The average UK children's birthday party now costs £360–£700, with parents spending £104 on entertainment alone. But the best parties we've seen — the ones kids talk about for weeks — cost under £20 and happened entirely at home. The secret is not a bigger budget; it's a few high-impact activities that run themselves.
Here are 15 kids' birthday party ideas you can run at home, all under £20, organised by what kind of party you want.
The magic mirror station (£0–£6.99)
If you only do one thing, do this. Open Magic Mirror on a laptop, plug it into the TV with HDMI, press "Show on TV," and the TV becomes a fullscreen magic mirror with 71 live camera effects and 12 motion games. Kids see themselves in thermal vision, kaleidoscope, neon glow, and ghost mode. They play musical statues, dance-offs, and pass the bomb — all judged by the webcam.
It runs for the entire party without supervision. Three effects are free. The full set is £6.99 one-time — less than a single party bag. This is the single highest-impact thing you can add to an at-home party.
Party themes that work at home
The science party
Magic mirror (it started at a science museum), slime-making station (borax, PVA glue, food colouring — £5 total), and a "mad scientist" dress-up corner. The thermal camera effect doubles as a science demo: "this is what your body heat looks like."
The spooky party
Halloween-style effects on the magic mirror (ghost, thermal, X-ray), mummy wrapping race with toilet paper, and a dim room with fairy lights. Works any time of year, not just October. See our Halloween party games guide.
The disco party
Move the furniture, dim the lights, put on a playlist, and use Magic Mirror's Dance-Off game on the TV. Two kids dance, the webcam scores their energy, the winner stays on. Add a disco ball (£5 from Amazon) for atmosphere.
The art party
Cover the table with paper, set out paints and brushes, and let kids create. The magic mirror's Van Gogh, Picasso, and Matisse effects let them see themselves as famous paintings. Add a "gallery wall" where they display their work.
The sports party
Outdoor if you have a garden: tug o' war, floor is lava, and a mini obstacle course. Indoor: Magic Mirror's Tug o' War and Dance-Off games on the TV, plus balloon keep-up and a scavenger hunt.
At-home party activities (no equipment needed)
Musical statues
Free, classic, works for any age. If you have the magic mirror, the Statues game judges automatically. See our full musical statues guide.
Scavenger hunt
Write a list of 10–15 items to find around the house. First team back wins. Free, takes 15 minutes, works for mixed ages.
Decoration station
Plain cupcakes, sprinkles, icing tubes. Kids decorate their own. Activity and party food in one. Costs about £8 for 15 kids.
DIY photo booth
Magic mirror running on the TV, a box of props from the charity shop, and kids take turns. Snapshots save automatically. See our DIY photo booth guide.
Movie corner
For the last 30 minutes, put on a film, dim the lights, and hand out popcorn. The calm-down that every party needs. Free.
At-home party food ideas (cheap and fast)
- Pizza shapes: Cut pre-made pizza bases into stars, hearts, and circles. Kids choose their shape and toppings. £6 for 15 kids.
- Fruit skewers: Grapes, strawberries, melon on sticks. £4. Looks impressive, costs nothing.
- Cupcake decorating: Plain cupcakes, sprinkles, icing. Activity and dessert in one. £8.
- Popcorn cones: Pop popcorn, serve in paper cones made from rolled card. £2.
How to structure a 2-hour at-home party
- 0:00–0:15 — Arrival: Magic mirror station running. Kids drift in and start playing.
- 0:15–0:45 — Main activity: One structured game (musical statues, dance-off, or scavenger hunt).
- 0:45–1:15 — Food and cake: Decorate cupcakes, eat, sing happy birthday.
- 1:15–1:45 — Second activity: Another game or the magic mirror with party mode on.
- 1:45–2:00 — Wind-down: Sleeping lions, spooky story circle, or a short film.
At-home party ideas by age
- Ages 3–5: Keep it to 90 minutes. Magic mirror with gentle effects, musical bumps, balloon keep-up, bubble time, cupcake decorating. See our 3-year-olds guide.
- Ages 6–8: Two hours. Magic mirror with all effects, musical statues, dance-off, pass the bomb, scavenger hunt. See our 7-year-olds guide.
- Ages 9–10: Two hours. Magic mirror with thermal/neon/X-ray, dance-off, tug o' war, pass the bomb, memory tray. They'll also enjoy the competitive games more.
For more, see our full list of birthday party entertainment ideas, indoor party games for kids, and how to run a party without an entertainer.