When my oldest turned one, I was sure we needed to do ALL the things at his birthday party. Bounce house? Check. Big Cake? Check. Tent Rental? Check. Inviting every family member near and far, stressing to the max, overspending on a one-year-old’s birthday? Check. Check. Check.
When the dust settled, I realized something fairly quickly. My child, my one-year-old who this birthday party was for, really had no clue what lengths we had gone too. Sure, he opened all 30 of his presents. Well, he opened the first 5-10 with excitement then it became a chore to him. He preferred to play with the paper. Yes, he ate the cake and seemed to enjoy it, but it lasted only about five minutes before he wanted out of his high chair and to run around with his cousins.
I asked myself: Certainly, there is a more budget-friendly way to throw a child a birthday party, right? Perhaps one that wasn’t so draining and over the top for a one-year-old?
Well, there certainly is. Here are 5 ways I’ve found to keep my budget in check {and, yes, my kids still love ALL their parties}:
1. Host it at home.
Not paying for a venue can significantly keep it low budget. Trust me, your kid’s most significant concerns are that their friends are there and they receive presents. That’s it. If you can’t host it at your home, ask grandparents if they can host it for you. For that last two years, my mother has hosted a party for my youngest child for me. We play simple games like Donut Bobbing or the Junk in the Trunk game. They are cheap, fun, and easy.
2. Make homemade cupcakes instead of buying a cake.
Not a baker? That’s ok. Cupcakes are just as easy to bake and easy to decorate well. You can find a simple cupcake tutorial here. If you arrange them together, you can easily create simple designs like rainbows, or a star.
3. Invite only 5 of your child’s closest friends.
Listen, I know they know their entire class. But every mouth that comes to the birthday party is a mouth you have to feed. Limit them to their five closest friends. Child under school age? Invite just grandparents, siblings and one cousin. Grandparents are always eager to give gifts. Cousins and siblings are likely your child’s closest friends at this age anyway.
4. If your child’s heart is set on having the party at a playscape-type venue, ask for ways to cut cost up front.
Let the venue know the budget you are working with. Ask if hosting it on a weeknight would make it cheaper? If you supply your own food, would that cut cost? Ask if you are required to pay for adults that attend but don’t participate in what the venue has to offer? And see about getting all-inclusive packages. Packages that include food, games, desserts, and even attendee gifts are usually the best cost. There are often perks and discounts for hosting parties on specific times and days. Ask! {Check out our Mid-Michigan Birthday Party Guide here!}
5. Host it at a park for free.
Picnic tables at public parks are often first to come, first serve. Place one in the shade, put a table cloth on it, and tie balloons to each of the ends. If you decide to host it in a pavilion, you’ll likely need to contact the city or township to officially reserve it. Pavilion rentals are often still cheaper than venue hosting. Let grandparents bring a comfortable lawn chair, so you don’t run out of seating. You can even use the grills at most parks to cook hot dogs or burgers.
Bonus Tip: Keep in mind that the party is for your child, not to impress adults.
I’ve heard some really over the top stories of things parents have done in the name of “birthday parties” since I became a mom. Parties with real unicorns, reservation of entire venues, requirements of attendees to travel far for a unique destination, etc. I get it, perhaps you really want to do all that for your child, but kids can have a lot of fun on less. And they are happy with less.
When I shifted my focus to planning a birthday party that would make my kid happy and worried less about making all the adults attending, other kids, other friends happy, I began spending a lot less. And guess what? My kid always loves their birthday parties!
