Birthday parties for preschool age children can be challenging. Trying to plan activities and keep these small children entertained is not an easy feat.

Preschool age children are limited in what activities they can do. Harder games can be too much for them to understand. They also have shorter attention spans then older children, which is an important thing to keep in mind.

The key to planning birthday party activities for preschoolers is to keep the activities simple and to keep the children busy. It can help to always have some back up activities in case an activity does not work out. A good back up is a coloring table or a movie. These things are usually always a hit with preschoolers and can serve to occupy them if needed.

You should be sure to have all activities set up and ready to go before the party even starts. Make sure you have all the supplies ready to go so you do not have to leave the party to go get something.

Good activities for preschoolers are activities that do not require a lot of explanation. They should also be fun and allow the children to do it by themselves. Preschoolers tend to be very independent so choosing activities that require little parental involvement will be the best choice.

Some good examples of activities for a preschooler’s birthday party include blowing bubbles, face painting, bean bag toss and water balloons. You can also use other party games, but you may want to alter the rules or simply make up your own, less complicated rules.

You want to keep the activities flowing. You never want a time when everyone is just standing around. Preschoolers are not very patient and they like to stay busy, so if you are not keeping them busy they will definitely find something to keep themselves busy and that could spell trouble.

Depending on the number of children at the party, you may want to break them up into groups. This will help to keep everyone busy and minimize waiting time. You may also want to use your back up activity for children to do as they wait for their turn at an activity.

For activities, like blowing bubbles, you should be sure to buy enough so that everyone can blow bubbles at the same time. This will help to reduce arguments and allow everyone to participate.

Also keep in mind that messy activities, like blowing bubbles or playing with water balloons should be saved for the end of the party. You should also inform parents if you think a child may get wet or messy so they can bring an extra set of clothing should their child need to change.

Preschoolers are at an awkward age where they are wanting to act grown up, but their bodies and minds limit them. Birthday party activities for preschoolers should allow them to express their desire to be independent and grown up, but also take into consideration their limitations.

Toddlers love birthday parties and nothing is as special as planning your toddler’s big day. If you are searching for fun birthday party themes for toddlers, check out these suggestions.

Superhero Theme

One of the most fun and classic birthday party themes for toddlers is a superhero theme. Set the mood for the party with great decorations such as superhero posters, capes and masks. Cover the tables in blues and reds. Do not forget the balloons and confetti. Keep the menu simple with foods in bright colors and shapes. Order a cake with a picture of his favorite superhero or in the shape of a superhero. Entertain the little partygoers with fun games such as a superhero training camp, Mr. Freeze dance, spider walk or pass the kryptonite. Of course, dress your little boy in his favorite superhero costume and request all guests to dress as a superhero such as Superman, Spiderman, Green Lantern or Wonder Woman.

Wild Wild West Theme

The cowboy theme is another favorite amongst toddler boys. Decorate the place with little rodeo hats, bandanas, a toy lasso and brown ruffles. Do not forget to place a couple of toy horses to make it even more authentic. The children can dress in cowboy outfits and play stick horse race (use a mini broomstick as a substitute for real ponies) and watch them ride their steeds merrily around the room. If your budget permits, why not make a call and rent a pony so each toddler can take turns riding a pony. For the perfect giveaway, give the children sheriff’s badge stickers or a photo of them riding the pony.

Pirate Theme

Another great birthday party theme for toddlers is the pirate theme. Transform your yard into a pirate ship with decors like old wooden signs, red and black accents and flags. Give the little ones eye patches and plastic swords to get the complete feel. Play games such as pin the eye patch on a pirate, walk the plank and of course treasure hunting games to make the party more exciting. Do not forget to give each guest a small loot of chocolate covered gold coins as a party favor.

Tea Party Theme

If your little girl loves to dress up, turn her birthday into a tea party. Send out invites on scented, dainty looking paper and ask the guests to dress in their pretty dresses, hats and gloves. Turn your home into a dainty cafe by using a flowery tablecloth, garland archway and other pretty items in pastel colors. Serve lemonade in mini china tea cups and finger sandwiches and cupcakes on saucers. For the games, play tea bag toss, sugar cube relay or pin the cup on the saucer. Add beaded necklaces and doilies in the goody bags.

Princess Theme

Every girl dreams of becoming a princess, so why not treat your little one as one during her special day? Ask the guests to dress like royalty. Lay a red carpet to give the guests a grand entrance and hand out tiaras while welcoming the children. Beautify the room with a balloon archway. Adorn a chair with balloons and anything pink so your little princess can sit on her throne. Use princess themed plates, napkins and streamers. Party games such as pass the poison apple, musical chairs and kiss the frog are perfect for keeping everyone busy.

Water Theme

Most toddlers love being in the water and this theme is perfect for your toddler’s summer birthday. Set-up an inflatable backyard pool, turn on the sprinkler or fill a watering can and let the toddlers go wild splashing each other. Do not forget to bring out water guns, toy buckets and shovels for some water games.

The list of birthday themes for toddlers is endless. All you have to do is to be creative and you will have that memorable birthday party for your precious one.

A birthday party is undoubtedly a special occasion for parents and children. However, planning it can be very stressful. Here are some fun and hassle-free ideas for planning a birthday party for your precious angel.

