Parties for toddlers can be a lot of fun, but they are very different than parties for older kids.   I’ll share with you my tips of hosting a toddler party and surviving.

Toddlers are still babies in many ways, and large numbers of them can be difficult to manage.  Here are some excellent tips on how you can host a fun stress free toddler party.

Invite only a few guests

Keeping the number of guests low, is not just to save your sanity;  it’s also a safety issue.  Unless you plan to have multiple caregivers at the party, stick with no more than six little guests.  

Toddlers can get into trouble in the blink of an eye, and with a large number of them it’s easy to lose track of their whereabouts.

The one great thing about hosting a party for toddlers, is that the parents stay, so they can take care of their own child. So there will be plenty of eyes and hands to make sure the little guests stay safe.

There can be activities for the toddlers, but the parents can get a little socialising in too.

Time of Day

Toddler parties need to be scheduled around naps if possible. Usually toddlers have only one nap in the afternoon.  Even after naps, some toddlers get tired and cranky in the evening hours, too.  

Late morning generally is a good time to have a toddler party, and if you like, you can serve lunch and send the guests home right about nap time.

Some good time slots for toddler parties are from 9am-11am, 10am-12pm (sending everyone home for lunch), or 11am-1pm.  Two hours is usually plenty of time for a toddler party.

Just remember that you may not be able to suit everyone, but that is ok, and people should realise this too. If you know the parents well you could ask what time their little ones usually nap and take that into consideration.

Games

What kind of games do you have at a toddler party?  

Games with winners and losers are generally best avoided – these can result in hurt feelings, as toddlers really don’t understand the concept of that kind of competition yet.  

Consider games with music, which most toddlers love.  

Here are some ideas:

*  Dancing with ribbons – give each toddler a scarf or ribbon on a stick to wave and swirl to music. Turn the music off periodically and have them “freeze,” then start dancing again.  You can have specific dances, too, that involve everyone in a circle or weaving in and out of the circle with their scarves and ribbons

* Crafts are fun for toddlers.  Have a simple craft that everyone can make and take home.  There are all kinds of resources for toddler craft ideas on the internet,  from gluing googly eyes on various objects to homemade puppets.

* Guess the animal – have everyone get in a circle, then the adult draws an animal name from a hat and whispers it to the toddler whose turn it is.  Then that toddler acts out the animal in the middle of the circle. The first one to guess the animal gets to go next

* Weather permitting, have some fun in the water.  Set out containers of water and a bunch of empty cups, watering cans, and bottles and let them pour and play.  A plastic wading pool can be included, but it should not have more than a few inches of water in it.  Remember safety is key here so have a couple parents dedicated to supervising this activity.

* If budget permits you may be able to have an animal petting zoo come along or a bouncing castle.

Themes

You can choose a theme for the party if you like.  Some people find this makes the party easier to plan.  

Your theme could be as simple as a colour, but here are some themes that toddlers tend to enjoy include:

• Trains
• Dogs/Cats
• Jungle/Safari
• Water Fun
• Teddy Bear’s Picnic
• Ladybird
• Sesame Street
• Unicorn
• Mickey Mouse and / or Minnie Mouse
• Curious George

Don’t be afraid, you’ve got this. Just remember to keep the numbers low and plan out the event. You can download our free party planners to help you stay organised.

Happy Celebrating

Rochelle

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