The older we get, the more most of us want to just forget about our birthdays. But for kids, turning a year older is a very special event. And such a special event deserves a party.
Some parents pull out all the stops for their kids’ birthday parties, spending tons of money on decorations and gifts, hiring entertainment, and inviting every child in the vicinity. But all that’s not necessary to properly celebrate a little one’s birthday. In fact, if you go overboard, your child is more likely to be overwhelmed by it all than to have a good time.
Here are a few tips for throwing a fun party at very little expense.
Limit the number of guests that you invite. A good rule of thumb is to invite one guest for each year of the child’s age. The fewer guests you have, the less chaos there will be, and the less you will have to spend on food and favors.
Have the party at home. This shouldn’t be a problem if you’ve limited the number of guests, and it will save you quite a bit of money as opposed to reserving a park shelter, skating rink or section of a restaurant. Plus you won’t have to be rushed while decorating or worry about forgetting to bring something important.
Make your own invitations. You can print them out on the computer or use scrapbooking supplies that you have on hand.
Look to friends and family to provide entertainment. You could have your cousin dress up as a clown, get your brother to do a magic act, or ask a friend to bring his collection of exotic pets. They may give you a lower price than you would pay elsewhere, let you barter some of your skills in exchange for the service, or even offer to do it absolutely free.
Bake the cake yourself instead of buying one from a store or bakery. You can find everything you need to decorate it at most grocery and discount stores. If you’re unsure of your cake decorating skills, buy some candy letters and decorations to go on it.
Skip the decorated plates, cups and napkins, and just buy plain ones instead. The themed ones are nice to look at, but they will just end up in the trash. Nobody will have a bad time just because you didn’t buy those expensive Barbie plates!
Play inexpensive games. Musical chairs is a popular party game, and you probably have everything you need to play it at home. You could also make your own pin the tail on the donkey game by drawing a tailless donkey on a piece of poster board, cutting out a tail, and putting a piece of two-sided tape on the back of it.
There’s no need to go on a spending spree for your child’s birthday party. Even if you don’t buy the fanciest decorations or spring for expensive entertainment, you can put together a party that everyone will enjoy.
