First off, a birthday doesn’t always need to be celebrated with a big party. Actually, it is a good rule of thumb to not have a traditional party each and every year and to do other things instead. Gather the family and/or friends around and celebrate by having a homemade cake with candles, and singing “Happy Birthday” together. If you want to include others, like your niece's or nephew's friends, just make it a “cake cutting ceremony,” and serve birthday cake and ice cream. For the rest of the time, have the kids play together. No need for presents at this one, it’s more of a simple celebration.

Here are some activities that won’t cost a cent (or at the most just a few budget-friendly cents):
If it’s a rainy day, put on your galoshes and splash around in the puddles. Don’t worry about the mess, just enjoy the moment.

Have a family campout where all of you sleep in tents together. Spend the evening watching the stars, eating homemade treats, and playing flashlight tag. If it is cold outside, have a family slumber party! This will be lots of fun for the birthday kid.

Go to a favorite park with a picnic lunch, and spend the day enjoying the sunshine.
Give your kid your undivided attention for his or her special day — now there’s a great gift!
Use the day for a family field trip to the zoo or local children’s museum.

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly birthday party, here’s a great idea: all about dirt! What a great party plan for close to nothing!

What’s really interesting is that kids enjoy the most basic and easy stuff, like dirt! Most importantly, they want to share time with their family. So, if your budget is tight and you need to do a bit less this year, you are actually about to give your kid a whole lot more!

Big List of Party Ideas

Originally published: Pepperspollywogs.com

Photo: stockimages

Published: October 1, 2014