4 Budget-Friendly Tips for Throwing a Valentine's Day Party for Children

Valentine’s Day is especially fun with children! If you are planning to host a Valentine’s Day party for some special children in your life, you can do so without breaking the bank! It does require a little preparation and planning, but Anders Ruff is here to help! Get ready for my top 4 tips for hosting a budget-friendly celebration your children will love! (You’ll love the money saving ideas for invitations, decorations, treats and activities too!)

Tip #1: DIY your Valentine’s Day party invitations! There’s no need to buy expensive store bought boxed Valentine’s Day party invitations. Why not create your own? We have printable Valentine’s Day party invitations in our shop! You can simply customize the details (date, time, location) and print them out! If you’d rather go the completely handmade route, use basic craft materials and some hand cut paper hearts to create your invitations. Your children can help! You can add all of the essential party details by hand. Don’t forget to include the date, time, and location of the party. Also, be sure to include whether guests should bring valentines to pass out or a treat to share. Looking to add an extra wow factor to your party invitation while still sticking to your budget? Inflate some heart shaped balloons with helium and attach the party details to the balloon with color-coordinating ribbon or twine. Save money on postage and envelopes by hand-delivering the party invitations.

Tip #2: Invite guests to bring their favorite treat to add to your Valentine’s Day dessert spread. A big way to save on out-of-pocket party costs as well as cut down on your party prep time is to invite your Valentine’s Day party guests to bring their favorite treat to share! Whether you’re setting up a small spread of tried and true favorites or you’re going all out on a full dessert table, this tip is a win-win! When guests bring their favorite treat, you are ensured that there is at least one thing on the table that everyone will like!

Tip #3: Pull leftover decorations from your party and entertaining stash and purchase remaining items at after Christmas clearance sales or from discount stores.

There are many celebrations throughout the year that utilize red and white decor staples. Check your decor stash and pull out anything you already have on hand such as leftover tableware (paper plates, napkins, cups, utensils), balloons, cupcake liners, paper straws, and streamers. Check out your linen supply for tablecloths, napkins, placemats, and runners that can be repurposed for Valentine’s Day. Remember to see what red, white, and pink cake stands, platters, and serving trays you have to add to your décor. A quick inventory of items you already have will help you make a list of items you may want to purchase. Planning ahead allows you to take advantage of after Christmas and New Year’s sales to purchase party essentials and bulk up your décor. Don’t forget that clearance red and white wrapping paper makes for a great table runner, and can also be used to line party trays, wrap beverages, or used for place mats. Plain gift bags and boxes can be used for party favor packaging too.

Additional Valentine’s Day party supplies can be purchased from discount stores. Most dollar stores sell a variety of red, white, and pink partyware, including heart confetti, and embellishments. Check for heart shaped helium balloons, and tissue paper in Love Day colors for some DIY tissue tassel garland. You can use letter stickers and cardstock to create your own party banner.

Tip #4: Keep Valentine’s Day themed party games and crafts simple. The main event for your Valentine’s Day party should be focused on the sharing of valentines. By inviting each party guest to bring their own valentines, you can help keep the cost of party activities to a minimum. Another option is to provide simple card making materials at the party. If you’d like to add a simple craft, consider having guests decorate valentine “mail bags” or “mailboxes” with markers and stickers. Party games could include a Valentine cupcake walk (cut hearts out of red, pink, or white paper and write a number on them), or playing “Cupid Says” (adaptation of Simon Says).