Multiples Birthday Ideas FAQ

CakeCake
Celebrating birthdays can be twice (or more) as much fun when you share a birthday with your closest friend. Here are some tips from the parents of multiples of the twins list. Please direct any questions or suggestions to the FAQ list maintainer Shari.


For my twins 2nd birthday I had a couple of unique ideas:
Favors:
Party in summer: I gave each child a small beach bucket with attached shovel, inside the bucket I put sunglasses, a deflated beachball, bubbles, and a plastic watch. On the outside of the bucket I used a "paint pen" and painted the name of the child on it and drew water and fish around the bucket also. They were a big hit. The whole favor cost me about $2.50 for each child including contents.
Thank you cards: I took pictures of each child at the party, some individually, some with the birthday twins, and for the thank you's I got the film developed into 4X5 prints and got the self-adhesive post card backings and I send each parent a picture of THEIR child at the party with the thank you written right on the back of the picture in the space for the post card. It was cheap and easy and everyone loves pictures of their own kids! (for those without kids I took a picture of the adult or one of my twins at the party and sent as a postcard)

A table center piece:
Take a plastic fish bowl and make jello jelatin that is aqua blue in the bowl. When the jello is cooling and semi-solid, drop into the jello some gummy fish, which will sink about halfway down. Finish chilling and you have a great table center piece which is edible after the party!! Kids think this is great!!
We party at the park. For party favors, I take chalk, bubbles & kites. We take balls/bats/gloves/kickballs/frisbee's/jump ropes. They are used at the party not sent home w/ everyone. Sometimes we do a picnic, sometimes we do chips, cake, drinks. I/we make a pineta and fill it with healthy snacks/pencils/crayons/stickers/straws, etc. not necessarily candy.

Having just had my boys' second birthday party *PLANNED* for outdoors, I offer the following suggestions:
1) ALWAYS have a back-up plan for any outdoor party - just in case of bad weather . It's a good idea to either have a rain date, or make some arrangements for an indoor party in the event of bad weather.

2) Make sure that whatever you plan for an outdoor party can be easily adapted to an indoor party.

3) For younger children, keep it simple and short. If you can avoid opening presents at the party, then I highly recommend it! I found out that it is better/easier for everyone if you can open the presents at home at you/your children's own leisure. (This is what the other mother's of multiples at our party suggested to me, and what we ultimately did.) This serves at least two good purposes: (1) it keeps the guests from being bored watching someone else get some really cool stuff; and, (2) if you will have to return an item, for whatever reason, then the giver doesn't necessarily know that. (We received several duplicate items, or items that the boys already have at home.)

4) Always have extras of everything from food to party favors. Invariably, a parent will bring a guest's sibling without telling you! In our case, we had originally invited the sibling, but he was to be at another birthday party at the same time. However, since both were outdoor parties, and it rained, guess where he ended up? It's just better to have more than you'll need, than to end up without enough. Lesson learned here!

There are numerous books available with party ideas for children that you can find at your local library or bookstore. All offer ideas and theme, but some even include games (with directions on how to play them!) and recipes. Here are just a few that are available:
The most important things about giving a birthday party for children is to remain flexible and keep your sense of humor!
Favors: Cover a powdered formula container with contact paper. Use Scribbles paint or a paint pen to write each child's name on it. (Make sure you have extras without names for unexpected guests!) Put stickers inside each can along with other goodies ... we added Squirtees (plastic water toys), toy sunglasses, jax or cards for older kids, bubbles and a mini candy bar.
Party Activities: Allow each child to "personalize" their party favor with the stickers. Have a bubble blowing/catching contest (parents need to help little ones!).
A lesson learned: Don't let the party span nap time.

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