Decide On A Theme

First, you need to pick a theme. Having a theme will help you plan everything more smoothly. Go for a simple theme. Good examples of children’s party themes include your toddler’s favorite cartoon character or superhero, pirate and forest theme for little boys while rainbow and princess theme for little girls. Let your little one tag along to the store and have your child pick out the decorations (e.g. the spoons, forks, plates, cups and party hats that match the theme). Do not spend too much on the decorations since they will be just thrown out afterwards.

Keep It Intimate

Too many strange faces may scare your little one, so keep your guest list short. Only invite a small number of people like your relatives, close friends and a few toddlers living in your neighbourhood.

Childproof The Area

Since there are other toddlers attending the party, make sure you take out furnitures, appliances or anything that can endanger the children’s safety. Have a safe play area where your toddler and the other kids can play freely.

Keep It Simple

When preparing a birthday party for your toddler, try not to go overboard. Remember, less is more especially when it comes to children. Use balloons, streamers, banners and ribbons to give your home a festive look. Do not forget to play children’s songs to keep the mood cheerful.

Also, it would be pointless to supply a lot of party food. Finger foods such as chips, a veggie or fruit platter, crackers, hotdogs, pizza, fish sticks and hamburgers as well as ice cream, soda and juice for refreshments are more than enough to feed your guests. Of course, do not forget to order a birthday cake that matches your theme. Having a “sweet station” where the kids can pick the sweets (e.g. candies, marshmallows, chocolate coins, sprinkles, etc.) they want to bring home is also a foolproof idea.

Pick Fun Games

No children’s party will ever be complete without games. But keep the games to a minimum since children have a very short attention span. 2 to 3 small games will do. Here are some fun party games for toddlers you can try:

• Traffic Lights
• Musical Chairs
• London Bridge
• Pair Them Up

Time It Right

Toddlers do not handle parties very well. To avoid a meltdown, make sure your toddler is well-rested. Schedule the birthday party around your toddler’s naptime, say 3 or 4 in the afternoon. In addition, keep the party short, an hour or two is enough to celebrate your toddler’s birthday.

Your toddler’s birthday is a wonderful event. So make sure to plan it well to ensure everyone will have a good time. Do not forget to charge your camera so you can record this momentous occasion and give the guests a souvenir to show your appreciation.

It is your toddler’s big day and you are completely stressed with all the preparation. But have you settled which party games to hold? If you forgot about it, then take some time off to think about party activities that your toddler and other kids can enjoy. Toddlers basically have a short attention span and their energy level is just ravenous. Choose simple to follow yet fun toddler party activities. Here are the top ten toddler party games that promises to keep toddlers excited and their attention focused until the end of the celebration.

Ten Best Toddler Party Activities

1.) Treasure Hunt

Toddlers always love the game hide and seek and what better way to incorporate this game than by holding a treasure hunt activity during a party. Have toddlers hunt for a certain object and give them a clue. The first one who gets the treasure will be rewarded with an even better reward. The challenge and suspense of being the first to find the treasure excites toddlers. It makes them giddy to run all over the place and search from corner to corner. This is a sure fire way to keep toddlers game and involved throughout the whole festivity.

2.) Obstacle Course

Again, toddlers are not too keen when it comes to taking instructions but this activity allows them to follow directions. Set up a simple obstacle course inside and outside of the house to make it more exciting. Let them feel like they are explorers and navigate them to different corners. Here is a simple and fun idea of a toddler obstacle course - pile up pillows inside the living room they can go over (resembling a brick wall), an inflatable swimming pool with lots of foam balls and a big cartoon where they can transfer all the foam balls. After finishing the task, they must rush outside to straightly cross the path with ropes, go under the table and crawl and finally ring the bell to signal the end of the course. To make it more fun, divide them into two teams and the winners get a reward.

3.) Newspaper Dance

Ask toddlers to pair with an elder. Give each player a newspaper. As the music starts they must dance outside the newspaper. Once the music stops they need to step on it. After which, they must fold the newspaper in half and do the same process until only ¼ of the newspaper is left. The player who steps outside the newspaper gets eliminated. This is a great party game that will surely leave toddlers smiling and asking for more.

4.) Musical Chairs

To make this classic game even more fun, add a little twist to it. Instead of pulling a chair every time the music stops, have enough chairs for all the kids, but adorn one to match the party theme. Whichever toddler lands in that chair at the correct time gets a prize of some sort. Since each child will have more opportunities, this should also serve to limit the possibility for fighting from those that got eliminated.

5.) Circle Games

A great toddler party activity done in groups, play a nursery song that involves body movement from each group. Ring-a-ring-of-Roses, Old MacDonald Had A Farm and The Farmer’s In His Den are fun examples of interactive songs.

6.) The Boat Is Sinking Game

Gather all kids to form one big circle and let them wait for the host to give the instructions. Once the host says “the boat is sinking group yourselves into three”, the toddlers will then group themselves according to the number given by the host. The one without a partner is eliminated and be given a consolation prize.

7.) Red Blue Green

Red for fast speed, blue for average and green for slow. Pick different actions like dancing, hopping, jumping, skipping or walking. Shout out the colors and movements.

8.) Score A Goal

Give 2 balloons to every player, one round and one long. Using the long balloon as a bat, the players must take the round balloon into a box which is used as the target. The player who first takes the balloon into the box is the winner.

9.) Bubble Game

Simple yet very entertaining. Blow lots and lots of bubbles into the air and let toddlers catch them. The more bubbles the better.

10.) Piñata

Get a very colorful piñata and stuff it with lots of goods. Any toddler will love to be the one to break the piñata and have all the candies and sweets fall out.