Unusual or Cool Birthday Party Ideas?

E.:

I used to think I had to have a big fancy party and then I thought, why? I personally think the big parties are because the parents are trying to keep up with the other parents!

For my son, we've always had his friends and classmates over for a typical cake and ice cream party with games, etc. I let them play outside and just have fun! It's a lot less expensive and hectic.

One year, I made a pinata and he and his friends had a great time. Another year, we did a camping party with a camp fire and roasted marshmallows and hot dogs.

I've always heard good reports from the parents and kids that they really enjoyed the parties. The best thing is they all had fun and I didn't have to go into debt just for appearance sake!!

Good Luck!!

Pump-It-Up!! I think the website is pumpitupparty.com, but if not you can google it. It is an inflatable party zone and you can have quite a few kids there for $200 or less. My daughter loved it and so did we!!! Good luck!!!

Check with a local historical place or Metropark. Some of these places do a set birthday party theme and have crafts for the kids to do. You have parents drop off their kids, have the party, you usually bring the cake and ice cream, and they clean-up. It's great. Just go on the website to you local history musuems, science musuem or Metropark and see what they have.

HI
Just a suggestion since its on my mind if you live anywhere near NEwark Ohio, the Relay For Life is June 6 and 7. Its almost a fair like atmosphere but way more family friendly. Everything benefits the American Cancer Society. There are enflatable jumpy things for kids nad all sorts of stuff to do. Something like that where the fun is free (donation run)And the kids might get something out of it. I know mine were awww inspired by the whole event. It lasts 24 hours nad there are tents and stuff set up and walking on the track. Im going to try and bring a golfcart to give rides. Start or join a team in your sons name and raise money by doing stuff with friends so its like a "month long " party. Sorry if it sounds like IM puhing it but I love it and am doing it with my son who will be 6 at the end of the month. lol Regardless Hope it is great.

The Mad Scientist is reasonable and they come to your home or party location. Here is the website:

http://www.madscience.org/locations/indy/BirthdayPartyInf...

We have done parties at a museum. Some are free. We have also gone to parks that are different. One had a planetarium and a nature center. You want to make sure that there is shelter in case of bad weather. You can do a hike and play games. For food I have made sub sandwiches. I cut a loaf of italian bread and scoop out some of the middle. You can add whatever kind of meat you want. They seem to like traditional italian: salami, pepperoni, ham, bologna, cheese and italian dressing. Cut into about 8 servings. Add a small bag of chips and baby carrots, an apple or grapes. Pizza also seems to be one of the cheaper foods to do. Good luck and keep it simple; the kids have fun no matter what!

My kids have had parties at Bounce House places. I am not sure where you live, but you could check your phone book for something like this. The kids can bounce in several bouncie houses and some even have obstacle courses in them. Even the adults had a lot of fun there!

My son's birthday is close to Halloween so we did Halloween themed party with warewolf toes and witch's brew punch. Then instead of cake we did a build your own sundae bar and let the kids decorate their own cupcakes. It was a huge success, very inexpensive since we made all the food and the kids had a blast. You can also do a cook out if it's warm weather. Just use your imagination and most times less really is more. Kids don't care how much a party costs, they just want to have fun!

Hi, E.!

Can't you just have the party at home? I have always had my son's and my daughter's parties at home, and get rave reviews from their friends and the moms! In fact, I now organize birthday parties for other people.

Children truly don't NEED big fancy parties. I think it has gotten so out of control these days......it seems like everyone feels they have to "keep up with the Joneses".

If you have room at your house to have the party, let me know what theme your son wants, and I'll tell you what to do. You can easily do it for about $100. and 4 hours prep time.

Blessings! J.

He may enjoy a sports themed party or one were his guests get to make a craft or toy that they could then keep. Is there a Children's or Science Museum in your city? Those venues are pretty fun.

On the sports one, buy a group of cheap seats for a baseball game and take them to the ball park.

I like the picnic at the park with a wild life trek. Plenty for them to do as far as playground equipment. Outside and fresh air. They can have a frizz bee contest, a sack race (or something similiar), a ball toss, on the short hike (most parks have trails) make a list of things they need to see and mark off the list (The one who sees the most things wins), and naturally they can do several things with balloons. Hot dogs or whatever on a grill if you cook out, if not fried chicken, chips, etc., can be picked up fairly inexpensively at the market.

This may work for a boy. We started my daughter party at our home. Traveled to the mall and had a scavenger hunt. I went to the mall before the girls and ask some of the merchant to accommdate the kids asking questions. They were thrilled to help. I had one of the hold the grand prize for the first to have ask. I also had them go to an employee who is cleaning and tell them thanks for doing a good job. wow-they were so impressed with the kids and it made their day. We had signs on our back that said looking for treasure! They also had a list. I have each of them five dollars to buy my daughter a small gift that they would think she would like and it became a grab bag for my daughter at the end of the party back home for ice cream and cake. It was so much fun. I took my sister, husband and older son to help chaparone.

