Children often equate tangible items like gifts as an expression of love. For the developing psyche, a thoughtfully planned party could mean the difference between feeling loved and feeling neglected. It’s no surprise then, that many parents dread planning kids parties because it’s traditionally assumed that birthday parties will cost a lot of money. However, there are birthday party ideas for any budget.
Sometimes a fantastic kids birthday party revolves around a certain place. Memorable times will be had by all if you plan your party at: a roller rink or ice skating rink, a bowling alley, an indoor waterpark, the local park, a movie theatre, a restaurant (Mcdonalds, Major Magic, Chuckie Cheese), Toys R Us, laser tag, the science museum, a mini-golf / go-cart facility, a paintball place, a rock gym, the zoo, or at a medieval times theatre performance. These are just a few birthday party ideas your kids might love.
Another option is throwing a theme party at your own home. A great starting point for birthday party ideas is www.coolest-kid-birthday-parties.com, where you can find instructions on making unique birthday invitations, find out where to buy partyware, a how-to-make-your-own-decorations guide for each theme, what icebreaker activities and games to plan, where to find costumes, what food to serve and what party favors to give out. It’s really a one-stop shop for your party planning needs! Planning a kids birthday party doesn’t have to be stressful. The only difficult choice is which theme to choose: pirate, superheroes, wild west, knights and princesses, detective, circus, safari, sports, mystery, dinosaurs, Hollywood, army, Hawaiian, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Shrek, American Idol, Transformers, dress up, magic, under the sea, Caribbean, barnyard or medieval?
The general rule of thumb is to pick the theme and then the food. For instance, you might want to make a pineapple cheesecake for a Hawaiian party, turkey legs for a pirate party, elephant-shaped “peanutbutter and jellyphant” sandwiches for a safari party, or buffalo wings and bronco burgers for a western theme. If you want to skip the planning and go for cost-efficiency, BBQ hamburgers, subs or sheet pizza is an easy answer. While children generally aren’t too picky, remember that for adults, the food makes the party.
The hardest part of throwing a kids birthday party is planning activities. Organizing several games to break up the day and keep kids entertained is the key to a successful party. You may purchase a slip and slide water game or water balloons for fun summer birthday party ideas. Bobbing for apples, relay races, pinatas, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, tag, magnetic fishing games, musical chairs, Twister and Charades are always classic games. If you want to be really creative and wow the party, a scavenger hunt can be a memorable experience. Check www.orientaltrading.com for some neat party prizes and goodie bag ideas. You’ll want every child to win a prize, so that no one ends up crying or feeling bad. Your best bet are games where everyone participates, the kids remain active and everyone wins in the end.
For large budgets, select from original birthday party ideas such as: surf simulators, sumo suits, petting zoos, hypnotists, magicians, rock climbs or bounce houses. For smaller budgets, a simple Slip N Slide, a game of Twister, charades or a treasure hunt can work wonders. Large budgets may require catering, while small budgets can make use of The Dollar Store partyware and sheet pizza.
Whether you look online, in an Oriental Trading Post catalog or at a Party City outlet for birthday party ideas, your child will never forget the time and effort you’ve spent. The smiles are priceless and no matter your budget, you’ll be glad you made this birthday memorable.
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