Candles: Check
Birthday Party Invites: Check
Most Fun Day of Your
 Child’s Life: Check?

If your kiddo’s birthday is coming up, you may feel a bit of excitement and a tinge of sadness. Your sweet baby is reaching another yearly milestone and going into a whole new chapter of their life, and it’s your job to make sure this celebration is remembered for years to come. But, c’mon, you’re not a Kardashian! You can’t just negate all of your important payments to put a down payment on balloons, a party clown, or even an extravagant birthday dress. It’s time to really rethink birthdays. Here’s how you can throw a memorable birthday party on a budget. Thank us later.

HOST A SLEEPOVER
Probably one of the most exciting events in a young child’s life is the opportunity to have a group of friends stay the night. If you want to make your kid’s eyes light up, buy the group a pizza, give them free rein in the living room, and sit back as your child makes their favorite birthday memories.

HAVE A COOKOUT
What better way to celebrate your special kiddo than with lots of homemade food and a cookout or BBQ in the backyard? You can make an entire day of celebrating with fun lawn games, pool time, hotdogs and hamburgers, and fun in the sun. At the end of the day, turn up the heat and make s’mores around a fire pit.

THROW A PARTY AT THE PARK
Community parks are a great place to host large gatherings, like birthday parties! Many of the community parks in Baton Rouge have splash pads, tennis courts, disc golf, and other fun outdoor activities for kiddos and the whole family to enjoy.

HOST A BACKYARD MOVIE NIGHT
A backyard movie night is the perfect way to bring together friends and family and do an activity everyone will enjoy. For this night, we recommend a projector so that everyone can see the big screen! For added fun, you can make a snack table inside where kids can choose from candy, chips, and other sweet or salty snacks. To keep the bugs away, we recommend bug repellent tiki torches!

GO ON A SCAVENGER HUNT
Scavenger hunts are a fun way to engage and entertain your child’s guests without breaking the bank on entertainment options. If you want to add a fun twist to the scavenger hunt, add unique prizes throughout the hunt!

OTHER COST-SAVING METHODS
SKIP THE POST OFFICE
To cut costs at the post office, we recommend making digital birthday party invitations through Canva or another design platform. This way, instead of mailing cards, you can just send them via email or text!

ORDER SUPPLIES ONLINE
Party stores often have ludicrous markups on items you can buy in bulk online. Instead of wasting money on cheap items, consider buying party supplies in bulk from stores like Amazon, Walmart, or even Sam’s Club. Bonus points if you can reuse the items for future events.

UPCYCLE OLD PARTY FAVORS
Birthday parties often have unique themes that require extensive planning and thorough brainstorming. However, most items like hats, streamers, decorations, and noisemakers can all be reused. Consider taking careful care of your party favors at this year’s party, so you can reuse them again for years to come.

BAKE YOUR OWN CAKE
We’re not saying you have to be Betty Crocker over here, but baking your child’s cake would save a significant amount of money–especially if they have specific decoration requests in mind. If baking from scratch isn’t your thing, buy a box cake! If you want to spruce up a box cake, substitute buttermilk for water for a firmer, less-sweet cake. Then, you can make your own buttercream. Et voilà!

USE CRAFTS AS PARTY FAVORS
If you want to save money on party favors, opt for a personalized craft that guests can take home with them. You can search for specific crafts that match your child’s theme, or come up with your own ideas.

EMBRACE FREE ACTIVITIES
Save money on entertainment and entertain your kiddo’s guests with free activities. Here are a few easy go-to ideas:

■ Keep-Up-the-Balloon
■ Musical Chairs
■ Hot Potato
■ Charades
■ Red Rover
■ Three-Legged Race
■ “Simon says”

While you may not be a Kardashian, your child definitely views you as a superhero of sorts and will more than likely appreciate any effort you put into making their birthday a special one. Remember, it’s the thought that counts! ■