[USER]

Theres 2 parts to my question:

1) Tips to host a birthday party on a tight budget?

I don’t have a lot of money to work with rn, but I will have about $150 towards my son’s 5th birthday.

So far I have this:
– huge indoor trampoline park (w his cousins and friend)
– dad’s house for pizza, BBQ, cake & open presents

What do I add to the day to make it more special? On a tight budget. What are some party activities/games that we could introduce so the kids have fun?

[Kaelyn]

Honestly, I think this is awesome as is for a 5-year-old.

[Dana]

Think old fashioned fun!

Water balloons, pin the tail on the donkey, piñata filled with candy, maybe some games like Go Fish, Old Maid, do a craft project, water guns, sprinklers and slip n slide.

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[Angel]

Musical chairs, chalk for the side walk, water ballon figh+, arts & crafts. Coloring pages can easily get arts & crafts stuff from dollar tree.

My sons 5th was arts & craft them we did puppets with brown paper bags and other items all from dollar tree.

[Clare]

It’s sounds like a great day already!

[Rachel]

I used a formula when I planned kids’ parties. Your budget of $150 is more than enough.

1. Go to a park, as Cynthia said. It’s typically very affordable to reserve a park shelter.

2. Start with a craft related to the party theme or a favorite movie, character, color, etc. Dollar Tree has tons of craft supplies. This serves as their party favor.

3. Food – this can be as simple or creative as you want. Try to incorporate some protein to offset the sugar from the cake.

4. Physical Activity – this can be a game, a themed scavenger hunt, bubble wands, anything to work out the energy. I once hosted a kite party, and gave all the kids kites from Dollar Tree. They had a blast!

5. Open presents – gather the kids for the main event. Make sure the birthday kid says thank you after each present.

6. When guests leave, kid individually says goodbye to each guest and thanks them for coming. I had my daughter hand her guests a fun thank-you sticker on their way out.

I never spent more than $100-$150 when my daughter was in elementary school! As long as kids are having fun, they do not care about big, fancy stuff.

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[Cynthia]

We’ve had all my son’s birthday parties at the park. Free and I provide snacks and cake.

[Angela]

He’s 5, bbq hotdogs and chips soda or cool aid cake and ice cream , party hats, a movie, friends! a small bag of mixed candy for his friends when they leave, he’s 5 maybe a slip and slide. after the hotdogs. save your money, ask him what he remembers about his 4th birthday.

[Kathleen]

Hot potato, musical chairs, egg race with wooden spoons, pin the tail on “something” (poster board with a hand drawn “something”), water sponge relay, unwrap the gift (a gift wrapped a million times in different paper and boxes – each person gets to unwrap a layer – the last to open keeps the prize). Totally go to a dollar store for inexpensive prizes.

Have cupcakes or cookies and let everyone decorate their own.

[Author]

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