BIRTHDAY/HOLIDAYS: Birthday Party Planning and Organizing for Babies and Toddlers - Musings from Me on Kids, Preteens, and Teens: Seizing Family Time

Babies Toddlers Preschoolers Birthday Parties Party

This Was Easter Sunday Not a Birthday Party. Toddler Got an Ernie and Bert Kite in Her Easter Basket!

Party Theme Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

For the first birthday parties for each of my babies, the theme centered around the paper goods. That was it. Sounds odd doesn’t it? But if you had seen the cute 1st Birthday Party Teddy Bear paper plates and banner you would have squee-ed too. Plus my babies weren’t able to voice their views on party theme. So it was all up to me to decide on the party theme!

Back when my kids were little, there were only two options for purchasing party supplies: (1) Shop in person at Party City OR (2) Order online from Oriental Trading or a store I can’t remember the name of. To order online, you mostly called the 1-800 number, told the rep what you wanted to order reading the item numbers, gave your credit card number, and waited at least a week to get your party supplies. If you weren’t a planner, the only other option was to pay an exorbitant amount of money at Party City. Using FedEx was out of the question.

Party Favor Ideas for Babies and Toddlers

I never really understood why party favors were required. Technically, babies and toddlers weren’t interested in party favors. I got caught up in the hoopla of party planning and had to purchase party favors. Here are some ideas:

Small picture frames.
Small child-safe stuffed toy.
Board book.

Most party favors are designed for older kids, so look carefully at labels as you don’t want to give out a party favor that is a choking hazard.

Creating a Guest List for Birthday Parties for Babies and Toddlers

The guest list for a baby’s first birthday can be straightforward. Grandparents, godparents, cousins, close family friends, work friends and their kids, playgroup friends and their kids, and college friends and their kids. The usual. But other people want to come. Before you know it, the list can get out of hand. You have to navigate between inviting everyone and not overwhelming your baby. It’s a minefield. I guarantee you will invite too many people to your oldest child’s 1st birthday. You won’t have any choice. Your 1-year-old may or may not freak out with the hubbub at the party. Things can even more convoluted once you have more than 1 child.

Party Logistics and Planning for Birthday Parties for Babies and Toddlers

Little ones need their naptime so set the party time for lunchtime. The length of the party should be 2 hours. We knew that friends who had traveled a great distance would stay longer and that local friends with sleepy littles one would leave early for naptime. The party was the best of both worlds…fun playtime with friends for my birthday child and fun together time with our friends once the birthday child was down for a nap.

Menu Planning for Birthday Parties for Babies and Toddlers

Food was simple…pizza for adults. Cheese sticks, yogurts, and small sandwiches for little ones. No juice bags needed as everyone brought a sippy cup, but I made sure I had extra milk on hand so that bottles and cups could be filled for the ride home. I always set up the high chair and booster chair so that parents could take turns feeding their kids.

Gift Ideas for Birthday Parties for Babies and Toddlers

For the 1st and 2nd birthday, I always helped the baby or toddler open gifts. But either the birthday child would get frustrated at not being able to tear in to the wrapping paper or the birthday child would be upset to see my child open gifts from them. I kept the gift opening short and sweet.

And of course I have to mention a few gift ideas for babies and toddlers:

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