Hey there, and welcome to the Pokémon Training Party, Behind the Scenes Blog Post! I’m Kandice, your guide through the magical chaos that is party planning. Get ready for a fun-filled journey as we dive into the nitty-gritty of creating these unforgettable days. It’s like running a marathon, but with more balloons and fewer medals.
Head on over to the Main Blog Post to click through this whole party!
Cash 8th Birthday- How to Throw a Pokémon Training Party
Behind the Scenes | Pokemon Training Party
First up, let’s talk about the night-before setup. Picture this: me, rummaging through my stash of tables and linens from my old Wedding Rental Company, Green-Eyed Girl Productions. Yes, I still have those beauties, and they’re all ready to party. I start pulling out the Etsy Shop decorations, and watching them come together is like magic—pure, Etsy-flavored magic.
Peep the giant “Trainer Gym” water castle in teh background. Cash’s birthday is in July, so the water feature is a must. We scored this on Amazon. Find your own on my list: Amazon Party List
Weeks Before the Party
Every party needs a showstopper, and ours is a focal table that’s practically a celebrity in our home. This year, it’s starring my favorite white table—a $20 garage sale find that I lovingly painted white. It’s been the MVP at so many parties! Add in a balloon garland and a new brick backdrop, and we’re in business. Oh, and let’s not forget those shiny new red metal tables. They’re a perfect fit for my patio and totally on-theme with Camp Kelso‘s Red, White, and Blue vibe. Who could resist adding them to the party lineup?
Brick Photography Backdrop on Amazon
Of course, I couldn’t pull any of this off without my favorite guy by my side. He’s been my partner in party-planning crime for over 20 years. #love
Weeks before the party, you’ll find me knee-deep in paper products from my Etsy Shop, The Vintage Event. Cutting out banners, cake toppers, and all those little details is practically my cardio. This year, I introduced some extra-long Patio Banners to give the tables a Trainer Gym flair. They’re available in the shop, and you can pick your own colors. Fancy, right?
Patio Banner Flags | Large Area Coverage, Tent Banners, Dancefloor Decorations | CARDSTOCK
Center stage on the focal table is a letter banner in Yellow—Cash’s favorite color—styled in a Pokémon font, of course. And guess what’s new in the shop? Centerpiece Energies! They’re perfect for identifying training tables, and I filled cylinder vases with bulk sprinkles to create Pokéballs. Spoiler alert: it was a hit!
Custom Letter Banner | 10.5″ | Happy Birthday | CARDSTOCK
Bulk Confetti Sprinkles | Wedding Exit Toss Confetti, Biodegradable Confetti | CARDSTOCK
Months Before the Party
This party is all about cut paper embellishments in a scrapbook style, with Pokéballs galore. I cut tons of red, white, and black circles for food labels, topped with a label. You can totally DIY with a 2″ circle punch and paper cutter at home!
Months ahead, I’m already writing the games. The Digital Files for this event are bundled in one listing. We have these fun signs for creating “Trainer Names” based on birthday months and first name letters. The kids loved kicking off the party with that!
Energies Party Printables | Training Game Stations, Scorecards, Name Game
I’ve got two blog posts lined up to dive into all the training table details and digital files available on Etsy.
Party Food Planning
Food planning starts months in advance too. We had to bring back Sticky Fingers Cotton Candy—this time in yellow bags for Jigglypuffs. Pun achievement unlocked! We also made Charizard Pizza Pockets, which were a fiery hit with all the kids. The secret? A sprinkle of red pepper for that extra “flame.” And for a refreshing twist, our Caterpie Fruit Chow was a medley of vibrant green fruits that matched the theme perfectly.
As we planned the menu, it was important to balance fun with practicality. I wanted each snack to be easy for little hands to grab and eat while still capturing the spirit of Pokémon. Themed snacks like these not only delighted the kids but also kept them fueled for a day full of activities.
The punch board was a labor of love, crafted well ahead of time. There’s another blog post dedicated to it, but here’s a sneak peek: your punch determines which Pokémon you train. Intrigued?
Finally, the morning of the party is all about those last-minute touches—filling Salad Pokéballs and styling the focal table, where Wyatt’s eager hands are always ready to help.
The Morning of the Party
Throughout the planning process, I kept a checklist to ensure nothing was forgotten. It included everything from sourcing ingredients to prepping the food the night before. My trusty notebook was filled with doodles and notes, a testament to the creative process that goes into making each party unique and memorable.
With the food ready and the decorations in place, all that was left was to enjoy the day. Seeing Cash’s eyes light up as he discovered each themed snack was the highlight for me. It’s those little moments of joy that make all the planning worthwhile and remind me why I love creating these magical experiences.
And then, the moment of truth: our birthday boy wakes up, sees the party come to life, and it’s all worth it. #worthit
Snag the Party Signs & Centerpieces!
Energies Party Printables | Training Game Stations, Scorecards, Name Game
Centerpieces | 5 Energies, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic | CARDSTOCK
Snag the Cake & Cupcake Toppers
Energies Cupcake Toppers | Superhero Birthday Party Decorations, Superhero Baby Shower | GLITTER
CUSTOM Cake Topper | 3 PIECES | Two Line Word Weld, Level, Number | CARDSTOCK
Take a tour through this whole Party!
Shop All My Pokemon Party Decorations on Etsy
Shop this Party on Amazon
Shop our party remnants on Poshmark
Pre-loved Pokemon Birthday Party Remnants on Poshmark
Shop Etsy Listings from this Party:
Until next time, Gym Masters!
Plan a Party with Me!
It’s sort of my thing…
See all our past Birthday Parties and visit the Etsy Shop to plan your own! The Vintage Event on Etsy
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