Typical cost for a kids birthday party? (1 Viewer)

[ghostguy123]

edit to my previous post.

It is more than ok to drop some extra cash if you are actually having fun yourself.  Someone mention BBQ.  Spending extra for good food and beer is fine if the party for the little tyke doubles as cookout/party for your friends also. 

 

[Doug B]

We rented a spot at one of those bouncy castle places with 12 or so kids.  Between that and cake/drinks/decorations a total of $200 or so.

If you can get away without providing meals for all party guests, adults and children, you can drive the price down quite a lot.

Louisiana is a food culture ... you hold a gathering of any type at any time, better have plenty of food at the ready. For a kid's party, enough pizza for every adult and child to load up is the minimum. None of this one-slice-per-person stuff -- and don't expect adults to hold off so kids can eat and enjoy.

 

[Kafka]

no kidding - same here.  As our kids are getting older, its becoming more common for parents to just drop and leave.  

A monster?   Not the kind of crowd I'd want to run with, if true.

Sheesh, what backward state do you live in?

 

[ghostguy123]

So how old are these kids that are getting dropped off?

 

[Courtjester]

 My kids are five years apart but they were   Both born in July just 8 days apart so we always hold a joint party.  So what we would do is hold my wife's family's party on Saturday and then we would hold my family's party on a Sunday.  My wife would order separate cakes for each party   and of course reset any of the decorations that needed to be changed out as appropriate. Further this would mean us providing lunch twice to two different big groups which was very expensive.

Then on each of the kids individual days we would take the birthday girl out to dinner or that's the time they would want a get together with their friends. 

So every year the kids got four parties basically. When you throw in the presents we bought them,  total cost  probably pushed 1500 or more each year. 

 Did I mention my birthday falls right in between their two days and it doesn't take a genius who gets the shaft out of this deal.  The only silver lining  was it gave me an excuse to get totally hammered on back to back days during these parties. 

 

[Doug B]

So what we would do is hold my wife's family's party on Saturday and then we would hold my family's party on a Sunday.

There's a story here, I just know it

 

[El Floppo]

This is about right for NYC.  It's ends up being about 60-70 per kid for what always seems to be about 15 kids.

RACKS RACKS RACKS

fwiw- we only have 6ish kids as guests, and make an event out of it. summertime birthdays for both kids (but still during the tail end of the NYC school year)... so Victoria Gardens (amusement park for littler kids) has been popular... or minigolf... lazer tag... bowling etc. pizza, drinks, done. RACKS. 300 bucks +/- not counting the presents.

 

[El Floppo]

So how old are these kids that are getting dropped off?

we saw it starting at 5. 

my oldest started getting dropped off around 29.

 

[MAC_32]

Costco hot dogs - $8

Frozen Costco burger patties - $13

Buns for the above - $5

Sheet pizza - $25

Fruit & Veggie trays - $25

Cake - $35

Beer - $100

Pop/Water - $15

Ice - $5

Misc - $20

We usually end the party with more beer than we started with, so if you call that a wash - $150 + gifts (and whatever the smash cake costs for a 1 year old).

 

[Courtjester]

There's a story here, I just know it

 My mother-in-law is a very bitter and negative person. Throw in an opinionated streak and she's pretty hard to be around. 

My sister who is 10 years older than me kind of runs in the same vein, so having them in the same room would probably result in something from Jerry Springer.

Plus seriously I have a big immediate family and the party ends up being close to 25 or so. My wife only has one sibling but is compelled (mainly because of her mom) to invite extended family such as cousins and uncles  and that ends up being over 35. So trying to do a party for 60 plus people tends to be a little on the unwieldy side.  

We tried it once, the present opening lasted close to an hour and the kids were falling asleep halfway through. I was like "oh a Barbie, oh another Barbie. Just get to the next gift damn it.  I don't want to have to serve these people dinner too!!!"

 

[Chemical X]

if you rent a place for at least 2.5 hugs, it can be pricey.  this one time, we got superman for his bday party and he made an entrance thru our apartment window.  it cost extra.

 

[The Z Machine]

Prolly $500 all told.

 

[FUBAR]

My wife is a real estate agent who focuses on the area where my daughter's school is.  Part of the cost of these parties I chalk up to advertising.

This is understandable, seems almost more advertising/connections than pure party.  If I got into financial advising like I'm considering, that's the type of networking opportunities you probably should create. 

if you rent a place for at least 2.5 hugs, it can be pricey.  this one time, we got superman for his bday party and he made an entrance thru our apartment window.  it cost extra.