My 2 year old had a cool party -- my mom gave it to him in WV, it was A *DIGGING pARTY* They basically all played ina lot of dirt with their trucks and such, then everyone was able to plant a vegetable or flower in a pot and take it home and they talked about being green and eating natural, etc.... Then they cleaned up and had *dirt pie complete with gummy worms*... It was VERY low maintenance, minimal expenses and all the kids and adults were happy and stress free! Not sure how that would work if you are in an urban setting or if your kid is not into that.

My sister just had a bday party for my nephew and started the party with a scavenger hunt. She hid things throughout the yard for both boys and girls and once they had their bag full of stuff, that was their gift bag. Neat idea and the kids loved it. She used: plastic rings, pudding cups, plastic dinosaurs, hair scrunchies, baggie of candy, etc.

Real quick...
Some fire stations host parties for free.

We had a "monster truck" deliver my son's b-day cake at our home last year (15 kids and 35 adults). We played outdoor games, had a scavenger hunt for the favors and a simple picnic fare lunch. Sometimes just calling it a party makes it a party, know what I mean? My son was turning 3 so he was a lot younger than yours and has no expectations yet. We're trying to keep the parties small to keep the craziness in check as he ages.

Do you have a yard? Have the party at home. My kids all have summer birthdays, too. They've never had a party anywhere else. We have cake and ice cream in the backyard and tell all the guests to wear swimsuits and bring a towel. We setup the slip 'n slide, fill up a ton of water balloons ahead of time, have a sprinkler going and put out plenty of small water guns. The kids just go crazy and LOVE it. We've never even had organized games... the kids kinda organize themselves into teams for water fights and when they want to do it. About half way through the 2 hour party I'll break for cake and ice cream.

It may seem simple (and it's very inexpensive since we reuse the guns, slip 'n slide, sprinklers, etc for 3 parties every summer) but the kids LOVE it. Our children's friends are talking about the parties more than a year later. My oldest is turning 7 next month and his friends were asking him a few months ago if he was going to do the "water park" party again this year because they don't want to miss it.

I'm not sure where you live, or if they are in your area, but the YMCA is a good option! The Y we belong to has a parties in the gymnastics center, which also has a rock wall - might be fun to have a place for a bunch of 6 year old boys can just let loose - but still be safe!

When my daughter turned 7 - We had a beach theamed party. :)

We went on www.orientaltrading.com and ordered what we couldn't get at our local Dollar tree. The girls had hula skirts and Beach themed gift bags.

Oriental Trading has like Cowboy themes, batman, superman, etc. Anything he would like. We did everything including the cake and games for under $100.

My daughter will be 8 this year and she wants to do a beach themed party again!! :)

Just a suggestion.
Hope this helps!!
L. Kay

What about at a children's museum? Many museums have birthday party packages, and take care of everything like cake, paper goods, and CLEAN UP! Pretty reasonable, too. If you are in the Dayton area, consider The Boonshoft Museum of Discovery. www.BoonshoftMuseum.org

A friend had a birthday party for her son at GTCO in Franklin. It is a gymnastics center so the kids can use all the equipment including trampolines, foam pit etc. She said it was very affordable for a fairly large group of kids. My son has been to a party at the Y also. They played in the mat room and the tunnel room and had a blast.

I didn't read all the other responses so if I'm repeating I apologize. My son just had his 8th birthday a couple weeks ago and he wanted to invite his whole class. I did not want to spend a ton of money so I decided to do a carnival theme. We had games, did face painting, had prizes, etc. Everyone got 2 tickets for each game. It was nice because the games were already planned and I didn't have to do goody bags because the kids got prizes with every game. We had 24 kids come and it turned out great. Everyone had a blast and it didn't cost me that much!! Good Luck!

My sister and my neighbors have all rented those inflatable "bouncy" things....like a bouncy room with the balls in the bottom? And/or a train or something with a slide. The kids all LOVED it.

They've also gone to the dollar store and made goodie bags with a few pencils, a notepad, bubbles, whatever. Those were always a hit too.

You could make it a "memorial day party" and make it sort of like a 4th of July sort of thing and cook out hot dogs maybe. Our neighbor has gotten party trays from Subway and veggie trays from the grocery store, and just had some juice boxes and/or bottles of water in a cooler.

For what it's worth...and good luck!

I don't know how close you are to Milford, but there is a place called The Jump Zone: http://www.jumpzoneparty.com/JumpZone_Home.php?jzpcity=Mi.... They have giant indoor inflatables. I don't know what your price range is, but it's definitely a different type of party.