Planning a baby shower or baby’s 1st birthday? When party planning, especially when a new baby is coming, can be pretty stressful. One might wonder what it is going to cost or how can I ensure that my guests will have a fun time without me spending a fortune! Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune and cutting financial corners does not mean you have to sacrifice the amount of fun your guest can have. As with most favored gifts, those that are most creative and personalized are most likely to be appreciated and reminisced. Break out the creative thinking to seek out ways to entertain your guests. You don’t have to order catering or even a fancy sushi platter to impress anyone.  Instead, take in some advice and get creative!

There are two key aspects that are critical to your baby’s party success. The first step is to set a theme for your baby shower or baby birthday party. It is usually good manners to leave this decision to the closest person to the guest of honor if you are planning this party for someone else. The second step is to ask for help.  Have fun getting your friends and family involved.  People love to feel needed and productive.  Grandmothers especially love to do anything that has to do with their grand kids.  Any subtle invitation will do. Remember, don’t wear yourself thin when it comes to planning any baby party.  Take some of the decisions away from yourself and let someone else participate and help too.  Not only will this relieve some of your stress, but maybe some of your financial responsibility as well.  It o.k. to ask others to pay for small things.  Typically, guests will offer to pick something up, plan on a dish, or help you pick up any last minute items too.

Beginning with the invitations, cater to your party theme by making homemade cards (don’t worry; it will be worth your time!). Within each invitation specify if you would like the guests to participate in preparations by requesting a pot luck or costume requirement. This will take care of some of the financial burden as well as the decorations. What better decorations could exist than the guests themselves?

Entertainment Anyone? You shouldn’t have to rob the bank to afford entertainment either. Keep the games easy and fun.  Nobody wants to be pressured to play any game that might be too demanding or cause you to have to concentrate too much.  Remember, parties are for fun, not competition between kids. Mold the most common activities to your event to make them unique and memorable. The restriction to choosing a game is that the entertainment should sustain interactions between the guest of honor and guests. Naming word games for a baby shower, pin-the-patch on the pirate for a boy’s pirate birthday party, scary-looking food eating contests for Halloween parties and the list could go on and on. Your own personal thoughts of creativity will be your best ally in planning. With a bit of thought and creativity, you can have the best party anyone has ever thrown.

Party favors are also a fun thing to toss in for the kids to remember the event.  Kids just like stuff, period.  If you have a local Dollar Tree store, or maybe a Dollar store, be sure to stop by and see what kind of party hats and favors you can pick up for a buck.  This is definitely the way to go.  You can make your own cards, hats, and even fun projects for the kids to take home.

Keep the kids occupied and you’ll all be happy.  If your party includes kids and young adults, consider letting them do finger painting or some kind of creative artistic project in the back yard.  Designate a spot where the kids can play and even make a mess.  The memories they’ll have will be worth the mess.