To think kids' parties are a joke

These actually are very cute and affordable. I don’t think I’m crafty enough to build anything like that though.

Same here !! 😂

You can get balloon arch kits from home bargains for around £5 and they are pretty easy to do if a bit time consuming. Get a couple of M and S birthday cakes too.

You don't need any of that for a party though.

You don't need a balloon arch. I'd put the money towards a magician or a kids entertainer instead.

When I was a kid, it was just party food and a home made cake. Now I think it's more about parents "keeping up with the Jones". I think that the underlying issue tbh!
Most kids would be happy to just have a run around and play with other kids, and couldn't care less

I l've been doing home parties for the DC for 10 years now. Centre prices are too rich for me & fancy food & decorations are more about parents showing off - the kids don't care! I keep it simple, quick to organise, and using what I can get cheaply or already have at home.

I make the cake in the theme my child wants. Cheaper & nicer than bought cakes. I'm not a good baker but have learned how to fudge my way through using ideas stolen from Google and premade items from the supermarket. It doesn't need to be perfect.

For decorations & invitations I download themed free printable ones (edit the invite myself) printing them onto gloss cardstock. Even the banner can be done like this. Or just buy generic decorations & reuse. I use a few basic balloons in the theme colour & the bag of balloons lasts years!

Food - savoury chips, healthy platter of veg, crackers & dip & some sweet biscuits or cupcakes. Depending on numbers I might add a box or party pies & sausage rolls. Drinks are mini water bottles with printed themed labels and juice boxes (poppers).

Favours are usually just lollies or something small in a box or bag with a logo printed & glued on. Last weekend for DD's party it was cone shaped cello bags with lollies & curling ribbon (rainbow party). I've got bags left so I'll do that again next time.

I've got swings & a trampoline but basic games like pass the parcel, musical chairs etc. can be just as good.

Not sure if those ideas help, but I think it's ridiculous to overspend on kids parties. They just want to play with their friends and eat party food. I've never heard my kids admire a balloon arch!

Balloon arches are terrible for the environment. I'd never seen them until a couple of years ago. A pointless social media trend. I got my DS a 28 serving chocolate cake from Sainsburys for £14, it was really good.

Balloons are terrible for the environment. There is plenty you can do with a budget that big, not that it’s even necessary.

Softplay sounds amazing. Or a few ideas:

a fancy dress party or a disco or pass the parcel and games or a cool tea party & someone to paint faces or they can decorate their own cookies or cupcakes…the list is endless.

Softplay or Trampoline park. £10 per head with play, food and drink. All sorted.

Thank god those days are over...

Oh, hello granddaughter... You're 1, you don't get a say!

Sorry but this is a problem you have created with your strict requirements to have an instagrammable party. The kids don’t care about a balloon arch or which cake they eat.

you don’t need a £190 balloon arch. There’s loads of cheaper options available online.

the £75 cake doesn’t sound that expensive. £3.75 per person? Worst case scenario just buy a few supermarket cakes. The kids will enjoy it regardless.

it sounds like you’re doing things for the sake of taking a nice photo for social media, vs what’s in your kid’s best interests

If it helps. I and many others really judge anyone that has a balloon arch. The amount of waste environmentally is horrific. Please only use biodegradable balloons.

I've been off Mumsnet for about 4 years, and in that time balloon arches have become a thing! Apart from any questions about whether a 5 year old cares whether there's one at their party, surely they are a craziness environmentally speaking? And as a former cake maker, bespoke cakes are expensive to make and it's incredibly hard to show a profit. Hence former cake maker! There are some lovely cakes in the supermarket these days and fantastic additional decorations available online to personalise it. (Did I mention I was a former cake maker? Bitter? Moi?)

I buy totally unnecessary things for my child's part and then most about it.....

Solution don't buy totally unnecessary things and stop moaning.

There you go, sorted.

Well I had to Google what a number stand was! Seems a complete waste of money to me, especially for 5 years olds who really won’t give a damn. That and the balloon arch terrible for the environment too.
A party venue to host would likely be covered by the money you’re planning to spend on those two items alone. All children around that age missed out on parties during lockdown, ‘making up’ isn’t necessary unless you want to/can afford to.

Who is this additional stuff really for? Smacks of competitive parenting.

As PP have said, lower your expectations.

Make your own cake, set up a cake decorating system or buy one from the supermarket.
Forget balloons! Plastic!
Set up a few craft activities, such as decorating a terracotta pot and planting a seed.
Make a crown. Do some home made bubbles. Give them some chalks and take them to the park.

Don't over think this.

Another vote for supermarket cake, a packet of balloons and everything as homemade and fun as you can have it. And only invite a few people, not the whole class (whoever started class parties …)

I’m in the north east. Bouncy castle hire for us was around £80 and that was pre covid so the £50 sounds a bargain.

That said this year we are planning to take 20 kids plus up to 5 extra adults on top of birthday kids parents to a local science museum and for £300 the kids get fed & so a supervised craft activity they can take home plus someone to take them round to visit the different exhibits, live show and planetarium and then after the party they can stay as long as they like. With a cake (homemade) & some sweets to go with their craft in place of party bags it’ll be under £350 and the kids get a full morning together, lunch and those who take parents with them can stay for the afternoon if they want.

Nothing really wrong in buying a balloon arch and posh cake if you want to but if you don’t want to/can’t afford to there are loads of other options including really fun things that you can do at home cheaply

Kids won't care about a £75 cake!

I have never spent more than about £120 on an entire party and that was only for ones involving an activity like soft play or trampolining.

Depending on the age the kids usually care more about the activity than the food and cake so spend the money on an activity, get a supermarket cake that's easy to cut and save having the mess in your house!

Make a cake or buy one from Tesco
Why do you need a balloon arch?

We always do birthday parties at home. 2pm-4pm so not at meal times. Traditional party games with a cake from the local baker. It costs less than £50 a party.

It costs what you choose for it to cost.

My 5yo's party was at home. Whole class invited so got so many presents from them didn't need to buy any ourselves.

We paid for some food- sandwiches, couple of cheap pizzas, diluting juice, supermarket cake, party bags and fillers from the supermarket, £1 pack of balloons.

They all had a great time!

Don't think it cost more than £50.

I make a whopping great chocolate cake, and put a bouncy castle in the garden (if summer/spring) or a village hall (if winter).

Buy some food, play some music. About £100 all in.