Another birthday is fast approaching and you're out of ideas! Here are several to throw an amazing party within our budget.
It's getting harder and harder to create a birthday for our child that lives up to their imagination and stays within our budget. And if the birthday is in the middle of winter, the challenge is even greater since the flexibility offered by the courtyard or the outside does not work in our favor. Be aware, however, that there are several alternatives or ideas to create a birthday that will be very special for our little one.
It must first be emphasized that the celebration of a birthday is of paramount importance. Celebrations, rites, family traditions are events that weave ties and unite the members of a family. Your children will always have the memory of a very special birthday or family celebrations! And when they are adults, these events will have great meaning for them and they will pass on these same values to their children.
To create a birthday in the image of our child, we must first of allknow his interests, his passions, the things that make him vibrate. By starting your planning with the things he likes, you are already in the right direction.
For circus enthusiasts
Recreate in your yard (if it's summer) or in your house (family room or other) a circus environment. You will have on hand for each child a clown nose and circus-themed coloring pages. You can retain the services of a clown for the animation of the party. Be rigorous in the selection of the company with which you will do business. Do not take the first clown that comes along, ask for references, ask for a photograph of him and what type of activities will be planned. If you are from the Montreal area, you can contact Clown-express Voûte
Another suggestion is to prepare the birthday cake in the colors of the circus. You can also hold the event in a place like the circus school, which offers birthday entertainment services at a very reasonable cost, or retain the services of circus professionals by visiting Cirque et Fantaisie
If your child and their guests are over 7 years old, experimenting with the trapeze is a fun way to approach the theme of the circus. To learn more about this type of activity, visit Trapezium.
For the cowboys in them
Instead of the traditional birthday hat, why not replace this one with a cowboy hat and a sheriff's star? You can alsocreate a treasure hunt (or, in this case, a Wild West race) where children will be looking for clues and items that will lead them to the treasures stolen by the bank robbers. You can create a scenario yourself by including in your text the name of each of the invited children. You must consider the age of the children for your questions and clues. You can take inspiration from Lucky Luke stories for this type of birthday.
Celebrate your child with his friends in the company of horses or ponies at the riding school 1101 at La Présentation.
Do they love animals?
You can provide them with materials and ask them to create a birthday hat that represents their favorite animal. To make it easier for them, you can create the cone of the hat using a sheet of construction paper that you have rolled up and stapled into a cone shape. You will add to these ribbons which will be used to fix their hat on their head. And then you provide them with pencils, tights, paper mache, straws, glitter, in short, everything that will allow them to create their masterpiece. It is also possible to retain the services of a mini farm. A few small animals will come to your home and your children will be able to pet them as they please. Depending on where you live and the space you have, it is even possible to rent a pony. Imagine the face of your toddler and his guests when they see all these little onesfriends!
- To visit a farm: www.lafermedandre.com
- For a mini farm: www.fermedecariphael.ca
- For an original activity: www.cinezoo.qc.ca
Take a tour of the cinema-zoological park to meet TV star animals! It is possible to organize a walk in the forest with some of the trained animals. Children will be able to try out some of the commandments themselves. Bring your lunch for a nature picnic.
Fort Boyard or survivor
This type of birthday can take place outside, regardless of the season. First of all, you will have to prepare challenges and obstacles that the children will have to overcome, such as puzzles to complete, mathematical problems, questions relating to their interests or certain physical challenges. Upon arrival, the children are separated into teams. Do it by drawing lots to avoid any conflict. Each team will have to prepare an identification poster and find a name. The team with the most points will be awarded the gold medal and the other team the silver medal (each child must have a medal). You can make the medals yourself. You will find large bolts at the hardware store to which you will have tied tape and using a permanent ink pencil, you will have written the name of your challenge, for example the Fort Tremblay Challenge (last name of the child). To ensure that everything goes smoothly, ask for help from adults who will lead each event.
The sports fan
Does your child like hockey? A street hockey game can take place in summer or winter. Find out about the possibility of using the neighborhood ice rink or the arena in your area. Again, separate the children into teams (draw lots). Why not join some parents in the children's teams? Children always appreciate parents having fun with them.
Skateboarding is his hobby? So why not get up in front of the house (if possible) with jumps, rails and the like and invite them to a “skatefest” to use their term! You can even contact your local sporting goods store and ask if you can hire a skateboard specialist who can come and spend a few hours with the kids and teach them a few tricks. In winter, you can contact one of the indoor skateboard centers. It is definitely possible to hold a birthday party on site!
A few suggestions for addresses…
- Professional skate instructors who can come to your home: Starlette Skate Board shop in Brossard, 450-444-7827.
- Ice rink: the atrium of 1000 de la Gauchetière
- Indoor climbing wall: Galeries de la Capitale Mega Amusement Park
- Les Routes du Sports Minors is a website that will allow you to locate the arena or playground closest to you
Whatever your choice, don't forget to take into account your child's tastes and desires while respecting your budget! And above all, put yourself in the shoes of a child and use your imagination!
A few other suggestions
- If the birthday is held indoors, it is always better to reduce the number of friends. You will then have to take into account the number of guests.
- Instead of the traditional birthday cake, why not offer a dessert table on which they will find: individual cupcakes that they can decorate as they wish with candies, jelly beans, ice cream, whipped cream, caramel, etc. Although you will probably have to suffer the consequences of the overconsumption of sugar commonly known as "sugar rush", think of the pleasure they will have!
