Parents and caregivers, never worry about planning a kid birthday party ever again! The play experts at Melissa & Doug have come up with a series of blog posts designed to make party planning stress a thing of the past.
Best Birthday Ideas for 2-Year-Olds
There’s a couple of important elements to keep in mind when it comes to planning a birthday party for kids, especially older babies and young toddlers. Before you send an invite or bake a cupcake, put these suggestions into practice to make your next kid party a stress-free event.
Guidelines for Kids' Birthday Party Planning
- Guest Count: The rule of thumb for babies and toddlers is your child’s age, plus one. So, if your kiddo is turning 5, six attendees is a good number of kid guests. Remember, big crowds can overwhelm young kids—not to mention the party-throwing parents.
- Party Duration: Keep the party under 90 minus for toddlers; school-aged kids can last about 2-3 hours. And be mindful of nap-time if your child is at that stage.
- Structured But Flexible: Plan for around 10-15 minutes for each game or activity to keep kids engaged, but if the kiddos are really enjoying something in particular, let ‘em play!
Kids Birthday Party Theme Idea #1: Dig It!
The Main Event: A Sand & Water Celebration
Fresh air, sunshine, water, and sand—the four elements of any good toddler birthday party! Of course, this kind of party activity depends on the weather and regular climate where you live, but it’s never a bad idea to take things outside when possible—the clean-up alone is 50 percent easier! Plus, connecting with nature has been proven to be effective for helping young kids develop their brain functions. If your toddler is the curious, outgoing type, a sensory celebration with sand and water toys would make a big splash for their next birthday party. Don’t have a sandbox at home? Consider going to a local park that has one for your event.
Play Stations
When it comes to sand and water play, a little goes a LONG way for older babies and young toddlers. Start with the necessities: a bucket, in this case, our Seaside Sidekicks Nesting Pails (because four pails is better than one); some toys, like the Seaside Sidekicks Sand Cookies Set; and of course, a main event such as the Seaside Sidekicks Funnel Fun, a tower of playful sea creatures for pouring, sifting, and dumping sand. Gentle water toys are best to keep younger kids from having a meltdown and getting completely soaked. Consider a classic watering can like our Pretty Petals edition, or some Seaside Sidekicks Squirters Water Toys just to sprinkle in some surprise and delight.
Signature Snack Ideas
Finger Sand-wiches, of course, with toddler-friendly choices like cream cheese and jelly, nut butter & fluff, hummus with veggies, and more.
Goodie Bag Go-To
Water Wow! - Under The Sea Water Reveal Pad - On the Go Travel Activity
Kids Birthday Party Theme Idea #2: Two Wild
The Main Event: Safari/Jungle Animals
Have the kids warm up by doing some fun and funny animal-themed yoga poses. Then, it’s time for fun & games: Follow the Leader gets a wild spin with Monkey See, Monkey Do; get them using their imaginations with a round or three of Animal Charades; and a simple bean bag toss transforms into the adventurous Feed the Lions! (Make lion-shaped cutouts ahead of time, and have the kids toss objects into the mouth a la Cornhole.)
Play Stations
No matter how your little Animal Wrangler likes to play, we’ve got a jungle/safari toy to suit their natural instincts. Start with the First Play Jungle Activity Table for engaging animal-themed activities great for brain and body development. Pretend play fans who love figures will enjoy taming the Animal Rescue Wooden Playset thanks to the chunky, easy-to-grip play pieces. If cuddling is more your kiddo’s thing, our Lifelike Plush Sloth can be a lifelong play companion and snuggle buddy. If problem-solving is more to their liking, rustle up the Safari Chunky Puzzle, the pieces from which double as play figures. Finally, your budding zoologist and a few friends can put on a wild puppet show with our Safari Buddies Hand Puppets, perfect for creative storytelling and open-ended, imaginative play.
Signature Snack Ideas
Dried banana chips (aka Monkey Food), a snake-shaped sub/hero/hoagie sandwich, or the tried and true Animal Crackers!
Goodie Bag Go-To
Make a Face Crazy Animals Sticker Pad
Kids Birthday Party Theme Idea #3: Tea for Two
The Main Event: Tea Party
The good thing about this theme is, you know EXACTLY what you’re going to do for the duration: It’s a kids’ tea party! There’s going to be lots of (pretend) tea, plenty of real snacks, some easy fun and games, and maybe a few roleplay elements if you want to give it a princess twist.
Play Stations
Start with our Bella Butterfly Pretend Play Tea Set, the centerpiece of your child’s tea party—you can’t have a tea party without the tea set. Dress up your guest of honor in our Princess Role Play Costume Set to help make them feel extra-special, and have our Goodie Tutus and Crown Jewel Tiaras on hand for your royal guests. To make the special event even more memorable, gift your birthday kid with a plus-one for the party: our Mine to Love Brianna Doll.
Signature Snack Ideas
Mini tea sandwiches, kid-friendly scones, cookies and/or cakes.
Goodie Bag Go-To
Water Wow! Alphabet Cards - On the Go Travel Activity
Kids Birthday Party Theme Idea #4: Two Independent
The Main Event: Free Play!
No two kids are exactly alike, but around the age of 2, they start becoming more independent, and want to do things on their own. So let them! There’s no rule that every party activity has to be strictly planned, timed, and executed. This is a great age for kids to start figuring out what they like to do, so parents and caregivers, go with the flow, and let them pick the play pattern.
Play Stations
Start by setting up some Easel Paper Rolls and a box of 24-count Triangular Crayons, and let the kids get creative without any prompting from adults. Set out a Toolbox Fill and Spill Toddler Toy, and see how much mileage your kiddos will get filling and spilling. (Pro parent tip: It’s endless!) For the studious types, our Natural Book Tower: Little Learning Books would be a natural exploration destination. The Fold and Go Dollhouse is another great toy for kids who love to explore and act out home-themed pretend play. And finally, our Teddy Wear plush is not only a future pretend playmate, it’s a learning toy designed to help kids learn how to dress themselves. (And won’t that be nice, in about…10 more years!)
Signature Snack ideas
Independent kids like to graze and choose for themselves, so put out big bowls of kid-friendly snacks, veggies, and fruits with a scooper for self-serving. Or better yet, individualized portions to make clean-up and take-home a breeze.
Goodie Bag Go-To
Reusable Sticker Pad - Vehicles
