If you want to throw a fun birthday party for your kid but are feeling the financial pressure of expensive venues and extravagant decorations, don’t despair! Throwing a birthday party in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
With a little creativity and planning, and the following ideas, you can create an event that focuses more on fun and less on extravagance. Here are our budget-friendly ideas for making your child’s special day unforgettable.
Planning
Set a budget
Whether you’re on a tight budget or have a little more to spend, setting a budget for your party can help you avoid overspending. Decide what amount works best for your family and stick to it. This will prevent you from getting carried away with all the exciting party supplies and making purchases you might regret later.
Keep the guest list manageable
It’s easy to get carried away and invite everyone you know to your child’s birthday party, but that can quickly lead to a chaotic and expensive event. Instead, use a simple formula to keep the number of guests under control: invite the age of your child plus one. For example, a six-year-old could invite seven guests. This will help ensure a more enjoyable and manageable party for everyone involved.
Have a party every other year
To save time and money, some families throw a birthday party on alternate years. One year, the kids get to have a kids birthday party and the next year, it’s a family birthday celebration.
Venue
It’s so tempting to book a party venue for a kids birthday party when they take care of everything including the clean-up, but the price tag can quickly burst the birthday bubble! Hosting your party at home, in a local park or at a local community centre is a budget-friendly way to celebrate your child’s big day.
At Home
Throwing a birthday party for your child at home is a great way to save money! You get to pick the food, decorations, and games, so it fits your budget perfectly. Plus, there’s no need to rush out at a certain time, making it more relaxed and fun for everyone.
Outdoor Parks and Playgrounds
If you’re not keen on the idea of a house full of kids, a fun alternative is an outdoor park or playground. Check out our article: Best Parks for Kids Outdoor Birthday Parties in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie Hunter (just don’t forget to have a Plan B in case of wet weather).
Local Community Centres
If you’re short on space at home and worried about rain, a community centre is a fantastic option! They’re usually much cheaper to rent than other venues.
Newcastle Venues
Visit the Newcastle City Council website to enquire or book a community centre or hall. Henderson Park Hall, Merewether and Carrington Community Hall are inexpensive halls to rent for birthday parties. e.g. Henderson Park Hall can be hired for $17.40 per hour. Here are some other options in the Newcastle LGA:
- Adamstown Community Hall
- Alice Ferguson Community Centre (Merewether)
- Beresfield Community Hall
- Carrington Community Hall
- Elermore Vale Community Centre
- Elermore Vale Community Hall
- Fletcher Community Centre
- Henderson Park Hall (Merewether)
- Henry Park Hall (Hamilton)
- Jesmond Neighbourhood Centre
- Maryland Neighbourhood and Conference Centre
- Minmi Progress Hall
- New Lambton Community Centre
- Tarro Community Hall
- Wallsend Pioneers Memorial Hall
- Wallsend Railway Goods Shed
- Warabrook Community Centre
- Lake Macquarie Venues
Lake Macquarie Venues
In Lake Macquarie, Lake Macquarie City Council have community halls for hire, some suitable for a birthday party.
The Playstation Hall at Belmont Neighbourhood Centre is also a great option, and Valentine Scout Hall is a community hall with a large, grassed outdoor area and creek frontage. Enquire via their Facebook page.
The Place: Charlestown Community Centre also has different sized rooms, available to hire for birthday parties,
Maitland Venues
In the Maitland area, Maitland City Council has a wide range of community facilities available for hire.
Invites
Save on the purchase of expensive printed invites and design an eco-friendly electronic invite to send to guests. Whether you’re using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or a free graphic design app like Canva, Pixlr, or Design Wizard, you can create stylish and professional-looking invitations that will impress your guests. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to enlist the help of a tech-savvy kid!
Decorations
With a little imagination and a bit of DIY, you can create a memorable party without breaking the bank on decorations.
Skip the Store-Bought Stuff
Forget expensive character-branded decorations and opt for simple, colourful balloons and streamers. If you do want to have a party theme, choose one or two themed items like table centrepieces or cake topper and then use generic, plain-coloured party items like hats, tablecloths, napkins etc. If your child likes Minecraft you could buy all green decorations, if they like Barbie, all pink.
