Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
my father in law made a disc for my daughters 2nd birthday .... we had it on for maybe 15-20 minutes .... mickey mouse clubhouse birthday song, mickey mouse clubhouse "hot dog", some other kids type songs .... the suggestions up thread are good on actual music
feel free to have it, but don't stress it and don't feel the need to keep it going .... most parties i've been to at this age range (and there have been plenty over the past 2 years) don't have music
some activities are OK - I like the idea of having kind of open stations .... probably a lot easier than going from one to the next
our friends are big into activities and my kids have fun doing them - just keep in mind you are coordinating a bunch of kids and attention spans can get short .... they did things like decorating crowns or making a bead bracelet ... things like that
bean bag toss and games like that could be a concern if you can only have a couple kids going at a time .... generally waiting in line doesn't work so well nor does waiting your turn
not to mention at that age moods can shift pretty quickly
don't stress about other parents, etc ....... that will show through more than anything .... honestly, when I attend a party all the activities, music, games, food, drink, etc all kind of wash out
the one thing I look for (and try to provide for mine) are pace ..... keep the party moving - keep things short, sweet and to the point
I'm thinking Metallica, Led Zeppelin (kids love "Black Dog"), throw in Enigma (they won't understand what it's about), Marylin Manson, and finish off with "Pop Goes the Weasel.
Kids Bop - the kids will like it and the parents will like it.
Yeah, I agree with this if you want music, but I really don't think you need it.
As for activities, in my rather limited experience (I have a 3.5-year-old), kids up to 4 seem pretty happy just playing with whatever toys your have now. We've been to house parties and the kids just play with the indoor toys and then go outside and play on the swings or hit a ball off the tee or whatever. The older kids will really like the bean bag toss, and maybe you can get a few swords and capes from a dollar store for them. I've been to some parties where they try to do organized activities (crafts, scavenger hunts) and things just fall apart with the under-5 set.
I wouldn't worry about having music either but if you have access to Pandora and can broadcast, there is a "Children's Indie Music" Channel that has a nice mix of kiddie and kid-friendly music (played by indie/pop artists). We listen to it all the time at home and half the time I can't even tell it's the kids music channel.
Bare Naked Ladies - The Ninja <-- Really cute song and short
Jack Johnson did a Curious George soundtrack that has some cute songs on there, too.
You can also Google other pop singers that have made children's CDs and see which ones you may like.
GOOD LUCK and have fun ... you will do fine! Kids are kids - they aren't going to be grading you, they will be too busy hanging out with their friends! Have fun!
Just a caution to watch out with things that can be thrown (beanbags) or poked (toy swords). Kids get overexcited at parties - you don't want anyone to get hit (even by a beanbag) or worse, stuck with a toy sword or something similar, so set the stage accordingly.
I can remember getting very upset by having my balloon "favor" popped by the obstreperous, bossy, bullying brother of the birthday girl at a party across the street from my grandparents' house, where my family was visiting. I burst into tears and ran home to my grandparents (thankfully, it was a very quiet street), then was embarrassed when the party-giving mother came over to apologize and retrieve me.
I was about six or seven at the time, and was not a particularly weepy or hyper-sensitive child - but obviously I was keyed up because of the party, and having my balloon deliberately destroyed was just too much! So, especially with younger children, keep it simple and low-key and avoid potential "dangers" of this kind.
If you insist on music, I recommend putting Pandora Radio on an "Andy McKee" station! Instrumental, really cool music. It probably will be too noisy for real music, but this is pleasant background music!
Bare Naked Ladies - The Ninja <-- Really cute song and short
Jack Johnson did a Curious George soundtrack that has some cute songs on there, too.
You can also Google other pop singers that have made children's CDs and see which ones you may like.
GOOD LUCK and have fun ... you will do fine! Kids are kids - they aren't going to be grading you, they will be too busy hanging out with their friends! Have fun!
I've found that kids really like "The Humpty Dance" by Shock G aka "Humpty Hump"...
You haven't lived until you've gotten a roomful of 3 year olds to scream out..."I once got busy in a Burger King bathroom!"
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
