Party games for under 2s

I'm going to arrange a birthday party for a child of 2 years and his
friends. Can anyone recommend and describe some party games children
of this age can play/understand/enjoy. All the ones I know like
musical chairs and pass the parcel are a bit too advanced I guess.

Thanks,

Ken

On 12 Nov 2003 03:39:23 -0800, (Kooky45) wrote:

I'm going to arrange a birthday party for a child of 2 years and his
friends. Can anyone recommend and describe some party games children
of this age can play/understand/enjoy. All the ones I know like
musical chairs and pass the parcel are a bit too advanced I guess.

Thanks,

Ken

Toddlers under two don't play *games* with each other anyway, they
generally play near each other in parallel play.

Why party games? And how many children are going to this party.

Birthday parties for under twos should be short and simple and
should have only small numbers of children. These parties are
still more for the adult than for the child. Parents should usually
stay for the party and to help supervise their child.

Best things for two year olds. Put out playdough for them to play
with. Have an obstacle course they can climb through and run
over. If most of the children are over 2, you can try a game like
duck, duck goose (ime, most children don't get this until they are
around 3 though).

Keep things cooperative, not competitive. Make sure if you do have
any games that everyone or no one gets prizes for them.


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

"Kooky45" wrote in message
om...
I'm going to arrange a birthday party for a child of 2 years and his
friends. Can anyone recommend and describe some party games children
of this age can play/understand/enjoy. All the ones I know like
musical chairs and pass the parcel are a bit too advanced I guess.

Thanks,

Ken

Unless you want to drive yourself crazy, I wouldn't attempt a game with the
under two set. Heck, we skipped games for my son's 3 year old party. Think
of a very simple activity instead. Bubbles, crayons + paper, dough, etc.
--
JennP.

mom to Matthew 10/11/00
remove "no........spam" to reply

"Kooky45" wrote in message
om...
I'm going to arrange a birthday party for a child of 2 years and his
friends. Can anyone recommend and describe some party games children
of this age can play/understand/enjoy. All the ones I know like
musical chairs and pass the parcel are a bit too advanced I guess.

Thanks,

Ken


For the sake of harmony, I'd keep things really simple, and wouldn't involve
too many games where kids have to take turns. Some kids do well with that,
but too often, someone gets upset and it just makes everyone tense if you're
constantly having negotiations. So everyone gets the same favors, everyone
gets the same activity. Makes it a little trickier to come up with ideas,
but I think it's worth it.

2 year olds really don't do "games" all that well anyway. Maybe some sort of
"easter egg" hunt or scavenger hunt, where you set them loose in a backyard
or park and have them find either things you've hidden or certain things you
list (a red leaf, a stone, a yellow flower, etc.) Just giving them each a
helium balloon or one of those punching-bag balloons and letting them have
at 'em is fun, too. Get one of those bubble machines and let them play in
the bubbles.

Hm. Not many ideas, I guess. But keep in mind that the best parties for
toddlers are short, and with as few rules/instructions as possible. By the
time you do a scavenger hunt, eat a piece of cake, open presents, and give
them little favors to play with, they're pretty much done.

--
Jodi
SAHM to Oliver (2 years, 8 months) & Arwen (6 months)

(Kooky45) wrote in message . com...
I'm going to arrange a birthday party for a child of 2 years and his
friends. Can anyone recommend and describe some party games children
of this age can play/understand/enjoy. All the ones I know like
musical chairs and pass the parcel are a bit too advanced I guess.

At 2, most kids are not going to play organized games. You may be able
to do something like ring-around-the-rosie, or other sing-alongs with
motions. Or just some general, follow the leader type things--let's
all hop on one foot, stand on tip-toes, etc. You could do some games
sitting in a circle rolling a ball around, stuff like that. But I
don't thing you'll do well with anything competitive. Have lots of
toys around, some music, maybe some crafts.
Chris

In article ,
(Kooky45) wrote:

I'm going to arrange a birthday party for a child of 2 years and his
friends. Can anyone recommend and describe some party games children
of this age can play/understand/enjoy. All the ones I know like
musical chairs and pass the parcel are a bit too advanced I guess.

Thanks,

Ken

As others have said, at this age they don't do the sorts of games that
involve competition or taking turns. However, many 2 yo's do enjoy
"circle time" -- gathering to sing songs together, and to dance or do
other movement to the songs, like "The Wheels on the Bus" and
"itsy bitsy spider" and even "hokey pokey"

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

hobbes wrote in message
...
But keep in mind that the best
parties for toddlers are short, and with as few rules/instructions
as possible. By the time you do a scavenger hunt, eat a piece
of cake, open presents, and give them little favors to play with,
they're pretty much done.

This describes the party I gave for Julie's second birthday. There were
a total of 5 kids and 5 moms. We had a Sesame Street theme, so I hid an
Ernie doll in a shoe box covered with red and blue striped fabric and a
yellow sequin duck applique, and we all went on a "Journey to Ernie" in
the back yard, then came in and ate cake and snacks, opened presents,
and by then the kids were all quite ready to go home. It lasted from
3:00 to 5:00. I handed out little favor bags with a balloon tied to
each one at the door as they left. It went very well, I think due to
being simple, "small", and short (I know it's more kids than is normally
recommended for this age, but they are all in a regular playgroup
together so it wasn't a whole lot different than just another
playgroup).
--
Cheryl S.
Mom to Julie, 2 yr., 7 mo.
And Jaden, 2 months

Cleaning the house while your children are small is like
shoveling the sidewalk while it's still snowing.

I'm going to arrange a birthday party for a child of 2 years and his
friends. Can anyone recommend and describe some party games children
of this age can play/understand/enjoy. All the ones I know like
musical chairs and pass the parcel are a bit too advanced I guess.

Thanks,

Ken

Forget "party games" and think in terms of fun activities. Put out toys and
arts-and-crafts materials, serve cake, and all will be well.

For my son's 2nd birthday, we did a train theme. I had a large cardboard box
for each child with paper plate "wheels" attached, and invited the kids to
decorate their "train car" with markers. The littler ones scribbled while the
older ones drew elaborate doors, lights, etc.; it worked out really well. If
you've got a cooperative group, you can try lining them up for a picture or
even a little "parade" with the birthday boy or girl as the engineer, but don't
do anything with rules and turn-taking.

Other than that, they just played with my son's toy trains.

Holly
Mom to Camden, 2.5 yrs