making a birthday for a 5 year old special without a party

[winnie]

for various reasons (about to move house, my Mum very, very ill, husband & I currently separated, limited budget) I cannot give ds a birthday party next week. He is going to be VERY disappointed as earlier in the year we talked about his having a 'superhero party'. DS has a very good memory and is very excited about his birthday. How can we make it special for him?
All ideas greatly received.

I have a limited budget and for my dds birthday i am inviting 3 friends to the cinema on a saturday mornig where its only 2.50 a seat...anything like that near you?
Or...make a picnic where you all(the family and one or two little friends) wear capes/facepaints?

budget?

Buy him a superhero cake, let him dress up as a superhero all day, take him out somewhere for the day, anything/anywhere, talk about it being his birthday all day, give him loads of kisses and cuddles. Blow up balloons and hang them everywhere the night before, let him call the shots all day.

Give him a trip out with a friend or two. Ice skating, zoo, aquarium, theatre. Incorporate a trip to the cafe and do a birthday cake at home. He'll still have the candles and the song ... just not the huge impersonal rowdy crowd who are only in it for the party bags.

Far more memorable and fulfilling than a party. (That's what I tell my kids anyway and they've just started opting for trips instead of parties)

if you do the trips thing you could probably afford to do a party?

To be honest Enid I haven't actually set a budget. I am going to start by doing that tonight. He is at school until 3 on the day but due to all of the stuff going on in my life organising a party seems far to time consuming (I really don't have the time) especially as it would have to be away from the house as the house is in no fit state for four & five year olds to be having a party in, due to the house move.

My soon to be 5 year old won't be having a party..neither did she last year (well she did,but dh ds and me were the only guests.)

We had and will have a brill time regardless!

Kids need less 'stuff' than you might think in order to have a good time.

Lunch/tea in a cafe and a trip to the new Wallace & Grommit film? That's what DS (4) is getting - actually likely to be a juice and a cake of his own choosing in a coffee place followed by W&G. Minimal planning needed, out of the house, three hours max and you'll feel nice and relaxed after it (Nice warm dark cinema - like any self respecting mother of small children I'd be asleep as soon as the opening credits came up). You could add one friend into the mix if you wanted for not much extra cost.

Grommit is a superhero in our eyes!

In our case, probably DH will take DS as I think DD is too small for the film and I will stay at home with her. So a real treat for DS, not v expensive and something DH will enjoy as well!

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.
We (h and I)have decided to take ds to the circus that we've spotted in town.
He has never been to a circus so we are hopeful especially as ds has asked to go when we went past on the bus.

In our family it is tradition to have a birthday tea at Granny's whatever age . Ballons and banners and a big fuss while presents are opened. Cake and other treats. This always happens even if they are having a party with friends.

Scaryskribble, that sounds like great fun. Unfortunately I don't have an extended family that works that way

Thats a shame winnie, maybe a tea party with another mum and kids, hope you enjoy the circus.

We went to the circus after school (no animals ~ couldn't do that) but we had a great time. Ds (now 5) and dd (almost 16) both really enjoyed themselves. DS was exhausted so a pizza delivery (something we've never done before) and a cake I'd made and decorated was fun enough.
He had a lovely birthday afterall