Now that's just creepy. 

What floor?

Costco hot dogs - $8

Frozen Costco burger patties - $13

Buns for the above - $5

Sheet pizza - $25

Fruit & Veggie trays - $25

Cake - $35

Beer - $100

Pop/Water - $15

Ice - $5

Misc - $20

We usually end the party with more beer than we started with, so if you call that a wash - $150 + gifts (and whatever the smash cake costs for a 1 year old).

to about half the cost being beer.  They didn't serve beer at the last party we attended. 

 

[MAC_32]

to about half the cost being beer.  They didn't serve beer at the last party we attended. 

You should have taken your gift back.

 

[FUBAR]

You should have taken your gift back.

True, but in her defense (gonna bet this was mom's decision) it was a pool party without a lifeguard.  My wife wouldn't have approved serving beer at our pool party if we hadn't known the parents well.

 

[MAC_32]

True, but in her defense (gonna bet this was mom's decision) it was a pool party without a lifeguard.  My wife wouldn't have approved serving beer at our pool party if we hadn't known the parents well.

Our last one was actually alcohol free too.  They rented this place called Little Gym (no alcohol permitted).  It's a giant play room with all sorts of toys and games and they have staff on hand to keep things organized so the adults can actually talk to each other for more than 30 seconds at a time.  Then the kids wear themselves out playing for 2 hours and when they're ready to pass out, each family leaves, then the adults get 2+ hours of quiet time while all of the kids nap.  

That may have been even better than a few beers.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Someone here said they had a bouncy party that was 200 for 12 kids with cake and soda?  Wow, NY/LI sucks.

I would say that the starter party for 12 kids is probably closer to 300, and then we have let's say another 8 - 10 kids at 15 a pop. Puts us at about, let's say $450 (I think this is low).

Tips for employees- 125

Cake- 40

Extra soda and pizza for grownups- 50

Goody Bags- 50

So $715, but I think this is less than we typically spend.

 

[ghostguy123]

Well, if you live in an area where a 900 square foot apartment rents for like 5 grand a month, I would tend to think most everything else will cost more as well. 

 

[Kanil]

if you rent a place for at least 2.5 hugs, it can be pricey.  this one time, we got superman for his bday party and he made an entrance thru our apartment window.  it cost extra.

 

[Chemical X]

This is understandable, seems almost more advertising/connections than pure party.  If I got into financial advising like I'm considering, that's the type of networking opportunities you probably should create. 

Now that's just creepy. 

What floor?

to about half the cost being beer.  They didn't serve beer at the last party we attended. 

Hug as unit of time.

 

[NutterButter]

Yep.  Last year a did a big involved party package at a kids place thing, I was close to RACK status by the time that was all said and done.    

This year we're doing exactly what you said above.  Pavilion rental for 3 hours in the park, playground, pizza, cake.    .2 racks.   

This year > last year

I really like the pavilion idea.  Great value in being outside at the park on a nice spring or fall day.   You can serve alcohol as well which is always nice.   We'd never take this approach of course b/c our children are unique snowflakes who need to have unique snowflake experiences.  At least I think that's why my wife complicates the eff out of everything.

 

[cstu]

"Monster" if they stay and pig out on the meant-for-kids party food? Or "monster" if they leave their kid and come back later?

Around here ... you invite ten non-family kids, you're feeding a minimum of 20 non-family people for sure (customary for younger siblings to be allowed without asking ... I know, totally verboten for some people).

Monster for dropping the kids off (these are 7/8 year olds)...

There absolutely has to be more than enough food for all the kids and any parents.  I wanted to order 10 medium pizzas for this last party and my wife wanted 14 so I went with 14 even though we also had fruit and other snacks.  We had 6 pizzas left over (this is L.A. and no one dares eat more than a slice or two of pizza).

 

[cstu]

Someone here said they had a bouncy party that was 200 for 12 kids with cake and soda?  Wow, NY/LI sucks.

I would say that the starter party for 12 kids is probably closer to 300, and then we have let's say another 8 - 10 kids at 15 a pop. Puts us at about, let's say $450 (I think this is low).

Tips for employees- 125

Cake- 40

Extra soda and pizza for grownups- 50

Goody Bags- 50

So $715, but I think this is less than we typically spend.

Oh Jesus, I forgot my wife tipped each of the girls handling the horses $20 and we also paid our babysitter to pick up the cake and help out with the party ($60 I think).

