Special Ideas for Kids’ Birthdays

If you’ve been following, you know I love to throw parties! Planning parties with every little themed detail is one of my favorite hobbies.

But I realize that not every special occasion needs a big bash to make it special. Sometimes you just want to spend the day with your baby and make special memories together. So I’ve come up with some of my favorite ideas to make those babies feel loved on their big day.

Here are some creative and memorable details you can add to your child’s birthday traditions without throwing a pricey party:

Start the day with their favorite breakfast and set the table with a special place setting and decorations. Stores like Party City and Target have inexpensive character sets of plates, cups, and decorations. Pick your kid’s fave and set that surprise table when they go to bed the night before! Don’t forget to put a candle in their breakfast pancake/bagel/waffle and sing “Happy Birthday” to start their day…there’s no limit to how many times we blow out candles on our birthdays!
Balloons! Nothing like waking up to balloons on your birthday to make you smile. You can get some helium balloons the night before and hide them in your closet…then tie them to your child’s chair so they see them when they get to the breakfast table. You could also blow up a bunch of colorful balloons and have them all over the floor as a festive welcome when they wake up. Either way will make them smile!
If they go to school and have school on their birthday, pack their lunchbox and backpack with love notes and little treats like mini chocolates and birthday stickers.
Coordinate with your child’s teacher ahead of time so you can drop off cupcakes or other treats for your child’s class.
Buy or make a festive “Birthday Boy” or “Birthday Girl” pin, hat, or sash for your little one to wear on their special day. Birthdays come just once a year so everyone should get all the extra attention they can get!
If you’ll be home with your birthday bambino during the day, make a special lunch together, pack it up and go out for a birthday picnic at the park with extra playground time! If it’s not the right weather for this, have an inside picnic or build a tent and pretend to camp, complete with microwaved s’mores!
Sign up for Nick Jr.’s free Birthday Club!! I am a big fan of this awesome invention 👍🏻 Simply pick your little one’s favorite character and then schedule a personalized phone call from them, with your child’s name and age mentioned! Be sure to pick a time when you know you and your kiddo will be together and by your phone. The smile on my son’s face when he heard the Paw Patrol talking to him was priceless!
Bring your birthday kid to Toys R Us and let him or her pick a treat (you decide how big or small of course.) Toys R Us does a really cute thing for kids on their birthday so head to the guest services desk and tell them it’s your child’s big day. They’ll receive a Birthday crown, a balloon, and a birthday announcement will be made over the PA. My son loves wearing his Geoffrey Giraffe crown all day and is so proud when other shoppers wish him a Happy Birthday!
For dinner time, try to get the family together and let your birthday boy or girl pick the meal, either at home or out. Some restaurants have special desserts for kids on their birthday, and a kid-themed place makes birthdays extra fun. On a recent trip to Chuck E. Cheese I noticed they have a family package for special occasions, which include birthday hats, extra play points, and big trays of food and dessert.
Finish the day just as special as you started it. Cuddle up at bedtime and talk to your child about their special day. Be sure to ask them about their favorite parts of the day and tell them why they are so special to you! Read a birthday-themed story together as a great way to start those sweet dreams. Sesame Street makes a beautiful book called “Happy Birthday” which tells the child reading it why he or she is so special and loved. It’s a great way to help kids understand their value and the significance of their birthday to those who love them. Children should feel special everyday, but making them feel extra special on their birthdays bring them, and us, great happiness!