Are the birthday bells of your kid ringing around the corner? Is your baby turning a year older sometime soon? Are you planning to host a party for your kid to help them make the most out of their day?

If you have answered all the questions as a yes, then this guide will prove helpful for you to host a successful and fantastic kid’s party. Such parties not only allow your kids to have fun but build memories to cherish forever.

Birthdays are no less than a holiday season for kids and if you are someone who has set the birthday party expectations high, here are a few tips to get started:

Decide a budget

Believe it or not, budget is the very first thing that may come to your mind unless you are extremely rich and do not care about the bucks that you will have to spend for hosting a party.

So before you get started with anything else, decide how much you can spare for the party. Once you are clear about the budget, you can move ahead further to decide on the guest list, venue, décor, menu, and other essentials.

Pick on a location

If you do not want to host a house party for the kids, then there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to picking on a party venue. But make sure that you make the bookings well in advance.

Not only will this help you save some money while being an early bird, but it will also help you book a place of your choice because good places are more prone to be booked quickly. So if you are looking for great places where the kids can have unlimited fun, make sure that you make the arrangements beforehand.

Think of a theme

Preschoolers and toddlers are fascinated by theme parties and if you wish to surprise your kids, then pick on a theme that is close to the heart of your kid. Dora, unicorn, Pokémon, Barbie, Mickey Mouse, there are endless themes to name for a kid’s party.

But choose something that your kids love and get the party fervor rocking as per the theme. Ranging right from the wall hangings to the balloons, décor, games, crafts, and food, try to get everything in line with the theme you have picked up for the party.

If possible, also ask the little guests to be dressed up as per the theme so that you can make the party atmosphere livelier.

Get a cake

A birthday party is just incomplete without the cake cutting ceremony and thus plans the party cake well in advance. Whether you are planning to bake the cake for your toddler or are planning to buy it, make sure that the cake also follows the party theme.

Further, you can add some more sweet delicacies for the little ones by ordering ice cream, cupcakes, cookies, and sundaes to add more delight for the cute little innocent guests.

Menu planning

Having all the delicious main course items can be pretty tempting. But you need to remember that you are going to have little ones as your guests and they might be fussy about their appetite and may not like the idea of having main course dishes.

Hence, you need to set the menu as per the choice and likings of the little one. Pizzas, nuggets, sandwiches, donuts, cookies, Chinese cuisine, all such things are the top favorites of kids.

Consider adding such delicacies to please the little ones, whereas you can still keep a few other main course items for the adult guests.

Have a dedicated time

You cannot make the small kids wait for a late-night party. They cannot stay awake late at night and wake up the next morning for school. An open-ended party can be confusing for the guests. Hence before you send the invitations to the friends of your kids, make sure that you chalk out a proper schedule for the party. And, most importantly, apart from just framing the program, make sure that you stick and adhere to the same so that you can end the party well in time.

Decide the entertainment

You cannot just think of simply hosting a party wherein the little ones join for the cake cutting ceremony, enjoy the food, and leave the party premises. It can be too boring if you are planning something as simple as this.

Party for toddlers should be happening and exciting. Thus make sure that you add an entertainment factor to the party, and the best way to do it is by introducing games.

May it be a few one-minute activities or playing word games from unscramble.org that will not only add a pinch of fun but also educational worth; you can consider going in for games and activities to spruce up the party fervor.

Do not miss out on goody bags

When you talk about adults, you can consider skipping on the return gifts for a while. But when you have these tiny little invitees, make sure you do not disappoint them by not giving them anything back in return.

Kids can easily be charmed even by a small gift, so whatever your budget permits, make sure that you put some effort into letting the guests leave with a smile by surprising them with a return gift.

Notepad, stationery items, small toys, stickers, you can choose anything that can prove useful for the kids, buy them in a bunch and hand it over to the guests while they make their way to their home.

Conclusion

Bringing smiles to the faces of small kids is not that difficult. By following the steps mentioned above, you can get everything falling in the right place while hosting your kid’s birthday party. So what are you waiting for?

Start planning and pump up the party aura with these awesome tips. Also, if you have more such party ideas for your toddlers, do let us know!

Organize the best birthday party ever—the age-by-age guide

You don’t need to be an experienced parent to know that a Mickey Mouse party for a two-year-old won’t be successful if your kid is turning 8. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when organizing the birthday bash for your kid.

Age 1

It’s your chance as a parent to celebrate that you’ve become a parent for a year. Most one-year-olds will enjoy the cheering, balloons, and festive atmosphere, but they won’t comprehend that it’s a party for them. As a result, many parents make this party more about the adults and the other children and less about the birthday child. Either way, make sure that the party doesn’t last for more than an hour—many babies mean many nap schedules to synchronize. Here are some tips to remember:

• Don’t stress about organizing formal games. Stick to singing songs and blowing bubbles to keep the little ones interested.
• Keep it short
• Take enough pictures of your kid’s coated faces for the memories to enjoy when older
• Don’t use balloons, as they present a risk for choking when popped
• Host the babies in an entirely baby-proof room
• Don’t waste your money on cute napkins and paper tablecloths. If the guests are also one-year-olds or so, they will most likely chew them all.
• Buy a blank white paper from a large roll and cover the entire table with paper. Secure it with tape at the ends.
• Place several crayons on the table and let the babies get creative with the table cloth.

