Here are some ideas for a fun and inexpensive birthday party and a printable party planner to help you plan A Simple Inexpensive birthday party.
I have such happy memories of birthday parties from my childhood. They were simple at home parties but they were so much fun for me and my friends! Kids can have the best time at simple parties-they don’t really care how elaborate the party is. They just want to have fun!
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Of course, it is always a good idea to ask your child what is important to them. Some kids want an elaborate cake. Some want goody bags to hand out to their friends. Some want a certain kind of decoration.
If I ask my kids questions I can usually get a good idea of what things are really important to them, and what things can be eliminated or downsized. Sometimes I am surprised how simple my kids wishes are-cake and icecream go a long way for my kids. 🙂
However, if my kids ask for something that is way out of my budget or is going to take way too much time, I offer them some compromises. Usually, we can easily come up with something that we are all happy with.
Simple Birthday Party Activities (Budget Friendly!)
Here are some ideas to help you plan a really fun (and frugal) birthday party.
Coloring Activities for Kids
Coloring Pages are a fun birthday activity for kids. These safari coloring pages are a favorite for kids!
This cow coloring page can be personalized! This is a great way to help your child know that they are special.
Daisies are a trendy party theme right now. This groovy daisy placemat is a lot of fun for kids.
Ice Cream Bar
We had one of these recently at my daughter’s graduation party. Everyone loves icecream and kids love to be able to choose their own toppings! Some topping ideas include sprinkles, oreos, m & m’s, chocolate chips, magic shell, nuts, gummies, and cherries.
Fun with Foamies
Another fun idea is to have each kid decorate their own foamy door hanger. The door hangers come plain and can be decorated with markers, glitter, glue, stickers, and adhesive foamies.
Pinata Fun
Pinatas can be really fun. I remember the excitement as a kid when the candy would come out!
Play in the Yard
After the cake and icecream and presents, sometimes kids just want to play! Let them play on your outdoor swingset or start a game of tag. Waterguns can be fun too. If you are really adventurous, you can set up a scavenger hunt with prizes at the end.
Simple Decoration Ideas
Here are some super simple ways to decorate for your party. These party decorations are simple ideas that kids love and they are not too expensive!
Printable Birthday Signs
Printable Signs are so cute and they are really affordable if you buy an editable template. In my Etsy store, I have birthday signs that you can easily personalize and print out.
Birthday Decorating Kits
Here some inexpensive decorating kits I found that would make your decorating so simple:
Pink and Gold Birthday Decorations
This kit is in super cute girlie colors. I think it could work for any age.
Rainbow Colored Birthday Theme
I think this birthday decoration kit is also super cute and would work especially well for younger ages and tweens.
Paper Fan Birthday Decorations
This set includes paper fans and looks a little more sophisticated. I think older girls would really like it.
Lego Movie Party
Lego’s are a big hit with a lot of boys (and some girls). This is a cute lego movie themed party set. There are ones for different ages on Amazon. This one is for a 5th birthday party.
Video Game Party Supplies
This set would be great for boys who are into video games. It has paper decorations as well as cups, napkins, cutlery and plates.
Dinosaur Themed Party Decoration Kit
This kit looks super awesome for dinosaur fans! It looks really big and expensive but it isn’t. I would recommend a pump for blowing up all the balloons!
Easy decorating hack: Make the Cake or cupcakes the Centerpiece
Another way to decorate is to simply cover a table with an inexpensive plastic tablecloth that matches your cake and make the cake or cupcakes the centerpiece. You could also buy some plates and napkins with your child’s favorite characters.
To fill out the table, add some ice cream and some cheap party hats. Put a few balloons on the table, or around the table. Save a place on the same table or a different table for the birthday gifts. If you do this you will have a cute birthday table that you spent very little on. Most of those items are super inexpensive at the Dollar Tree or Walmart.
These cupcake toppers are a super cute way to decorate your party table! IWant cupcake toppers with a different theme? You can check out all of my cupcake toppers here.
Free Printable Party Planner
I made a simple party planner for you to help you organize your party. Once you have some ideas of what is most important to your child, you can write your ideas on this simple birthday party planner. It has spaces for decorations, food, and activities. If you fill out the activities part first, it may give you some ideas about what food and decorations you want. For instance, if you want to have a pinata to try to break open, the pinata would go on the decorations list.
Click here or on the graphic below to download the printable party planner.
Free Printable party Shopping List
Here is a free printable shopping list to help you remember everything that you need for your party. As you fill out the printable party planner with your activities and your ideas for food and decorations, you will realize what you will need to buy. If you are anything like me, you will need to write it all down so that you don’t forget it!
Click here or the graphic below to download your shopping list.
You may also be interested in these cute printable birthday gift tags.
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