We don’t know about you, but in our opinion, when it comes to kids’ parties, sometimes less is more. We’ve all seen extravagant parties thrown for kids who probably won’t even remember the party, let alone the location, etc. And they certainly won’t appreciate how much green was thrown around for the event.
So, since we’re all feeling the pinch lately, here are a few ideas on how to save your money, but still party like a rock star.
Location
No need to rent out one of those pricey party places. Depending on the time of year, you could hold the party at a favorite park, or even the beach. If your child’s big day falls in the colder rainy months, you could simply hold the party at home.
Parks provide free entertainment for the kids with the playground. And, you may have to get there early, but usually you can grab a few picnic tables for everyone. The beach offers, well, the beach. It’s a fun alternative to the norm and the kids will love playing in the sand and splashing with their friends.
If you host the party at your place, the kids can do art projects, play games, or simply play with your kiddo’s toys.
Rachael made a great “Go Fish” game by making a partition of flattened diaper boxes painted to look like the ocean full of fish. The “fishing pole” was a wooden dowel with a clothes pin on the end of the string.
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The kids took turns “fishing” over the partition. (Have one of the parents on the other side to pin on the prizes.) The kids all loved this one!
Invitations
Get out the craft supplies and make ‘em yourself! You could even get you kids involved. They could draw or color on one side, and Mom can write the info on the other.
Not so crafty? That’s ok too. You can easily make something on your computer or even download templates to print out. Or (gasp) you could buy them. They generally aren’t too expensive at one of those big party supply stores, so it’s not a bad splurge.
Decorations
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Once again, get out those craft supplies. Kids will love helping out on this one and will feel proud to tell all the guests. Homemade “Happy Birthday” signs and streamers can be “customized” with your child’s name and the theme, and are super cute too.
Also, a few balloons and a couple rolls of crepe paper go a long way (and are pretty cheap!). You can pass out the balloons to the guests as they leave too.
Food & Drink
If you don’t want to serve a meal, just cake, then we suggest holding your party in the afternoon. You may also want to say on the invitation “Join us for cake and ice cream” or something similar so that guests don’t show up expecting a meal.
If you do want to serve more of a meal, we have one word for you: casserole.
Keep it simple to keep it cheap. Most kids love baked mac & cheese or lasagna. You could even make enchiladas if you are feeling more adventurous. Any of these paired with simple sides like fruit, veggies and dip, or crackers and cheese make for a great kid friendly (and budget friendly!) spread.
Cake
As we see it, you have pretty much two options on this one: make it yourself or order it.
If you choose to make it, you can find many ideas for recipes and decorations online or in various cook books. You can even make cupcakes instead, which are both easier to decorate and serve (win-win!).
Should you choose to splurge a little and order a cake, we suggest shopping around. There are some great local bakeries (besides the obvious grocery store bakeries) that offer a great product at a great price.
Bethany says, “I chose to order a cake from The Indulgent Rose (a local Campbell bakery) for my daughter’s 2nd birthday party. I love baking, but I just didn’t have the time or decorating skills to get the cake we really wanted.”
Favors
is awesome for this part. You can find all sorts of little toys and stickers that you can even match to your theme. You could also try making your own unique favors. Or better yet, get the kids involved!
Art projects are always a fun activity at kids’ parties. After the party, the kids can take their creations home. Or you and your child could make cookies or crispy treats the day before. You could have your child decorate some bags to put them in. They could even practice their writing skills by putting each child’s name on them.
Saving money doesn’t always have to mean DIY, but there’s no need to bust the budget when throwing your next birthday party. If you incorporate some of these money saving ideas, you can even splurge a little here and there and still come in under budget.
Next week on The Mom Squad: Guest Mom Squad Writer, Nicole Salacain.
