TIPS ON THROWING A PARTY ON A DIME
HERE ARE SOME HELPFUL TIPS AND IDEAS TO KEEP YOUR PARTY IN BUDGET:
1) Throwing a party at home is a good way to save venue rental fees.
2) Make your party between meals. A great time to have a party is 2pm-4pm. Then you only have to serve snacks instead of a full meal to your guests.
3) If your child is of age, make your party a “drop off” party. That way you don’t have to feel obligated to buy the adults food.
4) Make your party theme around a food or art craft. You can use the kid’s finished crafts or cooking creation as a take home gift.
THEME PARTY IDEAS (Most can be modified for different ages):
*DANCE PARTY
-Play games like dance freeze or musical chairs
-Create a choreographed dance for the kids to learn and present
Or
– Make your own CDs or an iPod play list with Top 40 songs. Dim down the lights and give the kids glow sticks and have them free style dance.
-You can make personalized CDs of you child’s favourite songs for the loot bag. You can also add an instrument or more cool glow sticks as a take home gift.
*ART PARTY
You can buy art supplies from Dollar Stores, Michael’s, Target and Walmart
-Decorate tees, aprons or hats with puffy paint or fabric markers
-Pottery painting
-Tie dying
-Gingerbread house decorating
-Beading
-Canvas painting
-Candle making
Loot Bags would be their creations.
*BAKING PARTIES
-Make cup cakes or small cakes
-Give the children icing and candy to decorate their cupcakes and put them in a box to take home.
-Have an interactive “make your own” meal like tacos or a pasta bar.
-Loot bags could be their cupcakes and you can buy aprons or baking supplies from the Dollarama to add to their loots.
*SPA PARTY
-Buy each child a bowl, nail polish, manicure kit, hand cream and a hair accessory.
-Have some adult family members or friends help you out to fill the bowls with water and give the kids manicures or pedicures and apply nail polish and cream.
-You can do make-up applications and hair styles.
-For the loot bag, send the kids home with their bowls, manicure kit, hand cream, nail polish and hair accessory.
*PRINCESS PARTY
-Have the kids come dressed in princess attire.
-Buy supplies at the dollar store to make and decorate wands and crowns.
-You can do a fashion show with the kids in their costumes or watch a Disney princess movie.
-Make the kids a tea party with warm fruit flavoured tea, little sandwiches and small treats.
-Your bags can be their wands, crowns and add a few Disney princess trinkets (ie bubbles, sun glasses and colouring books).
*MOCK SLUMBER PARTY
-Have the children come dressed in their pyjamas.
-Go to Walmart or the dollar store and buy pillow cases and pillows. Get the children to decorate the pillow cases with puffy paint or fabric markers.
-Put on a movie for the kids and serve them popcorn.
-The Loot Bags would be the pillows in the decorated pillow cases.
*MOVIE PARTY
-Movie Trivia Game (you can find animated movie trivia questions online).
-Put on a family movie.
-Hand out popcorn, candy, and soft drinks.
-For the loot bags go to Walmart in the movie section and pick up $5 family movies to send home with each child.
*SUPER HERO PARTY
-Cape and mask making. You can find supplies at Your local Dollarama.
-You can cut pillow cases or buy towels and stick them with sticky velcro (found in the craft aisle).
-Find an adult family or friend’s superhero costume and surprise the kids.
-Watch a super hero movie.
-Make white ice cream sundaes with red and blue toppings for Spider-Man.
-Loot bags can be the capes, masks and a super hero colouring book.
*SPORTS PARTY
-Go to the dollar store, Walmart, or Michaels and buy two different colour T-shirts. One colour for one team and another for the other.
-Give the kids puffy paint or fabric markers. Have them put their last names and choose a number to go on the back of their shirts.
-You can throw in sporting items like a ball, glove or hockey stick to take home with their T-shirts.
-If the weather is on your side you could put the kids in your yard for a game of soccer or capture the flag. If the weather doesn’t work you could put the kids in their teams and do a sports trivia contest.
*CARNIVAL PARTY
-Have some adult family members and friends help you run the party.
-Create your own games by going to the Dollarstore to buy the supplies.
-Games can include: Throw the ball and hit the cans, ring toss, bean bag toss in the hole, bowling, fortune teller, borrow a jumping castle from a friend, pin the nose on the clown and face painting.
-Go to the dollar store and buy mini popcorn containers and cotton candy filled containers.
-Buy a roll of tickets. Give each child a roll of tickets for each booth and a bag. For each game played the child receives a small prize which goes in their loot bag. (Party City has small cheap little prize toys).
-Send the children home with their loot bag and a container of cotton candy.
If you don’t want the mess at your home, you will want to find a party place that offers a cheap package that consists of food, cake, paper plates, cutlery, balloons and loot bags.
*PARTY PLACES IN THE GTA FOR 20 KIDS THAT COST UNDER $300 (INCLUDING TAX):
1) MCDONALDS (All over the GTA)
You can throw a party for your child at McDonalds for $10 per child. They reserve your tables by the playground. Each child gets a happy meal and loot bag. This package also includes a cake.
*PARTY PLACES IN THE GTA FOR 20 KIDS THAT COST UNDER $500 (INCLUDING TAX):
1) LOBLAWS (All over the GTA)
The cost for a Loblaws pizza party is approximately $20 per child. This includes the pizza the kids cook and eat for their meal. They also will colour their own baking hats and decorate a big cake or cupcakes, which becomes their goodie bags to take home as a party favour.
2) MESS FOR FUN (North York)
Weekday party
If you can throw your party on a weekday, this is a good deal for you. The kids will have fun in the Indoor Playground, and a will receive a food package, and add on loot bags.
73 Alness St #3, North York, ON M3J 2H2
3) CHUCKIE CHEESE (All over the GTA)
Full food and play package. For the basic package, add their cake and small loot bags. This will keep you in budget for a fun party.
