. 

If you need volunteers for your classroom party, give parents enough notice and a clear understanding of their time commitment. 

Outside vendors need to have detailed information on the party. Let them know how to access your school’s campus and understand if they need special equipment or setup. 

Even after the event, make sure you share a recap with pictures. As a parent, I LOVE to see my kids having fun in their classroom. 

Order the supplies you’ll need as soon as you have finalized the snacks, activities, and crafts. Bulk orders often take longer to arrive.

Delegate as much as you can. Allowing other parents to feel involved will help promote community in your grade level and school. 

Not all parents can get away in the middle of the day. Give them party prep opportunities so they can feel included. Ask other parents if they would like to help assemble anything ahead of time.

This is a great way for parents to fulfill their volunteer obligations if your school has them.

The Classroom Party Planning Checklist

Last-Minute Checks

The checklist will help tremendously. Review it daily leading up to the party. This checklist keeps you organized and on top of the things that can be done beforehand. Such as:

• Pre-portion craft supplies.
• Assign volunteers areas of focus during the party.
• Create a schedule for the party’s events and activities.
• Make any homemade snack the day before.
• Load your car the night before with nonperishable items.

The more you can get done in the week leading up to the classroom party will make space for the last-minute party preparations that are bound to pop up. 

This classroom party planning checklist will help you stay organized. Successful planning leads to memorable and enjoyable events for students and parents, which is every room parent’s goal.