Budget Birthday Party/Sleepover...HELP!

[jessp1021]

For DD's birthday we have a trip planned to Disney so that is her gift from us. We weren't planning to do a party but she had such a fun time with her friends sleeping over this weekend I have second thought the idea of a party. My questions are have any of you done a birthday party and sleep over? She will be turning 7 and I know that some of the girls aren't comfortable sleeping over so I thought maybe a party from 3-5 and then the ones sleeping over could stay after? We did a girls night this weekend (mani's, pedi's, and bracelet making) and I feel like that set the bar high, what are some budget friendly ideas for the party and sleepover?? Her party will be the Saturday before we leave for Disney so I need to make it VERY budget friendly!

 

[Southernmiss]

For DD's birthday we have a trip planned to Disney so that is her gift from us. We weren't planning to do a party but she had such a fun time with her friends sleeping over this weekend I have second thought the idea of a party. My questions are have any of you done a birthday party and sleep over? She will be turning 7 and I know that some of the girls aren't comfortable sleeping over so I thought maybe a party from 3-5 and then the ones sleeping over could stay after? We did a girls night this weekend (mani's, pedi's, and bracelet making) and I feel like that set the bar high, what are some budget friendly ideas for the party and sleepover?? Her party will be the Saturday before we leave for Disney so I need to make it VERY budget friendly!

Make your own pizzas and ice cream sundaes. Make Italian sodas--sprite, strawberry syrup, splash of milk.

Decorate a pillowcase with paint pens or fabric paint.

Karaoke or dance party with Xbox or Wii.

Scavenger/treasure hunt.

 

[dhardawa]

I've found that kids really just want to play. If I plan activities, they tolerate them, but really just want to play. So, I'd have a simple party, order pizza, have cake and ice cream, and just let them do their own thing. Piñatas are always a big hit too and a candy bag doubles as a party favor.

 

[ceecee]

They could make their own little pizzas with English muffins and then decorate cupcakes. You could always do the manicures/pedicures again and put Mickey on the nails! Movies and popcorn. Wii Dance if you have it or something similar. That age is easy, they just want to play and have fun.

 

[Hannathy]

Don't have the non staying over party from 3-5!!!

Have it from 6-8. For several reasons.

!. if you have it from 6-8 then you are only entertaining them with activities 1 time not all afternoon and all evening. (and from 3 to the nest morning is a LOOOONG time for little personalities to all get along)
2. If you have them from 3-5 then all evening and night you are feeding them many times including dinner. A lot more expensive.

Have them all from 6-8 which is after dinner. Have you party activities during the party and have your Cake and ice cream. Then the ones going home go home and the other girls play for an hourish
. then have some other activity or craft thing. it is now about 9:30 time to get PJ's on and put on a movie or play first some more and then a movie. Pop popcorn and drinks maybe some pretzels or something, nothing has to be expensive. they will watch the movie and giggle talk, etc. have a couple movies if they "think" they will be up all night.

Morning have breakfast, keep it simple, little bagels, little donuts, get the little boxes of cereal (kids love those!) bananas cut in half . Packets of hot chocolate with baby marshmallows.

Make them feel special and grown up- pull out the wine glasses and serve mimosas! - Orange juice and sprite!

You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a fun party.

 

[clh2]

I agree that it will be much easier to have the party start at 6. Then the only part that those not sleeping over will be missing is the actual movie-time and the sleepover.

And, there won't be time for too much drama.

Jammies and movie starting at 9 sounds perfect.

My DD had one sleepover party, and we had make-your-own pizzas and did tie-dye pillowcases. This was DD's 10th bday, so the suggestion for fabric paints would probably be easier.

 

[Lisa71]

DD just went to her BFF's 8th bday sleepover. They just ate, played, and watched frozen. They used their rainbow looms and made their own
bracelets. Most girls stayed and a few went home at 9. They had a blast. I like the fabric paint idea.

 

[mjkacmom]

I agree a 6 pm starting time is much better. Around here, that would definitely mean dinner, but just get a few pizzas. I don't think you need to do anything special - maybe a little craft, and a movie.

 

[Hannathy]

I agree a 6 pm starting time is much better. Around here, that would definitely mean dinner, but just get a few pizzas. I don't think you need to do anything special - maybe a little craft, and a movie.

Then make it 6:30! If she wants budget she wants to get away from dinner! That would add $30 minimum very fast.

And she can make it clear when they RSVP! or on the invitation.

 

[jessp1021]

I think we are going to do 4-6, that puts us after lunch buy before dinner. She will more than likely have 3 staying over so I really like the ideas of making our own pizza versus ordering (that will save ALOT). DD requested to make bracelets again so I am hoping to score a kit with a coupon at Michael's or Hooby Lobby. I also like the idea of decorating pillow cases. Thanks for sharing

 

[mjkacmom]

I think we are going to do 4-6, that puts us after lunch buy before dinner. She will more than likely have 3 staying over so I really like the ideas of making our own pizza versus ordering (that will save ALOT). DD requested to make bracelets again so I am hoping to score a kit with a coupon at Michael's or Hooby Lobby. I also like the idea of decorating pillow cases. Thanks for sharing

I assume all are invited to stay over, but you only expect 3 to stay?

