Key findings
- On average, parents spend $314 on a child's birthday party; 1 in 5 spend more than $500. Plus, parties tend to get more expensive the older kids get.
- Most parties don't include the whole class. On average, nine kids attend.
- The most stressful part of hosting a child's birthday party is the clean-up, parents say. Getting people to RSVP (22%) was the second biggest headache.
Everything adds up quickly when you are planning a kid's birthday party. Even if you hold it at a free venue like a playground, you still end up buying bagels, balloons and a Paw Patrol piñata. (I’m currently planning my 6-year-old son's.)
Although hosting a kid's birthday party can be stressful and expensive, 97% of mothers have held or plan to hold one, according to a new What to Expect poll of 404 moms with children 6 months and older. Here's what else we learned about party planning norms from our survey — just in time for peak birthday season:
On average, parents spend more than $300 hosting a kid's party
What constitutes a birthday party varies by family. Members of the What to Expect Community report paying as little as $10 for a small DIY family affair to $7,000 for a lavish event with catering, entertainment and a professional photographer.
On average, though, the parents in our survey spent $314 on party planning (not including gifts). Millennial moms typically spend more, about $329, while Gen Z moms spend about $276. Younger kids' parties also tend to cost less, with first- and second-year b-day parties costing an average of $279. That number increases with age, hitting $344 for kids ages 6 through 10.
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Twenty percent of parents say they spent more than $500 on their children's birthday parties — and that’s okay, says Leah Rocketto, What to Expect's associate shopping director. "If you want to throw a big blowout, by all means do it," she says, "so long as it's something you want to do and not something you think you have to do."
If you find yourself trying to keep up with the Joneses (or in my case, the Weisblatts), "Remind yourself that one family's birthday style may not work for your family," Rocketto says. "Set reasonable birthday party expectations for your child early [and] prioritize experiences over parties."
What's "needed" at a party is really up to you, Rocketto adds, and many parents are concocting thrifty ways to throw their event: 14% of those surveyed spent under $100.
Rocketto recommends using the acronym FAD to plan for the essentials: food, activity and dessert.
"You don't have to go to extreme lengths for any of these," she says. "The food can be a low-lift snack table. The activity can be as simple as setting up your child's toys for others to play with, and the dessert can be store-bought cupcakes. … Ultimately, the party is a chance for family and friends to see and celebrate your child."
Another way to save dough, Rocketto says, is by skipping the goodie bags. "Parents hate making them and receiving them, so save yourself the stress and money. You can also keep decorations very simple; no need for balloon arches or everything to be 'on theme.'"
Most kids' birthday parties don't include the whole class
One reason first birthday parties usually cost less is because you're just inviting your own friends. Once kids enter preschool or kindergarten, though, there's suddenly pressure to invite everyone they play with.
Yet our survey shows that the average party only has nine kids in attendance, and a third of folks invite even less — fewer than five kids. Only 14% of respondents invited more than 16 kids.
Still, inviting an entire class can be an important lesson for your kids, because it "teaches your child inclusion," Rocketto says. That said, she recognizes that’s not always possible, especially as class sizes grow.
If you don't or can't invite the entire class, Rocketto recommends the adhering to the following rules of birthday party etiquette:
- Don't distribute invitations at or near school. Instead, opt for e-vites.
- Limit invites to the kids your child spends time with outside of school.
- Don't invite the whole class minus one or two kids.
Clean-up is the most stressful part of kids' birthday parties
The actual party is only one aspect of the b-day party experience. Our poll shows that parents' biggest annoyances are cleaning up (34%), getting folks to RSVP (22%) and dealing with no-shows (12%).
No one wants to wash dishes while chasing rugrats, so do whatever you can to lessen your load. Rocketto recommends using disposable utensils and keeping activities and decorations simple. "I would avoid anything that has glitter, confetti or other super small components that may remain in the house for weeks."
RSVPs and no-shows are less disruptive if you aren’t paying per person, so opting to host at home or at a community center — instead of at a trampoline park — can make your life simpler.
Methodology
The Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting Talk to Moms Monthly Poll was conducted by Everyday Health Group – Pregnancy and Parenting between April 25 and 26, 2024. We surveyed 404 women ages 18 to 44 who are currently pregnant or have at least one child up to 5 years old.
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