Parents of post-two year olds...

[Melanie]

I need some Party Suggestions...I want to mark the day as special for him, but it's not going to be huge...a few children and mostly adults.

There's this thread in the Toddler Board

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboar..._id=3&page=#10

or you could post here.

Thanks!


Mommy to Jonah

[egoldber]

Well, for Sarah's two year party we had 7 children (four 2 year olds, a newborn and two 3 year olds) and about a dozen adults. Call me lazy, but I didn't do ANY organized activities for the kids. The kids all ran around and had a good time playing with toys while the adults chatted. We did about an hour of chat/playtime, then we had lunch (we grilled out) and then did cake. After that Sarah was ready for a nap, so we didn't open presents at the party this year, which in retrospect was probably a good idea. It went well and everyone seemed to have a good time.

We had a Tigger themed party and Sarah ADORED all the Tigger decorations and balloons, so I really recommend some kind of theme. If not a character, then trucks, airplanes, dinosaurs, whatever. Nothing like some festive balloons and napkins to make a bunch of toddlers happy!!

My playgroup did a pool birthday party this year. Me and another mom in my playrgoup are members at the same local pool which has a REALLY nice, large baby pool. We both had a bunch of guest passes and so about ten 2 year olds and 20 adults were able to have a grand time VERY cheaply! I would also recommend just renting a shelter at a local park with a toddler playground. My playgroup has also done that before and it was very inexpensive as well.

For her third birthday party next year (nothing like planning ahead, LOL!!) we'll be going to "Build a Bear Workshop" with a small handful of SPECIAL friends.

HTH,

[Andrea S]

A good website for ideas is birthdaypartyideas.com it is divided up in themes and people submit what they did. Browse through some different themes when I was doing Andrew's party I noticed that some themes had a big range of ages.

Andrea
mom to Andrew 8/14/02

Here's what's rattling around in my head for Jacob and Caleb's 2nd birthday party.

The theme will definitely be BALLS-the love of their life. I'm pretty sure I will do a weekend party for family and a few special neighbors, which will be casual-probably a cookout or make your own sandwiches. I'm going to put up lots of ball decorations. But mostly this one will just be a fun family get together (almost entirely adults who will be helping to cook, clean, etc) and the boys will just play (with their new toys).

Then during the week, I'm going to have a special playgroup with all the kids&moms that we are in playgroups with. The theme again will be balls. I'm going to do balls as party favors, ball cake, see what I can think of as far as round lunch food. I'm also going to put a kiddie pool in the playroom filled with the plastic balls to make a ball pit. I think I'm just going to let this go as a regular playgroup (unstructured) but might do a ball game or make available a ball "art project." When I send out the invitation I'm going to gear it more as a playgroup with lunch provided than a party. It will probably be a flier as opposed to a formal invitation and I will say no presents necessary. I figure this will help it be more low key.

For 2 year olds... a nice party at the park is great. Also, you may want to do cupcakes instead of a big cake, and have the kids eat them outside! Really, 2 year olds just want to play with their friends. I would suggest not opening presents at the party unless you are really only having a couple other kids. All the kids will think the presents are theirs. It can be rather chaotic. Better to open presents at home after the party.

A couple suggestions for future use (you live in Ventura Cty if I remember right?)...

Travel Town in Griffith Park - you can have a small party on one of the trains. Also, I bet the LA Zoo or the SB Zoo would do a party.

Moorpark College's Animal program/zoo (I forget what the name is) does parties for kids. A friend of mine did this, unfortunately, we couldn't go but I heard it was wonderful!

Call Gull Wings Children's Museum in Oxnard. I don't remember if they do private parties, but they might.

That's what I can think of off the top of my head. As I remember the 2-year parties were really simple. As long as the kids can play and have frosting (oops, I meant "cake"), they are happy.

HTH! :)

[egoldber]

LOL! So I have to share this. As most of you know, my DD has mild oral motor delay, so she doesn't have as many words or say them as disctinctly as most 2 year olds.

But for DAYS after her birthday (with lots of cake and cupcakes), I would say, "Sarah, what do you want to eat?" and she would answer clearly and VERY distinctly "CAKE!"

[Melanie]

I was think8ng of Gull Wing's, actually...I have not been there, but I think I will take Ds in a couple of weeks.

LOL at Moorpark Zoo. We went when I was very pregnant and I remember watching the lion play w/ her t rainer, like she was a house cat. A small child ran by and she went from house cat to stalking-animal instantly. Of course there was no danger b/c she was double-caged, but at that point we decided we'd wait on the close-up type zoos until Ds was older/taller.

Travel town is definitely on my list, but I'm thinking age 3 or 4. Have you been to Kidspace? Just wondering what age it would be good for. I haven't been since elem. school.

Thanks everyone! Beth, maybe Sarah's not speech-delayed, just needs the proper motivation to talk! ;-)

Thank you so much!! We're having a Pirate Party for Parkr this year and this website has TONS of ideas! Very, very helpful!

Our standard is that from 1st through 3rd b'days, the party is mostly our friends whose children are our kids' friends (confused yet?! LOL!). We have a gathering that's usually just cake and ice cream but sometimes hotdogs, etc. Pretty much no planned activities at all...just free play. Children under 3 are just too young to do games and still have fun (i.e. they don't understand winning/losing, sharing, etc). I ususally find an invitation that I like and do the decorations, favors, and cake around that theme. Parker's b'day is still during very hot weather so we have often had his party at our neighborhood pool. That provides plenty of playing and activity. Wesley's b'day is in March so it's much cooler. One year we had it at a local park pavillion. I provided activities for the kids to do on their own such as play frisbee, ring toss, hula hoops, jump ropes, balls, a wagon, and bread to feed the ducks (some of the kids were older). It was a lot of fun.

When Parker turned 4, we did a Puppy Party. I got most of the ideas from the Family Fun party book (can find at Amazon). It turned out fabulous!! We made dog collars, ate cake & ice cream from real dog dishes, played Dog Trainer Says, and Puppy follow the leader. It was really great. I painted faces to look like puppies and made fur ears on headbands for everyone. It was a big hit! Last year (5yo) we had a dinosaur party. Also a lot of fun but not as cute. This year the request is for pirates and it's coming up FAST so I'm really starting to search for ideas.

Hope you have a great time at the party!

Gull Wings is fun. I think you will enjoy it. It is small, so don't expect something fancy, but the kids have a lot of fun there.

Yes, I was thinking Travel Town would be a "future reference" for you. As well as the zoo.

If you were having more kids I would suggest a My Gym or Gymboree type place. They do nice parties, though you do need to provide all the food/cake/etc.

I had not heard of Kidspace... where/what is that?