How to Plan a Child's Birthday Party on a Budget

With careful planning, you can throw a party that kids will love - and they won't even notice that you did it on the cheap.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Party Games
• Invitations
• Birthday Candles
• Party Decorations
• Prizes
• Birthday Cakes
• Party Food

1. Decide what you can afford to spend on the party. Stick to it.

2. Pick an inexpensive location. Parks and backyards are perfect for large groups of kids - they're free, and there's plenty of room to have fun.

3. Decide what games, if any, you'll invite kids to play. Bring out the old favorites, like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, duck-duck-goose, red light/green light, musical chairs or Simon says. Or get more ideas by talking to other parents, checking a party games book out of the library, or searching the Web.

4. Make a piñata, if you have time (see Related eHows). While store-bought piñatas can be expensive, making one yourself doesn't cost much, as long as you fill it with inexpensive treats. Plus, it's a fun activity for you and the kids to do together in advance.

5. Decide what food you will serve. Try to make most of the food yourself, including the cake. Enlist the aid of the guest of honor, as well as any siblings.

6. Purchase any premade foods in bulk, and remember that kids are usually happy with inexpensive foods like hot dogs and pasta salad. Have plenty of snacks such as goldfish crackers and pretzels on hand, too. For vegetables, go for baby carrots and celery sticks.

7. Serve juice, punch or soda from large bottles, rather than offering individual containers.

8. Write and give out invitations. Handwritten or computer-generated invitations work well and add a personal touch to the party. If you like, you can even give them out by hand and save a few dollars on stamps. Or, if your child's friends all have e-mail addresses, consider using an online service such as Evite.com.

9. Buy decorations, game prizes, paper goods and candy from close-out or discount stores. Or ask friends if they have any paper goods left over from parties they have thrown.

10. Try incorporating some items you already have on hand as part of the decorations. For example, if your child is a fan of trains, set up her toy train set around the perimeter of one of the tables.

11. Use paper lunch bags as goodie bags. As a fun activity, have the guests decorate them at the party. Fill them with candy bought in bulk, and think about buying some low-cost gifts in quantity as well - stickers, inexpensive yo-yos, and so forth.

Tips & Warnings

• If your child wants to go somewhere expensive, such as an amusement park, have him or her invite just one special friend.
• If you hand out invitations personally, don't have the guest of honor do it in a play group or classroom situation. Not only does this result in lost invitations, it can hurt the feelings of children who are not invited.

[tammiemozelle]

on 10/25/2009 thanks a bunch

on 3/6/2006 You can have games coordinated with the theme of the party. For my nephew's Batman party I revised the game Card Elimination. Divide the play area into 4 using chalk, mark Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs one in each square, play music and the kids dance. When the music stops they should stand in any square, the organizer should have a pack of playing cards and should choose a card from the pack, the kids standing in that particular suite is out and has to sit out.
Here, instead of the cards, I used Batman, Robin, Joker and Penguin to mark the squares and folded sheets of paper with these names on them and put it in a box for choosing.

on 11/22/2005 My three year old for her four year old party wants a pirate party. I thought I would share some ideas I have came up with.

The invitations are going to be a map! A map with a list of times and dates included. Than a little informal map on how to get to my house. We plan to burn the edges and soak the paper in tea for an aged look. I have also been told varnishing the paper will work. Hand deliver them. On the day of the party we will have a treasure hunt! I ordered a pretty and inexpensive mock treasure trunk for 19.99 online! I am filling it with goodies from a Dollar General store. They have 10 for a dollar treats, cheep stickers, pencils and things to that effect.

on 11/22/2005 McDonald's will throw a child's party for you complete with cake, sundaes, decorations, goodie bags and a gift for the guest of honor for as little as $70 for 10 children. All you have to do is show up. They take care of everything.

on 11/22/2005 Wrap McDonald's Happy Meal toys and put them in a basket. Use them as prizes. Everyone can get a prize!!