One in five parents spend more than $500 on their child’s birthday party every year. Considering how expensive hosting an event has gotten, cheap birthday party ideas can be hard to come by. To help you stick to your budget without sacrificing fun, we’ve come up with this list of affordable celebration options. From camping in the backyard to decorating baked goods with friends, here are 10 ways to make your kiddo feel special without breaking the bank.
Top 10 Cheap Birthday Party Ideas
1. Movie Night
A movie night is one of the top cheap birthday party ideas. Thanks to streaming services, tons of movies are available right on your TV. If you want to create an extra special experience, buy a cheap projector and set up your viewing outside. You can simply use a bedsheet as a makeshift flatscreen to keep things budget-friendly.
An advantage of being outside is not having to worry about providing enough seating for everyone. Just bring some blankets and lay out on the lawn! Don’t forget to grab some bags of popcorn, chips, and candy on sale, or ask guests to bring their favorite snack or drink to share instead of gifts.
2. Brunch Party
An at-home brunch buffet will be a hit with both kids and adults! If you have a waffle maker, you can set up a made-to-order waffle station with a variety of toppings. With parental assistance, your child’s guests could also toast their own bagels or English muffins. Breakfast foods like scrambled eggs, pancakes, and sausage are easy to keep warm using disposable chafing dishes and sterno cans.
Alternatively, you could stick to continental breakfast favorites like yogurt and pastries. For entertainment, garden party games such as croquet, bocce ball, and cornhole pair well with a brunch theme.
3. At-Home Spa Day
Everyone likes to be pampered on their special day, so consider hosting an at-home spa party for your birthday girl. It’s easy to set up a DIY facial bar using common ingredients like oats, honey, yogurt, and avocado. Alternatively, you could purchase a few sheet facial masks from the drugstore. While you’re there, grab some nail polish for mani-pedis and a few hair accessories for a French braiding station. A DIY bath bomb-making kit could also be a fun addition.
To feed your child and their friends on a budget, make finger foods like cucumber sandwiches, mini quiches, or muffins, and cut veggies with dip. Don’t forget to whip up some fruit-flavored spa water to keep everyone hydrated, which is the secret to glowing skin.
4. Free Museum Day
Virtually all museums have free admission days that allow the public to enjoy the exhibits at no cost. While these events might not fall exactly on your birthday, they can still be a fun and affordable way to celebrate with a small group. Some libraries also offer free day passes to local museums, but keep in mind that the number available is usually limited.
Whether you love art, science, or seeing animals at the zoo, we know you’ll have a great time celebrating your birthday at one of your local institutions!
5. Camping
Camping is another cheap birthday party idea that’s always a hit with kids. Consider setting up a tent in the backyard to give guests a taste of the outdoors without losing access to amenities like indoor plumbing. If local regulations allow, starting a bonfire can enhance the camping experience, enabling you to roast marshmallows and tell stories around the fire. Stargazing using an app like SkyView Lite is another fun party activity that children of all ages will enjoy.
If your guests are prepared to rough it, hosting the event at a campground could be a fun adventure. You’ll be able to fully embrace the outdoors by preparing a meal over the fire and hiking local trails.
Does your child have a winter birthday? If space allows, you could set up a fort in the living room to create an indoor glamping experience. Instead of roasting marshmallows, make smores in the microwave and tell spooky stories while passing around a flashlight.
6. Backyard Sprinkler Party
Can’t afford to take your child and their friends to the water park? Set up one at home instead! Even if you don’t have a pool or slip-and-slide, you can run the sprinklers or turn on the hose to cool everyone off. Water soakers and balloons are also fun additions to a backyard sprinkler party. Just don’t forget the sunscreen!
7. Scavenger Hunt
If cheap birthday party ideas are still outside of your budget, consider setting up a free scavenger hunt. You can use items from around the house (such as stuffed animals, toy figurines, and other small objects) to create a fun scavenger hunt for guests.
The venue can be your home, neighborhood, local park, or even the beach. No matter where you set up the event, creating interesting clues is key. If your child is older, they may enjoy geocaching, which involves using coordinates off of their phone to find the objects. Younger kids would love a treasure map or hand-written riddles and clues.
8. Picnic at a Local Park
If camping isn’t your style but your family still enjoys being outdoors, consider hosting a picnic at a local park. Most parks have designated event spaces with picnic tables, grills, and pavilions, making it easy to entertain a group of any size. However, you may need a permit or reservation to take advantage of these amenities.
To feed everyone affordably, bring along a cooler filled with sandwiches or hot dogs and burgers to cook on the grill. You won’t need to spend much on entertainment either thanks to the playground equipment. But it can’t hurt to bring some outdoor toys like bubbles, hula hoops, and frisbees. Keep the decorations simple to stay on budget—a pinata, some streamers, and a weighted balloon bouquet are enough to set the mood.
9. Indoor or Outdoor Game Night
Looking for cheap birthday party ideas that work in both winter and summer? An at-home game night is a great option. When the weather is cold, kids can enjoy their favorite video and board games inside the house. You can also play classic party games like musical chairs, pin the tail on the donkey, limbo, and Simon Says.
During the summer, activities like badminton, capture the flag, freeze tag, and soccer can help kids burn off steam. You can also set up fun relay races, such as an egg toss or sack race.
10. Baking Party
Kids of all ages love sweet treats, making a baking party a fun idea for an event. Depending on the age and skill level of your guests, you could get them involved in the baking process or simply allow them to help decorate. Cookies, cupcakes, and brownies are all good menu options. Allow guests to customize their goodies with sprinkles, colored icing, candy, edible glitter, and fondant.
What are your favorite cheap birthday party ideas? Let us know in the comments!
Vicky Monroe is a freelance personal finance writer who enjoys learning about and discussing the psychology of money. In her free time, she loves to cook and tackle DIY projects.
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