The year Little Cotton Candy turned three was a hectic one for us. We sold our first home and bought a new one, Little Cotton Candy started preschool, and overall our little family was very busy. I wanted to throw a super fun birthday party for Little CC, but I didn’t want to knock myself out. Here are my tips for throwing a chilled out, fun kid birthday party.
First, choose a venue. Since we had moved into a home with more entertaining space, we decided to host the party at home. November is an iffy month in Austin, weather-wise, so we weren’t confident about hosting a party at a park. Maybe guests would be able to hang out outside, but maybe it would be too cold, so our house it was!
Make a guest list. We invited my family, who live in Austin, plus our close friends who also live nearby and their kids. This put our total guest count at about 15 people. Totally doable and not stress-inducing, right?
Pick a time. We chose a mid-morning party so we could serve homemade migas breakfast tacos (an Austin staple), and I had my mom pick up a couple carafes of coffee from Starbucks. We had water and organic juice for the kids.
Choose a theme (or don’t). Little Cotton Candy didn’t ask for a specific theme, so we decided to not theme it. (There will be plenty of time for themed parties as he gets older.) He asked for a pink cake, so I let Mr. Cotton Candy handle that request, as he is the baker of the family. He decided to bake a pink-frosted M&M pinata cake, and it was a massive hit.
Pinata cake | Recipe via Leslie Beslie
Get your craft on. I love crafting but didn’t want to go overboard. Every year since Little Cotton Candy’s first birthday, I have made him a giant cardboard number with his age. The first one was the most elaborate; I cut crepe paper into fringe and created this pinata-like #1:
For his second birthday, I made a #2 and painted it blue. (I unfortunately couldn’t find a photo of this one.)
When he turned three, he wanted to help make the cardboard #3, so I cut and taped the cardboard together and let him help papier-mâché and paint it (pink with glitter, at his request). It was such a fun bonding experience, and the 3 turned out great.
After papier-mâché, before paint
The finished #3
Other than the #3, we reused some paper pom-poms and a DIY banner I made from a grocery bag and some sparkly letters from Little Cotton Candy’s first birthday. It was more than enough to make our home look festive.
The party was amazing and Little Cotton Candy had a wonderful time, and I think our guests had fun too.
A few takeaways:
1. Gifts are lovely but unnecessary. Our guests were so generous, and everyone brought something really sweet for Little Cotton Candy. But at this age and with his birthday so close to Christmas, I wish I would have put “no gifts, please” on the invitations. I think it would have been nice for our guests, too, to not feel obligated to bring anything.
Toy explosion
2. Having a fun cake can make up for anything. I think the rest of our food was good, but people LOVED the cake, especially the novelty factor of watching the M&Ms spill out when the cake was cut.
3. There’s really no need to stress. Children’s parties are loud and messy and chaotic. Provide some food and drinks and some comfy places to sit, and people will be happy.
4. Let your kid help plan. Making the #3 with Little Cotton Candy was my highlight of the whole experience.
Did you go all out for your kids early birthdays or keep things more low key?
coconut / 8079 posts
I made my LO a piñata cake for his birthday this year with mini m&ms. So much fun! We are probably somewhere in the middle. We have had themes with foods to match and decorations. I like making and decorating his cakes, but at the same time it’s only been family at his parties so far so it’s still pretty low stress.
I love your number decorations!
pomegranate / 3401 posts
I kept my daughter’s 3rd birthday low key! We had a morning playdate party at our house…Valentines themed since her birthday is in February. We had her 5 best friends and their moms come. I got them each a personalized apron from Etsy and we decorated cookies and had cake and played. It was super easy, done in 2 hours, and lots of fun! With the family we just had them over for lunch on the weekend.
guest
I was literally up 2 hours past my bedtime trying to plan my daughter’s third. Great timing on this!
guest
Thanks for this! My little guy is about to turn 3 and I’ve been contemplating how to do something low key. I don’t want something elaborate! I never do… Poor kid. We are having family and some close friends and their kids. No theme! I really just want it to be a get together. I’m thinking my fun food thing will be a sundae bar. And aside from that getting pizzas and some snack items
cherry / 141 posts
We have done all laid back birthdays. To be honest I wish parents would make a wishlist or a needlist for their children for birthdays. I do this with our wee ones grandparents and it’s a big hit/makes it easier.
Anyway we asked for no gifts for our daughter’s birthday and they still brought gifts. I wish they hadn’t because it ends up sitting in the corner not being played with much. Thankfully I get rid of not used toys in our home regularly.
grapefruit / 4923 posts
we invite grandparents, and my sister has come into town for a few of the birthdays. i’m too lazy to do group parties.
blogger / apricot / 310 posts
I love it! I wish I had taken this advice for my son’s upcoming second birthday party. Oy vey, with like 40 people invited (head::desk).
nectarine / 2951 posts
This is timed perfectly since our oldest is turning 3 in 2 weeks. We’re planning another backyard party. We’re reusing the same decorations as last year (I crafted a homemade garland) . My son is all about the cake this year. We’ll get icecream cake and a cute topper. Otherwise, not too crazy.
guest
I don’t think that there has to be a big party every year. Sometimes the most special times are spent with the closest of family. Great tips, thanks for sharing!