 

[3boymthr]

How about a very late start - 7 - and a DVD movie? (Or two or three). Skip the meal do ice cream sundaes and popcorn and to make it even more budget friendly only have over the girls who will be staying overnight.

 

[Poohforyou]

I did a budget sleepover birthday party for dd a few years ago when her present was our dog. The girls did a craft wars and cupcake wars competition with cheapy prizes. Everyone won something so there weren't any hurt feelings.

For the craft wars dd came up with a theme and I filled a box with basic craft supplies from the dollar store. For the cupcake wars I pulled out all the sprinkles/candies we had and made fondant.

 

[lady9]

At my DD's sleepover the girls used glow sticks and played hide and seek in the dark in our yard for an hour. They loved it!

 

[jessp1021]

I assume all are invited to stay over, but you only expect 3 to stay?

The 3 staying over are the girls that are in her class and around her age. They were the only ones she is inviting from her class, the rest coming to the party are family and friends.

 

[jessp1021]

At my DD's sleepover the girls used glow sticks and played hide and seek in the dark in our yard for an hour. They loved it!

LOVE this idea! We've decided to do a water theme (water balloons, small pool, slip n slide, and a sprinkler) the girls staying over can play even after the party is over and the glow sticks would be a great way to wrap up outdoor play!

 

[SEA333]

We did a "movie night" party for ds8's birthday in feb. He wanted a sleepover, but a couple of his friends parents hinted that their child wasn't ready for that yet (2nd grade), so I changed it to 5:30-8:30pm and said on the invite for the boys to come in pj's and bring a pillow and sleeping bag for the movie and snacks. We did order pizza, but honestly could have gone without it. I had single serve bags of chips, granola bars, strawberries and grapes, bananas, cupcakes and ice cream bars (I do not scoop ice cream at kid parties!). The biggest hit was the candy bar - each kid got a goody bag with a sports pencil, ring pop, and eraser in it, then they got to use a small ladel to fill their bag with whatever candy they wanted. I put the candy into various bowls/containers and set them up in a "buffet" style arrangement. DS shopped with me and chose the candy, so there were mini kit kat, mini reeses cups, skittles, m&m's, Sour patch kids, jelly beans, gummy worms, junior mints, and whoppers. The kids could eat the candy during the movie or take it home in their goody bag. Most did both. They watched Despicable Me II, and of course started goofing around halfway through it, so we paused the movie and did the candles/happy birthday and opened presents, then put the movie back on. It was perfect timing for a 3-hour party. One friend spent the night, and they went to bed around 10pm. Next morning we did frozen waffles and I drove friend home. I think I spent a total of $70, plus 4 large Little Caesars $5.00 pizzas, which my family ate for dinner, too, so I cant really count all in the total.

My kids have gone to parties where parents have spent hundreds of dollars, and they said all their friends love coming to parties at our house because they get to just hang out. Kids are so scheduled all the time...a good old fashioned "home" birthday party is a novelty these days!!

 

[deezeealum]

smores in the microwave or chocolate fondue might make it a little more different and special. My 9 year old daughter loves when we break out the fondue pot.

 

[itchin2go]

Some ideas for food:

• Little Caesar's Pizza - $5 each
• Pancakes or Donuts for breakfast - couldn't be cheaper
• Supermarket cupcakes in cute colors - have them put a "7" on each - cute, simple, can't really mess them up
• Junk food bar - like a "candy bar", but with lots of fun junk food (cheese balls, chips, pretzels, popcorn, etc.) that the kids can fill up on - still cute, but cheaper than candy
• Coke floats - many kids these days have never had these - yum!

Ideas for activities:

• Rented movie
• Wii Olympics - We did a competition with the slicing game from Wii Sports Resort
• Truth or Dare - Pull together age appropriate ones from the internet (we did this at my daughter's sleepover - they couldn't stop playing!)
• Spa activities - pull recipes for masks and treatments from the internet or just paint nails
• Temporary tattoos or glitter tattoos like at the beach - look on Amazon for kits

For favors, look at Dollar Tree and the Target Dollar Spot. Things like sleep masks, water bottles, flip flops (can embellish with rag fabric), lip gloss, nail polish.

Also, a "Lucky 7" theme would be cute. Put "7" or "Seven" on everything to tie it all together.

 

[aprilgail2]

Have them all from 6-8 which is after dinner. Have you party activities during the party and have your Cake and ice cream. Then the ones going home go home and the other girls play for an hourish
. .

Then make it 6:30! If she wants budget she wants to get away from dinner! That would add $30 minimum very fast.

And she can make it clear when they RSVP! or on the invitation.

I don't know where you live but here no matter WHAT time the party is a meal is always involved- even if it is just pizza! At a party that started 9pm they served food, a party at 10am they served food....doesn't matter the time people will always figure they are getting a meal, at least around here!