Easy, Homemade Birthday Cakes For Kids - You Can Do it Too!

Easy, Homemade Birthday Cakes For Kids - You Can Do it Too! Have you ever dreamed of making the perfect cake for your kid's birthday? I remember as a child how thrilled I always was with my Mom's wonderful birthday cake creations and I vowed to make my own kids' cakes once I had my own family. I loved the idea of making a really personalized, homemade cake rather than ordering the traditional sheet cake from our local grocery store. I was nervous starting out but soon realized that with a little patience and practice anyone can do this!

Here are some helpful hints that will allow even the busiest moms to bake the perfect birthday cake for their child: 1.) Don't make your cake from scratch. You can save plenty of time by buying the boxed cake mixes and they often taste just as good as a cake made from scratch. In fact, at my most recent kid birthday party I was even asked for my cake recipe because it was so yummy! 2.) Start by using a shaped character pan. They generally have very detailed and easy-to-follow directions. You can also buy them fairly cheaply (check out eBay for affordable used and retired pans). 3.) Use pre-made decorator or royal icing. I like Wilton's decorator icing since it tastes good and is great for piping since it holds its shape well and dries fairly hard. 4.) Use pre-made and pre-colored fondant. My favorite is Satin Ice since it has a nice vanilla flavor; unlike some other pre-made fondants, and you can get it in a number of different colors. You can also flavor fondant with candy flavoring. 5.) Fun cake toppers can really make a cake sparkle. If you're making a more traditional rectangular or circular cake, you can dress it up with fun cake toppers. This is an easy and affordable way to make a theme cake. Finally, don't be afraid to try new things! Above all, have fun and enjoy the look of delight and pride on your child's face when they see their special cake and tell their friends that their Mommy made it just for them! Easy, Homemade Birthday Cakes For Kids - You Can Do it Too!

Inexpensive Kids Birthday Party Locations

Inexpensive Kids Birthday Party Locations While throwing your child a birthday party is high on any parents list, most people don't want to spend a fortune for the celebration. Depending on the time of year and your budget, there are some great options for the location of the party (other than your home).

If you do decide to throw a party outside your home, be sure to include your child in the location decision. If the child is young, you may want to bring them to the location prior to the party so that they can get comfortable and excited about the upcoming event. Most kids look forwarding to opening their presents at the end of their party. So whatever option you choose, make sure you set aside a special place where all the party goers can place the birthday gifts. 1. Town Park Shelter. Many local communities offer rental shelters at the parks where they have picnic tables, grills and play equipment for the kids. The older children can go play while the adults hang out. The food doesn't have to be gourmet, instead keep it simple and easy like barbecuing hot dogs or burgers or a couple baked lasagnas with salad. Follow up with a fun birthday cake from your local warehouse club, grocery store or your own kitchen. 2. Fast Food Restaurant. Both McDonald's and Hardees offer kids parties that include a party hostess, food and cake at reasonable prices. The other great thing about these restaurants is that many have Playlands or plastic ball pits so that the kids can be entertained while the adults chit-chat and relax a bit. 3. Children's or Science Museum. If you have a larger budget, a local science or children's museum can be a great place to hold a birthday party. Some places have party hostesses and provide some supplies, so just check what they provide in your city. You may only need to bring a birthday cake and presents. 4. Movie Theater. Many towns have inexpensive or dollar show theaters that will rent out the entire theater or give you big group discount as well as discounts on snacks and soda. Some theaters will let you bring in some of your own snacks and a cake so just check and see what can be done at your local theater by speaking with the manager. 5. Neighborhood Club House. If you live in a planned community, chances are that you have a club house in your neighborhood or apartment complex. Often these rooms are either free or can be rented for a nominal fee by residents. The club house would likely give you more room than your home, but it would still be close enough that you could set up the birthday party relatively easily. Not to mention, you don't have to clean your house! 6. Local Fire Department. Often times, local fire departments have rooms that they will allow local residents utilize for free or for a nominal fee. Some fire departments will even give the children of a private birthday party a tour of the department and let them try on some of the firefighters' gear and get their photos taken. These pictures make great keepsake gifts for all the children. Inexpensive Kids Birthday Party Locations

Great Birthday Party Ideas for Kids

Everyone loves a great party, especially kids. Birthdays mark milestones in a child's life and each one should be a memorable event. When it comes time to host your child's birthday party, there are some fun and creative ways to make it a memorable event for everyone, especially the birthday boy or girl.

One of the first aspects to consider when it comes to hosting a birthday party is the age of those attending the party. For younger children, ranging from toddlers to five-year-olds, you will have to find activities and party favors that are age-appropriate. For older children, the choices can be a little more elaborate. Age also determines the length of time for your child's party.

Cookie For Kids

If your party patrons are young, you may want to inquire the help of their parents. This is especially true if your activities require adult supervision. When you send out invitations, let the parents know how long the party will be and how you need their help. Be sure to offer adult beverages and snacks at the party.

If the parents don't have to stay, then tell them a time to pick up their child. Parties usually last around two or three hours depending on the age of the attendees. For younger kids, keep the party around an hour to two because they will usually get tired and disgruntled towards the end.

The next goal is to pick out a theme of some sort. Themes can be based upon action heroes, popular children's movies, television programs or upon the type of activity you have at the party. Your decorations, snacks and the all-important birthday cake should coordinate with your theme too.

There are a slew of activities you can offer at your child's birthday party. Kids enjoy painting or making items to take home, so you can use this as a basis for your ideas. Just remember to make the activity age-appropriate. It is also a good idea to offer smaller-scale activities for children to participate in as they arrive at the party. Hold the big activity after all the guests are present.

Looking for activity ideas? Here are a few to try:

-Autograph shoes. Have children bring a pair of plain canvas shoes or purchase the shoes if your guest list is small. Allow children to paint their names on them. Be sure to have an area prepared for this type of activity and buy paint that will come out of clothing.

-Build a dollhouse or castle. Use old cardboard boxes to construct a large-scale dollhouse or castle that kids can decorate and play in during the party. This activity may be better suited for outdoors or in a large banquet room.

-Creative flower pots. Purchase inexpensive clay flower pots at your local hardware store and let the children design their own pot. You can even supply seeds so the kids can plant them in their new creation.

-Outdoor Obstacle Courses. This is great for older kids and you can hold races with prizes for those who participate.

Great Birthday Party Ideas for Kids

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