Kids Birthday Parties Can Be Cost Effective
By Nan Gibbons
Back in the day, birthday parties were all about friends and family getting together to play games, stuff their faces with cake and ice cream, and go crazy opening a whole bunch of presents. Sounds awesome, right?
Those days are gone. Sort of.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the line that simple — yet perfect — birthday bash transformed into making reality shows about an out-of-control spending spree straight out of the Paris Hilton or Tyco playbook, with poor, harried parents feeling like someone’s going to call child protective services if they don’t spend at least $30K to honor the fact that their kid was born on a certain day a certain number of years ago.
Not only is this silly, it’s completely unnecessary. After all, what parts of a birthday party will your child remember most when he’s older — the fabulous setting in Lincoln Square Garden or the friends and family that showed up because they love him?
To create a rocking birthday party that everyone will enjoy, you really only need three things:
1. Cake, candles and ice cream
2. A few fun activities
3. People that like your kid and vice versa
Here are some great ideas that combine these simple components to create an unforgettable birthday party that won’t break the bank.
Day Trips
Grab a couple of your son’s or daughter’s best buddies and pack up the minivan for a day trip to a nearby city. For instance, if you live near Chicago, hit the town for a day and visit a variety of kid-friendly sites. Seek out fun, free and low-cost destinations like parks and playgrounds, and plan ahead to get coupons for deals on the best Chicago attractions. Some are always free — the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Navy Pier — while others offer free admission on certain days — the North Park Village Nature Center and the dinosaur-filled Field Museum.
Creative and Interactive House Parties, Whodunit Style
For older kids, why not plan a whodunit mystery themed party? These role-playing games — perfect for kids from ages 9 to 17 — turn your party into a wagon train, jewel heist, spy game or haunted house. Participants dress up and assume various roles, from cowboys to international men of mystery, in order to solve a crime, triumph over evil or brave a night in a spooky haunted mansion. Most games are designed for 10 to 20 players and cost less than $40.
Themed Parties
Younger kids will love a theme party. Choose whatever obscure topic your child is most into at the moment — trains, cowboys, sports, dinosaurs, fashion design — and create a party that incorporates their interests. You don’t even need to spend a ton of money; a trip to your local dollar store should do. For a superhero party, buy some plain masks and let the kids decorate them. Make a few capes from colorful towels and turn your backyard or basement rec room into the Bat Cave; don’t forget to ask dad to be The Joker! If your kiddo is into pirates, tape a bunch of big appliance boxes together and let the guests turn it into a pirate ship.
Scavenger Hunts
Kids of all ages love scavenger hunts; best of all, these fun games are inexpensive and keep everyone moving. Fun ideas include clues written on puzzle pieces, hiding clues inside of balloons or piñatas, writing clues with lemon juice (it’s invisible until you heat it up) or for older kids, a geo-caching scavenger hunt that uses compass or map directions or a GPS. You can hide everything from prizes to loot bags to the cake — whatever it takes to keep the guests busy and happy!
Time to Party
With these few ideas, along with your birthday basics, you’ll throw an intimate, unforgettable and cost-effective party. Swap tips with other parents, collectively scoff at the $30,000 parties on TV and stay focused on what really matters when it comes to celebrating birthdays!
About the Author: Nan Gibbons is the proud single mother of her three-year-old son Reid. As a licensed nutritionist and personal trainer, she owns and operates her own personal training business in San Diego. In their free team, Nan and Reid enjoy exploring the beach with their lab mix Cody, putting together puzzles, and having healthy cooking adventures.
Nan’s website is www.EatBreatheBlog.com. “Our mission is simple: Give everyone a place to share their health and wellness stories, triumphs, and failures. When making a lifestyle change, it is so comforting to reach out to other people in the same boat. Getting tips from the “been theres, and done thats” can make those unbearable days a little easier to handle. At EatBreathBlog we are suckers for anything related to dieting and fitness. In fact, we spend way too much money each month on massages, hair products, diets, food, fitness equipment, personal trainers, and gym memberships. We started EatBreatheBlog.com as an opportunity to share experiences, and also allow others to provide honest stories and feedback on health and wellness products they have tried. We are happy to have a great team of friends and writers that write for us on the regular basis and help me maintain our blog!”
