Planning your 3-year-old’s birthday party is going to be a bit different than the first or second, because your toddler can likely grasp the concept of her birthday now. Use something that your child enjoys or loves as the theme or inspiration for her party to ensure she has a memorable birthday experience.

Themes

Your 3-year-old has likely developed a favorite character or TV show that can easily become the theme for his birthday party. If you prefer not to use a character, consider your child’s favorite toy, book or activity. Use toy cars as your theme if his favorite toys are cars. For example, if he is fascinated by balloons, use primary colors and balloons as your party inspiration. If he loves animals, use an animal theme. You could concentrate on farm, jungle, zoo or circus animals.

Guest List

Invite a few other children that your toddler frequently plays with, whether family, play dates or at day care. Keeping the number of toddler guests to a minimum, such as between three and five, can make it easier to execute a fun party and not have to worry about too many different toddler personalities and issues ruining the party. Consider inviting other toddlers’ parents to join the party so they can deal with any outbursts by their child. Close friends and adults should also be invited to celebrate with your 3-year-old.

Activities

Prepare a variety of games and activities to keep keep the active toddlers stimulated and busy. Welcome your small guests with face painting, temporary tattoos or a small dress-up piece that ties into the party theme. A superhero theme could include a cape or a princess theme could include gloves, a feather boa or tiara.

A 3-year-old typically enjoys working with her hands. Start with an arts and crafts project, such as making animal masks for an animal-themed party. Treasure hunts in the sand can work for many different themes, such as a pirate, mermaid or fish theme. Include games that exert the kids’ energy, such as relay races.

Parades can work for almost any theme and involve each kid. For an animal theme, consider asking each toddler to bring their favorite furry friend and put on a parade. Give each toddler a child-friendly instrument and let him play the instruments while parading around.

Menu

Simple foods that allow for quick set-up, easy eating, minimal mess and easy clean-up are best. Consider an array of snacks the toddlers can eat while moving, such as vegetable sticks, crackers, bite-sized sandwiches and cut-up fruit. Include your child’s favorite, if possible. Use cookie cutters to shape fruit, sandwiches and other food that can be sliced into theme-specific shapes.

Considerations

Safety is a huge priority when you bring a group of toddlers together as they usually enjoy exploring in new spaces. Block off any rooms you don’t want the toddlers to explore or any areas that are potentially hazardous. Save the gift opening for after the party so other toddlers don’t feel left out, get jealous or not understand why they can’t take “their” gift home with them. Send each guest away with a goody bag full of favors that relate to the theme. For example, a new stuffed animal is appropriate for an animal theme, action figures for a superhero theme or toy cars for a car theme. Candy, stickers, large crayons, Play-Doh or other little trinkets are fitting for 3-year-olds.