What to ask on a kids’ party RSVP

The child’s name and age

Ask for the name of each child coming, not just the family’s. You need it for name tags, party bags and, with a school class, to tick off the list.

Age matters more than you think. A table of five-year-olds and one nine-year-old changes the games and the food, so knowing the range a week ahead helps.

Allergies and dietary needs

This is the question that matters most. Nuts, egg, dairy and gluten are the common ones, and a parent will always prefer to tell you in advance than to explain at the door.

Make it a clear field with a prompt like “Any allergies we should know about?”. Optional is fine, but it should be impossible to miss.

Will a grown-up stay?

Decide your drop-off rule first, then ask. Some venues need one adult per few children, and some parents will only come if they can stay.

Tell parents the rule on the invitation, and use the RSVP to find out how many adults to cater for. It avoids a living room of surprise guests.

Siblings

Say whether siblings are welcome. If they are, ask for their names too. If they are not, say so kindly on the invitation and keep the question out of the form.

Photo consent

If you plan to share party photos with other families, ask whether each child can appear in them. Some families have good reasons to say no, and asking first is the courteous thing to do.

What to leave out

Skip anything you will not act on. Favourite colours, shoe sizes and long essay questions lower the reply rate. Aim for a form a parent can finish in under a minute on their phone.

Finally, set an RSVP deadline a week before the party. It gives you time to confirm numbers with the venue and chase the stragglers once.