Birthday ideas if you didn't have a party?

[DarcyLongfellow]

We've had plenty of years we didn't do parties!! It will be fine, I promise!

We didn't have a party for DD2 this year when she turned 2. My parents were visiting and my in laws are in town, so we had everyone over to our house for dinner.

I took the girls to the playground that morning because it's one of DD2's favorite things to do, then we let her play outside before dinner.

For some of DD1's birthdays we've gone to Disney World for the day. Do you have any amusement parks near you?

[halfpint]

My friend did this with her youngest for the first two years - she just didn't have the time or energy for parties I considered it this year, since we don't have that many kid-friends here, but managed to scrape together a few!

They did a special family dinner with a small cake, and all her favorite foods available.
Then they did something fun all together - I think the first year, they did the zoo, and then last year they went to an arts festival with lots of activities and music.

Are there any fun museums or something you haven't been to yet? Maybe even a short road trip someplace kid-fun?

[Brie]

We are taking C to Great Wolf Lodge overnight for his birthday this year.

[cincodemayo]

We aren't having a party for DS anymore, so instead we are doing some of his "favorite" things:

riding the trolley a la Daniel Tiger
going to a playground
getting ice cream

He loves balloons so I'm going to get some balloons for him, too.

[Deleted]

DD isn't getting a proper party this year. Cake, her favorite foods, and something fun (as yet undetermined).

[Deleted]

I wasn't planning on doing a party this year, and instead was going to go out of town and take DD to a waterpark/hotel and the zoo.

Looks like we might end up doing a party. @idaholakelady - you guys in town September 20th?

[ilikedonuts]

We're taking both girls to the American Girl store this year for their birthdays (we'll go on DD2's birthday because its the day after DD1's and its a Friday). DD1 gets to pick out an AG doll and DD2 gets to pick out a Bitty Baby. We'll probably do COSI or the zoo as well and stay overnight.

For their birthdays last year (and for DD1's 2nd the year before which was my due date with DD2) we went to the local farm and let them milk cows, go on a pony ride, etc. Then we went to lunch and to the park. Low key and was still really fun for them.

[Deleted]

I would do a family dinner or a staycation type of thing. Great Wolf Lodge, Paradise Springs/Gaylord in Grapevine. The zoo sounds fun also. Definitely get her a cake and a little birthday hat.

[arch01]

We didn't do anything until he was 3 outside of having MIL and BIL over for cupcakes.

[cjeanette]

It can still be a party just the 5 of you. Decorate the house and have cake. The end.

[pugz]

we did a weekend trip to Omaha and visited their zoo and children's museum

[Deleted]

We had a party for j for his 2nd and 3rd birthday but really it was just a couple of family members over for pizza and cake with some themed plates and baloons. For 2 we made an elmo shaped cake. For 3 j wanted cookies instead of cake so I made mickey mouse shaped cookies. J was thrilled.

[Deleted]

We had cake and presents as a family for DD2 this year.

[dcn]

I made his favroites for dinner and we had cupcakes for ds' second birthday. I think we took him to bass pro shop to see the fish and stuffed wildlife too lol.

We just visited my sister and niece for her third bday and we all went to an outdoor shopping area that had a playground and a carousel, did that, had lunch, then went back home for cupcakes at her "birthday table" that was a princess tablecloth and paperplates.

[Deleted]

I feel guilty but we went ALL OUT last year for his first bday and I will be 8 months pg at that time. So, sorry DS. Mama doesn't have the energy this year.

FIL/SMIL are taking him on a train ride to the next town over and to a train theme restaurant. Since MIL and FIL are divorced we'll probably have a small thing with cupcakes and she and my parents can come over. We have annual zoo passes so we'll either go to the zoo or something local like a splash pad depending on the weather. 

And yes, they won't remember. It's fine.

[noodleskooze]

We just took him out for ice cream

[kaycee]

We went swimming and then had a make your own pizza party. Then cake!

[Deleted]

Aug 5, 2015 16:03:10 GMT -5 @roseyposey said:

I wasn't planning on doing a party this year, and instead was going to go out of town and take DD to a waterpark/hotel and the zoo.

Looks like we might end up doing a party. @idaholakelady - you guys in town September 20th?

We'll be here!

[rootbeerfloat]

For DS's second birthday, we went to the children's museum. We've also done Sea World and Universal Studios on years we happened to be traveling the week of Christmas/his birthday. For DD's birthday last year, we did a staycation at a local resort. Other times we've just had pizza and cake or gone to CEC.

[deo]

DS2 is not getting a birthday party either this year. He only has two friends his age and they are both out of town. We are going go to the petting zoo in the morning and then set up the bouncy castle in the backyard after his nap and I am making him a birthday cake.

[aspentosh]

We skipped a party for her 2nd and just made cake together. She was plenty happy with that, honestly.

Could you do a museum or park and get some balloons?

[oceanstbride]

We didn't do a party for DS this year as it was the Friday before we moved (and honestly, I'm not sure I would've done a "real" party anyways) so we just went out to dinner and ice cream afterwards. The following weekend my parents, H's aunt and uncle, and we went to a baseball game and I ordered the birthday package where they come to your seat and throw confetti, sing happy birthday, and birthday person's name is on the screen. DS didn't care other than the singing part, which he loved, but spending $30 for that satisfied my need to "make it special".

Cake and balloons at home sounds like a party to me

[Deleted]

We have done Kalahari a few times, this year DS will be 8 and we are doing a outdoor watermark and an arcade.

[lizlemon19]

last year we did Great wolf lodge for 4yo son's bday. He has a Jan bday, and was going to either spend money on i door place or for the hotel, so we did that. He loved it.

[savan]

DD has never wanted a real party (see: anxiety thread). We've done lots of other things to celebrate instead. We have taken her to Build-A-Bear, rented a bounce house for the backyard just for us to jump in, gone to Disneyland, had one other family over for dinner, etc.

[meij]

We have a family day. My H takes the day off and DD gets to pick whatever she wants to do and then where to go for lunch. The last two years she's chosen the bounce house place, but we've also done the children's museum or a movie.

[glauren]

We're planning to rent a bounce house in our backyard for the day and have my mom, ILs, and H's siblings over for dinner and cake.

[pescalita]

We're not big on parties for small kids.

For A's 2nd we went to one of those toddler jungle gym places in the morning, he ran around and we played the arcade games and stuff. Then we had my mom & grandma over for his favorite breakfast for dinner, cake and presents.

For his 3rd, we drove up to San Francisco, walked on the GoldenGate Bridge, took the trolley down to Union Square and had hot dogs, and then back up to Ghirardelli Square for dessert. Pizza, cake and presents at home in the evening.

For J's second we'll probably do the zoo or the jungle gym place again.

We always hang balloons in the hallway.

[ladygrey]

We have done a special outing for both of DD's birthdays. 1st b-day was swimming at a water park and 2nd b-day was a trip to the zoo (with carousel rides - her favorite!), then we have dinner and cake with my parents in the evening. It's a nice way to celebrate as a family and remember her special day.