Audiyanti Blog

Your toddler’s second birthday is coming up and you want to celebrate. But how? Read on for some general advice, and check out these specific party tips from other parents of 2-year-olds.

What your toddler’s ready for
As he heads for his second birthday, your toddler will probably be clingy and dependent one minute but mobile and freedom-seeking the next. While he’ll happily play alongside other children, your toddler won’t yet be truly social. This means the party isn’t really about inviting other kids for your child’s enjoyment — that will matter more at his third birthday. It’s more about celebrating with people who are important to your family.

Because your toddler can’t yet put himself in another child’s shoes, he may hit, bite, or snatch toys from his guests. If you think this may be an issue, arm yourself with strategies for heading off aggression and encouraging sharing. Things are likely to go more smoothly at a party with good adult supervision and not too many guests.

Who to invite
You’ll probably have close family on your list, and beyond that you may want to invite one or more other toddlers and their parents. An oft-quoted rule of thumb is to invite two children for your child’s second birthday, three for his third birthday, and so on. A good approach to determining the length of the guest list is to think about how your toddler has reacted to large and small gatherings in the past, and choose the size party you think he’ll be comfortable with.

Your toddler may want to help you choose invitations at the store or help you make them at home. Even something as simple as printing invitations on white paper and having your child decorate them with finger paints, crayons, or stickers will be a hit. And letting your toddler help can make him feel more prepared when the big day comes.

Choosing the time
Most children this age still take an afternoon nap, so take that into account when scheduling the party. You’ll probably want to pick a morning or late afternoon, and keep it short and sweet — an hour or two is ample time for toddlers and frazzled parents alike.

Choosing a place
Home is generally the easiest place to throw your child’s party, but if you have a lot of guests or your home isn’t the ideal place for hosting, you might want to try arranging an event at an indoor play area, a park, a local recreation center, a gymnastics school, a kids’ museum, a church hall, or a restaurant. Some places will do most of the party organizing for you, for a fee.

Choosing a theme
It’s not a necessary ingredient, but many 2-year-olds will be thrilled by a party theme based on a favorite character, toy, or animal. Imagine a Curious George theme, for example, with bananas as a snack, stuffed monkeys or Curious George books for decoration, paper plates with George’s face on them, and a cake shaped like a big yellow hat. Or a bug party, with butterfly-shaped invitations, a caterpillar cake, bug stickers for the guests, and a simple game in which toddlers dig in a bucket filled with dirt for prizes.

Get more creative ideas for these and other themes on the Kids Party Paradise Web site.

Food
If your party doesn’t happen at mealtime, you don’t have to worry much about food — a small snack and some drinks are plenty. If you’re feeding your guests lunch or dinner, small portions work best, like sandwiches shaped with cookie cutters, English muffin pizzas, bite-size pieces of fruit or cooked veggies, small crackers, and cupcakes. (If you’re mainly feeding adults, it’s easiest to plan a simple meal for them that can be fed in small pieces to the children, too.)

You’ll need enough highchairs or child-sized tables and chairs to accommodate all the kids. If that’s too much trouble, consider having a "picnic" on the floor. Food is bound to be spilled, so put a blanket or tablecloth down first. Spill-proof cups are a great idea, too.

Games and activities
It’s smart to have a few activities planned, but don’t worry if the kids end up brushing them off in favor of playing with various toys or bouncing from one thing at the party to another.

Most toddlers love dressing up, so you might want to have a box of clothes or costumes handy. Simple games or activities that kids can follow your lead on, like Ring Around the Rosey or dancing to music, also fill the bill. Toward the end of the party, you might want to read the kids a story in an effort to calm them down a bit before they head home.

Goody bags
By the age of 2, guests will appreciate a little goody bag. There’s no need to spend much — low-cost favors like crayons, plastic animals or figurines, matchbox cars, plastic bracelets, bubbles, or stickers will provide plenty of excitement and amusement.

Birthday presents
If your toddler opens his gifts in front of other children, be prepared to defuse flare-ups over sharing. If you decide to wait on presents until after the guests are gone, just be sure to send a thank you note to the gift-giver. Including a photo of your child opening or playing with the gift is a nice touch.

What should you give a just-turned-2-year-old? Here are a few possibilities. (For more ideas, see our gift list.)

• Push or pull toys, like a wagon, a doll stroller, or a mini shopping cart

• Role-play toys, like plastic foods and kitchen utensils, or a tea set

• Thinking toys, like puzzles or books

• Art supplies, like watercolors and construction paper

• Outdoor gear, like a ball or a kiddie pool

Prepare Falisha…Ibu is planning you birthday party !

-Audiyanti ibunya Falisha-