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4 Fun & Inexpensive Ideas to Add to Your Child’s Next Party

One of the things parents love most about hosting their child’s event at the Art Factory is the freedom we allow when it comes to food, decorations, themes, etc. While we have multiple set party packages to choose from, our goal is to make sure each event is unique and tailored to fit your child's special day. There is something so special about seeing the birthday child walk into their party and watching their face light up because their favorite character/ show/ book/ animal has been incorporated into their special event.

"I started looking for a venue to have for my daughter's 8th birthday party. I came across the Art Factory and Party Place. After reviewing that website... it did say bring us your ideas and we do our best to accommodate. And accommodate they did. I had a theme in mind of Super Hero Girl.. The Ladies at the Art Factory went above and beyond to make this day awesome. My daughter has already requested to have her party their again, but not before Mommy has hers lol...."
- LaKeisha T.

However, creating a memorable birthday experience for your child does NOT need to break the bank. There are many ways in which birthday party costs can increase quickly, especially if you’re providing all the supplies, balloons, decor, food & drinks, cake/cupcakes, the list goes on and on.

Whether you’re looking to have a budget-friendly party or whether you’re trying to save money on decor so you can splurge elsewhere-- We would love to share 4 creative and inexpensive ideas to make your child’s next party truly unique.

NOTE: These tips can be done at home as well as at our venue! If you are hosting your party elsewhere, be sure to check their policies before spending time or money on these touches of decor!


1. BALLOONS

Balloons can be a simple decoration that doubles as a take home for guest or it can be a grand centerpiece display or even a photo opt!. We loved making this rainbow display for a 6th birthday celebration.


You can also incorporate your theme by spelling it out with letter balloons (see the below "Two the Moon!").


There are also tons of balloons featuring the most popular characters that will elevate your decor while incorporating your theme, like these Star Wars balloons.


We are fortunate to have a great relationship with our balloon distributor and are able to accommodate most themes and request. Give us a character, theme or color and we will provide the most gorgeous balloon display for your party!

2. PARTY FAVORS

Favors are one thing that can really add up in terms of cost. As the parent hosting a party, it’s easy to feel pressured to send each child home with a big expensive favor, or a bag full of goodies that they will go through for hours.

We often hear from parents that they would prefer their child take home one simple activity instead of a bunch of little toys or large amount of candy (especially since they just had cake!). Many of our party packages feature a craft or activity that doubles as the take home party favor!

Creative Canvas parties are a great way to accomplish this! Not only does the painting become the party activity, but each child will go home with their own art work! This is a great example of how the activity becomes the party favor. The kids will want to display their artwork at home and will remember your party every time they look at it.


During our Glow Parties, each child designs their own glow in the dark t-shirt with neon fabric markers, to wear during the party. Again, this is one of the party activities that they will get to take home. Every time they wear their t-shirt they will think about the fun times they had at your party. Added bonus - have each guest sign the birthday child's t-shirt, like a guest book, to remember everyone who came to celebrate.


Another fun option is our Slime & Tie Dye party where guest make their own slime (at home you can offer a variety of colors, glitter and mix-ins) and learn how to tie dye their own t-shirts. When you book this event at the Art Factory, we keep the mess, you keep the memories! Each child goes home with their own container of slime and one of a kind t-shirt.


Fairy/Pirate parties are a great way to incorporate take home items as well. Each child gets a fairy wand or pirate sword, paints a treasure boxes or fairy house and then we have the most adorable "winging" / "eye patch" ceremony. During the ceremony they each receive their very own fairy wings or eye patch with a corresponding certificate (let the kids pick out their own fairy or pirate names!). This is a super adorable party especially for littles who will love bringing all their activities home with them!

Letting the activity be the take home is a great way to save money on favors and send each guest home with something unique & memorable.

3. DESSERT

Dessert can be one of the more expensive aspects of a party, especially if you’re wanting something that matches your theme.

There are so many options when it comes to desserts - cakes (sheet cakes or tiered cakes), cupcakes, cake pops, cookie cakes, donut cakes, cookies, donuts, brownies. If you're not a baker, there are a lot of amazing local bakers you can order from. Be sure to allow plenty of time to order, we recommend 3 weeks or more to make sure they can fit you into their schedule but the more notice you can give them, the better.

One trick that helps save money is to order store bought cake or cupcakes and personalize it yourself with decor purchased online or DIY. Checkout these adorable Minnie Mouse cupcakes below. These were store bought cupcakes (talk about relieving the stress of having to bake 3 dozen!) using Oreos to make the ears and a chocolate mold for the bows. Super simple and absolutely adorable!


Other options to consider, get a grocery-store sheet cake and add a picture - you can download online to make it “themed.” Personalize your
cupcakes with themed picks to decorate the tops. You can usually find 24 themed cupcake picks on Amazon or Etsy and they add just as much “flair” as bakery cupcakes that can often cost $4 per cupcake or more.

If a professionally-done cake is something you REALLY want--instead of getting a themed multi-layer cake that will likely cost well over $100, get a small (single layer) themed cake (it will serve around 12 guests) and get cupcakes for the rest of your guests! Put the professionally done cake on a cake stand so it REALLY stands out!

From experience, we've see that children tend to like cupcakes more than traditional cake, and they are much easier & quicker to pass out anyway!

Scroll through the gallery below of some of the desserts we've served at the Art Factory.

4. FOOD

Food is another one of those items that adds up quickly. The first thing to consider is what time your event is. If you would like to avoid serving food, look to host your party during non meal times - early morning or afternoon. If you're party does fall during mealtime, pizza is always a great option to serve a lot of people.

The Art Factory is conveniently located next-door to Sergio's. We are happy to arrange your pizza order and will have it delivered and ready to serve at your event.

Most large pizzas have 8 slices. For our younger guest, we recommend cutting the slices in half to avoid waste as they may not eat a whole giant piece. As the guest get older we recommend at least two slices per guest. Something to keep in mind is whether or not you are feeding the parents as well, as many do stay for younger children's parties. That choice is entirely up to you!

As for drinks, we ask that you bring a juice box, pouch or water bottle. This helps to avoid spills (whether you are in our venue or your home).

One of the easiest and least expensive ways to add to your party decor is themed signs for your food and drink. You can easily design them yourself using a free website like Canva and use your at-home printer, or you can purchase templates/ prints on Etsy (or do something in the middle, like purchase prints from Etsy and print them at home)!


At the end of the day, birthday parties are about celebrating and making memories with family and friends. However, it’s easy to brighten up the occasion and put an extra smile on your child’s face, even if you’re on a budget!

To learn more about our birthday party packages and to book your next party with us online, click here!

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