How to Plan an Easy Back-to-School Party!

Before you know it, the kids will be heading back to school! So if you’re planning a Back-to-School Party for your little ones, avoid the school prep rush and get things ready early. Planning ahead helps you keep costs low by giving you time to DIY many of the party decorations, treats and favors, and maybe shop around for special deals at your favorite discount stores. We’ve got school party inspiration and homemade ideas for you right here!

Back-to-School Party Ideas: Simple, Homemade and Budget-friendly!

If you keep within the beloved themed symbols, like chalkboards, apples, crayons, pencils and the alphabet, you’ll get straight A’s for your party look! Just as in these adorable examples we discovered on party sites we love.

Send out actual school-themed invitations (1) to get the kiddies all excited to spend fun time with their friends again. Like a warm-up for school!

For the party prep, keep things stress-free by planning a snacks and treats station (2) ahead, with a DIY party banner made of paper cutouts of school supplies. Offer up colorful platters and bowls of healthy munchies like fruits, veggie sticks and mini skewers with a homemade ranch dip (4), little sandwiches, home-baked cookies and cupcakes, and fresh juices in dispensers.

Extra fun touches would be school-inspired labels (3) around the juice packs, and chalkboard-style food labels, mason jar stickers, and mini-bunting to top a simple white cake (5) trimmed with colored fondant apple cutouts. So easy and perfectly in theme!

For party favors, we love these DIY ideas of candy pencils, while for activities, how perfect are these back-to-school bingo cards? You can complement these with store-bought school supplies, stickers and edibles—and you have instant, adorable favor bag fillers!

If you have your own clever, cost-saving ways to host a Back-to-School Party, do share them with us in a comment below.

Credits: 1 – Wood grain “back to school” invitation with apples from Purple Trail / 2 – Must Have Mom / 3 – Party Wagon / 4 – Super Healthy Kids / 5 – Morsels Parties / 6 – Hoosier Homemade