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Being a parent and a minimalist can be a challenge in itself. Kids come with all kinds of expenses and clutter. When it comes to their birthdays, it seems like this will never fit into a minimalist way of life. But what if there are ways to throw a minimalist friendly kids birthday party? That’s probably why you’re here.
Here’s the lowdown on what you need to know about organizing a kid’s birthday party the minimalist way.
Get Your Baking Hat On
Baking is a fairly common skill. Instead of buying a cake, bake one yourself or have a talented friend or member of your family bake one! This is a great way to save money and you can even make this a fun time for your little one and have them help prepare their own cake.
Location
For a kids birthday party don’t feel pressured to host it at a restaurant or a venue. Instead, having it at home, in your back garden or even in the park can be just as fun. External venues can often be very overstimulating for kids and to prevent some meltdowns, hosting the party in a familiar environment is a great idea. This can save costs as well as ensure that everyone has a good time.
You can get a bit more creative as you know the space well and can make sure that both the kids and the adults will be entertained.
Decor
Putting and taking down decorations can take up a lot of time, money and stress. Usually, they are only used for a few hours of the party and don’t serve much use otherwise. Often kids don’t care much for these decorations and their main purpose is to provide a party look, although this is more so for the adult’s benefit than anything else. Many parents may feel pressure to produce an extravagantly decorated party but when it comes down to it the kid does not care. Party decor tends to be very low on a child’s list of interests.
If your child is big on decor and wants a ton of balloons or other decorations then you can certainly go for something like a balloon arch or a nice backdrop. You can find easy ways to keep it simple by opting to hire the decor for a few hours from a party company as opposed to doing it yourself. If you’re stuck on simple ideas or themes click here for an array of birthday party themes that your kid will love. Collaborate with your kid on the decor and get them to help out, this can make it a lot more special.
Party Favors
Although favors are usually accepted, they can be pricey and usually end up being random junk pieces that create clutter. Most kids don’t come to a birthday party for favors, being around their friends and having fun is enough. The parents will probably be grateful that they aren’t taking home unnecessary clutter. You can opt for leftover cake or food as favors instead, this means there is less waste.
Food
Consider opting for a “bring a dish” party. Many people have dietary restrictions which means that catering to all these different requirements can be hard. By choosing a bring a dish situation means everyone there knows they will be able to eat properly without worrying about things like cross-contamination. This also means there is a lot less stress for you and tends to be a lot cheaper. It usually isn’t a huge hassle for people to bring one dish. You may want to lightly coordinate to ensure that there will be enough food.
Gifting
Go simple with the gifts. Often kids will enjoy a new item for a couple of weeks and drop them when they get bored. Think about longevity and how truly interested they will be in a few months time. Spread the message to your friends and family to avoid them gifting items that will turn into clutter. Instead, you could opt to band together and purchase a big item of a few big items between you all that you know your kid has wanted for ages, will truly appreciate and will make good use of.
Another option is to have everyone bring a small amount of cash if your kid is wanting something big. They can put this money towards this and this prevents people from feeling bad about turning up without a gift. If it’s a custom to give gifts on occasions in your social circle, people may feel a little odd about this so don’t feel bad to explain that your kid would rather enjoy a bigger gift they truly desire. Many parents will understand the need to avoid clutter and unnecessary items and toys.
These are only a few tips to help you plan a kids birthday party the minimalist way. Many of the guests will probably appreciate the difference in your party compared to the custom and norms for most kids’ birthday parties. As long as everyone has a good time, that’s all that matters.
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