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Birthday Party Tips

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My son’s birthday party is right around the corner so I’ve got all things party on my mind. While I love browsing Pinterest often, I just don’t have the time, patience, or money for most of the projects on there. I’ve been trying to rack my brain with creative (and cheap) ideas for my son’s birthday party, so today we’re sharing some tips with you!

cake

Destination Party.

The first thing you probably have to finalize with any party is the location! Sometimes having it at your house is the best option but not everyone has a house big enough to accommodate a large group of people. This is where you have to get creative. If your child has a summer birthday, throw the party at a local park, playground, or beach. Most parks and playgrounds will let you rent out spaces for very cheap or even free. If your child has a birthday when it’s too cold outside to have an outdoor party, move the party inside at a local museum or kids play space!

Time It Right.

A big way to save money on the party is simply by choosing the right time. It should go without saying that if you have the party right at lunch or dinner times, your guests are going to expect a big meal. If you have a party between these peak times you can simply serve punch or cake and cut your food cost down significantly.

Decorations.

Did you know that you can get amazing, fancy, mylar balloons at the Dollar Tree for a fraction of the cost you would pay elsewhere? You would be surprised at just how many awesome party decorations you can find at places like The Dollar Tree, 99 Cents Store, and my personal favorite, Target. If you’re crafty, you have the whole interweb at  your disposal and can hand make amazing decorations yourself! If you’re not really into “themed” parties, make or buy very basic decorations that you can save and use again in the future!

Food.

Food is probably the thing your guests care about the most. If you don’t want to do a lot of prep work, order pizza and have your favorite bakery make the sheet cake! Small, easy to grab food items are perfect for toddler birthday parties because little ones aren’t big eaters- they want something they can grab, eat, and continue playing with. Consider putting some ranch at the bottom of little plastic cups and then sticking carrot and celery sticks inside! Use skewers and stick fruits, candies, or donut holes on them!

Cake.

When my son turned one, we spent a small fortune on a four layer cake to feed everyone who attended his party. I learned my lesson and the next year we bought one small special “smash cake” for my son and a cheaper, large basic sheet cake for everyone else. Not into cake? Do cupcakes, cookies, or pies instead. This year I’m going to make my donut obsessed child a cake out of powdered sugar donuts. Simply layer them into a tower and put candles on top!

Entertainment.

Be it a bounce house, games, or a clown, having some kind of entertainment for the kids at the party is always a good idea! Do a bean bag toss, pin the tail on the donkey, or get a piñata. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just creative and fun!

Goodie bags.

What’s a party without a little something special for each of the kids to take home? I’ve always liked the idea of giving the kids a box of crayons, a coloring book, or a small book instead of a goodie bag full of prizes that will probably see the trash the next day.

Invitations.

With how big social media is, the easiest way to invite people to your child’s party is probably through a massive Facebook e-vite. You can also create e-vites online through many different sites and email them to your guests. Or, stop by your local Hallmark store, pick out the cutest invitations you can find, and mail them out old school status! You could even create your own!

Have you planned a party for your children recently? What were some tips that you would share with others to make their party planning easier? Please leave us a comment and share!

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jess fritzges

Monday 14th of April 2014

I just did my son's first & attended my friend's son's second. Give yourself more time than you think you need to set up. Be mindful of all people attending, we had to leave the party early because my son was starving! Party started at 2 and no food until 5 and it was not baby friendly :( I also did goody bags by age because family of various ages was there. I just used opaque bags with names.

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