Planning birthday party activities for toddlers is a fun and heartwarming task.
They are still young enough to express wonder at mundane objects but are also forming bonds with friends and relatives that will color their lives for many years to come.
So, what are some excellent birthday party activities for toddlers?
Best Birthday Activities for Toddlers
Toddlers have the best activities at their birthday parties. The kids are at a crucial stage in their development and have games that reflect their inquisitive nature while allowing them to be kids and have a good time. Party time can also teach the kids about their surroundings or how to respond to a crisis.
Face Painting is a Timeless and Fun Event for Toddler Birthdays
One of the best activities toddlers can do at a birthday party, is get their faces painted. It gives them the chance to become a glitter-covered tiger or sport the logo of their beloved show or sports team.
Hire someone who has artistic skill and not just a volunteer. For example, paying a bit more for someone who works with an airbrush is going to be worth it as cheap latex painting done with brushes can easily flake and smear, ruining a child’s clothes.
Superheroes are Always a Great Choice for a Toddler’s Birthday
One of the themes that never go out of style for toddler’s birthday parties is heroes. Having the kids dress up as their favorite heroes allows them to have make-believe sessions and gives children a common thread to bring them out of their shells and socialize.
Games in superhero costumes are going to be a stand-off between the most precious thing you have ever seen and something that makes your heart overflow with joy. So keep the games fun and stay away from hitting or striking as younger kids could not be used to contact activities. Costumes always seem to lead to ‘crime-fighting,’ which is just plain old fighting.
One of the best things about a superhero party is that hero costumes are easy to find in closets and garage sales. If you plan in advance, an excellent place to look is the sale bin following the Halloween holiday. Getting a plan together means you can provide costumes for all the kids and possibly have suits left over.
An Archaeology Party is Inventive and Fun for Toddlers
Toddlers at your next birthday party will go wild for your archaeology theme. Use a sandbox, or several, and bury rubber dinos and tiny prizes for the kids to excavate during the party.
The sandbox dinosaur dig is one of those toddler birthday party activities that could ignite a lifelong love of dinosaurs or of playing in the dirt. Planning for this one is easy and only requires that you have enough dinos and sandboxes for all the kids to have a go with the excavation.
Swim Training is a Fun Learning Activity for the Party
A toddler’s birthday activity that could end up saving their lives is swim training. It gives the kids a bit of time to splash around while also teaching them what to do if they find themselves falling into the pool on accident.
Some birthday activities can be used to teach the smaller kids how to handle situations. For example, a swim training party will give the kids and parents a solid foundation to save themselves if there is ever an accident around the water. This is a rare event but is going to be great for those parents who have older swimmers.
5 Simple Birthday Activities for Toddlers
For those on a budget and wanting really simple activities, we have compiled this list.
- Treasure hunt – A treasure hunt is a classic party game that can be easily set up.
- Discotheque – A toddler disco is easy. All you need is music and toddlers! You can even mix it up and play musical statues.
- Art – Get arty! Get each toddler to paint a picture for the guest of honor.
- Bubble play – Get the bubble machine out and keep the kids busy!
- Egg and spoon race! – This simple game is an ideal for outdoor birthday party games. Boil some eggs in the morning and cool them in the fridge. Hand one out to each child as they attempt to balance an egg on a spoon while racing to the finish line –whoever gets there first without dropping the egg wins!
Top 6 Toddler Party Theme
Toddler birthday parties with a theme are often easier to plan and organize. A theme provides a base from which you can plan and map out the day. The games for kids can all relate back to the theme and so can the decorations.
Here are our random and fun toddler party themes:
- Fairy – You can make a magical fairy glade. Your guests will be enchanted by the pretty pink and pastel decorations of a fairy theme.
- Alice in Wonderland – Crazy characters, high tea, beautiful colors.
- Jungle – Each child brings their favorite Stuffed Animals to make a jungle theme.
- Racing cars – A classic for all those car fans!
- Space – Plenty of options and a broad theme to create a party around.
- Under the sea – Another classic theme that is timeless.
List of Party Favors for toddlers
The party favors should be something that the kids will enjoy. It is not a good idea to give them things like candy, because some party guests may get sick from eating it and then you have an upset child on your hands. Instead, try giving them some small gifts such as:
- Stickers
- Coloring books
- Googly eyes
- Bouncy balls
- Crayons
- Badges
- Party hats
Top Tips:
– You don’t have to spend money on gifts; you can make them yourself or buy inexpensive ones at your local dollar store.
– If you want to give something special that will last longer than one day, consider making it out of wood instead of paper. Visit craft stores for other creative ideas.
– Don’t forget about the little things like balloons, streamers, which are affordable and great items to add to a party bag.
Party Food Essentials
Here is our list of essential items you’ll need to serve the party food!
- Plastic cups
- Paper Plates
- Napkins and wet wipes
- Serving platter
- Rubbish bags
Top Tips:
– Dont fret! The best party food is the kind that you can eat and enjoy. It should be easy to make, tasty, nutritious, inexpensive, and not too messy or time consuming.
– Make sure you allocate some cake time! Set a time when the birthday cake will be served as you’ll need to gather everyone to sing to the birthday boy or birthday girl. Allocate 5-10 minutes for serving at a kids party!
Birthday Party Activities: Things to Consider
There are many different types of activities that kids can get into during a birthday party. However, there are a few things to consider before picking games, and you should take your time to make sure that all activities are fun and enjoyable for all the kids. Does that mean they have to love playing the games? No, it does mean that they need to have the opportunity to play with everyone.
Some things to consider when picking out activities for a toddlers birthday party are:
- Age Range – What are the age ranges of the children at the party? Toddlers are often in the older than 18 months age bracket and can go up to age four. Choose games that are going to fit into several different age ranges as kids can be completely different from one age to the next.
- Development – Some kids will go crazy for a trampoline or jump-themed party. Others could be uneasy about trying something that scares them, like heights. Others could have the acrobatic skills of young adults and be a danger to themselves if they are left unattended during the party.
- Safety – While having a bike riding party sounds like an excellent idea for the youngsters, you should remember that their age range and development all equal safety. So choose events that are going to be safe and fun for all the kids, and possibly parents, who will be enjoying the party.
Take the time to choose events that play to all the kid’s strong suits, and you will have an afternoon free of grumbles and some top-notch interactions with adorable toddlers who will be grown into high school teens before you know it.
Conclusion
Planning events for a toddler’s birthday party can be a dizzying mix of headache and heartache. There are things so sweet and adorable for children to do that choosing what fits best for your child is the main problem most people face. Pick games and activities that lean towards the group’s strengths and don’t leave children unable to play or participate.
Safety and fun are the only things that matter at the party, and you should plan to ensure that there are no nasty surprises on the day of the party. Instead, choose activities that will keep the children playing.
