Four Inexpensive Birthday Party Ideas for Your Kid

Let’s face it: Throwing a kid’s birthday party can be more stressful than it is fun, sometimes. First, there’s the guest list. Determining who to invite and who to leave off can take hours of deliberation and even then we still wonder if we got it right or have offended anyone. Then, there’s the issue of cost. A recent survey revealed that the average cost of throwing a birthday party for your child will set you back around $500, and that’s definitely not chump change.

While there’s nothing wrong with lavishing your children with the best cake, ice cream and entertainment that money can buy, why not think a little outside of the box this year? Doing so may pleasantly surprise your brood, up your “cool parent” reputation in the neighborhood, and even save you a little money along the way. Today, let’s take a look at four alternative birthday party ideas that are anything but expected or expensive.

1. Have a children’s museum playdate.

Sure, you could rent out the museum party room, but that could cost you significantly, even if you’re a member. Instead, invite a few of her friends to check out everything the facility has to offer. Before you head out, hit a local bakery and grab cupcakes for everyone to celebrate the big event. That way, you won’t need a designated room to throw your party in, and you can usually cut corners by buying your baked sweets in bulk, say by the dozen. To keep the party going, invite everyone back to your house for a movie and some microwaveable popcorn. They’ll love the excitement and the stimulation, and you’ll love the price tag.

2. Book an escape room tour.

It’s no secret that escape rooms have surged in popularity in recent years, and for good reason. Geared more toward adults and older kids (think 12 years old and up), they offer the opportunity for participants to build teamwork skills, critical thinking abilities and patience. They’re also just downright fun! While inviting everyone in her classroom to such an event might not be incredibly cost-effective, so long as you keep the guest list manageable, escape room parties can be great alternative to the traditional kids’ birthday celebration. As an incentive, offer an extra cupcake or other baked good to the team that gets out first!

3. Go on a scavenger hunt.

Kids of all ages love a good adventure and a scavenger hunt is the perfect way to keep them occupied and entertained, all while using standard, household good that you don’t have to go out and buy. Focus on centering the hunt around your child’s interest to make it more appealing to him. For instance, does he love trucks? Hide some of his plastic toy trucks around the house and give him and his friends clues about where to find them. Or, does she love a certain book or television character? Rent a few books that feature the character from your local public library and hide those, along with a clue list. Your child and his friends will love the thrill of the hunt!

4. Take a day trip.

Even if you can’t afford to stay overnight somewhere, take a day to simply get out of the house with your family. A general rule of thumb is to keep your destination to somewhere you can get to in two hours or less. Otherwise, you’ll spend a majority of the time driving. From a big cityscape to a fort or a farm, there are likely plenty of things to see and do in your general radius. Hop online and perform a quick Google search to see if any events are happening close by (the Facebook Events page is also a great resource for this), and then plan your simple itinerary. Remember, not every single second of the day needs to be jam-packed and scheduled the the hilt. Leave in plenty of wiggle room to make sure everyone is happy and no one becomes overly tired by the afternoon.

While this list isn’t exhaustive, it can help get your creative juices flowing and help you think of your own personalized approach to birthday parties for your children. At the end of the day, their big day is special because of the time spent with family, loved ones, and friends and as long as there’s plenty of that, everything else will fall into place.