Two year old birthday party About This Page:

[Nicole0128]

Okay I am trying to find the balance between having cake with my parents and having an all out bash. My husband has a huge family and for the babies first birthday we had everyone. I don't know how or what to do for his birthday party, we have debated having it out at a place like sesame place so that we could easily justify not inviting everyone the problem with that is it is cost prohibitive PLUS most of the people that would be invited would be adults. So should I just go and do the barbeque thing in the backyard with all 50 or so of the family members that would need to be invited. This is really a pain. I keep pricing a 4 day trip to Disney but my husband has used most of his timeoff for the year already to study for the bar which he is taking next week.

So this is my long ramling way of asking what is good to do for a 2 year old birthday party, his b-day is 9/8.

Nicole

[RobDVC]

I say have a cook-out for the whole family.

[Belle*]

I'm already fretting about this one too and Ryan is only 15 months! We have a HUGE family and I personally do not believe that he needs a gift from all of his cousins, great-uncles, etc. My plan as of now is to have a small family party with just us, his grandparents and dBiL's family. A lot of people in my family do the huge family party (I am one of 9 grandchildren, among the 9 grandchildren we have 7 great-grandchildren, you can see how this adds up) and we did it for his first birthday but I just think it is excessive in our case to do it every year. Good luck with whatever you decide!

[crystalloubear]

Does anyone in your family have a big family picnic for Labor Day? You could ask if it was alright to have cake for the family then and do your own small party at Sesame Place or wherever for just a small group and the no one will feel slighted.

[Happymommy]

We've had both kinds of parties. I worked until my oldest was 2, so we could afford to do more. We had huge parties for his 1st and second birthday, we even had Elmo come to one of them. Then I stopped working before my youngest was born, and we stopped having the big parties, and kept it to 25-30 of our closest family members. I like the small parties because they are less stressful, and the kids still have a great time. As long as there is cake and balloons, they don't know how big of a party it is. Good luck!! Whatever you decide, you'll have a great time!!!

[debsta922]

We just do immediate family, my parents, dh's parents and our siblings. I just think it can be overwhelming for a 2-year old to have a lot of people they don't know around them and fussing over them, and if you think about it, it's not something they are going to remember.

[Tink and co.]

I like Crytal's idea of having a cake at a picnic. One way we used to curb cost and stress on me when the kids were little was to have the picnic in a nearby park. When I wasn't working one year, we just did cake and ice cream around 2 in the afternoon, so we didn't have to provide a meal. Then there wasn't the housecleaning, etc. before and after. Just haul it too the park, the equipment was there for the kids to play on, and I'd bring some simple party favors like bubbles, or a pinata with candy. As they get older these kind of parties go by the wayside for having sleepovers with friends, etc. so it's fun to include the family while you can. For a two year old friend type party, I'd invite no more than 2 or 3 other two year olds for some simple freeplay kind of fun. Nothing to structured, and not too many people. That doesn't have to cost much either.

[HiddenMickey]

Don't start a precident you can't keep up with over the years. I would go for something small, just immediate family (grandparents and your siblings families) or if you are in a playgroup, those members.

As your child gets older, you'll have to plan parties for kids. (I just planned and pulled off my 21st birthday party and am into the planning stages for number 22! ) This is your chance to do something that you enjoy and that celebrates your son's day with people you enjoy being with.

Cookouts or just ice cream socials are good ways to do it.

[wdwlovers]

I'd suggest the picnic too. We had a larger party this year for Ariana's 2nd birthday, but that was because we had a co-graduation party for me as well. Next year, it will be just grandparents and other immediate family.

[iamgrumpy]

I would say immediate family and a barbeque! Good luck and have a Good time regardless!

Amy

[Teresa]

I think that the best bet would be to have a cake and punch thing.
Make it at like, 3 PM so everyone will know that's all there is, there is no food, and have some games set up in the yard/house and relax!!