Dd's 8th Birthday

[Whiteminnowfish]

My DD will be 8 soon. I am a single parent and have little money. Any ideas on a cheap party for an 8 year old?

I am thinking I can organise a party at home and invite a few of her friends, but my house is tiny.

Any suggestions would be most welcome

P.s. her other parent is organising a big party at some children's trampoline centre the day after

Any ideas anyone?

You could do what you suggested and have a small do at home but you don't have to have a party if you can't financially do it.
I dont have parties for my children every year, this year for my 8 year old I took one of his friends to crazy golf and they had a burger after.
You could just do something with you and your daughter, she will appreciate whatever it is you do.
I think us parents put too high expectations on things sometimes, it doesn't need to be a party to be a good time.

You could go to the local museum, it trampoline park then somewhere for lunch for him and maybe 3 other friends. If you got to a trampoline park you could just order a pizza. Take your own birthday cake. Job done. Museums are normally free and then just go to a local family friendly pub.
Don't worry what his father's doing, it's not a competition.

My childrens favourite parties have been sleepovers!

Camp in the living room, pizza dinner, popcorn and sweets with a film! Sorted!

If it’s before Halloween, do a Halloween party at home? You can make some Halloween party food and decorations quite cheaply if you google for ideas. Do bobbing for apples, or doughnuts on a string etc .

You could go to the local park meet some of her friends there and take birthday cake or birthday picnic food too or one or two friends and have a movie afternoon with popcorn etc or like a previous poster said a sleepover or if she is quite girlie and into it you could do a pamper session for them nails, face masks etc, if she is seeing a lot of friends the next day maybe do something just the two of you a lovely day spent spending quality time together bet she would love that too

If the trampoline party is with friends, then you don’t need to do a friend party. She is already having a friend birthday party.

Make your celebrating different. Do something just with her that is special or with family etc

Agree with this.

When covid happened people round here started taking picnics to the park as parties and have never stopped. Some bring along things to do such as ringers set or bouncy castle and others just leave them to play. Great time always had by all and very low cost. Obviously this time of year is a bit riskier but still a good idea

Also agree that the big party is enough though - she doesn't really need 2 especially if it's her same friends going. I'd love it if my ex took on arranging a birthday party and saved me time trouble and expense

I agree she doesn't need two parties.

If you did want to, are there any woods to do a treasure hunt, or could they wear cheap disguises and do some little challenges.

I agree - she’s having a party. I’d have a friend round for her favourite meal or doing something she’d enjoy - football in the park, swimming, painting nails etc.

Dont accidentally make this about your and your need for her to have a party with both parents.

If ex is throwing a party, then you can do something low-key just you and her, or you could just invite a couple of her best friends to an activity. Don't get sucked into trying to compete with ex's party. If nothing else, it would be unkind both to your child and your ex to potentially undermine the party he has already arranged (if you throw a party the day before, some of her friends may attend that and not the trampoline party).

Others have given you lots of nice cheap or free ideas.