How To Plan An Affordable Kid's Birthday Party: My 7 Simple Steps

In our home, Spring just happens to be a time when a lot of party planning is going on. Our Ava Pearl turns 9 this June and my sister, nephew, father & sister-in-law all turn a year older in June as well. Throw in year end recitals, Father’s Day and school parties and let’s just say that the amount of celebrating we do just might be considered criminal. What I’ve learned over the years, is that I like to start my birthday planning early to avoid adding extra stress to an already full season.

The thought of your home being taken over by little ones on a sugar high screaming and running around while somehow managing to hand paint with icing on your walls can seem quite unappealing!

But, with a little bit of prep and organization before the big date, your child’s birthday can and will change from a few hours of unbridled chaos to a day you’ll want to remember!

Today, I’ve pulled out one of my favourite posts from the archives to assist you with the task of pulling together a simple and affordable party for your child. I’ve compiled 7 simple steps to make the planning stage less daunting and ultimately help you create an organized, fun & memorable birthday party for your little one.

1. Decide on a theme

About 6 weeks before my girls’ birthdays, I always spend some time perusing Pinterest for some birthday theme inspiration. I consider their interests & personality and then piece it all together. As Ava has gotten older she has had more influence on the theme we pick. On Claire’s first birthday, I went with a “Sweet Pea” theme. My mom always refers to Claire as her sweet pea and as soon as I spotted this adorable wooden sign at Target it was a done deal!

2. Decide on the location

If you are interested in saving some money, a birthday party in your home can be lots of fun and a lot easier on your wallet. If you do not have the space to host a party in your humble abode, considering a local play place for the children to gather, a park or even your own backyard (weather permitting) are all great ideas. Having a party outside of your home can save you the stress of getting your home ready but keep in mind, often times venues need to be booked at least 8 weeks in advance if you want to get your first pick on date and time and can cost you a few hundred dollars to rent.

3. Create a guest list and send out invitations

Will you have a small intimate gathering to celebrate your little one with your closest family and friends or are you planning to invite a small village to your child’s party? Considering your child’s age, sometimes inviting a friend means the whole family will come along to join in the fun. One idea to consider is to allow your child to invite as many friends as their age. So, in June when Ava turns 6 she will be able to invite 6 friends to her birthday party. Once you’ve decided on your guest list, make up an invite and send it off at least 4 weeks before your child’s party. My favourite go-to invite is an online program called Evite. Most of the invitations are free, there are endless themes to choose from and an added bonus is the program is very user friendly!

4. Create & Re-use

Create a “birthday tote” where you can keep decorations stored over the years. I often go to my tote first to see what I can use or re-create for the next birthday party. I whipped up this highchair banner for Claire’s first birthday using materials I already had in the house.

Another fun idea that can instantly personalize your party decore is to purchase water bottle labels. They are affordable and ready to download immediately. I purchased my sweet pea labels here.

5. Food!

I love feeding our guests and incorporating themed elements into the platters. My number one rule of thumb is to delegate, who can you call to help with the delicious spread? The kids’ grandparents and aunties are always willing to help out with bringing an item to share. One area that Jason and I are not especially talented at is baking and decorating cakes. But, Grandma Renner is a pro, so she is always our go to person to come up with adorable themed cupcakes to bring to the girls’ parties.

6. Create entertainment zones

Want to avoid complete chaos during your special occasion? Create entertainment zones.

I like to lay out some butcher paper on the coffee table and create an instant art station for all to enjoy (including the adults!). Put out some felts and stickers and you are good to go. A few other options include creating a lego area, dress up bin, special craft (your local dollar store has a lot of cheap and fun options), putting on a movie or if you are brave, a play dough station with feathers, googly eyes and buttons for the children to decorate their creations with.

7. Party Favours

If you are considering giving out a party favour at the end of the party, try to keep it small and simple. Big party bags are often quite expensive. Consider one small treat as they head out the door. In the past we have sent the children home with a rainbow lollipop (rainbow theme), or a small box of cereal with a fun spoon (PJ and pancake party theme), or a green sweet pea themed treat with a cute message, “peas and thank you”. These items also serve as a cute decoration that can sit out during the party.

One last thought…

If you can afford it, consider hiring a photographer to capture those special birthday moments. As a host, I often find I’m too busy to be snapping pictures. Another idea is to delegate this important job to a family member or friend who has some photography skills. The pictures in this post were done by our amazing and talented friend and photographer, Brandi Arndt.

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