Expensive Birthday Parties

[Obi1Kenobi]

My eldest DD is in reception and will be turning 5 soon. The trend in nursery was to have smallish parties that were affordable. Now fast forward a year and the average party my DD gets invited too cost about £450 and the whole class gets invited. We simply can’t afford this and I know DD will be very disappointed. When did birthdays for small kids become insanely expensive. I have two other children too. I don’t want to keep up with the Joneses but my DD has her heart set on a specific disco softplay package which costs £300!!!! AIBU to think that I just knock her expectations on the head now and invite a few close friends out for a special birthday treat rather than 28 kids and counting?

We have a community centre near us that has its own bouncy castles. Costs £110 to hire the lot. The food can add up, but I think we came in at just over £200 all together. The hall is booked for parties every weekend and the kids love it.

We have also done parties at the local soft play but limited it to 12. Wacky warehouse do party packages with a range of prices. We were going to book but there is a 20 limit at ours and for that one we needed more. We have been to several there though.

We have been to a number of joint parties if the children were all in the same class and inviting the class.

I either buy party bag things when they are on offer, or make my own sweet cones (contents completely wrapped sweets)

Last yr dd was 6 and we said no to a big party. We used the money to go to Paultons for the weekend and just took 6 for bowling and had the meals there.

She asked for a whole class party for this year but I said no. We are looking at 6 or 8 and doing either trampolining, soft play, bowling or pottery painting. The 6 or 8 are mainly non school too.

We've always done village hall parties and the kids have a great time. Traditional birthday tea, party games, arts and crafts, cake decorating, maybe even face painting or a piñata. Sometimes a bouncy castle. The cost is a fraction of these other places and they can really invite as many as they want because it's only the buffet and party bags dictating your budget rather than £10+ per head.

You can do large parties by hiring the local hall, catering yourself, and entertaining with some classic party games.

Put some music on too and she can have her own disco.

My DS is 6, we have done full class parties for last 3 years. In a sports hall with a bouncy castle, a local church hall, and the local scouts hall with disco.

Bouncy castle was £90. Party bags for 50p each. Church hall was £20. Scout hut worked out at £2.50 per child + cost of cake.

My DS is still at an age where he couldn't pick 6 kids that he likes, it would change every day. Maybe by 7th birthday we can scale down, but big parties can be done on a budget.