Birthday Party for 3 Year Old, Music Playlist?! (have to tell, games, parents)
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I'm having a "Thomas the Train" birthday party for my 3 yr old son on Saturday June 22nd. This is my first real kids party as a mother, and I'm a little insecure about not being a "Fun Mom". I'm an economics major who reads non-fiction and listens to light FM, if you catch my drift...I'm loving but boring!!
What are some good songs to play? I need about 2 hours of music. Should I try official kids songs, instrumental songs, regular pop songs?
I don't want to spend 2 hours doing "Itsy Bitsy spider" and "Old MacDonald" non-stop, but I also want it to be fun. I'm going to have a couple songs from the Thomas and Friends show, along with "Wheels on the Bus" for a bus-obsessed 2 yr old brother.
Activities will include a beanbag toss game, blowing bubbles, coloring Thomas pictures with crayons and playing with toy trains on a railway playmat.
There will be a handful of kids in the 2.5 to 4 age range. There will also be a few older siblings of friends, mostly in the 4 to 7 yr old range. About a dozen adults will also be forced to listen.
You don't need 2 hours of music. The kids will be busy going for all the toys. A few of them will do the activities you plan, but mostly it will be chaos. They are 3!!
You will be socializing with the other parents, and nonstop music will just get annoying.
Don't make yourself feel like people will judge you. Just let the kids come in and play, and it will be fun. Then you will have fun too if you let down your expectations.
Check the children's department at the public library - they will have good recordings of a wide variety of music for children, so you won't go batty listening to two hours of the "Wheels on the Bus" going round and round and round and round and round....
But, yes, unless you're playing musical chairs, you won't need a lot of music. However, it might be nice to have music playing while the children are arriving, then have a "birthday parade" (led by the birthday boy, of course, and Sousa marches or any other marches are just fine to use) around the house or yard or wherever you're having the party.
You could also have simple musical games - march them around, lead them into a ring and have them hold hands, then (to the music) have them circle left for four beats, then, circle right for four beats ("this way!" "now, the OTHER way!" - they won't know left from right, of course). Next, go in to the middle (four steps in), then go back (back up four steps, still holding hands), then drop hands and turn around individually, clap hands four times, then start the whole thing all over with circling "THIS way!" Three year olds can do this (with adult direction/calling) with minimal assistance and great enjoyment. You do have to be part of the circle, of course...
This helps burn off energy and excitement in an organized fashion. Parents can join the parade and the circle to keep things going, but don't be surprised if some of the parents have a harder time going this way and that way than do their children. Adults tend to overthink things, while kids just do it.
Actually, this is also a good little introduction to traditional folkdance, but you don't have to tell them that!
I think you are way over planning this party. Planned activities for a 3 year old will not go well. they will hoop and holler, eat and play and be ready to go home. If you obsess about music and every minute filled with activities you will be a nervous wreck.
They will not pay any attention to anything else unless you're playing musical chairs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CraigCreek
Check the children's department at the public library - they will have good recordings of a wide variety of music for children, so you won't go batty listening to two hours of the "Wheels on the Bus" going round and round and round and round and round....
But, yes, unless you're playing musical chairs, you won't need a lot of music. However, it might be nice to have music playing while the children are arriving, then have a "birthday parade" (led by the birthday boy, of course, and Sousa marches or any other marches are just fine to use) around the house or yard or wherever you're having the party.
You could also have simple musical games - march them around, lead them into a ring and have them hold hands, then (to the music) have them circle left for four beats, then, circle right for four beats ("this way!" "now, the OTHER way!" - they won't know left from right, of course). Next, go in to the middle (four steps in), then go back (back up four steps, still holding hands), then drop hands and turn around individually, clap hands four times, then start the whole thing all over with circling "THIS way!" Three year olds can do this (with adult direction/calling) with minimal assistance and great enjoyment. You do have to be part of the circle, of course...
This helps burn off energy and excitement in an organized fashion. Parents can join the parade and the circle to keep things going, but don't be surprised if some of the parents have a harder time going this way and that way than do their children. Adults tend to overthink things, while kids just do it.
Actually, this is also a good little introduction to traditional folkdance, but you don't have to tell them that!
Either way is fine.
Don't over think the party.
Make it simple, fun & easy.
I have 4 yr old twin boys... and an 8 yr old boy.... yeah skip the music it will be drowned out by the yelling and screaming of them running around. Organized activities will not do well as the kids will be extra excited. Just have everyone play with toys already in the house or have them outside with the bubbles and playset (if you have one). That will be plenty. Then cake (or whatever you have) and gift opening....and the 2 hours will be gone in a flash.
I just had a birthday party for my 3 year old and we didn't even invite other kids but still no music needed. Don't overthink it! I have a friend who does this, spends so much time planning a picture-perfect party for child under 4 and doesn't even sit down and relax to her own child's birthday. Just be there, enjoy, live in the moment. Turn on the radio later if needed.
It already sounds pretty 'over the top' for 3 I have to say. When I was in college, I worked for a professional company that put on kid's birthdays, and we didn't even do that much stuff for that age level. Too busy. What about just renting a little bouncy castle and scrapping the games? 2.5-4 years old and all those activities will be disordered and around the yard/unusable within 10 minutes. Just IMO.
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I have a friend who does this, spends so much time planning a picture-perfect party for child under 4 and doesn't even sit down and relax to her own child's birthday. Just be there, enjoy, live in the moment. Turn on the radio later if needed.
