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I am pretty sure that I made a park party for financial reasons. I am sure I didn't spend that much. It's been a while so I can't remember all the costs and I'm sure everything has gone up in price, but I remember it costing much less than a craft/bowling/amusement park/arcade at that time. I didn't find it that much work, but the kids were older than 5. The problem with 5 year olds at a park is that you are going to need escorts for the bathroom.
i did not want to spend 400, but it seems like anyway i cut it all the places will end up being that much. i am not thrilled with this idea of kids having a party. Her bday is july 3rd. i think id rather spend 400$ on her than on friends she barely knows or sees . i am so torn on this. it is completly outside of my budget to throw a party for 12 kids . and 12 is relaly an undercount b/c peopel always bring siblings and with my DS and our outside of school friends we have 5 kids b4 i even invite the dance and school kids.
Unless your child is asking and begging for a party for friends and it will be a major disappointment, maybe you should just have a cake and presents with the family instead. I don't think the other parents will think any less of you for not throwing a party and I think your kids' friends are probably clueless on reciprocal party etiquette at 5 years old. Simplify.
I'm going through something similar to this myself right now (minus the park; moreso budget wise). My son is turning 2 and his bday is July 7th. Last year for his 1st birthday I spent like $600 between food and beer, 1st birthday supplies, etc. and that was just inviting family and my really close friends. This year, we were hoping to do something smaller but DH's family is larger than mine so it is bringing up the head count again. A few family members have plans to go to Florida this week so I was kind of hopeful that that would make less headcount and we could have a small birthday party on my actual son's birthday weekend but then found out my brother and his family are going to Florida as well on my son's birthday. First off, maybe I'm just old fashioned but my first reaction to everyone (mostly the grandparents on husband's side) going away for my son's birthday was how can a grandparent forget about their grandsons birthday and book a trip? Then my reaction was how can aunts and uncles forget their nephews birthday? I have never forgotten my nephews birthdays (on my side of the family). If anything, I contact my sibling to see if they are throwing a party for one of my nephews b/c our parents are snow bunnies in the winter and go away to Florida. As for my nephews on my husband's side...we always get a text about a party being thrown for our nephews on that side. So in the beginning, I was looking forward to having a small party with the set of grandparents that will be here for my sons actual birthday, my brother and his family and my close friends and DH's family will be in Florida. I thought b/c we were having less people, the cost would be so much less than last year. However, now that my brother stated he is going away, I'm upset by that as well b/c I always remember his kids birthdays...I'm inclined to change the actual date we celebrate his 2nd birthday on b/c I want my son to see his cousins (on my side of the family). So now, I am up to like 23 people and 6 kids b/c my hsubands family is larger than mine. I have no cousins and just an aunt whereas my husband has an aunt & uncle and hteir kids have husbands/girlfriends, etc. I vowed to myself that if I do throw a party with everyone this year, I refuse to spend more than $300. So the way I can relate to the OP about the cost for a party is no matter what you do, do not go over your budget. I'm finding that children's parties can be costly...and right now in my situation, I'm only doing family and it's costing this much. This is having people in my backyard and having food at my house. I busted my hump last year for my son's 1st birthday and my mother is the only who helped and I missed my son's entire 1st birthday b/c I couldn't enjoy myself. I plan on hiring a waitress this year so I can enjoy myself.
All I can say to the OP is stick to your guns to try to keep your costs low. I understand that you'd rather give your child the $400 rather than spend so much to have a party. I thought the same way before I decided to have the entire family this year (which now will set precedence of what I have to do every year till like the age of 5 and also b/c my sister in law does this and I've been told by my mother in law that since she invites everyone I should too; that bothered me big time). I can't even imagine what will happen when I have a kids party and the family (2 separate parties) when my son gets older. If everyone lived closer I would just have cake with the family but I can't ask people to drive 30 minutes just for cake. Anyhoo, OP, stick to your guns. I know how you feel that you want to do what's best for your child and make them happy. I know my son is too young to realize it and when I wasn't goint to have a family party for him, I thought to myself that I go to everyone elses party and one day my son is going to wonder why he doesn't have a family party when our 5 other nephews have one..which I rationalized in my mind how bad he would feel and how much it bothered me that I give gifts to everyone elses kids and my son would get nothing...I know, selfishness, right? I just can't help to feel that way. I know my brother would send a gift in the mail if I did nothing for my son but I don't know about DH's family. For the past 2 years around this time I have caused myself so much anxiety about planning a child's party. I can't imagine as the years go by how much worse it will get. It doesn't help that my husband is a neat freak and gets worried about 2 of our nephews which are hyper and climb all over our furniture, etc. My anxiety level goes sky high when I think of this too.
Anyway, like I said, OP, try to stay within your budget if you have one. I know you want to please your child like every normal parent does. Maybe you can lessen the amount of kids invited? The reason I wrote everything above was b/c I know how you feel about spending the $$ and then the list getting larger and more people invited and more $$ being spent. Guess we need to learn to stick with what we think is right for our children and a budget that is ok for us. It's just so hard now at the age of 2...I can't imagine at the age of 5!
Good luck to you. I've heard about the park as well but my concern with that would be what about if someone else is having the party at that park? Maybe just take your child's closest friends somewhere special for their birthday? I saw someone recommended a bowling party..I thought that was a great idea. I remember going to those when I was younger.
