Individual Birthday CakesI found a neat way to give each kid at a birthday party a great surprise. Instead of one big cake or in addition to your big cake, you can make them a small cake of their own. Buy a box of Ding Dongs (the round chocolate cupcakes with cream filling.)
Decorating the Cake to Match the DecorationsI found a new set of baby's first birthday party decorations for $1.50 at the thrift store last year (16 each cups, plates, napkins, table clothes etc.) My dh took a plate to the Walmart bakery and asked if they could make the cake look like the plate, and they did. Because of copyrights it looks a little different of course but the theme all matches now for our little ones first party:) So if you come across something you like try to match your cake.
By Melanie
Cutting a Birthday CakeCut a birthday cake with ease. Oral-B Mint Waxed Floss cuts cake into neat slices. No messy knife or crumbs all over the place.
By kayla
Saving on Birthday Plates, Cups and NapkinsWhen purchasing paper products for children's birthday parties, I buy only 1 package of napkins, plates and cups with a theme on them and then a coordinating color for the rest of the packages.
Birthday Message On TapeMy friend did a neat thing when a large group of us went out to eat for her birthday. She passed a small tape recorder around the table and asked each person to leave her a message. Of course, it was totally impromptu, but that made it even more fun.
Homemade Birthday BannersI recently recieved a catalog in the mail that had everything you could possibly want for a child's birthday party. But the cost of the stuff was crazy!
Blowing Out Candles on the CakeWhen having a birthday party, please please make a separate cake for the birthday person. Imagine if the person has a cold or something worse and he blows on the cake...
Football Players for 5 Year Olds PartyFor our son's 5th birthday party we asked two high school football players to come to the party dressed in their uniforms including their shoulder pads, knee pads, and other protective gear. They ran the children through some drills and then demonstrated some maneuvers (including defensive blocking)...
Puppet Or Magic Show For Birthday PartiesIf you are arranging your first big birthday party for your child, I would personally advise all the parents to organize a puppet or magic show for your party.
Sweet 16 Hawaiian Birthday BashJust wanted to share my experience with my daughter's Sweet 16 Birthday Party. We're always looking for a way to make our children's birthdays special.
Photo Scavenger HuntFor an cheap birthday party for pre-teen or any older child, have a scavenger hunt at the mall. Make a list of odd thing such as Alyssa's Dad's favorite cologne or a mannequin with red shoes.
Ideas for Planning a Spouse's Birthday PartyFor my husband's upcoming 30th birthday, I am renting a beach house on Pismo for a weekend party. It's not more expensive than two hotel rooms. I'm sending the guys down a day before the girls to have a poker competition and Xbox tournament.
Ask Kids to Not Bring Gifts to Birthday PartiesOFor those of you who are sending invitations to your child's birthday party, think about asking them NOT to bring a gift. (This is what my daughter does) That way, those with multiple children in the family that go to a lot of parties or those with low incomes, or have a parent who has recently lost their job can afford to come!
First Birthday Party AdviceAs with any mom, when my son turned one I wanted him to have the best party ever. After I had looked at several party themes, I finally decided on the Sesame Street Beginnings theme.
Personalize Party FavorsParty favors can be expensive. Personalize handmade party favors using foam craft cut out shapes and letters and include the theme using the pictures cut from wrapping paper, Valentines, cards, etc.
Set Up Webcam for a Virtual Birthday PartyOur grandchildren live out of state and we couldn't be there for our grandson's 5th birthday, so we sent all the party favors and money for food and presents. They set up their web-cam and we set up ours and we watched the whole thing!
Birthday Pizza PartyWe held my daughter's 8th birthday at a small local pizza restaurant at 11 am on a Saturday. We were the only guests because of the time.
Try a Bowling Birthday PartyBowling parties for birthday parties are fun for the whole family. My niece lives near a bowling alley in her town. Her house has become too small to have everyone over. She organizes bowling parties for her 2 boys birthdays.
Birthday Party Ideas for GirlsHey Girls! If it's your birthday coming up, of course you're going to want to have an awesome party. It can be so hard to decide what to do, especially on a budget so I hope these tips help!
