Kid's Birthday Parties - Budget

[Totoro]

Curious what people do for kid's birthday parties. I have some co-workers that throw a separate party for family and another for friends.

Curious to see people opinions:
Do you throw your children a birthday party and is it just for family?
Where do you have it?
What is a reasonable budget range?

I am contemplating doing something different for my DS. We usually do a small family party. My DH thinks that I am putting pressure on myself to spend a lot of money on a party my DS won't even remember.

 

[DAPford]

my "baby" just turned 15 in november and we have always done a family dinner/party on the Sunday closest to her birthday after church and a different party for her friends with the budget that we could handle that time (roller skating,hayride swimming, spa day etc.) however as parents we did not buy her a gift our gift was her party ( starting at 4 since she said all she wanted was a party she had just started going to a day care center) this past birthday we changed it up and took her along with me and her dad to New York City for the day to see Wicked and I can honestly say she does remember her birthday parties and is able to look thru pic and remember details ( she just "friended" a boy on facebook that turned out to be her special friend at 4 and was the only boy she had invited to her first party. ) for 16 she will be having a sweet 16 with both family and friends at our church hall. of course we knew she would be an only child ( my husband has 2 DS from his first marriage and so we made a decision to only have 1 more) so its easy to do when you only have one the boys always had a family party for their birthdays but really didnt have "friends" at our house since they were only there every other weekend they then went and did something special with their dad for their birthday during those "visitation" years and as they got older they just wanted money .......

 

[maddiesmom0116]

Curious what people do for kid's birthday parties. I have some co-workers that throw a separate party for family and another for friends.

Curious to see people opinions:
Do you throw your children a birthday party and is it just for family?
Where do you have it?
What is a reasonable budget range?

I am contemplating doing something different for my DS. We usually do a small family party. My DH thinks that I am putting pressure on myself to spend a lot of money on a party my DS won't even remember.

I do throw 2 parties, a big party for DD6's classmates and friends and a seperate one for family. I do this simply because my sister and mom refuse to go to a party with a bunch of kids.

I always have the family party at home, I have had the friends party at home,a roller rink, build a bear, and next week we are doing a indoor amusement center.
I usually budget $500 for the big party, the family party, I cook and just buy another cake ( $25).

This years party will go a little over due to the massive luau supplies I bought.
Budget, if you can call it that

2 hr Party at venue for 20 kids - $260
Extra Pizza and Drinks for parents - $40
2 Tier Custom Cake - $70
Decorations and goodie bags - $125
Candy Buffet - $80 (at cost, I own a business that does this)

I am also doing a photo booth, with photo props and I will need to print the kids pictures to go in the Thank you cards, so that will be a little bit more.

I enjoy throwing parties and I can use the candy buffet in my photo gallery for my business.

 

[RangerPooh]

We've only had a few parties but have had them at home, at the local community center (room rental of $50/hour), and at the zoo. We easily spend between $100-$200 on party supplies (cups, plates, napkins, decorations, treat bags, etc), and another $100 on food items plus cake. So far it's been the at home party and community center party that has racked up the cost.

Our middle DDs birthday is in October so we were able to have her party at home and enjoy nice weather and the backyard play structure. This was her first "big" party at age 4. Our oldest DDs and DSs birthdays are in February so backyard parties are out of the question due to snow. It will be a few years before DS has a party that is more than just family. However I am considering having the party at the local bowling alley or the science center. The bowling alley is $10.50 /kid and comes with pizza, soda, a round of bowling, and bowling pin. The science center is ~$150 and includes a 20 minute presentation, basic decorations, and use of the center for up to 10 guests.

The zoo party came out to be the cheapest party as it started with a cost of $250 for the use of the carousel, cake, animal presentation, and craft for up to 20 people. Why did it become so cheap? Because the heater would not work in the pavilion and it was in the teens outside. Needless to say it everyone kept their jackets on as Michigan can get pretty cold in the winter. So we were not charged for the party. I'd definitely hold it there again if we were to live nearby again.

ETA, we also do dinner and cake with just th family on their actual birthday. Nothing fancy, and if family can't come no big deal.

 

[stefplus3]

We usually do 2 parties, one w/ family at the house and another "location" party for the school friends.

 

[Mom2Ben02]

We have big parties in our house. I have always done combo parties until this year (DS and DD's bdays are 2 weeks apart). However, my husband has been out of work for a long time, so this year was super budget!

Parties we have done in the past

Chuck E. Cheese - at noon on a Sunday. NEVER.EVER.AGAIN.

Carnival in my yard - HUGE project, tons and tons of fun, perfect for boys and girls.

Local Arboretum - A fun day, expensive but worth it.

This year, we utilized Groupon for the parties. DD had a jumping party. $30 for 12 kids. No gifts, and the cupcakes were to go. Not traditional, but all she cared about was her friends coming. DS had a laser tag party - 10 kids for $25, and then we went to Chick-fil-a for party trays FUN stuff.

