Whenever my children have a birthday, I do this.  They love it and so do I. I highly suggest it if you are looking for a magical memory maker.

Magical Birthday Balloon Forest

you need:

• 1 or 2 bags of balloons, any kind
• 1 roll of ribbon, any color
• masking tape or easily removable tape

I stay up late the night before the birthday and blow up a small bag of cheap balloons from the grocery store (you know, the little ones that could double as water balloons). After blowing up the balloons (a pump sure would be handy lol...what's up with the pump theme today?) I tie a ribbon to the closed end of the balloon. Then, I  cut the ribbon anywhere from 1-3 feet long.

I repeat this over & over until each balloon has a ribbon tied to one end. Then, I sneak into the birthday kiddo's room with a stool. My husband hands me a balloon and I tape it (with a small piece) to the ceiling. One by one, we cover the whole ceiling if we have a lot of balloons. If we don't have many, we hang them over the bed.  When the boys wake up, they have a colorful balloon jungle all around them reminding them that it's their birthday! They love it.

Now, they look forward to it. I don't bring it up before hand so sometimes they forget and it is a pleasant surprise...but... sometimes they remember and anticipate it.  It's fun, cheap and they'll remember it forever.  Use caution with littler ones by hanging fewer balloons higher up. They can still appreciate the color and surprise of it all. Good luck and don't pop any while hanging them:). It's fun for parents too because it's a top secret surprise mission.