this wasn't in the plan |but life is still pretty good

My kids all have summer birthdays, so three parties right in a row could get quite costly if I let it (especially once the last one rolls around and I'm just done with party prep!). Here are a few tips to help you plan parties that won't break the bank

Ask what your kids wants. Clearly this one could backfire on you, but you may be surprised at how simple it can really be and still thrill your child to pieces (because that's what it's all about right?). For example, for his third birthday my son just wanted to "watch a show, play toys, and each lunch". You can't get much more simple (and inexpensive) than that!

Look online. Of course there are party ideas galore out there, but you can also find a bunch of free or inexpensive printables to use for your party. If your party theme happens to be a TV show on PBS Kids, Nick. Jr, or the Disney Channel, head to those websites for lots of great ideas specific to your theme. For a dinosaur party favor, I found some inexpensive dinosaur pictures (from a digital scrapbooking kit) and used a graphics editing program to take the color out so they could become coloring sheets in a coloring book. Similarly, I found a car illustration to make cupcake toppers out of for my youngest son's party.

Incorporate Party Favors into the Party Activities.  If your guests create something during the party that they can then take home, you're killing two birds with one stone and saving some money in the process. The guests could decorate a lunch sack to take their goodies home in, participate in a practical craft (like a bookmark or a picture frame), or hunt for small trinkets and treats to take home.


Bury Stuff in the Sand. At my son's dinosaur party, I buried some dinosaurs in our sandbox so the kinds could play paleontologist and dig for dinos. This was a huge hit, took up quite a bit of time, and the kids each took home some dinos. My soon-to-be six-year-old has been asking what we can bury in the sand for his birthday party!

What are some of your ideas?