How much are you spending on birthday parties?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have 3 kids so we try to stick to ~$500 per party but even that is tight and we often go over and spend closer to $600-700. This is for basic play place, rent a park pavilion, nature center, etc. type parties.

I just don’t know how to feed and entertain a group of kids for less than that. We aren’t as over the top as the bubble and crepe people, but do stuff like hiring a character, renting a bounce house (those can be $400+ easily), plus pizza. We don’t even do the whole class, usually just the same gender kids or set a cap and let our DCs pick that number (like 12-15 kids). It’s a lot of money, I know plenty of people can’t afford this.

Agreed. We hadn't had a party in 3 years (winter birthdays so hard to do during the pandemic) so didn't worry too much about the cost this year, but it's definitely expensive for any sort of venue. We also spent around $500 per party and had under 20 kids at each. That said, some of their classmates are having parties at local parks/playgrounds this spring and just showing up early to get tables rather than renting anything. That sort of setup would make me a bit nervous as a host (particularly if there are no bathrooms available) and hard to do in the winter, but then all they are paying for is food and some favors.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Please do more home and playground parties! We enjoy them just as much. Do some organized games. With that many kids you could have teams even!

As I said, just the taco truck we had at our backyard party was $1,000. When we had a playground party the permit was $120, $400 for the bubble man, over $2,000 for the crepe truck (entitling each party guest to one savory and one sweet crepe), etc.

For a kid's party? Why?

I hate park parties. During Covid? Fine. Any other time, I think they are the worst.

The best kid’s parties I’ve ever been to were in a park. Also, crepes suck.

Agree. LOVE park/playground parties. Younger siblings can roam and play, parents are welcome to stay and chat. Kids always have a blast, even if no planned activities. Give them some bubbles and let them loose to go play. Our favorite one included a pretty intense game of kickball

What age group is this?

My youngest is in kindergarten and she doesn’t even love to go to the playground anymore. We used to go almost daily when she was in preschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please do more home and playground parties! We enjoy them just as much. Do some organized games. With that many kids you could have teams even!

As I said, just the taco truck we had at our backyard party was $1,000. When we had a playground party the permit was $120, $400 for the bubble man, over $2,000 for the crepe truck (entitling each party guest to one savory and one sweet crepe), etc.

For a kid's party? Why?

I hate park parties. During Covid? Fine. Any other time, I think they are the worst.

The best kid’s parties I’ve ever been to were in a park. Also, crepes suck.

Agree. LOVE park/playground parties. Younger siblings can roam and play, parents are welcome to stay and chat. Kids always have a blast, even if no planned activities. Give them some bubbles and let them loose to go play. Our favorite one included a pretty intense game of kickball

What age group is this?

My youngest is in kindergarten and she doesn’t even love to go to the playground anymore. We used to go almost daily when she was in preschool.

I hate to tell you this, but elementary aged kids are the MAIN AGE group for playground. Are you taking her to a toddler playground?

I will also say, empty playgrounds with just them and mom are not fun at age 7 or 8. But playgrounds with their friends and classmates? A blast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please do more home and playground parties! We enjoy them just as much. Do some organized games. With that many kids you could have teams even!

As I said, just the taco truck we had at our backyard party was $1,000. When we had a playground party the permit was $120, $400 for the bubble man, over $2,000 for the crepe truck (entitling each party guest to one savory and one sweet crepe), etc.

For a kid's party? Why?

I hate park parties. During Covid? Fine. Any other time, I think they are the worst.

You know what I hate? Spending $1k on a 7 year old's birthday party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please do more home and playground parties! We enjoy them just as much. Do some organized games. With that many kids you could have teams even!

As I said, just the taco truck we had at our backyard party was $1,000. When we had a playground party the permit was $120, $400 for the bubble man, over $2,000 for the crepe truck (entitling each party guest to one savory and one sweet crepe), etc.

For a kid's party? Why?

I hate park parties. During Covid? Fine. Any other time, I think they are the worst.

The best kid’s parties I’ve ever been to were in a park. Also, crepes suck.

Agree. LOVE park/playground parties. Younger siblings can roam and play, parents are welcome to stay and chat. Kids always have a blast, even if no planned activities. Give them some bubbles and let them loose to go play. Our favorite one included a pretty intense game of kickball

What age group is this?

My youngest is in kindergarten and she doesn’t even love to go to the playground anymore. We used to go almost daily when she was in preschool.

I hate to tell you this, but elementary aged kids are the MAIN AGE group for playground. Are you taking her to a toddler playground?

I will also say, empty playgrounds with just them and mom are not fun at age 7 or 8. But playgrounds with their friends and classmates? A blast.

PP who loves playground parties, and I agree. Up to 10 is still a great time when friends are there. On the older side, a game of waffle ball/baseball, kickball, ultimate frisbee, capture the flag are a fun addition

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We spent about that for whole class preschool party at a playspace, once you include food (just simple pizza etc) and favors etc.

All the ppl saying house or playground parties - I love those too but weather is a big question mark. Both my kids have winter bdays so we are basically stuck with party venues. We could host at home if kids could be outside for part of the time but seasonally it's unlikely.