Limit balloons
You don’t need to go all out and buy lots of expensive balloons or balloon bouquets. Blow up and decorate with a cheap packet of balloons. If you do want helium balloons, Big W Party Stores offer a helium balloon inflation service and can create balloon bouquets. You can also check and see if any friends or family members have a balloon pump or helium tank that you can use to inflate balloons.
Upcycle
Save money and add a personal touch by upcycling items from around your home. Pinterest is full of amazing ideas! Involve the kids in the process for an extra special touch.
Here are a few DIY projects to get you started:
- Collect and clean up empty bottles and fill them with flowers, lollies or small toys for a colourful centerpiece
- Unroll some butcher paper or newspaper on the table and let the kids go wild, decorating it with markers.
- Cut out shapes related to your party theme and let the kids decorate them with paint, glitter, or stickers. Hang the shapes or use them as table decorations.
Print your own
You can print off free party decorations from websites. For example, if you want to throw a Bluey themed party, head to the Bluey website to find templates for invitations, party bunting, cakes, balloons and even a Bluey scavenger hunt. There are tons more free, themed party templates available on Pinterest, no matter what your kid’s interest.
Food
Set a budget
When it comes to food, setting a budget and making a plan will ensure you’ll save money and eliminate waste.
Avoid meal times
Make your child’s birthday party a breeze by planning it between lunch and dinner and providing finger food only. Avoid the hassle of feeding picky eaters and save on food costs.
Opt for a simple menu
Choose easy-to-make and affordable food like sandwiches or pizza. Another option is finger food – put out a variety of small, easy-to-eat snacks like mini sandwiches, cheese cubes, fruit skewers and vegetable sticks.
Don’t go overboard
For most kids parties, you don’t need to have too much food. Kids are too excited to sit down and eat. Fairybread, lollies, and fruit platters are sufficient along with water and cordial. If parents are hanging around, put out some dips and chips for them.
Buy in bulk
If you are planning to make a large quantity of food, buy ingredients in bulk from Bibina at Warners Bay. Confectionery can be bought in bulk from Shindigs at New Lambton.
Homemade Treats
Bake your own cookies, cupcakes or slices to save money on store-bought and professionally made food.
Ditch single-use
As tempting as it is, ditch single-use dinnerware and cutlery and opt for reusable that you already own (just make sure that your family and guests pitch in with the washing up!).
Cake
Make and decorate your own birthday cake
You can make it from scratch or use a cake mix box complete with icing. Just add sprinkles or sweets on top to make it extra special.
If you don’t want to make a cake and are inviting lots of people, find someone with a Costco card and order a decorated slab Costco birthday cake. They cost $34.99 and serve 48 (5cm x 5cm servings).
Entertainment
Party games
Keep kids entertained with retro party games like pin the tail on the donkey, three-legged race, pass the parcel, charades, musical chairs or do a scavenger hunt in the backyard. Set up yard games like quoits, finska, totem tennis or balloon volleyball.
DIY party entertainer
If you want to save some money on party entertainment, enlist the help of a talented friend, parent or older sibling who can dress up as a clown or princess and do balloon twisting, face painting or magic tricks.
Party Bags/Favours
Skip the treat bag
You can end up spending lots on goody bags but do kids really need more stuff like sweets, party favors or small plastic toys? Instead either skip the bag or do a fun activity at the party that kids can take home as their party treat. Here are some ideas:
- Painted rocks
- Plant a seedling
- Decorate cupcakes
- Friendship bracelets
- Decorated bookmarks
Inexpensive party favours
The cost of full party bags can add up quickly, especially if there are a lot of kids. Here are some inexpensive party favours that kids will love:
- Bubble wands – These can be purchased at Kmart or BigW for 50c each. Tie with ribbon and a thank you tag.
- Playdough – Buy a bulk bag of tubs and give each little guest their own colour.
- Sticker books – Available at most dollar stores for less than $2. Great for older kids.
- Handballs – Older kids will likely enjoy a bouncy handball more than a party bag.
Do you have any other great ideas for organising a birthday party on a budget? We’d love to hear from you. Email your suggestions to reena@newywithkids.com.au.
Want more money-saving tips? Check out Money Saving Tips: 250+ Ideas to Cut Your Spending & Make Your Money Go Further. It’s a series of guides to help you cut costs.
You might also like:
Ultimate Newcastle Kids Birthday Party Guide
Best Parks for Kids Outdoor Birthday Parties in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter
50+ Awesome Experience Gifts for Families and Kids Instead of More Toys