We all look forward to our children’s first, second, and third birthday celebrations. We see special days as markers of your great achievements. What better way to celebrate your child’s growth and development than with a party! A first birthday is truly for parents to celebrate. You made it through the first year! Your one-year-old probably won’t care what he does, but decorating for guests and photos is always fun and a great way to make memories. The second and third celebration is definitely a children’s birthday! Young children understand what happens when it comes to their birthday and can communicate their excitement. “My birthday?”, “For me?”, “Tomorrow?” It’s all you’ll hear in the days leading up to the event! Believe it or not, your child’s first parties will be the easiest celebrations you’ll throw.

The most memorable too! Here are some survival tips for throwing a stress-free toddler birthday party. This day is all about celebrating your little one’s special day, so keep it super simple and you’ll be able to do just that! Activities: The golden rule for successful toddler parties is to have lots of fun activities to keep them busy. Considering that young children don’t fully understand the rules, have short attention spans, want to constantly move around, and definitely don’t understand the concept of taking turns, you should simply set up several play stations. Some great play station ideas would be a play-dough table, duplo bins and blocks, floor puzzles, building toys, and an easel of coloring crayons.

Set up a bubble blower on a high surface so the bubbles constantly float down for kids to catch and pop. Ball Pits are always very exciting for young children. If you don’t have one or know someone who might, contact your local toy library and ask to borrow one. You can also easily make your own with an inflatable plastic pool and a bag of plastic balls or several small balloons. Games: Simple games like “I Spy,” “Simon Says,” and “Follow the Leader” are always a big hit with the youngsters. If your little one loves crafts and making gifts for mom, try stringing round cereal like fruit loops onto string to make necklaces. Organize a fish pond. You can use a large bucket or small pool filled with water and have the children hook a prize with a fishing pole. Or place the fishing pond behind a blanket and have the kids drop their fishing lines into the lake. A fishing pole can be made from a stick, some string, and a clothespin. Have another adult hide behind the blanket to hold their prize or loot bag.

Food: Think of something small, safe and simple. It’s impossible for the excited young guest to sit still for long, so on-the-go snacks are always best for young children. Consider things like: animal crackers, goldfish crackers, pretzels, cheese cubes, deli meats, cut up vegetables, pickles, grapes, banana slices, and apple wedges. Don’t forget the juice boxes! Parents attending the party will also appreciate having a selection of meats, cheeses and vegetables to eat. At this younger age, mini cupcakes for young guests are always a little less messy and easier to handle on their own. A cake can be made or purchased for traditional singing, photo taking and candle blowing and then served to adult attendees. Time capsule: The amount of details and memories that are lost along the way is beginning. To commemorate this special occasion, prepare a time capsule that will open in later years, on the 9th or 10th birthday when everyone is grown!

All you need is a shoebox or some type of container and fill it with memories of the day. A piece of decor, unused dinnerware, a copy of the guest list, a party hat, whatever you remember that day. Have pens and paper ready for guests to write a special note to your child in the future. Seal the box securely with packing tape and give the time capsule as a gift to your son on his birthday several years later. Most importantly: keep it simple, have plenty of help, keep the party under 2 hours, and be sure to schedule the party after nap time. And remember, have a lot of fun and take tons of photos!