I am a mother of two and with my eldest going 5 next month, I must say I have had my share of Jollibee Kiddie Parties, McDonalds and even KFC kiddie parties. I used to think they were the best choice for me as I get too busy to even think about organizing my own kid’s party. Choosing that method though will set you off a couple of thousand pesos.
This year, I have decided to challenge myself into organizing a very simple fun afternoon for my 2-year old son and his neighborhood friends for his birthday. I decided on planning the afternoon event myself with the overall goal of not spending more than P2,000. Tough right? Well not exactly. I gotta say my kids and their friends (and yayas even) certainly had fun. We (and my yayas) had fun as well. The party was a success in my book.
How did I do it?
1. Rent kiddie table sets. C’mon, if you are having kids for the party, why rent the big tables? Everyone, even I, can fit snuggly into the tiny monoblock chairs. Price: P60 for a set of 1 kiddie table with tablecloth and 4 kiddie chairs (Bebe’s Balloons)
2. Buy those simple balloons reminiscent of my own birthdays when I was much much younger. Price: P16 each blue balloon that comes printed already.
3. Serve sweet spaghetti, pinoy style. Since the guests will be kids, I doubt they will appreciate pasta that is al dente. This time I did not buy my usual Balducci Penne noodle but instead chose Royal Spaghetti. I also chose to use Del Monte Filipino Style Spaghetti Sauce instead of mixing up my own sauce from scratch. Add some thin red hotdogs, ground pork and you’ve got Jollibee Spaghetti – which a lot of kids absolutely love. Price: (approx) P300.
4. Get your family to chip in. Birthday cake from Red Ribbon c/o Tito. Chocolate Ice Cream and cones from Selecta c/o Lola. Price: Free
5. Dig up stock of disposable party items at home. Paper plates, kubiertos, drinking cups c/o myself. Price: Can’t recall.
6. For entertainment and giveaways, my yaya went to the market in Kalentong and filled a big bag with goodies like small coloring books (Spongebob, Barney, Transformers, Barbie), Bubble blowing toys, little pink princess notepads, Spongebob stickers, plastic cars and robots. Price: P5 to P10.
My kids and their friends totally had fun. My yayas and I were all exhausted but the enjoyment we got out of the happiness of my little boy (and his kuya) overcame the ache we felt in our toes, and in our knees from running around all day…. simply priceless!
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Hi there! I’m planning my kids’ birthday party as well. Their birthdays are just a week apart, so will have just 1 party. I’m thinking nalang of doing something like you did – simple house party with the neighborhood kids and cousins. Been scouting online for venues, caterers, entertainers, but mygosh, the rates are oh-so-ouchie to the pocket! I think times like these, daspat mag DIY nalang. thanks for encouraging me. I think I can do this. hehe
chateau – Hay naku lalo na ngayon prices of all commodities are increasing exponentially. Imagine how much you will spend on one kiddie meal for a minimum of 30 kids (which is the usual requirement of fast food places). And most of the time kids don’t even finish their food. Hay. Do it at home! Its easy lang promise. I think we overestimate our kids’ appreciation for parties etc. I think sometimes we have more fun than our kids. Hehe.
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hi, i’m inspired about ur party planning. my daugther will be celebrating her bday on oct 04, i’m planning a pool party w/ her classmates, what would you suggest food menu that will not cost much. thanks so much
genelyn – If you cook, the best choice would always be fried chicken and pasta. Both are easy to prepare and to make and you can prepare it beforehand. If you don’t cook, you can serve assembled snacks like mini sandwiches, or mini pizza’s that you can make yourself using pita as your base.
Hi! Thank goodness i’ve found you! My son’s 1st birthday on october has been bothering me. We were then planning to have it in mc donald’s but I wanted something unique for my child. Are spaghetti and fried chicken enough for the kids? What other types of foods for kiddie parties do you suggest? Please help me! Thanks!
nonskie – Spaghetti and fried chicken are more than enough for kids. In fact parents always tend to think the kids care what kind of food is served but they will enjoy spaghetti at your house as much as they would at McDonalds. Some other dishes that I found to work are cake and ice cream, hotdog on sticks with marshmallows, brownies, mini hamburgers, and french fries. All of that can be made at home and definitely at a cheaper price.