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Throwing the Best Budget Birthday Parties - August 2019
Some birthday parties are so grand they almost rival a coronation. They are expensive, time consuming and I would think very stressful to organise and host.
In reality, kids are still kids. When all is said and done they want a party that is full of fun and games, which they can share with their friends, with good food and lots of laughter.
Having your child's birthday party at home, with traditional games and party food doesn't have to be hard work, stressful or expensive.
A little planning can make having a birthday party at home a breeze.
If your child is old enough to know what a birthday party is then they are old enough to help you with the planning. Getting the birthday child involved makes the event even more special to them and it ensures that you'll give them what they want. After all it is their big day.
A good rule of thumb when planning the guest list is one guest for each year of age. For example if the birthday boy or girl is turning six then inviting six guests is great. When they turn twelve then inviting twelve guests is the plan.
Unless you have a large home or a huge back yard inviting the whole class and all the family is going to be hard work. Kids need room to run and play games, especially at a party so keeping a limit on guests will help you and make the time enjoyable.
Once you've settled on a guest list and a date for the party, be sure to send the invitations out at least two weeks before the party date. Unless you need to confirm a venue or catering, having an RSVP for three days before the party should be fine.
Themes
Having a theme to the party is fun. It also makes the party easier to plan. Having a theme sets the style of decoration, games and often food for the party. Let the birthday child choose the theme. Perhaps they have a favourite colour, sport, toy or game or even a favourite movie that you can use as the basis for the theme. To make things a little easier for you offer two or three themes for them to choose from.
Some of our favourite themes are:
Food
Your guests will be having so much fun they won't want to stop and eat. Having a selection of hot and cold finger foods will be easier for you and your guests and you'll find you have less waste too. Instead of serving lots of sweets, make the birthday cake the dessert part of your birthday feast. This will ensure that everyone gets a piece of birthday cake, you won't have cake left over for a week and you won't be busy making sweets and desserts.
Your birthday party feast can be delicious and tempting without being mainly junk food. It is possible to have healthy party food that still looks like party food.
Drinks
Make your drinks to suit the theme of your party. For instance a Pirate Party would have Precious Gem Punch, a Fairy Party could have Fairy Nectar. Parents will be grateful if you avoid lots of coloured soft drinks and cordials.
Games
Games are determined by the theme of the party. Traditional party games such as musical chairs, pin the tail on the donkey, pass the parcel and an old fashioned treasure hunt can all be adapted to suit just about any theme.
For prizes you can use things relating to the theme that you have either made or bought very cheaply. Prizes don't have to be extravagant; they just have to be a prize. For a sports theme you could have gold medals on a ribbon as the prize. A Fairy Party could have little glycerine soaps in fairy shapes as the prizes. Pencils, fancy sharpeners, little cars, stickers etc all make good prizes for party games.
Lolly Bags
I'm not sure when lolly bags became Loot Bags, but it certainly put the cost up. Whether you choose to make up old fashioned lolly bags with just lollies and a balloon or make up loot bags with lollies, balloons and small party favours you can control the cost and the contents.
What goes into your bags will be determined by the general age of the party guests. Older children may prefer fewer lollies and more trinkets. Little girls may like fancy soaps, nail polishes, pencils, sharpeners, hair jewels etc. Boys could have super balls, foam gliders, cars, plastic bugs etc.
Matching the contents to your theme carries it through to the end of the party.
Saying Goodbye
Two to two and a half hours is more than long enough for a birthday party. The last thing you want is over-excited, over-tired guests getting upset. Make sure you put an end time on your invitations and as each child is dropped off remind parents of the pick-up time.
When it's time to go, have the birthday child hand out the lolly bags and say a genuine thank you and good-bye to each guest and their parents as they leave.
One Last Thing
Saying thank-you at the door is good manners. Writing thank-you notes and sending them is also good manners. After the party, perhaps the next day, have the birthday child write thank-you notes to guests, thanking them for coming and for any gift received.
If your child is younger, you'll need to help them. In fact even if they're older you may still need to help them.
