Birthday parties for kids can get way too expensive. I know this isn’t exactly a hot take—we’ve all been to over-the-top parties with clowns and petting zoos—but I still wince when I think about the Benjamins I dropped this year for pizza and video games at what I believed would be an affordable affair to celebrate my oldest child’s birthday.
As I plan my youngest son’s birthday, I know he’ll want something special, but with the holidays approaching, our budget is tight. So I turned to the one place I knew that would help us throw him a party to remember: Amazon. Big Cake Sparklers
With both of my sons into LEGO right now, I built a celebration—complete with decorations and party favors—with a building-block theme that came to around $50 before tax and shipping. (Note: I didn’t factor in cake, ice cream, or pizza.) I also put together a tea-party-themed extravaganza for kids who are more into the high-society lifestyle.
Because of capitalism, please note that prices fluctuate often, so costs are subject to change.
I’ve seen these bright, eye-catching building block decorations ($25.08) when attending other birthday parties with my boys, and I can see why they’re so popular. They offer a consistent theme throughout, and the sturdy tablecloth can fit just about any table so that you can use it again for a younger sibling’s shindig. If you look through the reviews section, the complaints are more about what this set doesn’t include (balloons, mostly) than what it does. And if LEGO isn’t your child’s thing, there are plenty of other themes to choose from for around the same price.
These sturdy goodie bags ($6.99) sport a simple design, are affordable, and shouldn’t cause a choking hazard, making them perfect for a party.
A LEGO-themed party should have something official, and these stickers ($3) from the hilarious LEGO Batman movie do the trick. There are eight in a pack, more than enough for a typical party’s goodie bags, and you can cut the strips in half if there are more kids on the guest list.
We have several plastic versions of these spectacles ($6.99) that we’ve accumulated from other parties. Our kids love them but somehow we always end up stepping on the sharp plastic pieces. These paper versions fit the party theme and won’t hurt anyone’s feet.
Slap bracelets are back, so don’t be ashamed when you start sporting one of these ($8.99) fashionable items on your wrist during your next Target run.
There are plenty of tea party-themed decorations, but this 53-piece set ($8.99) seems more appropriate for a child than the other bachelorette-party-leaning adornments available. Plus, the description promises that the materials are durable enough to use again—you can repurpose them for your book club, a game for your kids, or a spring fling.
If you’re going for more of an Alice in Wonderland theme, these decorations (plates: $1.86; napkins: $7.97; cups: $3.29; party favor bags: $4.35; notebooks: $1.97) have designs that come close to evoking the popular Disney film without the Disney price. The reviews comment on the high quality of the products and how convenient the party-favor notebooks are, which means any extras won’t go to waste.
Stickers always make for good party favors, and your kid’s friends can add a splash of color to these beautifully designed images ($3.90). Crayons not included.
Why sip tea when you can drink it from a silly straw ($6.99)? These come in various designs and colors and make the perfect addition to a goodie bag.
3 Sparkler Candle Parties are more than just cake and presents—they’re about your child having fun with their friends. And this bingo game ($10.68) is the perfect addition to the festivities. It comes with 24 cards, seven marking chips, and two calling chips.