For kids these days, a birthday party is highly relevant for their social lives and happiness. There are countless options for hosting birthday parties away from home, in such fun places as indoor bounce parks, bowling alleys, paint-your-own pottery shops and more. Although these places are fun, they are also quite expensive.

Although birthday parties are important in kids’ lives, most are looking for an all-around fun experience and, given the option, most would like to extend the experience as long as possible. As long as their friends are invited, and they are given exciting play and game options, children will have a birthday party to remember. Since most venues are looking to rotate your party in and out in 90 minutes to two hours, consider the benefits of hosting your child’s next birthday party at home. While there are disadvantages such as cleaning up afterward, a home-based party can save money and provide a stellar experience. Here’s how to pull it off with ease.

Plan a Couple of Months in Advance

Ask your child in advance what kind of party they’d like. If their heart is set on a destination party, then at least you know early and can either start saving or subtly try to change their mind by offering other options. Sometimes, if you make concessions that meet their desires, such as inviting more friends or permitting a slumber party, you may find that your child is more than happy to have a more cost-effective event.

Starting the discussion early also allows you to plan and avoid the most dreaded kids’ party-planning killer, double-booking. When your daughter’s new best friend cannot attend her party because she’s already RSVP’d to another girl’s party — just like the rest of her third-grade class - you will be dealing with a sad child. Get your party date out there as soon as possible. Email parents even if you do not know exactly what your plan will be.

Advanced planning also allows for flexibility in renting any specialized equipment for the party, and determining food, snacks and beverages.

Keep the Kids on Their Toes with Some Fun Activities  

Another way to ensure a fun party is to keep the action going. Avoid times of silence or chaos (particularly in case the weather doesn’t cooperate) by planning lively activities such as:

• Scavenger hunts — the more unique, the better
• Storytelling games
• Drawing games
• Lawn sports such as bean bag toss, Frisbee, or water balloon toss.

You can also put together a cost-effective dress-up party by having the kids put together their own costumes using some affordable arts and crafts supplies. For example, with the help of a coupon for Joann, you can stock up on all the fabric and material you need. If you need help finding additional supplies, such as lace wigs, you can find countless guides and websites that will gladly point you in the right direction.

If you plan an outdoor party, make sure that some of the activities also can be enjoyed indoors in case of inclement weather. Indoor activities can include classic party games like pin the tail on the donkey and musical chairs, but try adding something new to make your child’s party memorable. Create a music video playlist on YouTube and turn your living room into a kids’ dance club. Use an educational game-building site such as Quizlet live to create Jeopardy-style quiz shows with questions all about the birthday boy or girl. An older or younger sibling can act as the game show host, and there can be small prizes.

Realize that a fun party does not require parents to spend hundreds of dollars. Keep the budget small and the fun large, as you put a memorable party in the books for your child this year.

 -This is a guest blog post by Maria Cannon, you can find more of Maria at http://hobbyjr.org/.