Party Planning
Letting your toddler help plan the party truly makes it their birthday. If you’re mailing classic invitations, have your little one include a one-of-a-kind drawing. Sending digital invites? Attach a video of your tot kindly requesting the recipients’ presence at their birthday celebration. Ask older children if they want their party to center around their favorite color or movie character, and plan accordingly. When guests arrive, let the birthday girl or boy make a grand entrance through a gateway of colorful balloons, streamers and signs. Ask a friend or relative to be the designated photographer ahead of time so you can enjoy the party.
The Guest List
Keeping the guest list short and sweet will make your party manageable. Include your little one’s favorite people such as grandparents, close aunts and uncles, and maybe a neighbor or two. Don’t invite too many friends from day care—at their age, kids are still learning how to share and play. Invite one or two friends to the party so they have a playmate, along with their parents. Trust that adult guests can socialize on their own, and focus on taking care of the little party guests. Set out some chips and dip or other light snacks near a lounge space, and let the adults mingle.
Birthday Fun and Games
Entertain birthday boys, girls and little guests with fun games and projects. Toddlers have short attention spans, so it's a good idea to have a variety of activities to keep them busy. Teach them how to have fun with non-competitive group games, such as “Ring Around the Rosie” or balloon toss. Turn on some music and let the tots sing and dance to their heart’s content, or set up a photo booth in the corner and have them pose for the camera. When they’re done moving around, it’s time to get creative with arts and crafts. Each toddler can make their own creations, or work together on one big “Happy Birthday” card. Lay down plenty of posters and paper, and make sure each child has their own set of markers, crayons or paints.
Sweets and Cake
Bake an amazing cake for your toddler’s special day, and don’t forget the frosting. Create a classic vanilla birthday cake, or opt for a healthier alternative by sweetening the cake mix with peaches, bananas or berries. Make dessert easier for small hands with individual cupcakes that don’t require forks or spoons. Display the cake or cupcakes on a cake stand until it’s time to dim the lights and sing. Since this party is a short affair, don’t worry about making a full meal for everyone. Snacks and cake will be more than enough to keep adults and toddlers happy.
Allow for some quiet time after the party: have your little one open their gifts early on, before everyone settles down to enjoy birthday cake and other sweets. Don’t be surprised if the birthday girl or boy is exhausted from all the partying, playing and fun. After the day’s excitement, celebrate the successful party as your tired and happy toddler takes a well-deserved nap. Use our birthday celebration ideas as a starter guide for planning your little one’s special day.
What are your favorite toddler birthday party ideas? Share them with us using the hashtag #CrateKidsStyle.