Birthday parties are always a fun time. But they don’t always come cheap. The average birthday party in the United States costs around $400! If you don’t want to break the bank just for one day of enjoyment, here are five DIY hacks for planning your next birthday party.
Design your own digital invitations
Professional-level invitations don’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Even if you have absolutely no design skills, you can make incredible invitations online using templates.
There are thousands of free templates for birthday posters available online from websites like PosterMyWall. All you need to do is browse through the designs, pick the one that best fits your party’s theme or style, customize the information in the easy drag-and-drop editor, and you’re ready to send.
Templates are the best way to give your party that professional feel without needing to pay the professional price tag.
Get creative with recycled-paper decorations
What can’t you do with recycled paper!? There are always old magazines, flyers, and even junk mail sitting around. Grab some scissors and maybe your best glitter glue and get to work.
There are dozens of recycled-paper decorations you can make for your birthday party. Here are some of the most popular:
- Colorful bunting hung on a string
- Paper chains
- “Happy Birthday” signs
- Table centerpieces
- Table seating cards
- Confetti
- Ribbons
Most decorations you buy from the store are made with paper anyway. With a little creativity and elbow grease, you can have the same great decorations for your birthday party without the cost.
Play some party games
Party games are fun for everyone, and you don’t need a lot of props to have a good time. There are tons of DIY birthday party games that you and your guests can play. Here are just a few suggestions:
- Popsicle stick charades – Grab a bunch of popsicle sticks, write a word on each, and put them into a cup with the words down. Guests take turns picking popsicle sticks and have to act out the word they select. Decorate your popsicle sticks for even more fun!
- Post-it note game – Get a stack of sticky notes and write the name of a famous person on each one. Without looking at the name, guests stick one of the Post-its on their back or forehead. They then mingle with other party guests asking questions like “Am I a singer” to figure out who they might be.
- Secret sticker – Give each party guest a pack of five to ten stickers. Over the course of the party, guests must try to get rid of all their stickers by discreetly placing them on other guests without getting caught. But if they do get caught stickering, they must accept a sticker of their own. First one out of stickers (and who has the least stuck to them) is the winner.
Make a photo booth
Every house has a stack of cardboard boxes laying around from all the home package deliveries. Put some of them to good use and turn them into a photo booth or selfie station.
Take one panel of a large cardboard box and cut a hole in the middle that’s large enough for a person to put their face through. Then decorate the outside of the box with recycled paper and other knick-knacks that fit your party’s theme. Finish it all off with some fun accessories like silly paper hats or sunglasses for guests to wear while they take a picture.
Hang your new photo booth around the entrance of the party, so guests can stand behind the photo booth and snap a quick picture as they come in to commemorate the big day.
Stuff some confetti balloons
Confetti balloons are a lot of fun, but they can be expensive if you buy them in the store. Luckily, it’s easy to build your own confetti balloons at home.
Buy a pack of large balloons and cut some recycled paper into small strips. Place a funnel into the balloon’s opening and fill it with your homemade confetti. Then use a straw to push the confetti down into the balloon. When you blow up the balloon, it’ll be full of your homemade confetti!
Not only do confetti balloons look more exciting than regular balloons when they decorate your space, but you can also pop them for an explosive surprise party finale!
Make your next DIY birthday party one to remember
It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to throw a fun birthday party. There are countless DIY activities you can do to make your party one to remember. Design some amazing invitations, create some recycled paper decorations, play fun party games, build a photo booth, and stuff some super-fun confetti balloons. When people come to your party, they won’t believe you did everything yourself!
