Let’s talk about birthday parties: 15 tips to simplify and still have fun

Birthday parties can be complicated and stressful. But they don’t have to be. With a little bit of planning and self-control, your child can have a super memorable party while keeping your sanity at the same time. Here’s some tips to help you out.

I love throwing a good birthday party for each of my kids. They are only little for so long and I like to take advantage of each year. However, it is possible to go overboard. There’s a fine balance. That’s why over the years of throwing party after party, I’ve set my own parameters so that I’m happy and my kid is happy. Check it out.

Tip #1: Set a budget

I usually tell my kids that I am not going to spend more than $100 on their birthday party. That way, when my child asks if they can take their 10 friends to Disneyland, they already know the answer. No. If $100 sounds cheap, then set a different budget. But whatever your limit is, stick to it.

Tip #2: DIY the birthday cake

Custom cakes are sooooo expensive nowadays. You can spend $100 alone just on the cake. Instead, spend $5 on cake mix and store-bought frosting and call it good. The kids honestly don’t even care. You can also drop by your local bakery right before closing time and buy a bunch of half-off donuts and make a donut cake.

Tip #3: Request no gifts

This one sounds crazy, I know. But my son recently went to a birthday party and they requested bring a can of food for the local food pantry instead of a gift. It helps your child be less greedy and focus more on just having fun.

Tip #4: Recruit help from other parents

Nothing is more stressful than trying to host a birthday party with 10 wild 8-year-olds all by yourself. Try asking one of the moms or a friend to help you out during the party. More than likely, I’m sure they’ll say yes.

Tip #5: Send e-invites

There is no reason that you need to print a bunch of birthday invitations and hand- deliver them to all of your kids’ friends. It’s just a lot of extra work. Instead, hop on Etsy and spend $5 to customize and text your invite to all of your guests.

Tip #6: Buy your party decorations used

People sell used birthday party decorations on Facebook Marketplace all the time. That’s because they spent a fortune buying them even though they know they are never going to use them again. My son wanted a Mario birthday party and I bought an entire box of decorations on Facebook for $20. It saved me so much money.

Tip #7: Limit the guest list

Sometimes, birthday parties are so stressful because there are so many flipping kids! Instead, tell you child that they can invite two of their very best friends. With a smaller group, they can do something a little bit more expensive and it’s way less stress on your part. My son invited two of his friends to an art studio and all of them got to have a personalized painting session. They loved it.

Tip #8: Choose an all-inclusive birthday venue

If money’s not an issue, this is a really great option. Whether it’s a bounce house, museum, local pool or arcade, there are so many places that host birthday parties. All you have to do is show up and they take care of everything. Now, if that’s not stress-free, I don’t know what is.

Tip #9: Host “friend” parties every other year

I have a lot of friends who tell their kids that they can only have a big party with their friends every other year. During the off years, they get to go out to dinner and spend time together doing something fun as a family. This works for a lot of people. But, I still like to throw a party for my kids every year, ha ha.

Tip #10: Try a birthday scavenger hunt

Every kid loves a good scavenger hunt and it’s a fun game for any birthday party. They are pretty simple to set up and everyone gets a prize at the end. If it’s cold outside, you can do an indoor scavenger hunt. Or, if you want to be really adventurous, you can do a traveling scavenger hunt.

Tip #11: Make your kids help

There is no reason why mom needs to do all of the work. Have your child help decorate, make the cake, shop for supplies and definitely clean up after that party is over. It will help them appreciate all the work that goes into planning a fun birthday party.

Tip #12: Give experiences instead of gifts

Instead of buying your kids some random toy they will forget about a week later, give them experience birthday coupons. You can give them a lunch date with mom or 30 minutes of free screen time. The possibilities are limitless and you’ll be surprised how much they like it.

Tip #13: Say no to the piñata

Kids love piñatas but they are the worst! The kids go crazy and without fail, someone always get hit really hard with the stick. It is seriously chaos and honestly the kids don’t need more candy. I started saying no to piñatas several years ago and our birthday parties have been way less stressful.

Tip #14: Skip the goody bags

Goody bags at birthday parties are pretty much an unnecessary expense. The kids are completely happy playing games, eating ice cream and having fun with their friends. If you do want to give something away at the end of the party, try handing out a simple toy light a glow stick or a squirt gun with a thank you note on it.

Tip #15: Keep it to an hour

Yep, you heard me. One hour is plenty of time to host a simple birthday party in your home. Whenever I try to host a party for longer than an hour, I find myself trying to entertain a house full of kids for the last half hour. Short and sweet, that’s my motto.

What other tips do you have to keep your birthday parties simple and stress-free? Let me know in the comments below.

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