3-year-old birthday party ideas
Emily Gulla
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Planning a three-year-old's birthday party might seem like a huge task, but we know that organising a special celebration for your toddler is important for you and for them. This is everything you need to know, from venues to food to gifts.
Indoor party ideas
By three years old, your child will have developed more of their own interests and probably made more friends at their nursery or playgroup - so it's likely that a bigger, busier party is on the cards!
An indoor birthday party is always a safe option when it comes to the weather, especially if your child has an autumn or winter birthday, and there are plenty of choices for different budgets.
If your son or daughter is still quite shy or daunted by bigger groups, then hosting their three-year-old birthday party at home means they'll be able to celebrate in familiar surroundings. Otherwise, why not try some of our other indoor party options below?
Your own home
By three years old, your child will already be developing their own interests and might even be able to tell you what they want for their party (as long as it's not too elaborate!). Maybe they're already a fan of princesses, dinosaurs, superheroes, fairies or a TV show like PAW Patrol - and these things all make great themes for a three-year-old birthday party that you can pull off at home.
You can make or buy decorations, like bunting or balloons, in line with the theme, make themed food, and tell your guests to dress accordingly (which could be super cute!).
A party in your own home is also a great way to keep the cost low, and it offers you more control over how many people you invite and how long the party lasts for.
Soft play centres
Now that your child is a little older, they'll be able to properly enjoy a soft play centre party - more so than when they were younger.
Most soft play centres will have specific areas that cater to younger and older toddlers, which is ideal if you're inviting children of different ages. They'll often offer bookings with a party planner and catering included - so it's definitely the most hassle-free option!
You can browse your local soft play centres with our handy search tool here - just check that they have a section suitable for three-year-olds, and if you’ll need any adults to supervise.
Village hall or community centre
Your local village hall or play centre is another great indoor party venue, especially if you don't want to be restricted by the size of your home or the per-head cost of soft play. Plus, with all the energy that three-year-olds have, it'll be a great space for them to run around!
Hiring a hall will be the main cost you have to front, and you can simply add in a bouncy castle and some play equipment to keep three-year-olds happy. You can expect to pay more if you'd like catering included, but if you want to keep costs down then consider making the food yourself (just bear the numbers in mind if you're doing so).
Check out your local halls for hire using our search tool - and remember to check that they offer children's parties as not all will.
Outdoor party ideas
Petting zoo
By three years old, many kids will LOVE being outside, so an outdoor party is a great option if your child would rather be out in the mud than inside.
Your three-year-old will also be getting more and more curious, so a party at a petting zoo or on a farm is a chance for them to explore some animals on their birthday. Don't panic about goats and ponies just yet, though, if you don't think they're ready - plenty of venues will offer parties with smaller animals, like guinea pigs, bunnies and chicks. And you'll be able to snap some super cute photos to look back on!
Garden party
A garden party is the perfect compromise when it comes to an outdoor party that still maintains the familiarity of your own home.
You can decorate the garden with bunting, hire a bouncy castle, or set up play mats with toys. Plus, you have freedom when it comes to the theme, with animal, jungle or dinosaur themes working well outside.
During the summer months, a water play party in shallow paddling pools will be something a bit different for toddlers. Just of course make sure to supervise at all times.
Picnic
Going for a picnic party is an easy outdoor option, especially if the birthday boy or girl loves running around in the park. Get some friends and family together with some picnic food and outdoor toys, and head to an outdoor play area if you have one nearby. There are plenty of games that can be played on a picnic, like pass the parcel (as long as you clean up afterwards) or outdoor puzzles, and you could even bring chalks to draw on concrete with.
Who to invite
By three years old, your child will probably have made more friends from their nursery, pre-school or playgroup - and they'll have started being invited to other children's parties, too.
However, this doesn't mean they won't be shy or daunted around bigger groups - so keep the guest list to around 10 to 12 children (if they have that many friends from nursery). If your child doesn't attend a nursery or playgroup, they'll probably have fewer friends, so you can fill up on family members, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and the children of family friends.
If your child is getting into arts and crafts, then sitting down to make some invitations together can be a fun way to get them involved in the planning - and it'll add a personal touch.
It's ideal to send out party invites between two and four weeks in advance. If you're paying ahead for a venue, ordering food from a caterer or buying ingredients yourself, you'll want to have numbers sorted early - so ask for RSVPs as soon as possible too!
Games and activities
When it comes to games, rules might still be hard to understand for some three-year-olds and being kicked out of a game can be upsetting - so keep the focus on having fun instead of too much competition! Stocking up on small prizes is also a good idea, so that everyone feels included.
Simple games like hide and seek, musical statues or an egg and spoon race (if you're outside) will be endless fun for three-year-olds - and you can give everyone a prize for taking part. Old classics like pass the parcel or pin the tail on the donkey will also go down well.
If games are too tricky, then simply handing out bubbles or setting up a sandpit outside is an easy way to keep older toddlers entertained.
You can buy bubble-making machines, too. See more details here at Amazon.
Check out some more party games for three-year-olds here.
