Planning My Daughter's Second Birthday

My advice is to keep it simple...just family and a few very close friends....The best celebrations for my kids were the ones where we visited the Indianapolis Children's Museum with two or three good friends, or took a carriage ride in Indianapolis then had lunch at McDonalds. They were older, of course, when we did this...7 or 8....but when they talk about their birthdays (they are 21, 19 and 15 now) these were the ones they liked the best.

It's great that you want so much for your little one. Good for you.

Maybe you could have your smaller party write out "2" things they've noticed about her personality, "2" wishes they have for her as she grows up and make up a little wish book for her, to give her when she turns 13. Then she can see how much people love her and want what's best, at a time that is kinda scary in her life ( adolescence). You can call the book : 2 Be or Not 2 Be...ha ha...I'm just thinking off the top of my head :) Have fun

I did the same thing for my son's first bday, a huge ordeal at a rented place with about 30-40 people. For his second bday, we just had family over to our house with snack type food and cake & icecream. He was most excited over his cake because I let him pick it out. We just had a few simple decoration and themed plates, cups, napkins, etc. And the grandma's did most of the cleanup before I even had a chance to get back into the kitchen!! At this age, any party is a big deal for them. Good luck.

For my daughter's 2nd birthday we did an Ariel/Under the Sea theme. I found an Ariel costume on clearence and decorated the house with fish and green streamers that I found on Oriental Trading.com. You can also find a mermaid cake on Familyfun.com. Good luck!

Every year, I have a birthday party for my kids with family and only a few close friends. They always love it. It's not too crazy, and since it's family, they all pitch in and help with cleanup and stuff. I always decorate the house the night before, so when they wake up they are so excited! I don't think it takes much to make a child ecstatic on their birthday, just make her feel special, buy her some balloons, and have a small gathering for her. I also have started letting my two choose where they want to go for dinner on the day of their birthdays and also what ice cream store they want to go to. They really love that.

Remember about thirty-odd years ago when a kids' birthday party meant gathering in someone's basement for cake and ice cream?

Just a thought...