Birthday Planning Mode (Sort Of)

It's been a while since we've had so many birthday parties to go to, having to attend three parties in one month alone.  And being at all those parties just put me in the mood for planning one of my own.

I'm actually technically not planning a birthday party, as I am having one planned FOR me.  This month my baby will be 5 years old and to commemorate the day, I wanted to do something fun and a little bit extra special for his 5th birthday.

I am not planning a huge party, as I just don't have the energy for it nor the patience.  But I still wanted something that would set us apart from all the other parties and give my guests something to talk about.  I just wanted to do something different from what I'd done before.  And I wanted to keep it small and simple at the same time.  Best bet was to have the party at a space that included built in fun and entertainment, that way there would be minimum work for me to. 

I usually prefer to plan my own parties due to budget, as I don't like to spend a fortune on parties anymore.  Plus I love getting creative with all my DIY elements.  But I have been known to go overboard and my decorations alone can cost a ton not to mention goody bags and prizes for all the games I have to plan to keep the kids entertained.  And then there's all the prep work that goes into an at-home party with all the decorating, the set up and the clean up afterwards.  Having the party at a party space will cost more money but I won't have to worry about games, prizes, decorating or any of the work that usually goes into one of my parties.  And goody bags can be simple as I am keeping the guest list small, with a maximum 25-30 people.  My sanity will still be intact way after the party has ended.

I had a few options to choose from as far as what kind of party I wanted for my little prince.  I searched options for bowling, mini golf, skating, and even an art party.  Eventually we all, and I mean the entire family including the birthday boy, decided on a trampoline park party.  It'll be a short 2 hour party, which is fine by me, with a maximum of 12 kids and 10-15 adults.  I decided on the basic package which doesn't include much else but the party room for an hour and an hour of jumping with a few extras like balloon decor and plateware. 

I will have to provide food, the pinata and goody bags.  But for not having to actually plan the party myself and having built in entertainment, I am very OK with that.  I will keep the food simple and easy to transport, like hotdogs and sandwiches, cupcakes and a few treats for the kiddos.    When all is said and done, this party will still be on the budget friendly side and that is just how I like to keep it.

Attending kids' parties always make me want to plan my own and I love all the fun ideas I can incorporate into a DIY party.  But I think I'll do a ready made party this time and think about going back to my original style of planning next year.  With the kids getting older, they prefer doing something fun as opposed to having a party but we decided to host parties next year for all 3. 

I have a few pictures of the last party we went to, a Moana Hawaiian theme, that set my brain in party planning motion. For your enjoyment: