Second Birthdays

Karah - posted on 02/26/2010

A great idea is to rent out the clubhouse at your local apartment complex. I rented one by my house for only $25 per hour. For my daughters second birthday party it was dora themed. The invitations were home made and the invite was the theme song which went as follows, SY SY SY Sydney the Explorer turns 2, put on your boots for February 27th, Grab your backpak at 5 p.m. Lets Go! Jump In! Come on Vamonos, Everybody Lets Go. On the back of the invitations was a map on how to get to the party with local landmarks just like on the show. We rented the clubhouse for 2 hours and decorated it with balloons everywhere and pictures of dora, boots, Swiper, and diego. I was able to find a pinata that was Dora and had it hanging up. The party bags was a backpack made from gift bags. I cut the straps off and folded over the flap and added a face to it. The party was fun and there was plenty of space for all the kids to run around and play.

Charlene Alisha - posted on 01/27/2010

my daughters bday is on 29th feb so iv organised a family get together at a community centre hired a childrens dj and balloon maker so stressful finding someone though no one would do it bcoz its 4 hrs long! my grandads hired out a bouncy castle and im supplying the food drinks they can buy at the bar and iv got pass the parcel and doing the party games musical bumps and statues and hokey cokey and all that both sides of the family are coming this year so should be good fun! i think im more excited than anyone else! iv done all the organising my partner thinks its extreme the party but i dont shell love it! im dressing her up as aurora the priuncess from sleeping beauty its princess themed princess plates napkins borders party bags going to be brilliant!!!!

Amber - posted on 01/24/2010

My son will be 2 on valentines im stressing lol thinking chuckie cheese??

Shannon - posted on 01/24/2010

i have three to plan for the 3rd of Feb is my boy/ girl twin bday that will be 2 and my daughters 4th bday on the 8th of Feb we r having their party on the 7th of Feb at a motel we live in SD so we r stuck inside and my house is WAY to small for a lot of ppl this way i just have to bring food and drinks and party supplies and they do most of the clean up for us and we get to swim in mid winter yay!

Ashley - posted on 01/22/2010

if you 2 year old is anything like mine then he/she loves to jump and in my home toen there is a place called the jump place and it has big moon walks and inflatable slides all in dorrs which is perfect b/c my son has a feb. birthday and thats were we haved booked his party. so maybe see if there is anything like that around you. my son LOVES IT

Stephanie - posted on 01/22/2010

my daughters is feb 3rd so im having it the 30th of jan..so yes i have started planning..My Little Pony theme;]

Amy - posted on 01/21/2010

I guess I'm a planner too. I've already started planning, bought the supplies, and have the invites ready to go.

Nicole - posted on 01/21/2010

just having grand parents and her aunt and uncles and my nephews over when shes older we will have a big party im thinkin gsomething to do with yo gabba gabba or dora

Malissa - posted on 01/20/2010

yes we have i hate that she is turning 2 but its really cool getting eveything ready we already got her big gift for her too

Blakely - posted on 01/20/2010

My twins (1 boy/1 girl) love Mickey & Minnie mouse so we are using that as a theme. But we are keeping things REALLY simple. Grandparents will be coming into town, so we'll do the cake & present thing at home and then take them to a local indoor play center (that we've only been to once before) to let them play.

Amber - posted on 01/20/2010

My daughters B-day is on the 6th and I am having a smallish family party at my mother in laws house. We are doing and Elmo theme I have an Elmo shaped wilton pan to make her cake. A few weeks after her B-day I will have a little get together at Build-a-bear workshop for a few of her friends.

Amanda - posted on 01/20/2010

We are planning, planning, planning. This years theme is Elmo. My daughter is crazy for Elmo.

Tracey - posted on 01/19/2010

After having a HUGE 1st Birthday Party last year for my son, I realized that he will never remember the months of planning and days of cooking and all the money spent to feed and entertain 50 people, that until HE can actually remember what we do for him, we are keeping it small, family only, cupcakes and balloons.

Hope - posted on 01/19/2010

My daughters first birthday theme was princess..hmm what to do this year. Dora seems to be the common theme. Although I did like someones rockstar idea. Cause my daughter also loves music.

Jessica - posted on 01/19/2010

We're having a crayon party. Makes decorating and planning very easy that way and we've got all our invites sent out. It's at the end of Feb though so 2 weeks after her birthday, but hubby will be gone until feb 20th....

Katie - posted on 01/19/2010

i;m doing the backyardagins party my lil man loves them and it's good for both girls and boys since we have a lot of girls to invite

Heather - posted on 01/19/2010

Rilee is a Valentin's baby and we are using a Rock Star theme because he is really in to playing with drums and Guitars right now, and since he is Autistic we will just be having a small party at home with just a few other kids his age and family

Hope - posted on 01/19/2010

I've been brainstorming where to have my daughters. and her bday is the 26 of feb

Ashley - posted on 01/18/2010

LOL yes im planing a brithday for feb 28 for my two year old son doing it at a gymnastics center hope this one goes better

Angela - posted on 01/17/2010

I have. We are going to have Hunter's birthday at home. I am getting Elmo birthday items. He loves Elmo.

