re: Parents: how much did/do you budget for your toddler's birthday parties?

I think it depends on the child. I remember spending about $300 when my oldest was a toddler. But we had a ton of family from both sides over and some friends of ours with kids the same age. I cooked burgers and dogs for about 40 people and we had beer/wine and plenty of liquor. Cake was about $35 of that, the rest was food and drinks. Not a ton of decorations since we just hung out in the yard. We have a smaller bouncy house my mother in law bought that we still use 10 years later.

The younger ones are boys and they don’t really care. Just invite some friends and neighbors over to play, blow out some candles and eat cake.