Yes, please! 3 VERY minimum effort kids party ideas we’ll definitely be using

Remember the childhood birthday parties from your own youth?

If yours were anything like mine, well, then they tended to be fairly simple affairs with a cake, some ice cream and maybe a few balloons and a party game or two. As a summer-born child, my parties tended to happen in the garden, where we all just basically ran around for a couple of hours in our summer dresses while my mum and dad served up hot dogs and a homemade chocolate cake. These days, however, low-key is not really the order of the day anymore. Nope, nowadays, you are almost expected to throw parties at a variety of fancy venues, such as play centres, chocolate factories or, if you opt to have it in your garden, you better at least make sure there is a bouncy castle and a magician to entertain the crowds. But, can we bring it back to reality, please? No child needs a three-ring circus to have fun at a party! Time to simplify and save your pennies, we say. And trust us, the kids will still have a ball. Here are three simple party ideas that both the kids (and your savings account) will love: 1. Teddy Bear Picnic This idea is bound to go down a treat with younger kids, and the beauty if hosting teddy bear picnic party is that it can be done so unbelievably easy. Send out invites for the party telling everyone to bring their favourite teddy. In the summer, host it in the garden (less mess to clean up in the house), on rainy days or in the winter, just push the furniture in your living- or dining room to the side, lay out some picnic blankets (table cloths work fine, as do the super-afforable, very washable fleece blankets from Ikea or Penneys). After that, it's just your imagination, budget and avaible time that can limit your child's teddybear picnic. For instance, no picnic is complete without some sandwhiches, and we love these teddy-shaped ones, that could not be easier to make, just use a cookie cutter and you are good to go. As for goody bags, these ones containing gummy bears are all sorts of cute, no? The actual graphic could be made on your computer and just printed out, ready to go. 2. Camping Party Camping is not glamorous or perfect or even stylish. Which is why hosting a party with these theme sould not be either. Here is what you do: If your child's birthday is in the summer, count yourself especially blessed, as you can host the entire fiesta in the garden. But even if you have to make do with inside, just shove all the furniture to the side to make room for your campsite and you are good to go. Set the table (or, even better, put the table (picnic) cloth  down on the floor): Set the tone (you are going for rough'n'ready – this is camping, after all): Set up a snack bar (let them help themselves to nibbles, there is no table service at the camp site!) Add some suitable decor elements (pine cones, branches, wood chippings are all great): Or like these: 3. Sprinkles Everywhere Tell me sprinkles aren't the most festive thing in the world?! Seriously – they really are. And the most amazing thing is that because they are so pretty and party-perfect, you can quite easily create the most stylish at-home party using very little else. Seriously, it's true. Just add some sprinkles to pretty much everything (cake, treats, drinks, table) and you are good to go. Here are just some simple ideas for what you can do with sprinkles: Add to treats, like doughnuts: Make festive-looking drinks (just rim the glasses with some simple frosting and dip into sprinkles): Pretty up some tea-lights: No matter what cake you are serving we guarantee it will be even better with some sprinkles: Heck, sprinkles even make for the perfectly sweet party favours too: (Images via Pinterest and Kara's Party Ideas)