TL;DR: Planning your first toddler birthday party can be equal parts stressful and exciting. By following a few simple tips, you can make sure your toddler and their little buddies all have a great time. Planning simple activities, picking the best food, and following some simple planning tips will help you feel like a toddler party planning pro.
Toddler Birthday Party Tips and Ideas!
There is nothing better than watching your little one have tons of fun, especially when it is in their honor at their birthday party! One of the best parts of growing up is having birthday parties and we’re here to help you through it. Planning your first one can be stressful, but once it’s over you’re going to feel like a pro. Keep reading to learn our favorite tried-and-true toddler birthday party tips, and how bubbles are going to be the star of the show (aside from your toddler!)
What Are Fun Activities for Toddler Birthday Parties?
When planning a party for your toddler, it is important to remember that simple is best. Anything too complicated that involves too many steps or directions may confuse children.
Some of the best toddler birthday party activities include a bubble station, water play, or an art station.
Toddler Bubble Station
Toddlers and bubbles go together like peanut butter and jelly!
Our toddler-friendly bubble wand allows toddlers to blow bubbles all by themselves without an adults needing to be on bubble duty or having a loud, messy bubble blower on in the corner.
Plus, our lip guards ensure you can have multiple kiddos use one bubble blower without sharing germs and they make a great party favor to take home!
It’s a sensory-rich activity that will keep them entertained, especially when they learn how to use it all on their own. Plus, it is a great ice breaker for shy kids, siblings, and parents who haven’t met yet.
Water Play
If the weather is right, water play is a great activity for toddlers. Just make sure you note on your child’s invitation that there will be water play at the party so parents can plan accordingly.
Water play at a toddler party can be super simple. Set up a regular kiddie pool or two fill it with water, and add in some boats, water shooters, or sensory toys. Easy, simple, and relatively mess-free toddler fun!
You can take it up a notch by adding in some water balloons, putting a slide next to it, or creating some fun water-themed games to play.
Art Station
A great way for toddlers to have fun at a party is to set up a simple art station. Roll out a large piece of butcher paper for the kids to decorate for the birthday boy or girl, get some face painting essentials, or lay out some temporary tattoos.
You can also set up a canvas for each child to use and take home at the end of the party for a fun favor idea!
What Is The Best Food For a Toddler Birthday Party?
Remember: When it comes to toddler birthday parties, simple is best!
Make sure your menu is kid-friendly, meaning everything is easy to grab and loved by all kids. Some ideas include:
| Appetizers | Fruit platter, cheese, chip and snack bags |
| Main course | Pizza, hot dogs, macaroni and cheese |
| Desert | Mini cupcakes to avoid the mess of plates and utensils |
It is also a fun idea to have a food option for grown-ups. This can include adding a charcuterie board to the mix as well as salad or other BBQ-type food.
What Are Some Planning Tips for Toddler Birthday Parties?
Now that you have some activities and a menu planned, here are some logistics to keep in mind when it comes to your toddler’s party:
- Plan around their nap. If your toddler still naps, make sure your party is either in the morning or in the late afternoon. If you try to have a party that goes into nap time, you may start seeing a group of cranky toddlers and there is a good chance that attendance might be low due to other kiddo’s nap times, as well.
- Offer an end time. Toddler parties are generally around 2 hours long. Make sure you offer an end time for parents to use, and ensure you plan the Happy Birthday Song within the last half hour of the party so people don’t leave too soon.
- Pick a theme. Is your toddler super into Blippi? Monster trucks? Frozen? Take that and run with it! They will have so much fun seeing all the decor, balloons, and more. You can get themed plates, napkins, banners, balloons, and so much more. There are also some themed party packs you can get online to make it even easier.