by Dawn Marcotte

Created on: August 02, 2010

Happy Birthday! Children of all ages wait for that yearly greeting and many want a party to celebrate this annual event. Birthday parties with a theme are simple to plan. A theme will allow you to  create games, food and crafts that all work together.

Themes

Boys love many different things. Cars, pirates, superheros and cartoons are just a few themes that can be used to create fun birthday parties. Talk to your child to determine what their current interests might be. Involve them in choose the theme for the party and they will be even more excited about the event. To reduce expense try to avoid pre-packaged themes as the supplies will cost more.

Crafts

If your son loves cars get large cardboard boxes and allow the guests to turn them into cars. Cut holes in them so the kids can wear them and hold races. Cars can also be built for a drive-in movie themed party. The guests build their cars and then sit in them to watch a movie that is projected on a wall. At a superhero themed party the guests can make their own capes with plastic tablecloths. Provide cardboard boxes and encourage the guests to create a pirate ship with them. Make pirate hats from black construction paper.

Food

Make your own cake with the theme colors. A variety of shapes of cake pans are available commercially. Look for small plastic items that fit the theme that can be placed on top of the cake or on individual cupcakes. For a drive-in themed party provide popcorn, candy and pop for treats while they watch the movie. Rename the food to go with the theme.  Cookies can become supercookies or scooby snack cookies. The drinks can be pirateade or Gasoline.

Games

Get the kids running around in an active game and they may settle better for the quiet portions of the party. Modify standard games such as tag to the theme of the party. During a pirate party the 'Captain' can capture as many 'crew' as possible while the others try to release them. Run relay races with the cars they built. Create an obstacle course for the superheros to run through. Play pin the sword on the pirate.

Supplies

When trying to reduce the cost of a birthday party consider the supplies that are needed. Make as much of the food yourself as possible. Purchase paper items that are not 'themed' as these will cost more. If the party does have a 'commercialized' theme such as Batman or Scooby Doo choose a few decorative items from these themes and use appropriate colors for the rest of the decorations.

Making a birthday party cheap takes a little imagination, but can be done with some planning and preparation.

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