Food and drink
Party food
Your child and their guests will be having so much fun at the party that it's unlikely they'll be sitting down to eat - so small, bite-sized food is your friend here!
If you’re worried about making sure there’s enough food to go around, fill up a cardboard meal box for each child. That way, you know no one will miss out and they can always take it home if they're having too much fun for food.
With most toddlers being picky eaters, stick to foods that you know they're probably going to like, such as sausage rolls, mini sausages, finger sandwiches and cheese cubes, as well as low-salt crisps and crackers. For more ideas, check out our party food guide here.
Drinks
For drinks, the healthiest option is to stick to water or milk. If you want to give fruit juice to under-fives, the NHS recommends that you dilute it with 10 parts water to 1 part juice. Older kids can have squash, water or undiluted fruit juice.
The NHS advises against fizzy drinks or flavoured milk for toddlers, but if you want to offer them to older kids then do so after the food, so the kids aren't too full of sugar to eat anything healthy.
Plus, if you’re at home and are worried about damaging furniture or carpets, keep the food and drink in a designated room or the garden.
Birthday cake
There are plenty of different options for birthday cake, depending on how much of a baker you are! Most supermarkets will sell themed birthday cakes, or if you want something extra personal then your local cake maker will likely be able to whip up something amazing. Guaranteed your three-year-old will love seeing all their favourite things in icing form.
For a middle-ground hack, buy a supermarket sponge cake and add the personalised decorations yourself. The kids won’t know any different and it's an easy way to create something unique at a low price. We've got plenty of cake decoration ideas for you to follow here, from castles to trains, to a classic caterpillar cake - whatever your three-year-old loves!
If you fancy baking your own cake, browse our library of recipes, from cupcakes to chocolate cake or rainbow cake, plus gluten free and egg free options, too.
Desserts
For extra dessert options other than cake, it’s a good idea to have some finger bites available, like little chocolate bites (though not too many!) and sliced pieces of fruit like melon, strawberries and banana.
Kids will also love jelly and ice cream as a dessert - and to make it that touch healthier why not try some of our fruity ice cream recipes? Alternatively, you can serve sorbet as a dairy-free option that goes down a treat with kids.
Gift ideas
Whether you’re buying for your own child or giving gift ideas to friends and family, at three years old your toddler will already be forming their own likes and dislikes - which means more opportunity to buy them a present they’ll love! And they might even be able to ask for a few things they'd like themselves (within reason!)
Gifts such as a play kitchen, a personalised story book or simple jigsaw puzzles are great options for either a boy or a girl. Not only fun, they'll also help with your little one's development, too.
Have a browse through some more of the best birthday gifts for three-year-olds here.
We love this retro-style play kitchen that's available here at Amazon.
Party bags
Your three-year-old will likely have already been invited to lots of friends and family member's birthday parties, which means they'll quickly have gotten used to receiving a party bag each time, as will their friends! It can sometimes be tricky to know what to include, especially for younger kids...
If you've thrown a themed party for your child, then having a theme to stick to for the party bags too makes it that bit easier. You can find cute stuffed animals for an animal theme or tiaras for princesses, for example.
A lot of plastic toys are only suitable for children aged three and upwards, so bear in mind the age of your younger guests when including these. Safer options are cuddly toys, play-doh and chunky crayons. Oh, and don't forget the cake!
Check out more party bag ideas here.
Tips for a great third birthday party
As with any party, planning ahead and getting organised with a list of everything you’ll need to do in advance of the big day will make things whole lot easier. These top tips should help things run even more smoothly:
- Child-to-adult ratio: If you've got quite a few three-year-olds and younger guests in attendance, then make sure you have enough adults on hand to deal with accidents, as well as any tears or tantrums. And if you have a large number of adult family members or parents as guests, make sure to include some grown-up food too (they'll be grateful!).
- Write down the gifts your child receives and who they're from as soon as your child opens them. You'll thank yourself later when it comes to writing thank-you notes!
- Plan the party for the morning or lunchtime. Many three-year-olds will still take an afternoon nap, and you don't want your party to clash. Plus, they'll likely be tired after just a couple of hours.
- Be prepared for accidents. Your guests will all be at different stages when it comes to potty training, but accidents can always happen - especially when children are having fun or are absorbed in something else! Be ready for potential accidents and keep cloths and baby wipes handy.
- Don’t drop your usual rules. Okay, a party is a time for kids to have fun - but that doesn’t mean you should drop your usual rules when it comes to tantrums and misbehaviour. However you usually deal with a tantrum, the best thing to do at a party is to take your child away from the audience, so going to a free room is a good idea.
Looking for more birthday party ideas? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other parents in our forum.
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Does your child have a sibling with a birthday coming up? Check out our other birthday party guides by age:
1-year-old birthday • 2-year-old birthday • 3-year-old birthday • 4-year-old birthday • 5-year-old birthday • 6-year-old birthday • 7-year-old birthday • 8-year-old birthday • 9-year-old birthday • 10-year-old birthday • 11-year-old birthday • 12-year-old birthday • 13-year-old birthday • 14-year-old birthday • birthday ideas for older teens
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