I'm currently contemplating my daughter's 3rd birthday party. As of now I'm planning on having the kids run around in our yard and play with sidewalk chalk, bubbles, a water table (or 2 if I can find one to borrow) and some other activity like dancing(?) (would love more suggestions if anyone has them). I'm expecting maybe 5 kids. After play time we will head inside and have deli sandwiches, fruit kabobs, and cupcakes. Then we have a pinata for the end of the party. Do 3 year olds even like pinatas? I honestly have no idea. it came with the decorations kit we purchased!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dutch Wonderland

+1 This is what we did. Rather go away somewhere fun than host a party that they will not remember.

We did this to Ocean City once during a warm weekend in early May. Pizza on the beach, and not crowded yet.

Anonymous wrote:Dutch Wonderland

+1 This is what we did. Rather go away somewhere fun than host a party that they will not remember.

We just did a family birthday party one night and then a special birthday playdate with cupcakes for snack, etc.

Squeals on Wheels came to the house.

Anonymous wrote:Tell me more about this train at Wegmans.

Most (if not all) Wegmans stores have a model train that runs above a section of the store. It drives me crazy because my kids won't want to leave that section of the store. It's a very basic model train -- not like one train enthusiasts would put together.

We had three kid friends and their parents over for pizza, cake and ice cream. We kept it simple, played pin the tail on the donkey and had a string-pulled pinata. He doesn't remember it all. It was two years ago. However, the kids and parents all had relaxing fun.

OP here. Yes, low key is what I was thinking. We have a lot of family in the area, plus her godmother, daycare provider, etc. We're still talking 20 people or so, and that is plenty stimulation for me.

Little Gym for friends, and cake with family at the house. Super easy for me and fun/exhausting for her.

Summer bday. Ordered pizza to be delivered to a local park with a pavilion and brought cake and drinks. The kids played on the playground and we blew bubbles in the big field next to the pavilion. I made sure to have a big enough cake and extra goody bags for any kids who might have been at the playground too (but there weren't any). Two hours total and cleanup was throwing everything into the trash cans and loading the presents in the car. EASY.

For her fourth in a couple weeks we are doing an easy home party- pizza, fruit, cupcakes. Under the Sea theme so I will have water balloons and a slip and slide and the water table set up. I think it'll go over well. It's just that by late August I've been to 200 bounce house/ My Gym parties and can't take another one!! So we're going super low key while we can.

We are taking cupcakes to his daycare to share with his classmates the day before, and then on his actual birthday we are going to the aquarium.

Tell me more about this train at Wegmans.

For my eldest's 3rd we had a huge party at our house. I think there were 40 or 50 people there. It was over 100 F outside and the kids couldn't go out to play in the bounce house we had set up. It was extremely stressful for me and I don't think she really enjoyed it.
The next year, I told her she could invite 4 friends because she was turning 4....much, much easier! And she had a ball!
I will probably do the same type of thing for my younger daughter when she turns 3 this Nov.
Birthday parties have really become over the top spectacles that are put on to impress other adults not the kids.
I think that a meet up at a park or a party at the community pool are great options if you don't feel like you want to host it at your home.

Anonymous wrote:How does a three year old"choose" where to go for dinner?

12:35 here...huh?

But actually, this makes me think, OP, you know your child best...it is interesting to hear what kids would like to do if they were just fantasizing about the "best bday party ever." Three year olds will often surprise you by saying things like, "I just want to go watch the train at Wegmans and then take an elevator ride!" or "I want you to cover me with a big pile of balloons EVERYWHERE." Grown-ups are the ones who come up with My Gym and pony rides and face painting and bounce houses and such, not that those aren't terrifically awesome and fun for the kids...

We did a party with a few friends at home. I'm not a big party kind of person, so I'm waiting until one of them actually requests one.