As our kids grow, we quickly came to the conclusion that planning a big birthday party is a big pain. The older the kids get, the higher the expectations for a huge event. And the bigger the event, the larger the expense- and the headache.
So we took a step back and asked ourselves: why do our kids want a party anyway? Well, they want their birthday to be special. They want it to be memorable. And they want to 
share their joy. It was identifying these points that allowed us to switch gears.
We can make a very special birthday without the big hassle and associated cost.
Instead of planning a large house party, we now plan more intimate affairs: the birthday kid, siblings, and a few choice friends. Then instead of a home party, we take this smaller group on an adventure that we hope they won’t soon forget.
One year, we took Plum and her two besties to Build-A-Bear. Each girl got an inexpensive (thanks to coupons and the points program) but awesome, bear to take home. And another birthday, Plum and a dear friend got to experience the Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM). Each girl came home with matching six foot long stuffed snakes and awesome memories of a fun filled day.
This year, Bluey will take his two besties to MPM to explore, get a treat from the gift shop, and to have a yummy lunch out.
Whether it is to a museum, a special park, a trip down the shore, or a skiing day-trip, you can pack a lot of fun into a lovely birthday excursion when you are adding just one or two good friends to the mix. And the memories of the adventure will hopefully last a lifetime.
