2nd Birthday Party - I stink at this!

[marispel]

We're having a party for DS 2nd birthday and have invited mostly adults. There will be 2 more 2 yrs olds and a 4 yr old.

I really hadn't thought much about "activities" for the kids since it was mostly adults. DS has a playroom with a few toys and an outdoor sand table. It is soooo hot outside that I hadn't planned on them going outside too much, although my DS could care less about the heat.

I thought about renting a bouncy house, but with 4 kids - would it be worth it? (And 2 of the kids...may not come...we're never sure about them).

I researched other posts and saw where some parents said to just let the kids play with DS toys and that would be enough activity....but now I'm rethinking it and feel that I should do something more. One of the kids coming - they had a whole "ride the train" theme type party.

My DH and I are just so easy going and since DS is so young - he wouldn't know if we were doing this for him or not. I'm sure next year it would be different, but at 2 do we really need "activities"?

[PennyRoo]

I really don't think you "need" activities, but something like a small backyard pool with a few tupperware containers, a ball or two, and a colander floating in it could be fun for this age group. I'd absolutely nix the bouncy house!

If you are really yearning for simple activities, you could provide paper plates and attach a piece of yarn to each one. The plate is a balloon, the yarn the string, then have the kids decorate them at whatever level you can tolerate. Washable markers, crayons, a few glue sticks and some things to stick on them, perhaps some stickers. Should keep the kiddos busy for around 20 minutes and there's your simple activity.

Another easy idea is to just make a fort - big blanket over a table, preferably outside.

There is so much pressure on families to have big, extravagant birthday fetes for their kids these days, it's a bit of a pet peeve of mine. If it makes you feel any better, my DD turned 2 three days ago and our fun consisted of going out for ice cream as a family. Next year when she has more of a clue we'll do a small party. My oldest Dd just turned 8 and we did a b-day party filled with lots of silly games - tag, costume races, three-legged races, musical chairs, bobbing for apples, etc. It was pronounced "very retro" by many of the parents who heard about it and the word got back to me that many of the kids told their parents it was the best birthday party they ever attended. Simple is better, in my humble opinion. Happy birthday to your little one!

[Sugarshoc]

You don't need activities. We just had a party for my DD a few weeks ago. All I had was a kiddie pool and a sandbox and I was good to go. I told my parents to bring change of clothes and I carried on the party like a regular family adult gathering. The children had a blast. We interrupted their play just to sing Happy Birthday and we were good to go. It was great.

[~cassie]

We never have activities aside from a sprinkler for the kids.

[gagin37]

we're just having a playdate party for ds's 2nd b-day this month, i've invited mostly his friends from our playgroup. i wasn't planning on any structured activities, they tend to just run helter skelter in a noisy herd making their own fun.

[marispel]

Thanks ladies! The other couple (with 2 kids) can not make it so it will be just my DS and another 2.5 yr old. They will have fun just playing with DS toys - I've decided to make it more of a family get together than a structured party for DS. Heck, he doesn't even know that it's his birthday nor does he care. I will have plenty of years when he WILL care and I should just enjoy the easy party.