It’s February! In our house, this means its time to celebrate my No. 2 – one of the sweetest little guys you ever will meet. I’ve written before about his nursery and transition to a big boy room (still getting around to that final room reveal post), but at the end of the week he’ll turn three, so right now I’m focused on planning a sweet, simple, and fun afternoon party for family and friends.
I love planning events for children – it’s just fun to make things fun for them! Sometimes I have a party theme in mind and other times I’m inspired to create a theme based on a photo, activity, color scheme, or any other random element that catches my eye. This past December, I found this adorable photo of a gummy animal menorah in a magazine. My first thought was that the little gummy creatures would be adorable on a birthday cake, so I tore out the photo with this party in mind.
Planning with these little cuties in mind, I decided to go with a party animal theme. I found these fun invitations on minted.com and personalized them for my own little cutie’s birthday.
And what’s a party without a party hat? For children…
…and animals, of course!
Any good party needs some fun and festive, DIY garland. There are so many options, it’s easy to go overboard!
This beautiful mix of pastel and foil strands courtesy of the always fabulous Martha Stewart.
An equally cute and perhaps less time-consuming option, thanks to Jones Design Company.
Let’s not forget the food. Along with veggies and fruit, frosted animal crackers and goldfish are kid-pleasing favorites and will tie in well with the theme. I also love the idea of animal shaped PB&J sandwiches for picky eaters.
These dipped oreos aren’t animal-themed, but the colorful sprinkles make a festive addition to any party. They would also be super-cute to send for a school party treat instead of cupcakes.
And finally, favors. I’m not a huge promoter of party-favors, but these DIY animal-topped jars are pretty cute. You can fill them with a variety of treats if the kids are too young for gum, and the jar can be reused to house a variety of trinkets and treasures. Perfect for have boys who love to collect rocks and bugs and equally as cute for little girls’ baubles and bracelets.
It’s completely unrealistic for me to think I will accomplish all of these projects before the party on Sunday, but it’s fun to dream a little and have some inspiration as I’m preparing and decorating. I’ll let you know what I do accomplish and be back soon with photos of the day. I hope this post spurs your imagination as you plan future celebrations for any littles in your life. I always strive to find a balance between making my kids feel special and not going overboard when planning their parties, probably erring on overboard more often than not! Here’s to keeping parties simple, fun, and kid-focused!
Hunt & Gather Home 