How to throw your kid an awesome themed birthday party

Sometimes it can seem like kids' birthday parties are just getting more and more complicated. But you don't necessarily need to break the bank to throw an amazing birthday bash.

Following this quick guide to throwing a themed birthday party in your own backyard can help you put together a party your kid and his or her friends will love while also saving some money. It all comes down to a simple set up that can turn an ordinary birthday into something extraordinary.

Follow these steps for any theme you choose, whether it's Harry Potter, Dora the Explorer, Disney's "Frozen," or anything else.

You'll need to rent a few different tents to create different stages of the birthday party. Make sure you coordinate with the tent rental company to ensure that:

• The tents are the correct size for the number of party guests

• The tents are able to be completely enclosed, so guests can't peek inside ahead of time.

Your first tent should be numbered with a big "1," and have a sign that reads, "Costume Tent." This will be the first stop for the kids when it's time for the party.

Other tents could include the "Entertainment Tent," the "Refreshments Tent," and the "Fun and Games Tent."

Each tent should be visited in succession, with an adult leading the group from tent to tent. If you keep all the tent flaps closed, every tent will contain a surprise experience for the kids.

For this idea, each guest will be role-playing as characters from the world your child's theme of choice.

So for a Harry Potter theme, for example, guests can wear cloaks, glasses and wizard hats, and hold brooms.

To help make the experience truly immersive, make sure there are plenty of costume accessories on hand. It's a good idea to have more than one of each, so each child can feel they got to wear the costume of their choice.

A party store is a great source for cheap costumes and accessories.

You'll need to hire suitable talent for the entertainment.

For a western themed party, you need a cowboy who can lead pony rides, teach lasso tricks, and perform other cowboy feats.

Or, if your child wants a Dora the Explorer party, you could hire a naturalist who can operate a petting zoo or teach kids how to read animal paw prints.

The talent you hire will depend on your chosen theme.

Kids love organization, and they'll appreciate being guided to each tent, but at the end of the day, allow them to run around freely in the open air. They'll enjoy playing in their costumes, talking about the day and helping themselves to more treats.

To wrap up the experience, send each child home with their costume and a souvenir photo of the day. Chances are, you'll be asked to run the same kind of party again next year!