Hayley - posted on 01/17/2010

my little boy is 2 on the 2nd,i have started planning and bought fire works when they were on sale for new year

Kori - posted on 01/16/2010

I have most of it planned out for her 2nd birthday party. Very simple, just family at our house. We are doing everything themed with a clock, the cake pan is an animated looking clock with silly face and cupcakes with the #2 emphasized on the clock ;) my girl loves clocks so we figured this would be fun to run with.

Natashia - posted on 01/15/2010

I have and I still havent come up with anything for my daughter. kinda hard when her bday is in the winter. i want to do something different for her besides chuck e cheese but that may be my last resort. she had tweety bird last year, this year Princess and the Frog

Vanesa - posted on 01/15/2010

Wow, birthday parties at soft gyms are really expensive! LOL, just figured that out and had to share! =)

Julie - posted on 01/15/2010

McDonalds in Utah don't do birthday parties like McDonalds in Idaho did, but they do let you bring your own cake in. When my kids were little they were perfectly happy to just play in the Playland and have some cake. I did usually buy Happy Meals for the party guests. Then you don't have to do goodie bags because they get a toy. It was definitely cheap though and my kids always had a blast and like others have said it's a smaller area than say Chuck E. Cheese which makes it easier to keep an eye on all the kids. Especially if none of the parents stay to help you. Although I had a Betty Crocker party planning book that said you should only invite 1 child for every year of your child's age so as not to overwhelm them. That's why I was thinking the 2 girls that were born the same month as Emma would be good.

Julie - posted on 01/15/2010

Vanessa,
I don't know about Gymboree, but I've done several parties at Chuck E. Cheese and it just depends. It's no cost to go into the main area where everyone sits. If you want to have a formal party by the stage then you have to reserve in advance and there is a certain cost per child depending on which party package you choose and there is a minimum number of guests required. We just went to Chuck E. Cheese and decorated a couple tables. Then we ordered pizzas and drinks that came with a certain number of tokens. After the kids ate we just divided the tokens equally and let the kids go play. When we did it for young kids we usually invited a couple parents to stay and help go around with the kids to the different activities. There is a playplace with things to climb on and balls to jump in that you don't even need tokens for. I found my young kids just wanted to play in there and I didn't even need tokens. When you order your pizza you can also order a birthday cake for $13.00. It's a small round one, but that was always plenty for us and a bakery cake would have cost me $18.00 or more plus it was one less thing I had to bring with me. They do let you bring your own cake in though if you want to have a nicer personalized one. I'm sure that both Gymboree and Chuck E. Cheese have websites that you could check out that tell about their birthday parties and the cost etc.

Julie - posted on 01/15/2010

I've just been trying to decide what to do. I thought I might just invite a couple moms from my neighborhood who had babies the same month as me to take our kids to McDonalds. I want to keep it low key and 3 of us had girls and 1 had a boy so I've been stressing about if I just invite the 2 that had girls like me, will I hurt the feelings of the 1 who had a boy. Also I don't want people to feel obligated to give a gift with the economy and all. My little girl will get presents from family. For me it's more about just getting together to hang out with other moms and help my daughter make friends her age and just have a good time playing. Anyway I've been agonizing over this for months and next month is her 2nd birthday.

Vivian - posted on 01/14/2010

yea, have started planning my daughter's birthday, just a few friends and family. Atleast i have an idea where to buy her birthday cake.

Britany - posted on 01/14/2010

yes i have already started planning a second b-day party for my son and then i have one in dec. as well..that is when we get the whole family together.

Tomondra - posted on 01/14/2010

You are not alone. I've been planning or formulating ideas since my older son's bday in NOV. Everything is so Expensive and so close after the holidays. We are going for a home party which I have totally against for 10 yrs previous but we want to take him to Sesame Place in the summer and the Sesame Street Live performance in the Spring so we are planning something a little smaller scale because his first was a BIG deal! But I have come up with the cute theme "Sesame Street Shootout". The best of both worlds for him! He got a Little tyke bball hoop for Christmas and we have a basement- let the fun begin!!!

Emily - posted on 01/14/2010

I have. I have almost got everything planned out on paper. I have place the order for her cake an everything. And bc of my situation Im goin to start buyin next week.