 

[cstu]

Our last one was actually alcohol free too.  They rented this place called Little Gym (no alcohol permitted).  It's a giant play room with all sorts of toys and games and they have staff on hand to keep things organized so the adults can actually talk to each other for more than 30 seconds at a time.  Then the kids wear themselves out playing for 2 hours and when they're ready to pass out, each family leaves, then the adults get 2+ hours of quiet time while all of the kids nap.  

That may have been even better than a few beers.

There is no alcohol at any of the birthdays here. Not a rule but no one does it (gasp, having a beer and driving your kid home!).

 

[cstu]

Hug as unit of time.

2.5 hugs?  Places here rent for only 1.3 hugs.

 

[RC94]

Around $20,000 in total, but it's offset by asking the parents for donations.

 

[NutterButter]

I'm totally down with dropping the kid off at the party approach.  I don't want to be at some other kid's party and I really don't want a bunch of strangers at my kids.   6 or 7 is a good starting age.   One of the many milestones of parenthood.

 

[belljr]

7/8 was when dropoffs started

 

[lakerstan]

So glad I chose not to have kids.  Use that cash on a vasectomy.

 

[NutterButter]

So glad I chose not to have kids.  Use that cash on a vasectomy.

So are the rest of us

 

[the moops]

  My wife wouldn't have approved serving beer at our pool party if we hadn't known the parents well.

Are you overly suspicious of strangers getting drunk and drowning or something? 

 

[WilliamBonney]

If $1000 is getting spent on a party it had better include cocaine. 

 

[FUBAR]

Are you overly suspicious of strangers getting drunk and drowning or something? 

Suspicious?

Concerned that they might start ignoring their kids?

 

[wikkidpissah]

Danger Clown pinatas - this season's must party accessory

 

[Doug B]

Are you overly suspicious of strangers getting drunk and drowning or something? 

Re: Alcohol at a kids birthday party.

That's one of those Civic Divide issues. Some people say "Why not? What's the harm?" Others say "Really? You can't go a few hours without a drink? At a three-year-old's birthday party? So gauche!" The sides regard each other as three-headed Martians.

FUBAR's concern about adults using kid parties as "free babysitting" and then proceeding to get schmidt-faced ... that's a real thing, and many people will shamelessly do it if given the oppoetunity.

My personal concern (just me, now) is evaluating the likelihood of "having to drive a kid to the hospital". I got this thing where I'm sure as soon as I get comfy and have a few brews ... I'm going to have to up and handle an emergency right then. That pretty much keeps me from partaking at kid parties beyond a single courtesy brew on occasion.

 

[bigmarc27]

Dont have kids, but the neighborhood has a pool and a clubhouse with built-in grills. For parties I've had there, it's about 3 mins of my time for an email reserving the clubhouse, $50 on meat / cheese / buns, and maybe another $25 for random sweets and snacks.

$50 for food

$25 for random stuff

3 mins of my time is billed to be around $925

--

total - about a rack. 

 

[fantasycurse42]

Usually comes to about a rack.  $400 to rent a place, $100 pizza, $100 on goodie bags, $60-ish on a cake, and another couple hundred on the random crap by wife buys for it.

 

[AcerFC]

My sons party is at the movies on Saturday. $5 for each ticket for 40 people is 200. Then we will buy popcorn and soda for the kids, another 200. 10 large pies, 100. 

My wife will make a pokemon go cake and we bought juice boxes and soda so around another 100

Then 100 to rent the party room and it comes to about $700 this year. 

 

[tjnc09]

1/2 years worth of welched bets

 

[fantasycurse42]

My sons party is at the movies on Saturday. $5 for each ticket for 40 people is 200. Then we will buy popcorn and soda for the kids, another 200. 10 large pies, 100. 

My wife will make a pokemon go cake and we bought juice boxes and soda so around another 100

Then 100 to rent the party room and it comes to about $700 this year. 

You've got some very well priced movie theaters and pizza places for the Tri-State.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Renting my kid a video game trucks for 2 hrs.  Up to 20 kids can play Xbox / Playstation on big TVs

$299 plus some pop and Pizza... I guess gonna be around $400

 

[Rodnald Silks]

i work par time as a bartender at chunky cheese - a birthday party for my grandkid Sun chips was about 100 dollar plus alcohol (3 dollar for a picher of beer and 3 dollar jello shots)

 

[Rodnald Silks]

i work par time as a bartender at chunky cheese - a birthday party for my grandkid Sun chips was about 100 dollar plus alcohol (3 dollar for a picher of beer and 3 dollar jello shots)

*sunny