Age 2

Throwing a birthday bash for your two-year-old is a challenge, to say the least. At this age, kids switch from anger to excitement in a blink of an eye, so you need to have the patience and energy for the emotional rollercoaster. Most two-year-olds don’t like to share toys; even if they share, they want the toys back right away. Keep reading for the tips.

• Two-year-olds typically play on their own, so don’t strive to organize games
• Put away your child’s favorite toys before the guest comes in.
• Go with water, clay, and sand activities, even if you end up with a mess. Try to have the activities outdoors.
• Have the room for your guests baby-proofed as two-year-olds go for dangerous moves and never stop opening doors.
• It’s still not the age to use balloons because of the choking hazard
• Never open the gifts until the guests are gone. Many of the two-year-olds won’t understand why they cannot take the gift back home.

Age 3

By 3, kids begin to understand and enjoy, to some extent, the birthday parties. If your kid has been in group settings before (daycare, preschool, or playgroups), he/she will have fun at the birthday bash. If your kid isn’t used to social activities and he/she is somewhat shy, you should tone it down and keep it to a small number of guests.

• 3-year old kids love imitation, so you can play Simon Says, with much consideration to their limitations (most won’t be able to tell left from right).
• Circle activities and singing are top activities at this age; they work better than group games
• Avoid opening the gifts when the guests are still present. Kids still don’t comprehend that they cannot take back the presents they brought.
• Three-year-olds may enjoy playing with other children, but only for a short moment. They’re still not able to collaborate. Don’t be surprised to see many “incidents” occurring during the party.
• You don’t want to over-stimulate the kids, so end the party after 90 minutes or so.

Age 4

Four-olds burst of energy and imagination and they absolutely love parties.

• You can use music as four-year-olds love nonsense words and silly songs
• Plan short games and keep the kids moving. Patience isn’t the main quality for most four-year-olds.
• Scavenger and treasure hunts are great at this age group
• The party can span for two hours.

Age 5

By this age, kids already know the importance of birthday parties. They will also love the planning, not only the party itself. It’s essential to include your five-year-old in preparing the birthday bash.

• You can now throw a theme party
• Kids are into games that teach right and left, such as Simon Says and Hokey-Pokey
• Dramatic play is everyone’s favorite, so make sure you have some props within reach for the make-believe games. A bakery, pizza parlor, a fire station—these are some options to have on the side.
• Many five-year-olds have the motor skills for using scissors and stringing beads. Plan craft activities that don’t resume finger painting.
• Even if organized games are now possible, not all kids have patience enough to take turns. Make sure you plan everything efficiently.
• The party can last for two hours.

Ages 6-8

6-8-year-olds enjoy their friends’ company and birthday bashes become very important. They are old enough to have fun with organized games and understand fairness.

• You can throw the party outside the house
• Listen to your child when planning the party. Make him part of the planning, of course!
• Children of this age like mysteries and secrets; games with clues and puzzles are great
• Children can play games with rules, such as cards, dominos, etc.
• Not many kids are picky about their foods, so you can dare to have a healthy menu
• Make sure that the party doesn’t last longer than two-and-a-half hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age should you give your kid birthday parties?

Many children won’t enjoy the birthday parties until they’re old enough to comprehend and appreciate having their friends over (scroll up for the details). Around four or whenever they start school is the age when kids really enjoy the birthday parties. Make sure to invite your kid’s friends to have an excellent time at the birthday bash.

How long should a child’s birthday party last?

An hour is enough for children younger than 3. If your kid is 4 to 6 years old, you can have the birthday bash last for a couple of hours. Children older than six will enjoy parties that span more than 2 hours, as long as there is plenty and various entertainment.

At what age is it ok to leave your kid at a birthday party?

It all depends on the parent and the child. Some kids are ready to stay without their parents at other kids’ parties once they’re five. There’s also the category of children who aren’t ready to enjoy the birthday parties with their parents gone earlier than eight years old.

Is it necessary to throw a birthday bash?

When you’re looking for a simple yet highly efficient way to make your kid feel better, a birthday bash is precisely what he needs. If you have more than one child, the birthday party is a fantastic occasion to teach them how nice it easy to honor every family member’s milestone.

How much money should you spend on a child’s birthday present?

Most etiquette experts recommend spending $20 to $30 for a lovely child’s birthday gift. Needless to say, that doesn’t stop you from spending $100 for the present for a relative or a close friend’s kid.