Organising Kid’s Birthdays On A Budget
How to have a great kids party on the cheap
Hosting a children’s birthday party is without doubt one of the most challenging things that any parent will do. After all, your little ones might be the apple of your eye, but they can be pretty fussy sometimes! However, it’s important to ensure that you don’t overspend when you don’t need to, which is why we’ve put together this piece on how to host a birthday party on a budget.
Don’t overdo the invites
When the kids are at a young age, it’s sometimes tempting to invite as many of their classmates and friends around as possible: after all, who doesn’t like feeling popular? It actually makes far more sense if you’re budgeting, though, to let your son or daughter choose the five or so friends that they’d actually most want to spend time with, and to keep things a bit more low-key. It’s surprising in a way, but many of the parties where absolutely everyone is invited end up with the birthday boy or girl feeling upset that they aren’t getting enough attention! Needless to say, the less kids there are in attendance, the lower the budget will be.
Cook food yourself (where possible)
Another sure-fire way to save money on food is to do the cooking yourself. Though some foods won’t taste as good when they’re made at home (chocolate, crisps, etc) buffet foods such as vol-au-vents, sausage rolls, pizzas and the like can all be whipped up in the kitchen for a fraction of the price that they cost in shops. This also goes for the birthday cake, which really can be done far more cheaply at home without sacrificing all that chocolate-y goodness that kids love.
Knock up your own decorations
Part of the fun of a party for young children is seeing all the banners, balloons and the like dotted around the house on their special day. Fortunately, all of these sorts of things can be knocked together using multi-coloured paper, glitter and a bit of creativity. The birthday boy or girl can even get involved! Ask them if they want a particular theme, whether it be football, music or a particular TV show, then get them involved in the designs. If they’re getting exactly the type of decoration they want, they’re far less likely to be bothered if they’re not shop bought.
Spend on the things where quality really matters
Whilst many things at the party can be done on a budget, there are some areas – such as the entertainment – where you really should consider splashing the cash. For instance, if you’re looking at something like a magician (which is, incidentally, a great idea) then you’ll get a much more enjoyable performance from a genuine professional with experience in performing to both children and adults. This is important, because if kids think that they’re being pandered to by a moderately skilled performer, they’ll be very vocal in their disappointment. There’s also half a chance they’ll know how some of the more the amateurish tricks are done, leading to a lot of embarrassment all round!
About Author
Ed Harris is keen entertainment blogger and childrens entertainer at The Partyman Company, the leading children’s entertainers in Surrey and the south of England. When Ed’s not spreading his words about keeping children entertained, he enjoys spending time with his family in his holiday home in South Wales.