Food and Fun!

For those who like to create and have fun right alongside your kids to celebrate their birthday, Dana Holmes has come up with a few fun ideas and easy-to-do recipes to implement theme based parties your kids will love. From the adventure of a magic forest to camping or park time or going under the sea, there's some fun, fantastic ideas to run with to make your kid's day special.

You can incorporate the same food-related fun by including your child's favorite foods on their Birthday Wall, highlighting what their palette fancies! It can be a funny approach to show our kids how well we know them, even by the food they eat.

Imagination and the palette can be just the source to get your creativity going for a birthday they'll remember.

Budget Busters for Your Child's Birthday (video)

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Cate Russell-Cole, Author and Teacher, Shares Birthday Wall Treasure

My good friend, author and writing teacher, Cate Russell-Cole, has kindly shared her appreciation for The Birthday Wall and it's wonderful benefits for your child in sharing their story.

That's really what The Birthday Wall is: it's a story of your child. A Clear Visual Representation of what your child means to you and how much you appreciate who they are and what they love.

And the story is beautiful!

Create your child's story on their Special Day.

A Recipient's Point of View: Sarah Herring

About ten years ago my mother cam up with a brilliant, family-oriented, authentic idea on how to celebrate your child and make them feel as special as possible on their big day. It was named and still is named, "The Birthday Wall."

It started out with a simple birthday banner featuring our name, our new age, and pictures of things we liked at that time, nicknames we'd been given, and accomplishments we'd achieved. At first I just thought it was a cool idea that would last until my sister and I were adults. I had no idea it would leave such an impression on me and become the ONE THING I look forward to every year on my birthday.

On my most recent birthday, all I really wanted was a Birthday Wall from my mom or something--anything--like it.

I was thrilled when she presented a collage she had made for me including my most favorite song for the last eight years, my favorite foods, my senior yearbook picture, my age, a seventeen year old nickname that still makes me smile like it did the first time she used it. The collage was all shaded in and surrounded neatly and artistically with my favorite colors and quotes.

It was the PERFECT gift, something so sentimental and priceless to me that it almost instantly sent tears straight from my heart right to my eyes in a way that touched Mom's heart.

She has invented a method of making her family feel loved, cherished and important for years to come. Ten years of such has changed my heart and my life, and I know it's something I can count on to make each birthday unique and special in its own way. It's something I get excited about and look forward to as my special day approaches.

I fully intend to pass the tradition down to my son who is almost two in hopes that The Birthday Wall will last for generations to come.

It is amazing that a simple, heartfelt idea turned into a wonderful family tradition that can bring a whole new outlook to your child's birthday.

Let Your Kids Imagine!

Have you ever thought to ask your child what kind of party they want to have? Kids have a fun and colorful imagination, and with their ideas, you might just come up with something fabulous and memorable. Tori Spelling shares some tips on how she plans a birthday party with her kids, from decorations and color to theme and activities. Get creative together!

You might think that your child's birthday wall need to be a big secret, and you can, of course, keep it that way so they will be totally surprised. But sometimes it can help to get some ideas of what they would like on their wall so you don't end up doing something that simply doesn't hit the spot for them or even be embarrassing. I include a survey list of things you can ask about in The Birthday Wall e-book to get you started.

Have fun getting creative with your kids!

The Party: Keep It Simple and Stress Free

I love a relaxed approach to many things, including parties. Obviously, so does Rebekah Kuschmider, who shares in her article how she kept things simple and stress free as she prepared (minimally, mind you) for her daughter's first birthday, including invites, food, activity, and socializing. She shows that it doesn't have to be complicated to be fun and satisfying for all.

Creating a birthday wall for your child can also be fun and stress free. Just use your heart and appreciation for your child to guide the way and you'll know just what will make the visual pleasing and fun without making it complicated.

Enjoy the process and keep it simple.
It's the heart of it that matters.

Fun for Less!

Birthday parties are often a place that sucks your wallet dry--if you let it. But that's not necessary! All you need are a few volunteers and some money-saving savvy that Stephanie Frazier suggests in her article, 5 Ways to Save Money on Your Child's Birthday Party. From entertainment to cake options, fun activities to theme parks, she offers some great thrifty ideas that keep the fun without the expense.

When  it comes to making a birthday wall, you can keep it simple with just a few items and ideas that you can make yourself. I offer various theme-based and textual-based ideas for saving money in each chapter under the Heading, Birthday Budget, so you can know some of the best approaches to creating a fabulous display on budget.