Two fun toddler birthday themes
Birthday parties are better with themes. They are easier to plan and because you are using a theme, many decisions have already been made for you.
There are fewer ideas being proposed for toddlers because there are limited things they can do and be part of during a celebration. Two different but related types of themes for toddlers are a Nursery Rhyme/Fairy Tale theme and a Cartoon Character theme.
For those that love the romance and old fashioned era of thenursery rhyme,this is a great theme to use. For those more modern families that embrace the here and now, the cartoon characters will be a delightful plan for a party.
When thinking of days gone by and the nursery rhymes, you will try for a calmer and less distracting kind of party. Some toddlers are overwhelmed by the noise and craziness of a party and just need to celebrate a little quieter. This does not translate to less fun, just less boisterousness and keeping the activities less wild for your own toddler’s personality.
The colors for this theme are quiet and pastel with a prettiness that may be old fashioned but a serene setting for those children who take things slower. Take your cue from some fairy tale and nursery rhyme books. They can be used to glean ideas for decorations and games as well as be decorations in themselves for walls or tables.
Use the softer palette of colors for the streamers, balloons and other decorations that seem suitable. Use paper products in these same colors or in an actual pattern that celebrates some of the nicer nursery rhymes.
Try your hand at making different parts of the room represent each nursery rhyme you wish to use. You can make decorations from following the pictures in the book. Those huge appliance cardboard boxes are perfect for making ‘settings’ or game props. You can design and paint or create the background from these boxes. You can use other props like a stuffed lamb for Mary had a little lamb. You can design a game following Jack be nimble, jack be quick. You can try jumping over the candlestick for prizes or just fun. When you read ‘the cow jumped over the moon’ plan on making that scene or the dish ran away with the spoon.’
Keep it simple; ask children if they know that one. Read the rhymes to them. Sing the songs or see if they can tell you the next line in that rhyme or what the fairy tale was about. Just prompting them with the pictures may be enough to get them started.
Remember these are toddlers and really need a simple entertainment for the party. You can make your version of classic party games, just by changing a couple things. You can use children’s songs to do actions, dance, sing along or play Musical chairs. Make a bean bag game from a nursery rhyme like Three Blind mice and make your bean bags look like cheese. Make a stone wall and then make Humpty Dumpty’s and blindfold them and try to let them place their Humpty on the wall. Use tape instead of anything sharp to attach humpty and let grownups help guide them. For those that do not like the blindfold, forget it. You can design a game for ‘a tisket a tasket’ and use a letter for them to carry in their basket to see who can reach a certain line on the floor. Use your imagination.
You could use some of the nursery rhyme foods, but probably just decorating the cupcakes or cake in pastel nursery decor will be enough. Children can drink punch or whatever parents prefer.
If your taste runs to more modern, change things up, but use the same ideas. Books or movies can be your guideline. TV,cartoonor movie characters will be the basis for most games and decorations. Colors could be more primary in red, blue and yellow for example. Bring your games up to date and once again try to create some of the settings that are most familiar to your child.
This theme should be perfect for those less quiet children who are rambunctious and very active. Keep these kids active and occupied and they will soon be ready for refreshments also keeping in tune with their theme.
For a great party of any kind, parents, just get creative. Kids will not mind if things are less than perfect and will always remember that mom and dad made that for their party.