Miranda - posted on 01/14/2010

yes i started planning my daughters birthday at the end of december last years birthday was a little hectic so i wanted this one completely planned out beforehand. my daughters birthday is feb 23rd and ive already got her cake ordered and already for some of her decorataions we got her outfit. her party this year is going to be zebra print with hot pink and blue:) its going to be a great party :)

Tracey - posted on 01/14/2010

I rented a Mrs. Mouse (Minnie Mouse) costume and convinced a friend to play the roll. I'll "toon" out the house and have a few families over.
I hear McDonalds is a great deal - we just have more family than kids friends for my daughter right now (second kid, gets default friends of the first one).
Chuck E Cheese is always an easy option, just a more vast place to keep track of the kids.
Never too early to plan, especially if you are considering a "destination" party so you have the best chance at the date you want!

Melissa - posted on 01/13/2010

I am planning my daughters 2nd birthday as well. I have rented the Children's Indoor Play Centre we have in town for the party. I am inviting 5 kids and their parents and the theme is My little petshop (pretty much an animal theme).

Terasa - posted on 01/13/2010

Yes were giving him a yo gabbagabba birthday party! he doesn"t turn 2 till the 19th so we have enough time to get everything right.....i think i"m a little more exited this year cause he will enjoy it. If you want to get all matching decorations try birthdaycelebrations.com.

Lauren - posted on 01/13/2010

I just tentatively reserved a community center for my daughter's second birthday. We had her party there last year and it was great...totally self contained so no strangers to worry about and there is plenty of space to play outside if the weather cooperates. I would have the party at home but don't have the space. Just family (mine is BIG) and close friends. Debating preschool friends. Theme is TBD at the moment...at 2 they don't care.

Vanesa - posted on 01/12/2010

Does anyone know how much a party at Gymboree or Chucky Cheese cost? Do you pay per child?

Sonia - posted on 01/11/2010

wow all of u moms have a party in place already....my! am i late...

Andrea - posted on 01/11/2010

well my daughter will be turning two on feb.19th an i think i want to have her party at coco key's this year. But i don't know things could change i have a while to go

Angel - posted on 01/11/2010

I was planning on doing something like Chuck E. Cheese... but reading this it looks like that might be a little too overwhelming for a 2 year old. We didn't do much for her 1st birthday - just family and cupcakes - but I'm thinking maybe McDonalds or something at home.

Angela - posted on 01/10/2010

my little turns 2 on 27th feb, was gona do a Thomas theme party but my friend doing tht in 2weeks so im going along the pirate theme-hiring childrens centre n toys so they can just have fun fun fun! also asking parents to dress em up hehe x

Kathryn - posted on 01/10/2010

I haven't organised anything as yet but will probably have a party and invite Nathan's friends and family.

Mandy - posted on 01/10/2010

My son will be 2 2/22 and I the invites from shutterfly should be here Monday (love shutterfly) and we are just having a family with a few close friends and their kids come over. Our nephew has a small bounce house, so we will blow that up in our family room :) I am not sure about our theme yet or if we will have one. He is into dinosaurs, fire trucks and tools.

Janny - posted on 01/10/2010

yes , i have already started.. I have ordered lots of kids things thru orientaltrading which is a fantastic place to order things at affordable prices. We are having a carnival theme at a local park which has picnic areas and bbqing things to access. Hope the weather is warmer , i do live in Fl and it has been quite chilly .. so crossing fingers its warmer in February.

TAMMY - posted on 01/10/2010

well, 3 days before my son turns 2 , my step-daughter will turn 5 so i have to plan both at same time. i have heard lil' monkeys is great. it's like a big gungle gym inside and the have party packages.

Zeenia - posted on 01/10/2010

i agree on the outside venue.. no clean up at home... coz thats very stressfull.. mc's is a good cheap option..

Amy - posted on 01/09/2010

I booked a gymboree party. We did this last year and it was wonderful! They take care of everything and there are tons of safe toddler activities. And no clean up! All you do is show up and bring a cake!

Amber - posted on 01/09/2010

i just made the time and date for my sons second birthday its not untill feb 19, i havent really had time to put anymore thoughts in about it.but im just happy i got the time and date, last year some important people didnt show up.

Tristen - posted on 01/09/2010

Last year we just had some family with kids go to Dairy Queen and that was too much at age 1, I could only imagine a Chuckie Cheese Birthday at age 2. I think age 3 is a great Chuckie Cheese Birthday age, but who am I to tell anyone what to do. I'm not that organized when it comes to stuff like this anyway. I don't want to have my daughters 2nd B-day at our house so what should we do that is less stressful and fun?
Oh and it's never too early to start planning. I start thinking about bdays and plan, but with my husband things always change and money is always a situation, so we always are ending up making do with what we can afford :-) like just us and homemade cookies or a homemade cake at home, but I always end up feeling bad for the kids.

Melissa - posted on 01/09/2010

My son loves Handy Manny so that will be the theme for his party. It will be at home again. The plan is to wait until he is 3 before looking into places to have his party at. I have already started thinking about that. :)