Children's Birthday Party Ideas
With Corinna Homer
Children's Birthday Party Ideas
The key to creating a unique birthday party on a budget is to
keep it super simple.
You can do it much cheaper these days with $2 Shops and access to a
lot supplies that we never used to get very easily.
Choose one or two key components and focus on that.
For example, I hosted a MOVIE PARTY for my sons birthday. I
borrowed a screen and projector from my work, played Diary of a
Wimpy Kid, gave them all popcorn in popcorn boxes from Looksharp
(Discount store in Auckland and at
www.looksharpstore.co.nz), plastic cups of
lollies, cheap drinks from the supermarket, and had a hotdog
station with cheerios, cheese, sauce, and mini rolls for them
to make their own hotdogs. We played music at the end for a
dance comp and statues and that was it!
Here are some other cool themes you can do on a budget:
o Disco Party
o Circus Party
o Beauty salon party
Decorations
Balloons and Bunting are great. I have made one lot of
bunting and it comes out for EVERYTHING and instantly transforms a
space into a party. Balloons are cheap!
Getting kids to come in costume is also fun and doesnt really cost anything. $2 Shop paper lanterns with ribbons hanging down fill the space and look great!
Goodie Bags
You dont need to go over the top with goodie bags even one $2 cheap
toy would be cool.
I usually do balloons, lollies, and some cheap toys.
If you do want to get creative think outside the square - For my daughters disco party, we gave the guests CDs with a playlist of all her favourite songs.
If you must do goodie bags, then have a think about cheap ways to go - a gift that means something to the child even a cool picture that your child has done, with THANKS FOR COMING, that you have colour photocopied and put in $2 shop frame! Another fun idea for a circus party, give everyone moustaches and clown noses at the end!
Games
For games, I am a big fan of getting rid of the energy, so statues,
air guitar, dance competitions are all goodies that need little
preparation!
If the kids are a bit older and able to be settled making something like cupcake decorating, or making the moustaches for a circus party is fun too. But under 8-10 years dont expect the kids to still still for long and be super engaged.
Food
Keep it simple - kids barely touch the food. I like little boxes
for each kid otherwise good old chippies, cheerios, fairy bread if
you want to be super creative, spend your energy on the cake!
You dont need to have a LOT of food think about one kid and what they would realistically eat (including the cake) one hot item, one lot of lollies, popcorn to fill their tummies up and a drink - and that was it!
You can simply make a cheese board for the parents to nibble on.
Ideas for gifts
I generally spend $10 - $15 on a gift and these days, it
generally is such a flurry of craziness that the children forget
what they have been given, and who gave them gifts, so a token
present is all that is required as long as its gift wrapped and is
age appropriate, you can get great things from places like The
Warehouse.
Dont spend too much if you do, it can embarrass the parents!
The CD mix-tape of favourite music is also a neat idea it doesnt
cost much and people keep them and play them for ever!
Websites like Pinterest are brilliant for getting ideas but it
really is about choosing a great theme, executing just one
component really well like the music for a disco party, a big
screen for a movie party, etc. You dont have to do EVERYTHING to
have a great party. Just having a hotdog station where kids can
make their own food is super fun.
Have your party at Baby Loves Disco! Check out the website for more information!
(Broadcast 10 July 2012)
