Every parent wants their child to feel like royalty on their birthday. However, as parents get deeper into party planning, they soon learn the royal treatment can be rather costly. A party at popular activity spaces that offer, say, arcade games or indoor trampolines such as Chuck E. Cheese, Sky Zone and The Little Gym can range from $250 to $500. And that’s not always inclusive of the price of food, decorations and favors. Parents we spoke to share the cost of parties they’ve attended seemingly far exceeds $1,000 rivaling the extravagance of weddings.
Not only has inflation caused birthday party spending to skyrocket, but social media and societal pressure also contribute to excessive spending to create one-of-a-kind memorable experiences, said Colleen Carswell, former event planner and founder of DIY wedding planning course Wedco.
But a memorable celebration doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some cost-saving tricks from parents who’ve thrown affordable kids birthday parties.
Opt for these affordable kids birthday party themes and favors
1. Make entertainment serve double duty
“I skip buying favors and let a piñata make up for it. Just hand out goodie bags so the kids can collect the goodies. Instant favor.”
— Lori Callicutt, mother of 3, Asheboro, North Carolina
2. Plan a playdate
“I always have my children’s birthday parties at home and keep them small by only inviting close friends and their children minus favors. I don’t plan things to do and rely on the kids just playing as they would on a regular play date. I spend about $100 on everything including themed plates, cups, drinks décor, snacks, and cake. We usually also order a pizza or two for maybe $40. It’s usually about 10 kids and because cake and presents aren’t an everyday thing, it’s still a special occasion for them.”
— Amanda Melrose, mother of 3, West Granby, Connecticut
3. Let the kids be the entertainment
“We had a theater drama part in the backyard for 12-year-old girls to [put on a performance]. We saved money by using props and clothes we already had and wrote the scenes. It was hilarious.”
— Joy W., grandmother of 2, New Jersey
4. Employ the BYO method
“We had an outdoor camping theme for my son last year and saved on having to rent chairs by having everyone BYOC — bring your own camping chair. We also had a make your own s’mores bar, which doubled as a snack and a favor.”
— Kristen Revel, mother of 2, Sayreville, New Jersey
5. Give the gift of literacy
“I buy book [box sets] and pass them out as favors, which ends up being much cheaper than your average favor.”
— Sylvia Clark, mother of 2, London, England
Get creative with birthday party resources
6. Go old school with invitations
“I designed and printed my own unicorn invitations using Google Doc and clip art to be handed out to my daughters classmates in school.”
— Melanie Anderson, teacher and mother of 2, Winona, Minnesota
7. Lean on community resources
“The kids are more than happy to play at the playground, saving up to hundreds of dollars on venue hire or indoor play space.”
— Sarah Brooks, mother of kids age 7 and 4, Australia
“In the summer, we rent out a gazebo in the park near a playground. During the winter, we reserve space in a church that has an indoor playground. Neither are free options, but both end up being much cheaper than renting a bounce house or large party room at a hall.”
— Elizabeth Manly, certified teacher and founder of Discovery Play with Littles, Goshen, Indiana
8. Ask your village
“Join your local Buy Nothing Group on Facebook. The moms in my neighborhood group are always giving away left-over decor like balloon garlands and themed items.”
— Kiersten Saunders, mother and co-author of “Cashing Out,” Smyrna, Georgia
9. Find a birthday twin
“We have a close family friend who always celebrates her daughter’s birthday just two days before our twins. We usually reuse all of her decorations that are relevant to our birthday theme such as balloons, banners, streamers party hats, yard signs, disposable cake stands, photo booth props and more. Instead of throwing them out right after the party, she is more than happy for me to upcycle.
A day prior to my girls’ party I make sure I got everything I need by doing some last-minute shopping, eliminating to buy anything in excess that would only get tossed later.”
— Liz Millan, mother of two, Australia
10. Plan ahead
“I start planning three to four months in advance so I have time to slowly acquire things that go on sale. I also use the Honey web extension, a tool that automatically adds available discount codes to your online cart. [It also] adds things to a watchlist as well as Amazon so I’m notified of sales and price drops on necessary party supplies.”
— Amanda Barrett, mom and newborn photographer, Nashville, Tennessee
Cut corners on birthday party food
11. Skip the big meals
“After attending a few catered birthday parties and watching a lot of the food remain uneaten, I decided to serve snacks at my daughter’s last birthday party. The chips, fruit, meat and cheese were enjoyed, and no one seemed upset about not having a meal. Plus, it’s easier and more cost-effective to adhere to any dietary needs of the kids.
I also made most of the snacks myself including meat and cheese skewers which is cheaper than a charcuterie platter and a tray of the popular Australian treat, Fairy Bread, which is white bread with butter and sprinkles.”
— Lanie van der Horst, mother of two, Florida
12. Get creative with presentation
“Rather than buy expensive fancy platters, I experiment with making shapes out of fruits and sandwiches and arrange different colored lollipops on a tray for an eye-catching spread.”
— Elizabeth Mitchell, single mom and early childhood teacher
13. Allow guests to DIY
“We did a simple make-your-own sub sandwich bar. The basic sub platters at sub shops in my area were priced at over $130, and that wasn’t in the budget. This was
especially true because I would need more than one platter to feed our guests. I was able to get an abundance of ingredients at the grocery store for less than $100 and guests enjoyed making subs their way.”
— Leah Buehler, mother and professional cookie decorator, Snohomish, Washington
14. Go straight to dessert
“I always have my children’s birthday parties between lunch and dinner. This way, I don’t need to splurge on expensive food. I only serve ice cream and cake, which is usually enough because kids are not too hungry during those hours.”
— Brandon Walsh, father of two, Caledonia, Michigan
The bottom line: Remember what kids really want
As Carswell notes, “We as parents care far more about the trinkets, treats and themed decor. Kids just want to have fun.”
Her tip: Ditch everything customized. Give the kids a budget, head to the party store as a family, and have them pick out what they are happy with regardless of how mismatched it is. Then, if anyone asks about any eyebrow-raising detail, you can respond with, “Hey, it’s what the birthday boy wanted.” “It’s a great conversation starter and takes the stress off parents from feeling like they have to plan a perfectly themed party,” she writes.
Ultimately, regardless of what your budget is or how extravagant you think a kid’s birthday party should be, nothing beats seeing your kid light up with joy on their special day.