Good luck and either way, your child will have so much fun on their bday just spending it with their close friends and you no matter how much you spend.
Sorry for hijacking your thread..so didn't mean to do it...just got carried away b/c i'm really annoyed b/c I don't understand how my sons grandparents could totally forget his birthday and book a trip to FL. Guess I'm just traditional and too caring in that way. Not really sure. Good luck!! to both of us.
Unless your child is asking and begging for a party for friends and it will be a major disappointment, maybe you should just have a cake and presents with the family instead. I don't think the other parents will think any less of you for not throwing a party and I think your kids' friends are probably clueless on reciprocal party etiquette at 5 years old. Simplify.
I was just about to suggest that.
OP, if those other places are definitely outside of your budget then keep it simple. At 5 years old they really don't ask for big parties, at least my daughter didn't. My daughter's birthday is also in July so a lot of her school friends are unavailable since they travel or go away to camp. I've done the family gathering for cake and then took my daughter and 2 of her closest friends to spend the day at Adventureland. Also, keep in mind if you do a park party, to take into consideration rain dates if it ends up raining the day of the party. I don't think you need permits unless you exceed a certain amount of people. I found the park websites aren't always helpful. Call your town and ask about park permits for parties. We found it was easier to just speak to someone directly
My sister and I have very close birthdays so we always had combined parties. Saved my parents money.
Bottom line to me, it was about the memories and just being around family and friends. I had cake and presents for most of my birthdays and in the end, I was happy about that. Save the big birthdays for 16, 18, 21 etc. birthdays.
My sister and I have very close birthdays so we always had combined parties. Saved my parents money.
Bottom line to me, it was about the memories and just being around family and friends. I had cake and presents for most of my birthdays and in the end, I was happy about that. Save the big birthdays for 16, 18, 21 etc. birthdays.
Thanks for the info (I'm not the OP but had written a post on here about planning my sons 2nd birthday) I plan on trying to get preggo this summer and am hoping for an April or May baby next year. Once that baby turns 1, I will have a big birthday like I did for my son but the following years, my plan is to combine the family parties into 1 party for both..maybe do it in June when the weather is a little nicer. This way I don't have to spend double the money. I totally understand why your parents did a combined party. Makes a lot of sense b/c even just having the immediate family..and then some b/c my husbands family is close with the aunts who in turn have older kids who are married and dating, etc..it adds up to a lot of people. I'm thinking maybe in 2 years I will just do cake with the family...maybe do it in the afternoon so all I need to buy is a hero and salads or something and then have cake...I have 2 years to figure it out! LOL. It would be so much cheaper than ordering food. I've def learned my lesson though..I am paying the $25 per hour for a waitress rather than busting my hump serving everyone and not getting to enjoy my kids parties with family and my very close friends who are like sisters to me.
we've done at-home parties the first 4 birthdays but we're guessing friends & family are getting tired of them. There's only so much you can do. We're finally going to do a fun-zone type this year and $400+ for 12 kids is about right. It'll be over since more kids tend to show like OP mentioned.
Can't afford $400? Then don't do it. Five year olds have the attention span of a teenager being told to clean their room. Ten seconds. You are unnecessarily creating a big headache for yourself.
Unless your child is asking and begging for a party for friends and it will be a major disappointment, maybe you should just have a cake and presents with the family instead. I don't think the other parents will think any less of you for not throwing a party and I think your kids' friends are probably clueless on reciprocal party etiquette at 5 years old. Simplify.
I'm with you. My sister has these stupid and pricey parties for her kids at these money sucking places and invites the entire class. It irks me to no end to see how much money she wastes on these parties when she could have saved that money every year for their college fund or in case of an emergencies. To top it off she is never please with the service she gets. Last time she had on of her kids parties at that boucey place in Syosset Active Kidz. The place cost a fortune, people brought their whole family and the service was terrible. All they tried to do was rush the kids out of one room and into another so that another group could come in. It was a sham.
My wife and I swore we would never spoil our kids like this. We're going to have parties with our families and that is it. My kid will learn at an early age that we are not going to have these kinds of parties.
Thanks for the info (I'm not the OP but had written a post on here about planning my sons 2nd birthday) I plan on trying to get preggo this summer and am hoping for an April or May baby next year. Once that baby turns 1, I will have a big birthday like I did for my son but the following years, my plan is to combine the family parties into 1 party for both..maybe do it in June when the weather is a little nicer. This way I don't have to spend double the money. I totally understand why your parents did a combined party. Makes a lot of sense b/c even just having the immediate family..and then some b/c my husbands family is close with the aunts who in turn have older kids who are married and dating, etc..it adds up to a lot of people. I'm thinking maybe in 2 years I will just do cake with the family...maybe do it in the afternoon so all I need to buy is a hero and salads or something and then have cake...I have 2 years to figure it out! LOL. It would be so much cheaper than ordering food. I've def learned my lesson though..I am paying the $25 per hour for a waitress rather than busting my hump serving everyone and not getting to enjoy my kids parties with family and my very close friends who are like sisters to me.
Other than satisfying the parents' desire to play host/hostess, why does a one or two year old even need a party? It's not as if they will ever have any memories of it. Is it solely to show a profit if the gifts exceed the cost of the party?
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