[USER]

My son is getting a divorce. Custody arrangements will be 50-50. He will be celebrating the kids, birthdays and holidays behind his own for the first time. with the kids.

Money will be an issue.

Looking to hear some of your favorite ways to celebrate birthdays or holidays that make things special with no cost or low cost.

[Coral]

Picnics are great, we to put a large mallow in a flat bottomed ice cream cone, top with cake mix & cook in the microwave, finish with a square of chocolate in the last 40 seconds, easily managed outdoors, and a novelty!

Cocktail franks on skewers (hot water in a thermos) is another easy outdoor edible, and pikelets are super cheap

[Michelle]

Be creative and truly play with them. Build blanket forts, watch kid movies, play games, build lego. Just spend time truly enjoying what they want to share with you.

Have dance parties, camp out in the backyard, roast marshmallows, go to state parks, etc…

[Anna]

My friend just did a fairly cheap birthday party Friday for her 11 year old step son.

She ordered a small cake, had pizza, then took him, his brothers and a aunt to Comfort Inn for a over night stay they have a pool at the one she went to.

So, the boys stayed up all night, swam in the pool for hours that night and again the next morning before leaving.

$60 for the room with pool rights, a cake could be made instead of bought but the boys had never stayed in a hotel before they thought they were “Rich and Famous”. 4 Boys 11 and under.

[Kathy]

When my kids were little I baked the cake and decorating it inthe fav theme
Construction site
Race track

Sesame Street Cookie Monster
Strawberry shortcake
Big bird

Water balloons or blasters
Paint rocks to hide
Dollar tree for decorations

[Tamico]

Bake own cupcakes or cake, dollar tree decorations, have it at a park or in home hot dogs, chips, juice, water for the menu start a sinking fund the amount he want save divide that by 12 until the bday come around

[Ashley]

My daughter loves making her own birthday cake. She also loves having her room decorated. I usually just head to dollar store and find decorations.

This year I got a couple balloons to actually hang on her bed but otherwise I did latex balloons that I hung all over her walls along when the little paper spheres that I hung from her fan.

Year before I did streamers. She’s 6 just for reference.

As far as low cost party ideas, he could invite some friends to the park and get Sam’s cupcakes. They’re $16 for like 24 or so.

As far as holidays, we buy things throughout the year as I see them marked down. I also focus on quality instead of quantity.

He could also watch local buy nothing groups.

[Jen]

Birthday parties at home! Old school with cake and ice cream! Play games. Wanna brave it? Have a sleepover.

FUN is the key.

Not how much money you spend.

[Sam]

Depending on their ages and birth months, I liked to do a family picnic at the park with cake and lunch.

When they are older, take them with some of their friends to the trampoline park-use Groupon.

[Brenda]

90,% of the time kids are happy with whatever we give them. A balloon fight in the backyard with a cake, movie night with all the goodies, go fishing, go camping one night or camp outside, bake the cake together.

[Amy]

See what free attractions you have in the area. We have lots of parks and other attractions around for free.

Some even if you have the right cellphone plan you can get discounts too.

I make my own cake or cupcakes now,etc.

[Lisa]

Kids just like doing something special with their parent when they are young.

Have a homemade birthday cake and some inexpensive gifts.

Go do something fun together that doesn’t cost money.

[Brenda]

Kids won’t remember an expensive gift. What they will remember is a fun experience with their dad.

A day spent fishing or hiking or a weekend camping can provide memories for a lifetime.

[Kim]

We always did however old they were surprises. I have used the same decorations over and over but did it different like covering the door with streamers, used a table cloth as a banner by the road, used a marker on the windows of the car to embarrass, bought some of their favorite snacks, you can sign up for birthday freebies.

The kids looked forward to it every year and I had fun finding cheap ways to celebrate.

[Debra]

My daughter throws a theam party. My grand will be 4. He is having a zombie party. He loves playing zombies. One party was a Grateful Dead party for my twenty something kid.

My granddaughter fixes a poster and also cuts stuff out. Cheap table clothe cheap decorations from dollar tree. They get funny glasses to wear.

One had a lolli loops party One a decorate cup cake party. Just pick something they like even a color all ages love it do not let them in the room until you are completely ready.

I had an egg hunt in the fall for one of mine. Then the rich people started having them too.

Have a fun use what you have

[Nicky]

My kids remember the time spent with them most. They are adults now but say that when we lived in the little house it was the best time of their childhood.

[Sabine]

Create memories with the children, not broken toys.
Besides all the other comments here, I would like to add: Around Christmas and New Years, plan a winter BBQ, no matter how cold it is.

Do “little things“ throughout the year, meanwhile save up some money.

Then pick one or two days and celebrate everybodys birthday at once, doing something “bigger“, like waterpark, a two day trip with an overnight stay (not more than a 2-3 hour drive away), etc.

[Joy]

I used to invite 8 friends to the park. I made and decorated birthday cupcakes, bought ice cream sandwiches, capri suns and cut up a watermelon.

Everything was eaten with their hands and trash was thrown in the bin.

I blew up a few balloons and bought paper streamers if we used a pavilion. Most times the total cost was less than $20.

The kids ate and then played on the park equipment.

Sometimes we brought music or played party games; but usually not. The party last a couple hours and parents could stay or go run an errand while the kids played.

[Jodie]

I used to set up a scavenger hunt for the kids bday, lots of different ways over the years.

1 year was written out clues, 1 year was random pics of things around the yard to direct them to the next spot, 1 year was puzzel pieces hidden all over that they had to complete to find the “prize”.

Cost less then $5, just a little time, and they loved it!

[Penny]

I started taking my children on adventures. Many times it was to a favorite park or hiking, doing a project with them.

It doesn’t have to be expensive all they really want is your undevided attention.

Now I do this with the grandkids.

[Barbara]

My adult children and I still talk about their birthdays at the park. Little picnic. Always something funny would happen.

Lots of memories

[Elizabeth]

So much depends on how many kids and their ages. I’d encourage him to focus on spending time and doing things with the kids rather than buying stuff.

6 or under, make homemade play dough, fool around with some food coloring, build a house or make flowers for a garden. Too creative? Fingerpaint together — aprons or old towels to protect clothes.

Slightly older kids? Kite flying or exploring in a park, looking for unusual pebbles or leaves (no picking aloud).

Finish up with a happy meal or a stop for ice cream — or possibly cheaper, build ice cream treats at home (Graham crackers, sprinkles, use your imagination, or theirs.

If the kids would like, make a cake, or get a plain cake from the supermarket and decorate it.

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