 

[JamesMom]

Do you throw your children a birthday party and is it just for family? - Until age 4 - family party only. DS5 (Autistic) has had all his birthdays at Nana & Grandpa's pool with immediate family and a home baked cake & pizza - super cheap
- DS8 has a small family gathering with Nana & Grandpa and then a kids party.
This year DS5 plans on having friends at his party this summer.

Where do you have it?DS8 has had kids parties at home (4), Little Gym (5,6), Chuck E cheese (7) and Great Wolf Lodge (this week).
Family parties are usually a visit to the house or maybe breakfast at Cracker barrell.
DS5 is thinking of McD's

What is a reasonable budget range?
The Little Gym parties were free because we bought annual packages to the gymnatistics program. Chuck E Cheese was done with newspaper coupons, and Great Wolf Lodge is part of our Families semi-annual trek. I try not to spend over $200 for cake, presents, & decor and facility. We don't invite the whole neighborhood. Examples:

DS8 for his 7th had it at Chuck e Cheese. Invited 10 kids, 6 showed - bought 2 pizzas, 8 drinks & 200 tokens with 2-$30 coupons. Brought table cover, confetti for $3 and make the cake. Presents were board games I got on Christmas sales. total event was $100!

For this years party, he wanted to invite friends to Great Wolf Lodge. We usually go in Feb, so we just moved it to January. School is out on Friday so reserved a Thursday bunk bed room which gets 6 people into the park (cheaper rate on the weeknights). Paid for it with a Gift Card I bought that came with 20% bonus coupons (bought $500 card and got $100 free). That night is family only and the 3 friends show up the next morning and stay the day. The Bonus $ should pay for 7th persons admission ($40+tax) and a couple of pizza, drinks & ice cream for lunch. I'll bring snacks, more drinks & a cake. The whole shabang will be cheaper than our usual Feb trip because of the bonus coupons!

A great party doesn't have to be expensive.

 

[phamy76]

We only did "Family" parties until the kids hit school age.
This was held at our house, and was kid friendly foods, cake and candles.

When they hit school age, they could invite 1 friend for each year old they are. 5 yrs = 5 other kids besides the party child.

I've done bowling parties, Chuck E Cheese and even had a Twister Party at my house (NEVER AGAIN!).

 

[daileyad]

Well, we just had my daughters 9th birthday party yesterday. I figured out that I spent $40 total (We don't have family nearby so it was just her friends)

$20 at the dollar store - This included a mylar balloon, a pinata that you put together yourself, stuff for goodie bags, candy for the pinata, and plates/cups/napkins

$12 for the cake - Round 2 layer cake from the grocery store

$8 for Papa Murphy's Pizza - we get a really good discount at our Papa Murphy's

We did a guess how much candy is in the jar contest (48 little tootsie rolls), a pirate treasure hunt that ended with finding the goodie bags via flashlight in our dark garage, a pinata, cake & presents. Very low key and everyone had fun.

 

[fakereadhed]

We have done at home parties, away from home parties, and family parties. I usually budget $100 for at home parties(always shoot for less, but always end up at $100), $200 for a party place, and $250 for family parties. Family is always more expensive because they want more than just pizza and cake. If we do hambugers and hot dogs and food for 30 people it is never under $200.

This year DS wants a Lego party. We are planning on 18 kids at my house and even without plates, cups, napkins, and streamers I had left over from last party I'm having trouble keeping it under $100.

Cake(costco)- $18
Balloons- $10
Food(chips, pizza, pop)- $20
Tablecovers(2)- $2
Invitations- $1(paper to make them)
Treat bags- $30 (including Legos to use as activity)
Lego minifig ice tray(to mold crayons)- $8
Plaster of Paris to make minifig chalk- $7
Lego movie DVD- $4

Last year we did a party room at the local pool with about 20 kids for $185. My thought this year was to save money having it at my house but it always adds up to more than I think it will!

 

[bigmama67]

We just had 11 boys over for DS' Lego birthday last month. FYI, I went to the Lego store and asked if they had any sticker sheets I could buy for the goody bags, and they just handed me a stack left over from Halloween! We also put in a little bit of the Lego Blox candy you can get at bulk candy stores, and some cookies I made to look like Legos (graham crackers iced with gum drops stuck to them). They were easy to make and tasted great! We ended up ordering way too much pizza as we had more than one whole pie left. Sigh...I made punch with equal parts ginger ale, orange juice and Hawaiian Punch - that was a big hit. The tablecovers, plates, and cups I just bought in primary colors mostly at the dollar store.

DD and DS just (today) went to a pizza place for DS' friends (twins) 8th birthday party. I think their mom and stepdad just pay for the food and bring in games. She told me she spent about $80 at Party City the other day even with using restraint, though. I guess there's no way around it.

 

[Totoro]

When they hit school age, they could invite 1 friend for each year old they are. 5 yrs = 5 other kids besides the party child.
I've done bowling parties, Chuck E Cheese and even had a Twister Party at my house (NEVER AGAIN!).

I like this guideline
I am wondering why people are saying that they would never do this again.

We did a guess how much candy is in the jar contest (48 little tootsie rolls), a pirate treasure hunt that ended with finding the goodie bags via flashlight in our dark garage, a pinata, cake & presents. Very low key and everyone had fun.

