How much does a kids' party cost in the UK?

In short: Survey data from Confused.com puts the average UK children’s party at around £701, though that figure is pulled up by the most elaborate celebrations, and a lovely party can be done for a fraction of it. The main costs are venue, entertainment and food, and each can be scaled up or down. This guide breaks the numbers down and shows where the money actually goes, so you can plan a party that fits your budget.

Children’s parties have quietly become expensive, and the pressure to keep up can make it feel as though a good party requires a significant outlay. It does not, but it helps to know what things actually cost before you start, so you can decide where to spend and where to save rather than being carried along by the default of doing everything.

This guide sets out the figures, breaks down where the money goes, and covers how to bring the total down without the party feeling lesser for it.

What the average party costs

The most useful recent figure comes from a survey by Confused.com, carried out by OnePoll among 1,800 UK parents in October 2025. It put the average spend on a children’s party at around £701.

Within that total, the survey found parents spending roughly £109 on food, £104 on entertainers and £104 on the venue, with the rest going on decorations, party bags, the cake and the extras that accumulate. It is a striking number, and worth treating with a little care: an average is pulled upward by the most lavish parties, so the typical family spends less than the headline suggests. Still, it tells you the direction of travel, and £701 is a lot of money for an afternoon.

The important point is that this is a figure to react to, not to aim for. Knowing the average is high is precisely what lets you decide, deliberately, to spend less.

Where the money goes

Breaking the total into its parts shows where the pressure sits and where the savings are.

Venue. For a party away from home, the venue is often the single biggest cost, whether that is a soft play centre, a village hall, an activity venue or a party space. Home parties remove this cost entirely, which is the biggest single saving available. Our guides to soft play parties and trampoline park parties cover what those venues typically charge.

Entertainment. Entertainers, a magician, an animator, a character visit, run to around £100 or more for a couple of hours. This is a genuine cost that buys you a party that largely runs itself, but it is also entirely optional, and a party built around games costs nothing to entertain.

Food. Party food adds up, particularly if catered, though a homemade party tea costs far less than the survey average. This is one of the easier costs to control.

The extras. Decorations, the cake, party bags, invitations and the small things that appear as you go. Individually minor, collectively significant, and the area where costs creep without anyone deciding to spend.

The party bag problem

Party bags deserve a mention of their own, because they are a cost that mostly produces waste.

The traditional party bag, a plastic bag of small plastic toys and sweets, is often thrown away or broken within days, which makes it a poor use of money and a contributor to exactly the kind of waste that adds up across a childhood of parties. A book, a single nicer item, or a small plant per child costs a similar amount and lasts far longer.

How to spend less

The average is high, but the levers to bring it down are simple and well within your control.

Hosting at home removes the venue cost, which is the largest single saving. Replacing a paid entertainer with a run of party games removes another big chunk, and children are perfectly happy with pass the parcel and musical statues. A homemade party tea costs a fraction of catering. And rethinking party bags saves money and waste at once.

Do all of these and a party can often come in well under £150, without any child noticing or minding. The elaborate party is a choice, not a requirement, and the pressure to have one is worth resisting.

The gift side of the cost

There is a second cost to children’s parties that the surveys tend to miss: the gifts.

A party of ten guests means ten families each spending £10 to £20 on a present, so £100 to £200 of gifts changing hands, a good portion of which will be unwanted or quickly discarded. Material Focus found around 7.5 million unused electrical toys sitting in UK cupboards, which is the party gift problem writ large. Pooling those contributions towards one thing the child actually wants is better value for the guests and better for the child, and it is increasingly how parents handle it.

If you would rather guests contributed towards one meaningful gift than brought a pile of small ones, a shared gift pot handles it, and our guide to asking for money instead of presents has wording that keeps it light.

A realistic budget

Pulling it together, here is roughly what different approaches cost.

A home party with games, a homemade tea and simple decorations can come in under £150, sometimes well under. A home party with a paid entertainer or a hired hall lands somewhere in the low-to-mid hundreds. A full venue party with catering, entertainment and party bags is where the survey’s £701 average comes from, and beyond it for the most elaborate celebrations. The range is enormous, and where you sit within it is entirely your choice.

Making it easy to organise

Whatever you spend, a digital invitation keeps the organising simple and saves the cost of printed cards and postage.

On Planiit you create a free invitation, share it by WhatsApp or text, and track RSVPs in one place, which gives you an accurate headcount for food and any venue. If you would like guests to contribute towards one shared gift, you can do that in the same place, with amounts kept private.

Common questions

How much does a kids’ party cost on average in the UK? Survey data from Confused.com puts the average at around £701, though this is pulled up by the most elaborate parties. A lovely party at home can often be done for well under £150.

What are the biggest costs of a children’s party? Venue, entertainment and food are the main three, each often around £100 or more for a venue party. Decorations, the cake and party bags add up on top. Hosting at home removes the largest cost, the venue.

How can you throw a cheap kids’ party? Host at home to remove the venue cost, run party games instead of paying an entertainer, make the party tea yourself, and rethink party bags. A party can come in well under £150 without any child minding.

Is £701 really the average for a kids’ party? It is the figure from a Confused.com survey of 1,800 UK parents in October 2025, but an average is pulled upward by the most lavish parties, so the typical family spends less. Treat it as a figure to react to, not a target.

How much do people spend on party bags? Party bags are a small cost per child but produce a lot of waste, since the usual plastic toys are often broken or thrown away within days. A book or a single nicer item costs similarly and lasts far longer.

How do you cut the cost of party gifts? Instead of each guest buying a small present, pool the contributions towards one thing the child actually wants. It is better value for guests, better for the child, and avoids the pile of unwanted gifts a party tends to produce.

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Create a free party invitation, track your numbers and, if you like, collect for one shared gift at planiit.io.