In reality, kids are still kids. When all is said and done they want a party that is full of fun and games, which they can share with their friends, with good food and lots of laughter.
Having your child's birthday party at home, with traditional games and party food doesn't have to be hard work, stressful or expensive.
A little planning can make having a birthday party at home a breeze.
If your child is old enough to know what a birthday party is then they are old enough to help you with the planning. Getting the birthday child involved makes the event even more special to them and it ensures that you'll give them what they want. After all it is their big day.
A good rule of thumb when planning the guest list is one guest for each year of age. For example if the birthday boy or girl is turning six then inviting six guests is great. When they turn twelve then inviting twelve guests is the plan.
Unless you have a large home or a huge back yard inviting the whole class and all the family is going to be hard work. Kids need room to run and play games, especially at a party so keeping a limit on guests will help you and make the time enjoyable.
Once you've settled on a guest list and a date for the party, be sure to send the invitations out at least two weeks before the party date. Unless you need to confirm a venue or catering, having an RSVP for three days before the party should be fine.
Themes
Having a theme to the party is fun. It also makes the party easier to plan. Having a theme sets the style of decoration, games and often food for the party. Let the birthday child choose the theme. Perhaps they have a favourite colour, sport, toy or game or even a favourite movie that you can use as the basis for the theme. To make things a little easier for you offer two or three themes for them to choose from.
Some of our favourite themes are:
- Fairy Party
- Barbie Party
- Beach Party
- Ice-Cream Fountain Party
- Pop Star Party
- Pirate Party
- Zoo Party
- Football Party
Food
Your guests will be having so much fun they won't want to stop and eat. Having a selection of hot and cold finger foods will be easier for you and your guests and you'll find you have less waste too. Instead of serving lots of sweets, make the birthday cake the dessert part of your birthday feast. This will ensure that everyone gets a piece of birthday cake, you won't have cake left over for a week and you won't be busy making sweets and desserts.
Your birthday party feast can be delicious and tempting without being mainly junk food. It is possible to have healthy party food that still looks like party food.
Drinks
Make your drinks to suit the theme of your party. For instance a Pirate Party would have Precious Gem Punch, a Fairy Party could have Fairy Nectar. Parents will be grateful if you avoid lots of coloured soft drinks and cordials.
Games
Games are determined by the theme of the party. Traditional party games such as musical chairs, pin the tail on the donkey, pass the parcel and an old fashioned treasure hunt can all be adapted to suit just about any theme.
For prizes you can use things relating to the theme that you have either made or bought very cheaply. Prizes don't have to be extravagant; they just have to be a prize. For a sports theme you could have gold medals on a ribbon as the prize. A Fairy Party could have little glycerine soaps in fairy shapes as the prizes. Pencils, fancy sharpeners, little cars, stickers etc all make good prizes for party games.
Lolly Bags
I'm not sure when lolly bags became Loot Bags, but it certainly put the cost up. Whether you choose to make up old fashioned lolly bags with just lollies and a balloon or make up loot bags with lollies, balloons and small party favours you can control the cost and the contents.
What goes into your bags will be determined by the general age of the party guests. Older children may prefer fewer lollies and more trinkets. Little girls may like fancy soaps, nail polishes, pencils, sharpeners, hair jewels etc. Boys could have super balls, foam gliders, cars, plastic bugs etc.
Matching the contents to your theme carries it through to the end of the party.
Saying Goodbye
Two to two and a half hours is more than long enough for a birthday party. The last thing you want is over-excited, over-tired guests getting upset. Make sure you put an end time on your invitations and as each child is dropped off remind parents of the pick-up time.
When it's time to go, have the birthday child hand out the lolly bags and say a genuine thank you and good-bye to each guest and their parents as they leave.
One Last Thing
Saying thank-you at the door is good manners. Writing thank-you notes and sending them is also good manners. After the party, perhaps the next day, have the birthday child write thank-you notes to guests, thanking them for coming and for any gift received.
If your child is younger, you'll need to help them. In fact even if they're older you may still need to help them.
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