As parents, we show up for our kids, and we love to celebrate them. It can be hard to know what to splurge on, though, when the price of food, gas, energy and most other things continues to rise.
Birthdays are a wonderful opportunity to show our babies just how special we know they are and shower them with love. But the party? It can be a stressor for us as parents.
Focusing on children ages younger than 5, here are some suggestions on how to create a birthday party for your kiddo that is oh so fun and special, but also is budget conscious.
Step by Step
1. Pick a theme.
With young children, you may be able to pick a theme for your kiddo that will lend itself to simpler or more budget conscious decorating. Either way, a theme will help focus the decorating.
Use your version of a local dollar store as much as possible when it comes to the decorating and activities. Look for a “buy-nothing” group for your neighborhood on Facebook. Sometimes, members offer slightly used decorations for free.
There are many different ways to keep a party entertaining on a budget. Have a movie party: Hang a sheet on the side of your house or building to serve as the screen for projecting a movie.
Set up different stations with activities that match the theme. Have a coloring station where there are printed out coloring pages that match the theme. Create a cupcake decorating station with different colors of frosting and candy decorations.
Keeping the party short, 1.5- 2 hours, will also decrease the number of activities you need to prepare for the children.
2. Next, the invitations.
There are a few options here. If you feel strongly about having physical invitations, find a template online and look into printing at the library if you don’t have access to a printer at home or work.
Digital invitations work, too! Design an invitation using Canva’s free option and email or text them to the other parents.
It’s OK to keep the guest list on the smaller side when kids are small. As they grow and make friends, you can ask who specifically they’d like to have at the party.
3. Find a location.
Where will the party take place? This is where the cost tends to sky rocket. You don’t have to rent a bounce house or an arcade for the kids to have a good time.
Lots of public parks allow individuals to reserve a gazebo with tables and benches. Children can run around and enjoy the playground.
You could use a back yard or a courtyard area. In my area, a lot of apartment complexes allow residents to reserve a clubhouse. Community centers might have free or low-cost event spaces.
4. When to party?
We are going to be strategic about the timing of our parties. We are looking at mid- morning or mid-afternoon. That way, we are not responsible for feeding everyone a whole meal. Instead we will opt for a table of easy snacks and dessert.
For those goodie bags, let’s buy candy in bulk and split it up into smaller decorative bags we will buy at the dollar store.
It can feel daunting, attempting to throw a birthday party for the most special individual in our lives! Hopefully with a few of these suggestions, there will be a little less weight on your shoulders this year.
Sophie Hamel is a freelance writer and works in advocacy for victims of interpersonal violence. Her son is two-and-a-half years old.
Luminous removes the hassle of arranging for tuition vouchers and helps make childcare affordable. Vouchers can help ease your financial stress. Learn more about qualifying for HRA and ACS vouchers at our Bronx and Brooklyn centers. Payment can also be made by SEIU/1199 Child Care, check, credit card, and through the Luminous reimbursement program. Contact Luminous Early Childhood Learning Center at [email protected] or call us at 929.228.1180.