Age characteristics
Toddlers like being the center of attention! They enjoy other children but may have difficulty interacting with each other while they play. They also love to feel they have accomplished something such as memorizing words to a song or placing that last block on top of the ABC tower.
Guest list
Toddlers enjoy being with other children. If your child is in a play group, invite the children in the group. Or invite the children of your family, friends, and neighbors. Keep in mind that they may get afraid when the adult accompanying is not present so account for a few extra adults.
Length of party
1- 1 ½ Hours
Entertainment for age
Children at this age tire easily so try to keep the party simple and flexible so that you can keep their attention. They are beginning to learn about themselves and the world around them. They enjoy singing, dancing, finger and copying games.
Toddlers sometimes get confused with what is real and pretend, therefore entertainers such as clowns and make-believe characters are great to amuse them.
Games
Keep games short and simple.
Follow the Leader
Sit in a circle and play finger games such as :
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
This Little Piggy
Pat-a Cake, Pat-a-Cake
Safety for age
Childproof your home, covering sockets and closing off bedroom doors, exit and entry ways so that children don’t wander. Avoid foods and items that are choking hazards, such as broken balloons, small party favors, hard candles, hot dogs and popcorn.
Candyland Party
Candy Land Deluxe Party Pack for 8
Send your invitations out well in advance to let your guests know they are invited to your super sweet party!
Birthday Child’s Starring Role
Let your child decide which character he would like to be from the game and have them dress up as such!
Candyland Girl Deluxe Toddler / Child Costume
Party Settings
Candyland is all about Candy, and the super fun board game that we all liked to play as a child. Use lots of balloons around the room to add color, maybe some balloon trees even.
Turn your party room into a Candyland by having a dessert buffet table filled with colorful Candies in jars and fun containers. Use colorful wrapping paper to add height to your jars. Make sure to have cellophane bags and lots of scoops so that your guests can take some candy home.
Wrap paper lanterns in colorful cellophane to make them look like giant hard candies, and hang them from the ceiling. Do the same with balloons, attach them to a stick, or a wrapping paper roll, and scatter them around the room.
Place colored pieces of cardstock around the room to look like the board game.
Use Candy Land wall decals around the room for an additional board game feel.
To make it even more memorable, get this custom banner with your child’s name on it.
“Candy Land Personalized Birthday Banner Large 30″” x 100″””
Party Leader
You can bring a costumed party leader to come dressed as your child’s favorite candy land character, or you can have a leader that will assist with the fun and games of the party. Maybe the leader can teach the kids some songs.
Party Fun & Games
If you have the space, create your very own life-size version of the game where the guests are the players on the board. Use colored card stock on the floor. Create the different lands from the board around the room, starting from meeting Mr. Mint (who could be a costumed character- enlist a friend) traveling through the Gumdrop Mountains (colorful pillows work great) avoiding Lord Licorice (another costumed character) and skipping past the swamp (a large brown bed sheet) in hopes of being first to the King’s Candy Castle. Get as creative as you want and even add some lands of your own. If your child really likes ice cream, why not create an ice cream land with giant ice cream cones? Let your child get involved with the activities, kids typically come up with the funnest most imaginative ideas!
Have a cupcake decorating station. Have pre-frosted cupcakes ready for the guests and an assortment of candies for them to use to decorate their very own cupcakes. The kids will love decorating and eating these!
Play a guessing game, have a jar filled with gummy bears and ask guests to guess how many are inside. The winner gets to take the jar as a prize.
Party Menu
Although this is a super sweet birthday party, give the kids some nutritious nibbles for a meal.
Mini burgers or sliders are great for little ones, shaped nuggets, mini wraps and even finger sandwiches cut into gingerbread men shapes. Colorful pancakes in the colors of the rainbow are also a lighter alternative if your party is at a non-lunch hour.
Colorful fruit will be a healthy finish before a Candyland themed cake.
Party Favors
Allow guests to dig into your candy buffet for some extra treats to take home, and here are a few other ideas that are just as sweet but with less sugar.
Party Extras