I will say my DS loved his party - it was exactly what he wanted. So that made it worthwhile.

Winter parties are harder. For my winter child, we’ve never done a whole class party. It’s always been under 6 friends at a venue of some kind: bowling, gymnastics, escape room, trampoline, pottery, climbing wall. I don’t think we’ve every paid more than 500 at the most. Not bc we can’t afford it, but principle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please do more home and playground parties! We enjoy them just as much. Do some organized games. With that many kids you could have teams even!

As I said, just the taco truck we had at our backyard party was $1,000. When we had a playground party the permit was $120, $400 for the bubble man, over $2,000 for the crepe truck (entitling each party guest to one savory and one sweet crepe), etc.

Your problem is hiring someone else to do the catering at your outdoor party. I'm not saying it's wrong or unappreciated, it's just bound to be very expensive.

If you had grilled something in your backyard, I doubt 40 hamburgers, chips, fruit, and birthday cake would've come to $1000. Let alone crepes for $2000!

But there's no problem. And DH and I don't want to be stuck cooking and serving food. We want to have fun with our guests, watch our kids enjoying the entertainment and playing with each other, and have fun. To us, it's worth hiring people so we can do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a birthday party in our back garden this past fall, and just having the taco truck was $1,000, never mind the decorations, the ice cream truck, party favors, or the animal entertainment.

A taco truck, ice cream truck, and “animal entertainment” all for one backyard party? That is over the top. You could just order pizza or grill burgers and hot dogs like a normal person? Or you know, scoop ice cream yourself?

Why should DH and I put in all that work, when we can pay others to do it (supporting small, local businesses at that) so that we're free to enjoy the party? To us, that's money well spent. It's like saying why hire a cleaning service when you could clean yourself. Well sure I could, but I'd rather spend time with my kids doing fun things.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 kids. My youngest one still has yearly birthday parties as he is in elementary school - and the cheapest party over the last 15 years of kids' birthday parties was always in the $1K range. We always serve a meal, get a bakery specialty cake, decorations, nice party favors, etc - it all adds up. However, if I was on a budget, I could easily cut it in half even if I invited the whole class. I would just stick with pizza and grocery store cupcakes & water and have it at a park with games and a piñata (and party favors would be the trinkets/treats from that). The kids at that age don't notice and like them all the same.

[Anonymous]

My kids have 2-3 good friends over. We make pizzas, have cake, they explore in our woods, ride our mini donkey, play with the chickens and pets, and it doesn’t cost anything. This is what they prefer.

Huge birthday parties are kind of weird past preschool age.

[Anonymous]

Most kids really don’t care. Whether it is at a park or a venue and they have fun, that is all that really matters. All this fancy food trucks, most kids will toss their food in the trash because they want to play. Keep it simple. Kids will have as much at a $1000 party as a $250 party. That is the truth.

[Anonymous]

My friend literally hauled a folding table with a tablecloth to the park, put cupcakes, juice boxes and bags of chips on it with a box of silly string and bubbles. The kid had fun.

[Anonymous]

When my son was in preschool, a classmate (mixed age, Montessori) had her birthday at the Marriott conference center in formerly White Flint. There was a bounce house, video golf, cotton candy, a candy bar, pizza, heavy appetizers for the adults (bacon wrapped scallops, shrimp, pasta bar). It was over the top. They must have spent $10K. But I do not remember her name or her parents and I don’t even recall how old she was, maybe 5 or 6. Save your money for things that really matter. I’m sure the girl barely remembers too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my son was in preschool, a classmate (mixed age, Montessori) had her birthday at the Marriott conference center in formerly White Flint. There was a bounce house, video golf, cotton candy, a candy bar, pizza, heavy appetizers for the adults (bacon wrapped scallops, shrimp, pasta bar). It was over the top. They must have spent $10K. But I do not remember her name or her parents and I don’t even recall how old she was, maybe 5 or 6. Save your money for things that really matter. I’m sure the girl barely remembers too!

DS went to a birthday party when he was 4 that was at a country club where they had rented out the ballroom and also had the pool closed down for only the party guests. They had Batman and Superman there and some assorted princesses, every kid got a birthday-gift sized "goodie bag" (given to them by Batman) and there was an open bar in addition to an insane amount of food. I can't imagine how much they spent. There were about 25 kids there, plus parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When my son was in preschool, a classmate (mixed age, Montessori) had her birthday at the Marriott conference center in formerly White Flint. There was a bounce house, video golf, cotton candy, a candy bar, pizza, heavy appetizers for the adults (bacon wrapped scallops, shrimp, pasta bar). It was over the top. They must have spent $10K. But I do not remember her name or her parents and I don’t even recall how old she was, maybe 5 or 6. Save your money for things that really matter. I’m sure the girl barely remembers too!

DS went to a birthday party when he was 4 that was at a country club where they had rented out the ballroom and also had the pool closed down for only the party guests. They had Batman and Superman there and some assorted princesses, every kid got a birthday-gift sized "goodie bag" (given to them by Batman) and there was an open bar in addition to an insane amount of food. I can't imagine how much they spent. There were about 25 kids there, plus parents.

Gotta meet those minimums somehow, I guess.