Friday, March 4, 2011
This weekend is my daughter's big birthday shindig. She turned seven this week, so this weekend our home is being invaded by lots of giggly girls! You know me, I am always looking for ways to have a great time without spending a lot of money. Kids parties are no exception! And now with items on sale during the CartBuster Savings Event combined with a few quick tips and tricks I've learned over the years, I can throw a pretty fun kids' party at a pretty low cost. Here's how:
- Keep it simple. The younger they are, the simpler it should be. They have no need for a complex party with multiple games and crafts, and elaborate goody bags. Keep the food simple too--the more work you do in the kitchen, the less you get to be involved in the party!
- Prep before hand. For ice cream, we buy the gallon of Private Selection vanilla ice cream a couple days in advance and scoop it out into little clear plastic cups. We set the cups on a cookie sheet, and slide the whole thing into the freezer. That way on the day of the party we can just pull out the tray and let the guests add their own toppings! We aren't trapped in the kitchen scooping for hours during the party!
- Get a cupcake cake. We order cupcake cakes for the kids most years from Kroger. They are arranged and decorated exactly the same as one of those character sheet cakes, but serving is a snap--simply hand each guest their own cupcake!
- Keep the drinks simple--punch and maybe a soda. We have a go-to punch that the kids always love. Mix one bottle of Sierra Mist with either a bottle of apple juice or cranberry juice, and a few scoops of sherbert. Simple and the kids love it. A few years back we found a punch fountain on clearance and we use that as well. The kids LOVE it! We keep a few two liters of Pepsi and Diet Pepsi on hand for adults and any kids who don't like punch.
- Plan the arrival. Have a craft or activity for while everyone is arriving to help them get comfortable in the group and at the house. This helps get over any social awkwardness.
- Let them play--plan plenty of time for them to run and play. This is one of the best time-killers for a party! Not playing? If they're in elementary school or younger, I have a secret weapon always on hand: the bubble machine. Seriously, what kid doesn't love a room filled with bubbles? For my daughter's party this weekend, we've got the video camera hooked up to the tv with a little microphone for a little rock star video karoake. Add in the bubble machine and we've got a giggly girl paradise!
- Have simple snacks on hand. There's always the parent who hangs around (thank you!!) or the kid who is growing and constantly hungry. Have a few simple snacks on hand that kids like--Totino's pizza rolls or their Party Pizzas are two of my son's favorites to have for his friends!
- Don't go overboard on the goody bags. Quite honestly, most of us end up throwing away the goody bags our kids come home with a few weeks later. Instead, go with something more creative for the kids to take home--like the craft project. For my son's 10th birthday the boys all made lightsabers from flashlights and clear tubing and took them home. At my daughter's party this weekend the girls will be making their own lip gloss in different flavors and taking small jars of that home.
Now, I'm off to start getting ready for the invasion of the little rock star divas!
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