One of the many unexpected costs of parenting is throwing a birthday party. I had no clue how many hundreds of dollars those bouncy places charge until I became a parent. Whether you host it at home or at a kid friendly venue, the costs can really add up.
Both of my kids have summer birthdays so I have been a bit luckier to be able to have outdoor parties. Though, living in the Seattle area, it’s basically always a gamble when it comes to weather.
One of the most cost-efficient and fun parties I threw was a Lego-themed party for my son when he turned seven.
Here are a few tips on how to make it super memorable while not spending a ton of money.
Party favors: I do not like party favors. Bags of crummy candy or tiny plastic thingamajigs. I don’t think party favors are necessary but I found these Lego bracelets and couldn’t pass them up. A pack of 60 for only $12 on Amazon! You could also use them as prizes for games instead of party favors.
Customize your own plates: I bought Dollar Store plates and then my son and I drew Lego faces on them. It was super cute!
Game: Don’t over-complicate it. I had one game that I named “guess how many Lego pieces”. The kids loved it and all I did was simply put a certain number of Legos into a small vase I already had at home…so basically it cost me nothing except a small prize I bought for the kid with the closest guess.
Simple decorations: This hand sanitizer was the item I got the most compliments on. I stuck Lego pieces into hand sanitizer. It was adorable and great because the kids wanted to use it a ton.
My son and I also made a utensil holder out of Legos, which was super fun. Legos we already had at home and Dollar Store forks. Brilliant.
The other way I made this party cost efficient was that I held it right after school on a Friday at the park across the street from our school. This meant only providing foods like Goldfish crackers and fruit snacks versus an entire meal for all the kids. It was a perfect thing to do after school on a Friday before calendars are busy going into the weekend.
Pinterest was my friend for these ideas and it made me realize there are ways to get out of spending hundred of dollars on a birthday party. The kids don’t care what they do as long as they are together being crazy. You can do that in a park for free or spend a bit more for an inside venue that includes a little more organized chaos.
Either way, try to just celebrate your kiddo turning another year older without driving yourself crazy.
What’s the best frugal birthday party you’ve ever thrown?
RELATED:
I Don’t Throw Birthday Parties for My Kids (But I Do This Instead)
Budget-Friendly Unicorn Birthday Party
Five Birthday Party Ideas that Require Minimal Planning
