Cost-effective Suggestions for a Child’s Party

Cost-effective Suggestions for a Child’s Party

All parents have a little bit of dread when it comes to children’s parties.  On top of worrying about the guest list, the expense and the thoughts of the other parents I have a terrible fear that I just won’t be cool enough. That the children will get bored. This is stupid, I know.  I manage to entertain my child just fine, and her friends when they’re round too.

But at parties there’s just so many of them. Thankfully you don’t have to splash out to create an entertaining and memorable party.

•          If you feel like you have good creative or organisation skills but you’re less confident about looking after a large number of children, do something that can involve their parents too. Is there an open space nearby that you can use for a treasure hunt? You set up the hunt and the children and their parents go round, which takes the pressure off you but lets everyone socialise and get some fresh air and exercise.

•         Do you have a Wii? A Wii party with competitions in singing, dancing, sports games and other events will keep both boys and girls entertained for hours. Having some little prizes will make it extra special, and you could even send out a list of events before if you want to make it really competitive. If you’re less into the competition aspect, letting them play in teams and just have fun with it will still provide ready-made entertainment.

•         If you’ve got a little outside space, think about a camping party with a few select friends. They’ll find it really exciting and different, and you don’t have to do too much decorating or planning. Just pitch a tent and give them some snacks and hot chocolate and let them enjoy scaring each other in the dark.

•          If you want something a little less hectic, some sort of craft party or anything that involves making things will create mess, but also give you automatic entertainment for the children, and they’ll have something they can take away with them. You can buy cheap craft supplies for parties online, or even improvise with string and beads for jewellery making for example.

•          If you don’t want a theme and you’re just hosting a normal disco/party food party, think of little ways to make it personal. Buy cheap printed t shirts for the children, or make each one a little cake with their name iced on it.

It can seem like the pressure to have a glitzy party in a hired venue is huge, but remember that children are, in general, easily entertained and you don’t have to break the bank to create something personal and fun.

Katy is a blogger with a keen interest in tips and tricks for parents, and the power that blogging and social networking has in bringing parents together and sharing knowledge.