There is a lot of pressure, especially on moms, to plan the perfect birthday party for their kids. Planning a birthday party takes a lot of work and can add stress to something that should be fun and exciting. I’ve pulled together some ideas and recommendations for planning a casual Toddler Birthday Party that will make everyone in the family oh so happy, especially your little one.
First and foremost, you should know that after two years of being a mom I’ve yet to pull off planning a full-on birthday party for our son Hudson. We spent Hudson’s first birthday unexpectedly in the hospital to be followed weeks later with a birthday cake (that Hudson didn’t eat) and spent his second birthday with a few family members playing all day at the park, a pizza party, a few balloons, and a casual good time.
The casual and easy-going vibe of Hudson’s second birthday put a smile on our faces all day long. We had fun, made memories, enjoyed being outside in beautiful weather, and opened presents. It was truly a perfect way to celebrate a two-year-old.
Casual and easygoing is the way to success for any toddler birthday celebration and here are my recommendations for successful and casual celebration planning.
Planning a Casual Toddler Birthday Party Tip #1: Make It About Your Kid
What are your kid’s favorite things? Is she a little artist? Does he love sports? Do they love music and dancing? Choose an activity that is sure to be a hit with your toddler. Now is not the time to try something new or ask him or her to do something that isn’t always a home run type of activity. Get everything set up for their favorite activity and just go for it!
Planning a Casual Toddler Birthday Party Tip #2: Limit The Guest List
A casual birthday celebration is not about inviting everyone you know, the whole family, plus neighbors. It’s about the kiddo being celebrated; so keep the guest list on the smaller side to 6 people or less, which would be two close friends or schoolmates plus their parents. Or one close friend and their parents plus grandparents. That sort of concept. Nothing too big, otherwise it will turn into an affair and you’re shooting for casualness.
Fun and Casual Toddler Birthday Party Tip #3: Don’t Make The Food
For me, casualness does not align with spending all day in the kitchen. Order your child’s favorite takeout for you and your guests or throw a pizza party from a place that will deliver to your doorstep. Supermarkets also have fabulous deli party trays you can pre-order and quickly pick up for an easy and crowd-pleasing option. For beverages, fill a cooler with juice boxes and a few adult beverages and you’re ready to go.
(If you’re interested in your local supermarket deli party trays, here are links: Kroger, Publix, Whole Foods, Festival, Fresh Market.)
Fun and Casual Toddler Birthday Party Tip #4: Use Disposable Drink, Dinner, and Flatware
A casual birthday celebration for a toddler calls for a quick clean-up! This means using disposable cups, plates, and flatware. I also recommend having some take-home containers for the guests available so you’re not stuck with too many leftovers.
Fun and Casual Toddler Birthday Party Tip #5: Minimal Decor
Decorating takes a lot of time, can be expensive, and is not likely to be appreciated by your toddler. Pick a theme that he or she loves and select a few choice decorations.
Some great options include tablecloths and matching disposable cups, plates, and flatware. I also love a great balloon bouquet in the shape of your toddler’s favorite animal or cartoon show. Beyond that maybe some fun party hats and you’re good to go. If you’re not into decorating or don’t feel you have time to source the items, use a local party store to help! For Hudson’s second birthday party, I used Made to Party for some help with the balloons and was beyond happy with the results.
Fun and Casual Toddler Birthday Party Tip #6: Have As Much Delivered As Possible
If you’re trying to keep things casual and easy, that doesn’t align with running 50 errands the day of to make everything perfect. So 24 – 48 hours in advance, start having the things you need delivered to your house so all you have to do is unwrap it and set it up. You’ll save precious time and be able to enjoy your toddler’s celebration.
Fun and Casual Toddler Birthday Party Tip #7: Make It A Day of “Yes!”
We toddler parents spend a lot of time saying “No,” coaching our toddlers through temper tantrums, and trying to get our kids to recite the ABCs and 123s on command. While I get why we do this… I also get why maybe, just maybe… this is not how a toddler would want to celebrate his or her birthday. So on this day, make it one of “yes!” Say “yes!” to literally everything he or she asks for and talk about how fun it is, how today is special because they are special, and enjoy those moments of “yes!” We’ve all got years of parenting ahead of us so for one day embrace all the toddler craziness and just say, “yes!”.