Use a Cupcake for the Birthday CandleMy mother lives in the Alzheimer's area of a facility. When it's her birthday, I bring a cake for all the residents and staff to enjoy. This year, because of all the flu issues going around I brought the 1/2 sheet birthday cake for everyone to share and a single cupcake.
Birthday Cupcake and Candle for Each ChildWhen my kids were small, I noticed that at every birthday party all the kids would crowd around the cake to "help" the birthday girl/boy blow out their candles.
Decorating for a Rainbow Themed PartyTo decorate a table cloth for a rainbow party. I bought a round table cloth and stitched crepe paper around the edge in colours of the rainbow. I used this on my round cake table.
Frugal Birthday PartyFor an inexpensive birthday party, I would have it at home. I would buy cheap soda and frozen pizzas and sometimes bake my own cake instead of buying it. For entertainment: play music, watch a movie, or play a card game.
Birthday Camping TripWe are campers. Years ago, our youngest daughter asked if she could take a group of friends from school and we agreed. She wanted to both boys and girls. At first we were hesitant, but we laid down a few guidelines.
Keeping Costs Down For A PartyWhen my daughter was little, the Dollar Tree didn't exist. I found things at thrift shops and made things. I always made sure it wasn't "age specific". In other words, the streamers, banners, etc. were generic.
Firehouse Birthday PartyOur local firehouse will allow you to use their public utility room free, if not already reserved. They will even allow the children to tour the firehouse, talk to them about fire safety and if available, play in the model house used to teach about fire safety.
Inexpensive Birthday Party IdeasBaker's Coconut published a cut-up cake book that I found fit any kind of birthday party I wanted to throw for my two boys. You baked cake mix in standard size cake pans and then cut them up to specifications to make different shapes.
Planning A Party On The CheapI was asked to help with a party and then I was told to make a party for some one on my own. There were no supplies or an idea, just a date and time and a person.
"After" Slumber PartyMy granddaughter just turned 7 and she wanted to have a slumber party with her friends to celebrate. But many kids her age have fears of spending a night away from home (and mom and dad).
Plants Vs. Zombies CakeMy son really wanted a Plants vs. Zombies theme for his 6th birthday party. If you're not familiar with the game, Plants vs. Zombies is an addictive game for the PC or most video consoles by Popcap Games.
Party In A BackpackWe went to a friend's birthday party which we did at the fair for free. We got to see all the animals and exhibits. We then found a picnic table and the mom had packed 16 cupcakes in a plastic shoe box. She then stacked in a tier on a plate and topped with candles. After singing Happy Birthday, each child got a cupcake, a juice box and a goody bag with bubbles, candy and balloons. All the kids had a great time for only 15 dollars. All this from a backpack; simple,fun,and frugal.
Unique 50th Birthday at WorkMy work made me a poster which said "I use to like antiques, but now I'm one". They also wore the same color of clothes. Even my students got into the groove. It was different, but I liked it.
Garage Dance PartyTurn your garage into a dance club. Have some one DJ and let kids dance and have fun. Then turn the kitchen into a bar, remember no achoholic beverages
Teen Scavenger Hunt PartyI was mystified as what to do with my teenage girl but found a brilliant idea online. A scavenger hunt!
Painting Birthday PartyMy daughter is as well turning 11 in a couple days. She is having a few close friends over and they are all painting their own canvas. Each girl will take home their canvas and an apron they each decorated.
Easy Awesome 14th Birthday PartyWant an original 14th girl birthday party? Last year for my 14th, me and my friends all dressed up like our favorite characters from the movie premiere we were going to see (The Hunger Games).
14 Year Old Emo Party SuggestionsI'm turning 14 in 2 weeks and I don't know what to do for my party. I'm an emo girl and all of my friends are also emo! They love partying and so do I, but my parents are strict and would never let me have a party at home without their supervision!
Ideas for 50th Birthday PartyMy wife has organized my 50th birthday but has drawn a blank for how to make it interesting in a semi-dignified way. I've read the ideas here and have spun off from them these thoughts.
Flamingo Themed Birthday PartyChildren often ask for a "themed" birthday party. These can be expensive to pull together if you start last minute, but planning in advance can save money and still make for a fun and memorable event.
Splurge a Bit on Teen's BirthdayYour child is about to become a teen! It only happens once, so do something to remember.
