Kids Birthday Parties can be expensive. Even when you have your party at home, the costs can add up quickly with the party favors, drinks, cake, snacks, decorations, and activities. Then add on the birthday presents and the average child’s birthday party can be several hundred dollars. So how much do parents typically spend on kids birthday parties? According to a T. Rowe Price 2016 Parents, Kids & Money Survey, sixty-seven percent of parents said they spent more than $100 on their child’s birthday party and nearly a quarter said they spent over $300, and that’s just the party, not including the birthday presents.

With the average birthday party having about 10 guests, at $100 dollars, that is $10 or more per guest, and at $200 to over $300, that is $20 to $30+ per child’s party guest, just for the party. One mom recently told me she gave her child an offer to take sixty dollars or have a party. That child decided at that time to take the money. But that might not always be the best choice. Positive psychology studies suggest that people are happier when they spend their money on “experiences” rather than “things”. The initial excitement for a new thing can quickly fade as it becomes normal, while happy, positive memories can last a lifetime.

Kids birthday parties can also be very time consuming, shopping for all of the decorations, selecting and purchasing party favors, thinking of and preparing games to play, along with finding and buying presents.

All of the invitations have to be made and delivered as well prior to the party. You might search for days for ideas for the perfect cake and decorations, spend hours getting it all ready, just to end up on a “nailed it” post or “fail” blog. Then on the day of the party, you have to entertain a dozen kids for a couple hours, followed by another hour or two of cleanup.

Aside from the expenses and the time, outdoor parties can be unpredictable. It could be too hot to play on playground equipment, too windy for decorations, or too rainy to play outside on the day of the party, and all of your plans could change at the last minute.

So, why do we go through so much trouble and spend so much time and money on birthday parties? It’s for the experience. Experiences and memories of experiences make us happy more than things make us happy. You want your child to develop friendships and be confidant. You want him or her to have a good experience with friends and family, feel important, and long after the presents are gone, still have memories of that fun birthday party and the good times they had with friends and family.

Here is a breakdown of just the average Kids Birthday Party expenses

Parents were asked approximately how much they spent in the last 12 months on one child’s birthday party.

• 33% less than $100
• 26% $100 to $199
• 18% $200 to $299
• 23% $300 or more

Here is a breakdown of the average expenses for Kids Birthday Party presents

Parents were asked approximately how much they spent in the last 12 months on one child’s birthday presents.

• 31% less than $100
• 28% $100 to $199
• 17% $200 to $299
• 24% $300 or more

See the T. Rowe Price 2016 Parents, Kids & Money Survey here pages 10 and 11.

Coconut Cove is Utah’s best indoor playground for children ages 0 to 12. It has dozens of “play events” in the playground, including ball cannons, a ball fountain, spiral slides, giant racing wavy slides, crawl tunnels, mirrors, bridges, stepping stones, a toddler area, and rooms made out of large Lego blocks for birthday parties. Coconut Cove is also safe, clean, sanitary, and affordable! It has plenty of seating for adults and fun entertainment for children. It is a great place for Utah kids birthday parties, Utah kids play dates, or for families to just come and have fun! If you are looking for fun things to do with kids in Utah, come to Coconut Cove!