Planning a Cool and Budget Friendly Dinosaur-Themed Birthday Party

Birthday party planning for your kids can be extremely stressful. Worrying about the decorations, the food, the cake, and the games can be exhausting. The most worrisome part of the party for most parents is trying to figure out how to throw a memorable and unique party without breaking the bank.

I've found that the best way keep costs down and still make the party fun are to be creative. Think outside the box a little bit and try to do things that are not only fun and affordable but will also get the guests in a party kind of mood. After all, the overall tone of the party is what makes it a super fun party or a drag. Here's my party guide for a creative and budget friendly dinosaur sized theme party:

Invitations: Make your own. The best invitations are the ones that are memorable and that your guests will want to save in a scrapbook. Simply find some paper at a stationary or office store with dinosaurs on the border. Then, you can add a photo of your child and some dinosaur clip art along with some fun wording and print out your own invitations on your computer. For our son, the invitations read: Roar! Our little dinosaur is turning 4! Join us for a dino-sized celebration!" It is super simple to make your own invitations and you can be creative with them and make them any way you like.

Food: The must budget friendly way to deal with the food is to make your own, of course. Having the party catered or ordering take out is super pricey, especially if you are having a large party. Again, the best way to stay on budget but still make it memorable is to be creative with the food. For our son's party, we made dinosaur themed food. This part requires some out-of-the-box thinking, but will definitely help get everyone in a dinosaur kind of mood. You will need to make labels for the food so that your guests know they are dinosaur themed. First, we made hot wings and called them Pterodactyl Wings. Then we bought Dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets (readily available at most grocery stores and Target) simply labeled Dinosaur Nuggets. I also made a dish called T-Rex Teeth. These are simple to make and delicious. You simply take bananas and slice them in half lengthwise. Then you dip them in chocolate sauce and roll them in crushed graham crackers. Another favorite was the Dinosaur Nests. These are made by putting toasted coconut in a paper muffin cup. Then, you place a mini powdered sugar donut on top and put a dinosaur gummy inside the donut. The coconut looks like twigs and the donut like an egg. So, it appears as if the dinosaur gummy is sitting in a nest. One of the coolest foods to make is dinosaur eggs. You simply make a batch of hard boiled eggs. Then, you crack the eggs in several places, but don't peel them. Next, soak the cracked and unpeeled eggs in red Kool Aid overnight. The Kool Aid will fill in the cracks and when you peel them it will look as if a baby dinosaur is trying to hatch out of the egg. You can also make a traditional 7-layer dip and label it Tyrannosaurus-Mex Dip. I also put out a vegetable platter and labeled it as Brachiosaurus Bites because Brachiosaurus was an herbivore. For drinks, you can simply make some Kool Aid and label it as Lava Juice. There are many different foods you can make into dinosaur themed foods with a little creativity and imagination.

Decorations: Cut out dinosaur shaped footprints out of brown construction paper and tape to the floor. You can even make smaller and larger ones and scatter them around to give the appearance that a group of dinosaurs has recently walked through the party. Dinosaur shaped piñatas are readily available at most party stores and even stores like Wal-Mart or Target. You can also re-use your old plastic Easter eggs and have them around the party room as Dinosaur eggs.

Games: The most fun game to play, in my opinion is the Dinosaur Egg Hatch. This is probably the cheapest and easiest game to do. You simply stuff regular latex balloons with a small dinosaur toy and blow them up. The kids at the party have to sit on as many balloons as they can and "hatch" the egg to release the dinosaur. This game is fun to watch and fun to play, and the kids get very excited about it. You can also play Dinosaur Egg Hunt with Easter eggs stuffed with candy or small toys.

Cake: Get a dinosaur shaped cake pan and get baking. If you're not a baker or don't have the time, then simply order a cake from the lowest cost bakery you can find with a dinosaur picture or design on it. Our local grocery store makes delicious and beautiful cakes for a low price. We were able to get a half-sheet cake with an elaborate dinosaur design for only $12.

So, if you want to host a dinosaur themed party, simply use your imagination and some creativity to create a party that your child and your guests will remember for a long time. They will all think you spent a lot of time and money planning the party, when in fact, you did it all for a little cash and a lot of imagination.