Where to have your kids birthday party is always a question. There are many really great places in Akron that host birthday parties. I’ll write on those places soon, however I think the best place is right at home. As long as you have the space, it is the most comfortable and creative place for a birthday party. It is usually more affordable as well.
Space is a consideration, especially if the party will be indoors. The general rule is to invite as many kids as your child’s age. For instance, a 3 year old may invite 3 kids. Expect at least 1 parent of each child to attend if the child is under the age of 5.
It is time to be creative for your party!
Get your child involved. Ask what theme they would like based on their interests. You can go to the local party store and buy everything from plates, napkins, cups, to posters, hats, rings, and toys in most themes. OR, save money and be creative by beginning this process several months before the party so that you can find deals and close outs in the stores for party prizes, decorations, and goody bags. Stocking up on goody bag items is easy to do when you hit the after Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, or other major holiday clearance sales.
Birthday Party Decoration Ideas for 3 year olds
Streamers add excitement to any party and you can get them for about 50 cents each. Hang them from the ceilings, lighting fixtures, over doorways, and wrap table & chair legs in coordinating colors. For a jungle or animal theme, use green streamers and use construction paper to create legs to tap on the vines. Kids love running through a curtain of streamers!
Poster board is a cheap way to create posters, Happy Birthday Signs, and picture walls. Draw pictures of your selected theme on the posters and color with paints or markers. Hang them throughout the party areas. They can be used for games like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey.
Paper Mache is a easy and cheap way to make a piñata or unique goody ‘bag’. All that is required is a balloon, newspaper, and a flour/water paste. Use the big punch balloons for a large piñata or smaller balloons for individual, unique goody bags. This is great for an animal theme party. I’ve made individual ‘dinosaur eggs’ out of paper mache for kids. They were filled with dinosaur toys, stickers, and candy. They were painted in wild colors to look like a dinosaur egg, the kids loved breaking open their own egg.
Birthday Party Food and Sugar
Food is important for any party. Have on hand kid-friendly favorites. Examples include chicken nuggets (these come in dinosaur shapes), mac n cheese, cheese puffs, goldfish crackers, chocolate covered anything, and whatever your kid enjoys. Pizza is always a good option that both kids and adults like. You’ll want to have some adult friendly food at your party for the parents hanging out. Chocolate Fountains are lots of fun for kids and adults, add strawberries, cookies, and pretzels.
Cake is the most important part of any birthday party. Bake your own cake for huge savings or enlist help from a family or friend that is great at cake decorating. Having a themed cake pulls the party all together.
Bring the cake down to the kids level if they are not as tall as the table so all the kids can see and enjoy watching the candles be blown out.
Varying Classic Birthday Party Games
Games are what makes a home party rock! Only select 2-4 games, depending on the length of time for the party and the kids ages. You want to allow free time for kids to just play! Start off with an ice breaker that has no set time limit to ensure kids have something to jump into when they arrive. Choose at least 1 active game that will get the excitement going! Party games like pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, hitting the piñata, duck duck goose, and guess who I am (with a name or face posted on your back) are timeless and always a hit. Try to make a variation to make the game fit your theme.
Extra Ideas for Successful Birthday Parties
Goodie Bags is your way of saying Thanks for coming and also gives them something fun to enjoy while the birthday kids is opening his presents. I always give the goodie bags out about 1/2 way through the present opening to keep the kids happy. Have the birthday kid hand out the presents. Ideas include stickers, coloring books, reading book, whistles, fun cups, pencils, squishy balls, cars, and special candy like candy rings or necklaces.
A Group Picture is a fun way to remember the party and all who attended. If you can get all of the kids to sit down or stand together for a few seconds, it is worth it for a good picture of your kid’s friends. You can make prints to include in your thank you notes.
