“The earth goes around the sun
     the earth goes around the sun
     it takes one year for the earth to go around the sun”

This is part of the ‘Celebrations of Life’ I remember about the time my son spent in a Montessori school, where the birthday child carries the earth globe around a candle, stopping after each orbit while the teacher displays a photo at each age and recounts a short piece from the child’s life story (supplied by the parents), until the current birthday.

We all want to feel cherished on our special day and celebrating your child’s birthday is a way to remind them that your life is better because they were born and that they are loved and appreciated. It is the one day of the year where family and friends gather just for them, where they are the centre of attention and are showered with love. It is a confidence-booster for children to have their friends accept their invitation and to see them arrive on the day, bearing gifts and wishing them ‘Happy Birthday’.

Birthdays celebrate milestones, and for many children, the party symbolizes them turning a year older. Some younger children can’t assimilate that they are actually a year older without the momentous birthday celebration. It gives children something to look forward to with the annual ritual of counting down ‘sleeps’ until the special day creating a sense of anticipation and excitement leading up to the big day. With this in mind, it helps to know what to consider when celebrating at each age:

• 1 Year Old: Your child’s first birthday is really your celebration of a year of life together with your little treasure. Your baby will not have any understanding of what the festivities are about, so it is important to take lots of photos as memories for your child when they are older, as they will not remember this day at all. Keep the party to about an hour and avoid decorations that babies may choke on or crockery that can be broken.
• 2 Years Old: We all know about ‘the terrible two’s’ so this should not go unheeded when planning a party for a two-year-old whose mood can flip from excitement to frustration in a matter of minutes and back again. Two-year-olds can still be quite possessive of their toys so it is probably better to leave the presents to be opened at home to avoid a squabble amongst a group of toddlers over who gets to take them home! Children in this age group are still playing alongside their peers, not together, so don’t worry about formal games. Sand and water play is great to keep tiny hands occupied and growing minds stimulated.
• 3 Years Old: From this age children begin to understand the concept of parties. They have begun to learn cooperative play but still not for great lengths of time. Try simple group games and keep the party to a maximum of an hour and a half.
• 4 Years Old: This is an imaginative and energetic age so be prepared for an action packed, fun-filled party. Include lots of games that keep four-year-olds moving, like treasure hunts and music games. Around two hours is a good bench-mark for a party at this age.
• 5 Years Old: At this age, children know what parties are about and they want to be involved. They are ready to take on a themed event that allows them to use their imaginations and their environment to create their own worlds – whether it is a pirate ship or a princess castle. They are also able to participate in craft games like sand-art or beading. Two hours is still enough for a good time without exhausting moms and babes.
• 6 to 8 Years Old: Friendships and group play are now important, so parties become a highlight and special occasion to look forward to. They are ready to be more involved in the planning and organizing of the day and can amuse themselves and each other with board games and other team activities. Two and a half hours is ample time for children at this age.

Besides celebrating and honouring the life of your child, birthday parties play other important roles such as creating friendships and developing social skills. If they have invited friends from school, it is an opportunity to interact with the same friends in a different environment, where they are learning to play the role of the host. They learn to socialize in a group situation in a relaxed atmosphere.

Birthday parties build lifelong memories. Even as an adult, I have fond memories of my own childhood birthday parties. I remember my parents fastening a large sail on a downhill slope of our garden lawn and using a hosepipe and bubble-bath to create a waterslide for my friends. I also remember a very special gift from my Grade 4 teacher who took the time to come to my party. My son still loves looking at photos of his previous birthday parties and I know we will continue to both reminisce about birthdays gone by and anticipate those still to come.

Resources:

Baby Gizmo
Fairyland Theatre
PBS Parents