Baby budgeting expert Becky Goddard-Hill shares her tips on how to throw a fabulous children’s party without breaking the bank!

Every parent wants their child to have a wonderful birthday. Sometimes what children want and what we can afford just don’t seem to match up. However you really can throw a great birthday party on a budget. Here are my top tips:

Themes

Themes don’t have to mean buying expensive and matching tablecloths, cups, party bags, etc. Themes can be much more fun than that. If your child wants a Lego theme why not rent a Lego movie and have them build something out of Lego in small teams. If your child wants a Fairy theme why not teach them a fairy dance and have them decorate fairy cup cakes and colour in some fairy print outs..

Food

Keeping it simple saves work and money. Really, hot-dog sausages and buns followed by ice cream would please most kids. I have a friend who put her parties squarely in the middle of the afternoon 2-3.30 pm and writes ‘come for cake and a play’ on the invitations. No-one is under any illusion there going to be party food, the kids don’t mind and other parents don’t seem to either.

Cake

Cakes are wonderful to look at, great fun to blow out but you have to be honest for lots of kids their cake is a bit of a five minute wonder. Is it really worth spending a small fortune on? If somebody you know well can bake and asks what your little one would like as gift then ask for the birthday cake! I would, if at all possible, avoid getting in to the ‘what do you want on your cake?’ discussion with your little one as you then try to meet their expectations and it can be costly.

Venues

Parties at home or a in a cheap and cheerful scout hut or church hall are often your best options for price and really are ‘good enough’. Book well in advance so you don’t have to shell out for an expensive last minute venue.

Entertainment

Search your memory and online for some good old fashioned party games. I’m thinking obstacle races, egg and spoon, duck, duck goose, etc. Games don’t need prizes; a big cheer for the winner is all that is necessary and a homemade winner’s certificate always goes down well! Having a craft table, lots of toys out to play, a little tattoo to stick on or some face painting – all these things add up to a great party for little extra expense.

Party bags

Party bags are big business and filling them soon adds up. I would suggest that party bag fillers could be much less commercial. They could include a cupcake decorated by the child as a party activity. Perhaps you could include a craft made during the party too such as a pine cone pet, (googly eyes on a pine cone and a fuzzy pom pom nose.) I think party bags like these would be really valued (not just left in the car!)

Being creative, being unafraid to do it ‘differently’ and staying away from party product websites will all lead to a cheaper, more original and brilliant birthday party for your child.

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