If you’re looking for alternatives to pricey goodie bags, here are a few ideas that will make your guests--and wallet--happy.

For boys and girls a sleepover party can be lots of fun. Of course it probably won’t be coed but that’s okay, it makes for more fun for your child to just invite their best buds or their gal pals. One excellent idea for a girl’s sleepover birthday party is to have it themed after Disney Princesses. You can rent lots of Disney movies featuring princesses in them. For party favors hand out some plastic tiaras and beaded necklaces and you can find themed party supplies online to use in your decoration, such as streamers, wall panels and other party favors like magical wands.

Once you have chosen the appropriate them for your child, the planning portion of it would not be so hard to tackle. Just think of the things, or whatever it is, that your child loves. Is it a certain book, or a show on television? It could also be a dire fascination with aliens or fairies. You just have to put yourself in your child's shoes and think of what might interest them.

If you are having a beach themed party, consider the lifeguard beach lamps with plenty of fun beverages that have umbrellas. Fresh platters of fruit and flowers will give your beach themed party a festive atmosphere. Toss a few beach balls around and have out plenty of sand toys too! If you seat your guests in lifeguard chairs with beach lamps and put floral lei around their neck, they will rave about your party for ages.

Keep the theme up with fun Under the Sea themed movies for everyone to watch. You can plan to show, The Little Mermaid, Splash and for some scary effect, Deep Blue Sea.

Sleepover participants may want to research scary movies on the Internet, print them out and read to the other children. When the weather is fine, kids can enjoy shaving cream fights in the yard. Foam soap or silly string can be used instead of shaving cream for the fight. This can be quite messy but it can be hosed away in the morning. However if games like this are allowed, do mention this in the invites so that parents can either bring a bathing suit or change of clothing for their children.

Making sloppy joes for kids is quite simple. The ingredients are basic: 1 pound lean ground beef or ground turkey, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard, 3/4 cup ketchup, 3 teaspoons brown sugar, salt to taste, and ground black pepper to taste. Next, in a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper; drain off liquids.

Before the Party

Schedule the party on a weekend before the actual birthday. Get invitations to go with the party theme. A pillow invitation for a sleep over, a papier mache conch shell for the beach party, and a map invitation for the safari or treasure hunt party. Shop for party favors and ask your tween for the type of music he or she wants for the party. To make your shopping a convenient jaunt, have your money organized in one of those money clip wallets, and bring along the list of things you must buy for the party.

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