When you’re on a budget and your child’s birthday rolls around, you may be wondering what type of cheap birthday party ideas you can come up with.
Birthday parties can be outrageously expensive. Let me give you some ideas that I’ve used, and some that I haven’t, to make this special day the best while sticking to your budget.
1. Paint Party At Your House
Paint parties are super fun for kids and adults. Pull together some tables and chairs and create a paint workshop similar to what is offered at expensive paint places.
Buy the paint in bulk. Cheap paint palettes are available online – Amazon currently has a 12pc for less than $8. Have an older sibling, another parent, or your partner walk around the room and help pour the colors the kids will need throughout the event.
Everything can be bought in bulk, included the canvas. Place the canvas flat on the table with the paint palette. Place a couple different size paint brushes down with a cup of water and you’re all set!
If the kids are younger, go ahead and trace the outline of what you’ll be painting with a pencil on the canvas prior to the big day.
For more tips on hosting a paint party, check out my article on Hosting a Paint Birthday Party at Home for Kids.
2. Movie Night Party
This could be as easy as pulling in some extra seating, placing blankets and sleeping bags on the floor and downloading a movie. Add pizza and popcorn and you’re all set.
If you want to take it one step further, make it an outdoor movie night. Get a couple extra large blankets for the grass.
Projectors have actually gone down significantly in recent years and it most likely would get many more uses out of it besides just this one event.
To spice things up, buy some bulk “larger size” candy at your local grocery store. You could have mini containers of popcorn, a drink, and the candy of their choice ready to go for each child.
I actually write a whole article dedicated to throwing a movie night themed birthday party. Check out the free Movie Night Bingo Cards available on that page while you’re there!
3. Spa Day At Home
Set up multiple stations the kids can filter through. Have a friend or family member sitting at the “nail station” with a variety of nail polish colors to choose from.
There are so many super cheap jewels you can offer to add on to the nails to make them feel extra special.
Create face masks by mixing together the following ingredients:
- 1/2 Cucumber – Pulsed (pulse in blender)
- 1 tbsp plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp honey
Apply to each face for 15-20 minutes. Add in some sliced cucumbers so they can relax and place them over their eyes.
Some other spa station ideas:
- Make your own lip gloss
- Make bath bombs
- Soak Feet
- Meditate
- Makeup application
Check out my entire article on spa birthday parties for kids for more ideas and inspiration.
4. Slime Party At Home
I think as a parent, we are united in saying that slime is horrible. It’s nearly impossible to get out of carpets and furniture.
However, kids love it. If we can prepare our homes in the right way, we can be ready for this type of party. Clear out furniture that could possibly be damaged and certainly do not let them create over carpet. Place down plastic coverings where necessary.
The items for slime can seem expensive when you’re buying in small quantities for a child or two, but when you’re buying for a party, you can get some great deals.
Although there are multiple recipes for slime online, the typical recipe calls for glue, borax, food coloring, and water.
Get a little more creative and have a station where kids can add items to the slime. Things you can add:
- Charms
- Small balls (slime balls)
- Beads
- Glitter
- Confetti
- Fragrance Oils
- Action Figures
- Glow In The Dark Pigments
However, if you’re like me and want the hard work done for you, pick up a kit that contains all the goods:
5. Camping Party In The Backyard
Create your own camping getaway right in the comfort of your backyard. Gather sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, tarps, and tents and create your own campgrounds.
You can roast marshmallows or go all out and make smores.
Grab flashlights and tell stories or read straight from a book. Play some old fashioned games like telephone or charades. You could have the kids gather in small groups and complete a Mad Libs that they read out to everyone once they are done.
6. Costume Party At Home
Costume Party is a pretty broad theme so let’s narrow it down into a few specific ideas. Your child most likely has a favorite show. It may be Mickey Mouse, PJ Mask, or Barbie.
Let’s use the Barbie theme for the example, but this can be applied to any show that is your child’s favorite.
Let the guests know to dress in their “Barbie Best” and have a dance floor set to themed music. Add karaoke into the mix with songs that fit the theme.
Have a photo area prepared with the props following the theme. For barbie, you may have pink hats and pink sunglasses surrounding the photo station.
Have a coloring station with pictures you’ve printed that contain images from the show. You could even set up your own themed temporary tattoo stations.
7. Glow Party At Home
The Glow Party works best if you have a larger room in your house, or a decent sized backyard. It could even work in a garage if you can move any items around that may get into their way.
If the party is during the daytime, make sure you have some blackout curtains or pick a room with a limited amount of light coming in. You want to be able to get the room as dark as possible.
You’ll need black lights if you don’t already have a few.
Ask the kids to wear neon colors. Offer body paint when they come in through the door. Highlighters also work if you don’t want the messiness from the neon body paint.
Decorate the walls with bright neon colors. Create drinks utilizing tonic water so the drinks will glow in the dark as well.
Turn up the music and have a dance party!
8. Picnic At The Park
This is definitely easier than trying to get your backyard ready for a massive amount of kids. Most likely, the park already has a seating area or plenty of room to place down large blankets for the kids to sit. DIY lunchables are an adorable idea that you could prepare well in advance if you’d like to try something other than the boring pizza most parties have.
Bring soccer balls, footballs, and any other sports equipment that you have to encourage play throughout the park. The greatest thing about having it here is that most like you have access to baseball, soccer fields, and playgrounds that can keep kids occupied for hours.
9. Red Carpet Party At Home
This is one of my favorites. Get everyone to dress in their best and roll out the red carpet.
Make some “fancy” finger foods and carry around trays. When I say fancy, honestly anything in small portions would be considered fancy. Even a pizza cut up into tiny squares and served on a silver platter looks amazing.
Serve sparking cider in plastic wine glasses. Set up a photo area with props such as boas and sunglasses. Think of games that are movie related. Karaoke would be a fantastic addition with theme songs from movies.
10. Jewelry Party At Home
Friendship bracelets, necklaces, anklets, rings, earrings – these are all so easy to make and you can find all the materials at your local craft store or online at Amazon.
Set up stations around the room where the kids can pick which item(s) they would like to create. Place out the beading wire and an assortment of beads and charms. Let the kids do all the work and present to you when they’re done so that you can add a clasp or put the finishing touches on, depending which item they have chosen.
Some stations can consist of simpler projects like bookmark making with charms or keychains. Add a station with some cool charcoal pencils and allow them to “design their own jewelry” on paper to take home with them.
Bonus #11
I wrote a whole article on throwing a Taylor Swift Birthday Party if you’re looking for one more idea!
Wrapping It Up
Know that every child is unique. Talk to your kids about what their expectations are for their birthday party and share yours as well. You may be surprised to find out that they were hoping for just a small get together with their two BFFs.
I can’t count the number of times that I was overthinking and over planning when I should have sat down and communicated with my child first.
I’m sure whatever you choose – it will be fantastic! I hope that these suggestions have helped you.
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