Almost 2yo broke his leg - need help rethinking his playground birthday party next week!

[curiouscanadian]

So despite not having a gate on them for over a year DS managed to fall down the two steps into our entry way last night and break his leg. Yay.

While I would welcome any ideas on how to keep him busy and happy with his newly limited mobility it also happens that his second birthday is next week.

I wasn't going to do anything elaborate but we had planned a simple 2nd birthday party at a local playground. Needless to say, that would be anything but fun for DS if he can't play. Does anyone have any other ideas for us? I suppose we could just do something at the house, but I was really hoping to have it somewhere else (there were entirely too many people in too small a space last year!)

This really sucks.

[RiverSky]

It would help if you would give an idea of how many people are invited and how old they will be (mostly toddlers or mostly adults?). I have ideas but it seems pointless to tell them since I don't know that info.

[curiouscanadian]

Sorry, yeah, they're mostly all adults except for one almost 4yo and two one-year-olds (and DS of course). Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins mostly, about 20 people I think.

[crunchy_mommy]

Oh poor kid!!!

Can he get around at all? You could try something low-key like mini-golf or a restaurant/arcade (D&B or Chuck E Cheese, yeah, noisy, but the only thing I can think of for a temporarily-disabled 2yo!)

Or the zoo? You could push him in the stroller?

[rere]

Uhg!

What about postponing the party until he heals?Or a big picnic in a park but not a playground.

[texmati]

yes! If there aren't a bunch of kids invited, maybe have it at the park, but not really focus on the playground part. I'd also figure out cool games he could do seated (pin the tail on the birthday boy, ect)

[nextcommercial]

I think you could still have it at the park, and perhaps buy him a wagon for his birthday. He could be pulled around instead of playing in the sand.

You can cover the cast with one or two adult socks and still take him down the slides, but make sure he doesn't put his cast in the sand.

Otherwise, is there a hiking/picnic area that doesn't actually have a sandy playground in your area? He can still play on the equipment, he just can't get sand in his cast, and it means you have to drag him up and down everything. Which is heavier than you realize until you have to do it.

My daughter had a full cast up to her hip when she was that age, and I still took her to Gymboree class. She did fine.

[larzanna]

Does he like to draw or paint? What about one of those paint parties....the adults could even do their own if they want, or help the 4 kids? Some of them even have a seprate room you can rent and order pizza?

What about getting a lizard or turtle guy to come somewhere? Or maybe they have a location?

Thats all the ideas i have.....

[WindyCityMom]

I agree with the picnic idea Or the art party.

Or you could put a twist on the art party and make "casts" for everyone (somehow- idk, not very crafty here ) and have the guests decorate their own casts. Something like that.

[curiouscanadian]

Thanks for the ideas everyone! The good news is that it hasn't really slowed DS down at all. Sure, his cast slips sometimes on our laminate floors, but otherwise he'd still be going a mile a minute. To the point where we put the gate back up so he didn't break his OTHER leg.

Otherwise, is there a hiking/picnic area that doesn't actually have a sandy playground in your area? He can still play on the equipment, he just can't get sand in his cast, and it means you have to drag him up and down everything. Which is heavier than you realize until you have to do it.

Ironically I'd planned his birthday at a playground with sand and a spray park even though the local major park is bigger and has that "rubber pavement" stuff. So maybe we could shift things over there... The only reason I didn't go there in the first place is there isn't any good place for lunch/cake (it's still under renovation) but maybe we could figure out something. And the good thing about it being mostly adults coming to the party is that there'll be lots of people there willing and able to take turns helping DS on the equipment.

Great suggestion on the wagon too - we have one we rarely use, but I bet rides in it could occupy the kids for quite awhile!

I'd also figure out cool games he could do seated (pin the tail on the birthday boy, ect)

I don't think I really know any games a 2yo could play while seated. Can you elaborate?

Or you could put a twist on the art party and make "casts" for everyone (somehow- idk, not very crafty here ) and have the guests decorate their own casts. Something like that.

This really tickled my funny bone! If anyone craftier than us can think up some way to do this, I'm all ears!! I really like the idea of taking the negative and turning it into something fun and positive!

[sapphire_chan]

Originally Posted by curiouscanadian

I don't think I really know any games a 2yo could play while seated. Can you elaborate?

I think she meant that he'd sit there and other people'd stick a tail on HIM. Like "now you're a monkey!", "now you're a lion!".

Glad to hear he's doing well with his cast. The little girl at the library storytime just started walking in her cast during this past week. She went to a park and all the other kids were walking around, so she tried it. If he's already walking on his, the park should be fine and you'll just need to always have an adult on hand to help him with things that need a bent knee (e.g. getting up stairs)

For the positive spin on the cast idea, maybe something with Ace bandages and pretending to be mummies?

[curiouscanadian]

Yeah, he was walking in the cast right away, luckily it stops below the knee. It's been much less of an issue than I could've imagined, honestly. I guess at this point I'm more concerned about trying to keep it clean/dry depending on what the weather's like on the day of the party.

Hmm, maybe an old rubber boot covered with an Ace bandage or paper mache...? We could cut off the toe so it looks more like his cast?