80s Theme Costume PartyFor my 15th birthday party, I organized a theme party where I asked everyone to bring some clothes and/or accessories from the 80s. We shared clothes and accessories; we even did each other's make-up!
Outdoor Movie SleepoverInvite a couple of your friends and have a party in your back yard. Just build a fire for marshmallows, get a projector and a white surface and have popcorn. Watch a movie outdoors and spend the night there.
Making a 1/2 Pie for a Half BirthdayIn our family, we usually celebrate our kids' half birthday by purchasing them a 1/2 pie from the store. However this year, I decided to try searching the internet for a 1/2 pie pan, in the off chance that I could actually find one. What do you know; Amazon sells one!
Mall Madness Birthday Party for PreteensA great birthday party idea for preteen girls is a Mall Madness birthday party. A Mall Madness birthday party is basically a scavenger hunt in the mall. For example, you could all meet at your house. Once everyone arrives, you could head to the mall.
Nerf Gun PartyI know that all boys like to ruff and tumble, so how about a Nerf gun party. You could set up some targets at your home or a local park, or just shoot each other.
Mall Birthday PartyI live in Texas. For my best friend's 13th birthday, we went to the Woodlands Mall and shopped there and just looked around. We didn't spend a lot of money, but we went to Build a Bear Workshop and acted like little kids and it was really fun.
Glow-in-the-Dark Birthday PartyAdd a twist to the classic birthday party! Instead of streamers, link together glow stick bracelets. Tell people to wear neon, florescent or white clothes, and throw in a couple of black lights on the walls or the ceiling.
Birthday Party IdeasIf you are having a birthday party and you don't know what you want to do, then my suggestion is to go to an amusement park. Let's say there is NOT a park near your home, then go to a community pool. If you invite only a few friends, it's still fun.
Harry Potter Birthday PartyOrganize a Harry Potter-styled birthday party. Mail yourself a "Hogwarts Welcome Letter," and get your child to collect the mail. Also, instead of birthday invitations, send your child's friends "Hogwarts Welcome Letter" as well, and instead of giving the location of Hogwarts, give your home address to the children.
Tween Girl Birthday Party IdeasHere are some themes/ideas for a tween girl's birthday party. Most of these could get pretty expensive.
Inexpensive Cupcake PartyMy daughter planned this inexpensive party and has invited 6 girls. When I asked what she wanted to do at her party, she said just get 12 cupcakes. That's all. When she made out the invitations, she wrote that the activities would be, girl talk, listening to music, dancing, singing, playing pool, and Wii.
Cut Birthday Candles in HalfMy sons are teenagers now and that makes scrounging up enough birthday candles a little more challenging. For this last birthday, I found these long candles from a past celebration. I just cut them in half and cleaned up a bit of the wax from the wick. The candles are only lit for a minute so the shortness didn't matter at all.
13th Birthday Scavenger HuntInstead of a scavenger hunt at the mall, my party was a scavenger hunt around the city! Everyone met at my house. My aunt bought four different colors of bandanas. Outside were 4-5 different cars waiting for all the teams We did stuff at gas stations, fire departments, KFC, we even had to stand on a 10 foot billboard and jump down!
Celebrating a Milestone BirthdayTo celebrate my daughter's milestone 30th birthday, I pulled out some of my favorite photos of her and the family and spread them on the table, then laid a clear plastic tablecloth over it all.
Pottery Party for Tween BirthdayMy grand daughter turned 11 this past year and she wanted to have her party at a pottery studio. Each child choose a piece of pottery to paint, the studio completes the process of firing and glazing each piece. It is a creative, memorable celebration.
At Home Birthday IdeasAs a 13 teen old, I am anything but girly. For my birthday, my parents and I decided to have an at home birthday. We had a campfire and did a lot of stuff with nature. If you are not a girly girl, I say try it. All my friends loved it.
Personalized Store Bought Party HatIt is hard to come by party hats with the age on it. Most of them are sold online and they can get expensive. This is a quick alternative.
Fitted Twin Sheet as Party TableclothA fitted twin sheet over your picnic table for children's birthday parties, their favorite character or new one, adds to the fun and clean up.