Great ideas

 

[Kat&Dom]

My son is 5 and for the past 5 years, I have rented the local swimming pool for an hour of swimming and an hour of the party room. We have hot dogs cooked in a steamer, chips, veggie tray, fruit tray, juice, pop, bottled water and cake. I also do goodie bags for the kids. I invite both family and friends to it.

The nice thing about renting the swimming pool is that I can invite up to 50 people for the $80 rental fee so I am able to invite my son's friends entire families to it so that they have have an afternoon of fun family time.

I would say the total cost of the parties run between $130-$160. There is usually around 30-40 people at his parties.

 

[Vijoge]

My son paid over $300 for a party for his daghter's second birthday at ChuckECheese. It was the biggest waste of money ever. There wasn't enough seating for everyone because "we're really busy today" and the tables were so close together that once you did sit down there was no room to get up. The staff was flustered and disorganized, the pop and pizza arrived separately and neither were good. They made them give up their table to another group before Kate even had a chance to open her presents so she ended up opening them standing in a corner of the room. And the cake was tiny AND ugly. I will never, ever, set foot in a ChuckECheese again!

Edited: My husband just said they actually spent $400!

 

[RachelsMommie]

Now that we have 2 daughters, we established a policy on birthday parties. Every year, one daughter gets a big party of her choice with her friends and the other daughter gets a small family party with the grandparents/aunts/uncles at home.

So this year, my oldest daughter is turning 6 and she wants a big party at the local bounce place. It's going to run $400-$450 for the party. Our younger daughter is turning 2, so we'll cook a dinner at home and invite everyone over for food and cake.

 

[Leajess99]

My kids only get birthday parties with family and close friends. They get to choose a trip in lieu of a full blown party as budget wise it would be about the same. This year I am actually looking at taking my son to Washington State for his birthday trip and present. We left there before he was 2 and he has never been back. I would like for him to have the opportunity to see where he was born.

My youngest turns 8 on Wednesday and we are looking at a couple of different ideas for this weekend. She wants to go to Great Wolf lodge or to a local state park to stay at the lodge and go swimming in the indoor pool. Since it is a 3 day weekend either would be ideal.

 

[tweedlemom]

We've had several parties at our local Uno Chicago Grill restaurant. Big private room for no extra cost, less than $10 a kid for make your own pizza and soda. Big flat screen tv to show dvd of your choosing, nice fireplace. Room for 3 hours. No minimum # of guests. Bring your own cake. Great time and very economical!

 

[neatokimmo]

We are doing chuck e cheese again this year. Last year I invited 10 of her little friends. This year I'm inviting 2. Should be much easier

 

[MonkersMama]

We have actually NEVER thrown a party for my DS, but always had a memorable "experience":

Age 1 - recovering from meningitis, immediate family and grandparents only (celebrating that he was still alive!!)
Age 2 - playdate with 1 friend at local indoor playcenter followed by cake at our house ($12 for both)
Age 3 - The Wiggles concert and dinner out (same friend's family went) ($70?)
Age 4 - First trip to WDW (ahem...$$$)
Age 5 - Splash Lagoon, Erie PA ($200)
Age 6 - Sleepover with Cub Scouts at Buffalo Zoo (I sent a huge homemade cake) ($60)
Age 7 - Sleepover with Dad at Buffalo Museum of Science ($60)

All these experiences fell on his birthday. DS says he prefers to do things with his family, he's been given the option every year since he was 5.

DD
Age 1 - big party but budget was small (spent less than $200)
Age 2 - small friends party (same friend guests as above) ($100)

 

[pacrosby]

We never had anything but a small family party until the children reached Kindergarten. From that point on we have had the small family party PLUS another party with friends from school/neighborhood. K-2nd grade or so I invite 6-8 kids. 2nd grade and up 8-10 kids. Personally I'm not a real big fan of the 'invite the whole class' way of thinking.

Budget has varied. With my daughter all her parties have been at home and themes have run the gamut from dress-up (K) to Teddy Bear Tea (1), to Baking Party (2), to a Luau (3), and finally a sleepover Spa Party this past year (4). The first two were more expensive because we had someone host and come to our house (3-450). That was a bit excessive. Now I do them myself and we're probably at about 200 dollars all told.

With my boys it's becoming more difficult because it's harder to come up with an appropriate theme for a home party. One of my boys' has a birthday in late September so for a few years we just combined his bday party with our annual Halloween party. This past year he wanted something separate so we finally caved in and had a high ropes course party at an outdoor adventure center. After the activities we took the kids back to our house for cake and presents. I like being at home for that as it's alittle more intimate/personal and I can decorate to my heart's desire (which I love to do). The cost was less than 200 bucks.

I'm planning one now for my other son this month. Looks like we'll be taking 5 or 6 kids to a local ski area for snow tubing (and again coming back for cake and presents). It'll probably cost 200 or so.

With 4 kids there's always another party to plan (bday or holiday). Gets expensive yes but IMO well worth it and lots of fun