Birthday parties on the cheap

If you are a parent to a child under 10, chances are that you have spent many a Saturday shuttling your child from one birthday party to another.  Chuck E. Cheese, the local karate or pottery studio, the pool party at the YMCA....you name it.  Or perhaps it's the party at someone's house, complete with a musician, a magician or a rented 8' moonbounce, popcorn machine and a guy who makes swords and dogs out of balloons.

And on the way home, you heard the dreaded "Mom, k'nihav a party like that?".  It's hard not to give in to that pressure...truth be told, that's the reason that we re-joined the local YMCA this past May (but at least we paid cash for the yearly membership). 

If parties like that are in your budget and you want to throw a party for your child on that scale, then knock yourself out.  But if you find yourself wondering if you really need to buy toilet paper the week of the party, because all your money is going to the party, then it's time to scale it back a bit.

Perhaps you’ve been thinking about trying something different for your child's next birthday bash—something a little less chaotic and more affordable. Instead of booking a high-priced venue that comes with a hefty bill and pressure to outdo the neighbors, consider a spot like The Fort Worth Event Center. It’s a great place to host a party that doesn’t break the bank but still offers plenty of space for fun. Plus, you won’t be left wondering if you should skip the grocery store to pay for party extras.

The first big expense to cut?  Location....have it at home.  Sure this is easier in the warmer months because you can send the kids outside to play, but there are plenty of ways to keep the kids occupied even when it is raining or snowing. For a unique twist, why not transform your backyard with Glamping tents? These luxurious tents provide a cozy and exciting atmosphere for the kids, turning your home into an outdoor adventure spot. With a little creativity, you can throw a fantastic birthday party on a budget.

Have a costume party:  if they are boys, have them dress in their favorite Superhero costume.  If girls - have a Princess Party.  If both?  Princess & Pirate party time!  Then just let the kids play!  It may sound like nothing special, but but I have been to 2 parties like this and the kids had a ball for over 2 hours doing nothing but role-playing!

Set up activity centers for the kids, complete with prizes:  Prizes can be bought cheap.  A pack of 12 Spiderman or Cinderella pencils can be bought for $1.  Hand-stampers can be bought in 12-packs at the Dollar Store.  Grab some markers, crayons, stickers brown paper lunch bags and let the kids decorate their own goody bags.  Print off coloring sheets from your favorite childrens website and award prizes for the best coloring job (but make sure that they all get some sort of prize at each station).  Grab a few bags of inexpensive beads and yarn at the craft store and let them make their own necklace or fob for their backpack.  Get some cheap modeling clay at the craft store or the Dollar Store and let their imagination go wild!

Have a "Sorry", "Trouble" or "Uno" competition:  Sure, you may think that these are just the things that you buy for keeping your kids occupied on a rainy day.  But borrow a few extra copies of games from friends and set them up on tables.  Just don't get offended if it seems that your son is having more fun playing them with their friends than they do with you!

Save time, effort & money on the cake and put the kids to work making their own:  Two boxes of cake mix, a batch of homemade frosting, some character cupcake liners and an assortment of sprinkles can go long way towards keeping the kids occupied.  Make sure you plan on at least 3 cupcakes per person.  In addition to eating their cupcake (or 2) at the party, you want them to have one that they can proudly show their parents at pickup!

What are some of your ideas for inexpensive birthday parties?