A phrase I often hear is "I know it's her birthday but she is too young". Parents often believe that their child cannot enjoy the entertainment because she is turning one or two years old. This is not the case. Your toddler can (and should) enjoy her own party. After all, it's her party.
I think the reason parents have these beliefs is because they are used to typical party entertainment options such as; clowns, face painting, magic shows and other non-interactive experiences. All these options can make a great party but when dealing with toddlers and preschoolers it's important to remember their stage of development.
Toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy a party where they are free to move and explore, be introduced to new materials and participate in flexible games and activities. This is why I thoughtfully created programs that your youngest party goer can enjoy.
Our Typical Toddler Party
(based on a home party with under 15 children. Otherwise a customized plan is created to meet your party's individual needs)
Character + Party Leader: We send out a team because we want the children to maximize their time spent with the character. The party leader is able to operate the music, set up the next activity and make transitions run smoothly.
Music and Bubbles: We bring fun music and a bubble machine as an opening activity. This gives children a chance to dance with the character, get their excitement out, and for children who need it; time to warm up to the character.
Parachute and Bean Bag Games: These materials are perfect for toddlers because they are easy to manipulate, fun to explore and do not have any 'rules'. This makes these activities the perfect developmental choice for young children.
Sing-a-long: We selected a few common childhood songs that are fun to sing. This flexible circle time experience is one that even a child as young as 6 months old will enjoy being apart of.
Colouring and Tattoos: This portion of our program was designed to allow for a fun tattoo drawn on each child's hand. This is more appropriate than face paint because the child can actually see the tattoo which is more enjoyable for them. Because the tattoos are drawn quickly the waiting time that occurs for face painting is reduced which better meets their stage of development. However, to avoid any conflicts or restlessness we offer them colouring as a side activity while they wait.
Picture Time: Because parties are about memories we save some time with every party for picture taking time. This allows the children to enjoy uninterrupted activity time for most of the party.
Cake Time: Before we leave the party we can sing happy birthday with you. This makes for a fun experience and more great pictures. It also acts as a distraction for when we leave. Children may be sad to see us go but with cake nearby they tend to have a better transition.
Remember, your child's party can be enjoyed by her, even if she is turning one. Keep her stage of development in mind when selecting entertainment and watch her have fun on her special day.
