5 Tips To Help Make A Baby/Toddler Birthday Party Stress-Free

5 Tips To Help Make A Baby/Toddler Birthday Party Stress-Free

Planning a birthday party with a young child in tow is not an easy feat. Babies and toddlers are still very dependent on parents to fulfill their needs, making party preparations very taxing and stressful. 

Oftentimes, I see a parent trying to decorate, set up the food entrees, and organize the dinnerware, all while a toddler sobs, tugging at Mom’s dress. 

It is a struggle that is real, and stressful to say the least! 

So here are 5 tips on how to ease the stress on the big day!

1. Have a good venue

Choose a venue with as many priority built-ins as possible. Amenities like a dining area, entertainment, clean facilities (especially bathrooms!), and private space for nursing mothers would be very beneficial for hosting a baby/toddler’s birthday party. 

Look into venues like family entertainment centers. These spaces are designed for kids to play and enjoy, come with a multitude of amenities such as cleanliness and comfort for nursing mothers, and also offer convenient party packages. Imagine not having to set up tables and chairs and planning games for the kids! So much labor and time savings right there! 

2. Either have simple decor or delegate out

Simplistic decor has major upsides: budget-friendly and easy set up and clean up. Oftentimes people think simple decor will look bare or under-done. However, there are ways to make simple look elegant and stylish. 

If simple is not what you envision for your party, you may want to delegate decorating to a friend or family member, or hire one. Decorating requires time and focus, and with a young child (or children), it can get especially stressful. 

3. Designate a Cake Cutter

Cake cutting time can be a hectic experience. Designate a family member or friend to assist you with gathering supplies, rounding up guests to gather for the Happy Birthday song, and afterwards, to help with cake cutting and serving guests. 

We have seen families of the birthday child take their positions at the cake table, Mom holding the baby and Dad carrying the two-year-old birthday child, friends and family gathering around them. Then Mom realizes they forgot the candles or the lighter. One parent would then have to shuffle off to grab the forgotten items. After singing the birthday song, one parent would scramble to cut and serve the cake to waiting guests. 

This scenario can be avoided by appointing someone to assist with the birthday ceremonies. 

4. Plan for Clean Up

Another common time of stress during parties is clean up. To keep the hustle and bustle to a minimum, have a plan for clean up time. 

Keep sturdy, easy-to-carry boxes on hand to load whatever leftover food, serveware, and decor you would like to keep. Have a few empty bags ready to help with organizing. A foldable wagon is a must for quick loading and unloading items into a car. 

If the venue does not provide clean up help, delegate some tasks out, such as emptying the trash or sweeping. Your family and friends are probably more than willing to pitch in. 

5. Let go of expectations

Sometimes we grow up with certain traditions on how a party should be, such as the requirement to have a birthday cake, having a nice backdrop with Instagram-worthy decor, or being able to eat together all at the same time. 

While these are certainly nice to have, family and friends will and should understand if you don’t have everything checked off. Being together to celebrate your little one’s milestone is the important thing. 

So relax, let go, and have fun! It is so easy to get caught up in the party details and forget the focus of the celebration. Let your birthday boy/girl enjoy his/her day. Enjoy, take lots of pictures (or not!), laugh, and cherish in the bonding time you have. 

Let Us Help You with Your Party

Here at Bumblebee Playspace, we want to help make your party a special one, but also one that you can enjoy as stress-free as possible. 

We specialize in kids’ birthday parties for children 5 and under and work hard at providing you the comfort of a clean, sanitary space for your little one’s special day. 

What we provide for your comfort and entertainment: 

• Clean dining rooms already equipped with tables and chairs

• Clean restrooms with changing tables in BOTH men’s and women’s restrooms

• Tons of activities for children’s play and fun!

Here’s how we are different from other birthday venues: 

• Two staff members will be ready to assist you with set up and decorating, cake celebration and cake cutting, and clean up

• We have a private nursing/nap room

• We offer complimentary backdrops for you to choose from and set up is done for you

• We have budget-friendly decor add-ons to our party packages

• Easy online booking 

For more information on our services, visit our parties page, or you may contact us at hello@bumblebeeplayspace.com or call us at 510-894-0442. We would love to hear from you!