So, your child’s birthday is coming up and it’s up to you to plan the party. Perhaps your child has asked you for something specific or you think it’s important to mark the occasion with a big celebration.
Children’s parties seem to get more expensive every year, so you won’t be alone in wondering where the money will come from. The truth is, most children will be happy with a few simple gestures that help to create memories. Don’t waste money on these items.
If you need to throw a kid’s birthday on a budget, here are some great ideas.
Keep Invites to a Minimum
Most young children only have a few close friends, so don’t overwhelm yourself by inviting the whole class. Ask your child to choose just two or three friends to attend their birthday and the cost will dramatically decrease for you.
A tea party in the garden is an excellent idea for girls or a movie night with buckets of popcorn will go down well with the boys.
Make Cupcakes
If you’re still worried about celebrating with the whole class, there’s a cheap way to solve that problem. It doesn’t cost much to make a cupcake for each child in your little one’s class. If any of the children have allergies, visit Simply Eggless for some amazing cake ideas.
Ask the teacher if you can bring in cupcakes on your child’s birthday and get the class to sing ‘happy birthday’ during a break. It’s the easiest way for the whole class to celebrate and you can keep up appearances with the other parents too.
Make Your Own Decorations
Why not use your kid’s artwork as part of your birthday decorations? You don’t have to spend a fortune decorating a venue for your child’s birthday. When you’re looking for budget birthday party ideas, it doesn’t get better than involving the kids in making decorations.
Not only will you end up with colorful decorations for every corner of the room, but it’s also a good way to get your child excited for the upcoming celebrations.
Budget Games
Fun and laughter come for free when you get creative with birthday games. There are plenty of games that you can play that cost little to nothing so save your money. For example, musical chairs or musical statues.
An adult plays the music and the children have to dance. When the adult randomly stops the music, the children have to freeze like a statue. Anyone that moves during the freeze is out of the game. Carry on until there’s a winner.
These simple games entertain young minds for longer than you’d imagine.
Create Your Own Buffet
Sure, you could hire caterers and make it easy on yourself, but if you want to lower costs consider creating your own buffet. Admittedly, it may take some time on the day of the party—depending on how many guests you have—but it will certainly save you money.
Sandwiches cut with cute cookie cutter shapes, chips and dip, mini sausages and a fruit punch are easy to make at home. You can also offer healthy snacks, like carrot sticks, apple slices, celery, and cucumber.
Pick an Easy Theme
When you need to think of cheap kid’s birthday ideas, don’t forget about the theme. There are plenty of themes that will help you to keep the cost down low. For example, a rainbow theme is easy when it comes to decorations, food, and cake. You could even ask guests to wear their favorite rainbow color.
Similarly, a pirate theme is easy to create. It’s not difficult to make a few eye patches and some cardboard swords that can be painted. If you know someone creative, you could even try and get a skull and crossbones flag designed.
Free Outdoor Fun
If good weather is on your side, you have even more options when it comes to free fun. There’s nothing as exciting or engaging as a treasure hunt. All you need are a few clever clues and some treasure at the end. Why not create your own treasure box and fill it with a bag of candy for each child taking part?
If you’re lucky enough to have a large garden space, you could consider a pool party. Large paddling pools aren’t expensive to pick up during the summer and it’s a great way to tire the kids out. You should never leave children unsupervised in any pool.
Ask Family to Chip In
Most children end up with a ton of gifts they don’t really want or need because family and friends are unsure of what to buy. If you know your child wants a party and family are asking what gifts to buy, tell them to chip in towards the party instead.
That way, you’ll have the option to add things to the party that will help create a memory, which is more valuable than toys.
Teddy Bear’s Picnic
If you’re planning a birthday for a toddler, you may not think a party is worth the hassle. Creating your own teddy bear’s picnic is a budget way to celebrate and do something special. You could even ask guests to pack their own picnics to keep costs down.
A few soft toys, a ball pit and some bubbles and you’ve got yourself the perfect outdoor party for a toddler. Since toddlers tire easily after fresh air and activity, it’s ideal for their age group.
Throwing a Kid’s Birthday Party Without Breaking the Bank
Organizing your kid’s birthday party shouldn’t have to break the bank. All kids want to do is have some fun and often the simpler ideas are the most entertaining.
Think about what your child would really love and try to avoid comparing your own ideas to that of other parents. If you need some more ideas on summer fun on a budget, take a look at The Outlier Model to plan the perfect summer for you and your family.
