Every day is worth celebrating but my children’s birthdays are extra special. I used to throw the kids big parties, some of which included professional entertainment or were hosted at local attractions. Last year I decided that we were done with big parties, instead we’d have small family gatherings or maybe even just cake after dinner. This all came about when I started dealing with my “poor” attitude I came to realize that spending a lot of money on someone doesn’t equal love. These days we celebrate birthdays with a budget but we still have tons of fun.
My youngest child told my parents that he wanted a shopping cart for his birthday. He was so excited to be able to take his own shopping cart to the store, so we decided to take it one step further. My parents bought him a shopping cart while Jason and I made a grocery store inside our house for him! G-man LOVED the store, especially when we purchased items from him. This little store kept him occupied weeks longer than any toy would have.
Metal shelving unit (on sale at mass retailer): $19
Poster board cut outs: $3
Misc. food: $0 (some of what you see are empty but most of it came from our pantry)
Total cost: $22
We made my son a grocery store for his 6th birthday
Other fun ideas include treating your child to an at-home spa day and hosting a movie party featuring the child’s favorite movies all day long. Take your child for a picnic lunch and extra long play date at the park. Older children may enjoy a visit to the mall with a friend and $10 or $20 to spend on whatever they want. Maybe your child would enjoy a craft day with craft kits ordered in bulk or from the dollar store. Allow your child to pick dinner on their birthday and help you make it. Invite their best friend and his or her family over for dinner and a game night.
Money (or the lack of) doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying special occasions, you’re only restricted by your imagination.
The Christmas I was 10 or 11, my parents gave me a grocery store as a present. I *loved* it! I even have a pic somewhere of my sister buying items from me. Very fond memories of that. :)
What a fun idea! We didn’t really do birthday parties when I was a kid. We could invite one special friend over and we had a little party at home (or went to the zoo or park or something simple). We were allowed to have a “party” for our 6th, 12th, and 16th birthdays, but even those were simple affairs with diy games and decorations, etc. And that was even before Pinterest! :-)