Parenting: 1-Year-Olds Community

It really depends on your location. I live in southern CA so we have pretty nice weather most of the year. My DS's first birthday was at the beach... It was nice, but it was a little bit of a walk from the parking lot and then over the sand and parking wasn't free. . . . For his second birthday I think we are going to go to the harbor instead, they have picnic tables and a "baby beach" (it has really fine soft sand and a wading area). . . . I think we are going to do it pirate themed.
So....... you could do it at an indoor kids pool area? or you could do it at a play place or something. I know the park thing might seem a little worn out.... but honestly? It is a lot better for the adults. Going to a one year old party isn't the most fun in the world (nor a toddlers for that matter) but going to one at one of those kids play places or chuck E cheese is even worse. Your one year old won't really know the difference, so do something that is fun for him but at the same time, fun for the adults too. (also consider parking fees, accessability, ect). We also have a regional park here which has a lot of fun stuff (picnic areas, train rides for the kids, lakes, a zoo, but it is always really HOT).

We live in Kentucky and you can not depend on the weather. It is always changing. Like right now, we are having spring type weather (in the 50's) and normally it should be snowing like crazy! That's the main reason I am worried about having it at the park in May. Who knows what the weather will be like then. I don't really want to do it at one of those kid themed places either because he won't be old enough to enjoy any of it yet. That's why I have no idea where to host it!

we had DS party at home. granted it was in july but still he was in his own enviornment and was okay with people coming to him. We had a sesame street theme since he loves Elmo. A solo cake for him and cupcakes for the rest of us ( no clean up, no plates no forks ect).. he loved it .. and the best part.. when he was over it.. he got wiped down and got to go right to bed

I love Kentucky! I want to move to Owensboro, my husband works out of there & we live an hr away in Evansville. We are from Las Vegas, so I get what orin is saying...the weather in the west is so much different though. My oldest DD's b-day is in May too. It was suppose to rain all day on her b-day last yr & we had family from all over coming! I was so worried her b-day would be a hot mess! It actually was perfect. It didn't rain at all till the evening. We rented a Dora bounce house (princess was unavailable), but they had soccer ones & boxing & all sorts. We paid a little over $100 to have it for 11hrs w/ a snow cone machine. It was a big hit. But now she turned 3yrs last yr & your LO is turning 1....hmmm....My youngest DD just turned 1yr old in Dec. so it was too cold to do anything & no one could come anyway with the holidays & all, plus they all came for my oldest b-day in May, so 2 trips here wasn't happening I guess (understandably). Honestly we just made cupcakes at the house & had a small party where she just played in her own home totally oblivious to the fact that it was her b-day until she opened her gifts. She was excited for presents, liked all her new toys, and enjoyed 2 cupcakes! Worked out just fine. I'm not too worried about "big" parties though until the kids get older. Good luck with the party planning though! I'm sure you will figure something just perfect out for your LO. I don't know what area of Kentucky you live in though, so I can't really give you ideas because I don't know whats around you.

We live in Lexington. It's a pretty big city and I am sure there are plenty of things around here we could do for him, but I have no idea what to do! The rooms in my house are too small to have a lot of people over and the backyard isn't big enough for one of those bounce houses (although I am sure my 2 1/2 year old would love it).

Mason's birthday is on May 3rd, but we are going out of town that weekend so we will have to have the party the Saturday before which will actually be April 28th. Unless I can find some kind of room to rent then I guess we will be having another birthday at the park!

You know my sister in law actually rented a bounce house & had it delivered to the park for one of her sons b-days. I like park b-day party's. They are more fun then like a chucky cheese party or something & those cost a fortune & you only get your table for 2hrs & you're rushed through everything & then the darn mouse comes out to sing happy b-day & all the LO's cry from fear. Are you having a big or small party? like how many people are coming/invited? You can always check out sproutonline.com. They have all kinds of b-day party ideas for toddlers & party craft ideas. My LO's both love the stuff on there. We do crafts all the time, not just my 3yr old but my 1yr old gets involved too.

I thought about the bounce house at the park but the parks are always super busy and I was afraid a bunch of kids would want to play in it and I don't want to be responsible for random kids.

For Carter's 1st and 2nd parties there were probably 30 people at least (grandparents on both sides, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and my best friend and her triplets...) The more I think about it, the more I realize that the park is probably my only option! We might try a different park than the last two. There are so many parks to choose from anyway. I just hope the weather will be nice at the end of April!

LOL...... at the random kids thing.
At my DS's first birthday party there was this random little girl who was NOT part of our group. My cousin (he is 5, but he is really "off".... never thought I would say a five year old makes me uncomfortable... but he does just that) anyways, my cousin came up and asked me like 10 times (you see what I mean about off?) to give her a goody bucket. I kept telling him the same thing "I don't have any more extras and she isn't part of our group". He didn't get it. It was really odd having this random girl at my DS's party for the WHOLE AFTERNOON and her parents not once asked her to come back to their beach area. She really got in the way of things and I had to reprimand her a few times....she was probably 7 or so. I would never let my son go impose on someone elses party like that, that's just rude.
SO...... the bounce house is one of those "beacons" for kids, you will definitely get random kids, especially if you have any clueless rude parents that are within a quarter mile radius.

My sister in law actually never had that issue...well once but we just told the kid he had to go back with his mom & dad & he left. I think most (key word most) parents know that it's rude to impose like that & keep their kids at a distance. & with bounce house rentals, if the weather is bad they ge you for the don't charge you for the rental. There are a lot of parks in Kentucky, You know I was thinking do your boys like to fish? Some of the parks have fishing you can do from the shore & little rods are like $12 at Walmart. Maybe you could get a few & make a game of it. They could take turns & if they catch a fish they get a prize?...Just a thought. My girls like to fish & all my nieces & nephews, so I know it's something my family would dig. Anyway, I'll try to think of more ideas to spice up a park b-day party.

It's been really great going through your suggestion, very well informed and described. Great to read and know more about such kind of stuff.. Thanks

Extremeanimals

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