The Location
The venue for the party deserves some thought. You could always host it at home, but that means a big mess to clean up after it's all said and done along with other potential issues such as a place for parents to park their vehicles, how the pets will cope and so on. Just a few ideas if you'd rather hold it elsewhere include church-owned rec rooms, a park or community clubhouse. You might even check with a local daycare center too.
Activities
When considering party activities for toddlers, keep in mind that most will enjoy doing simple things like blowing bubbles, playdough, coloring books, "freeze" dances, or splashing in a pool if it's held during the warmer months of the year. The key is to plan activities that they can enjoy in short time periods, like 10 or 15 minutes due to their shorter attention spans.
Entertainment
Entertainment can be a great way to keep all the little ones entertained and happy. Does your little one have a favorite character, maybe a princess, pirate or someone from a beloved cartoon? Costumed characters for hire can be relatively inexpensive while being the highlight of the party - and giving mom and/or dad a break for a while too, providing time to take photos and chat with other parents as well. Young party-goers will be mesmerized and less likely to tumble over your furniture, break something precious, or torture the family dog as a talented kids' entertainer knows how to make sure it will all flow smoothly.
The Theme
If you hire a costumed character, it will be easy to create a theme around that, just keep in mind that popular characters lend themselves to other facets of the event, from the decor and party favors to cake - a fairytale princess or a pirate cake, for example, is sure to be a big hit. Then the grand finale might be when that character actually shows up - can you imagine the look on his or her face?
The Presents
When it comes to opening the presents, you may need to help your toddler by doing a little coaching, or simply let him or her open them later. You could receive them, put them on display and then send out thank-you notes afterward, perhaps with a picture of your child holding the gift. That will avoid the awkwardness that might come if your toddler is disappointed or disinterested in a present, or other kids get jealous. If you decide that they'll be opened up at the party, be sure your child understands the polite way to do it - it can be an important lesson learned. It can also be a teaching opportunity for other kids who can learn that yes, life isn't always fair - maybe Noah got a really cool gift, but perhaps Benjamin has something at home that the birthday boy doesn't.
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