Ingredients for a successful 2nd birthday party!

based entirely on what happened yesterday!!

1) Invite the correct number of children for the size of house (remembering to include parents whn assesing this)

2) Hide your little ones very favourite toys and items such as ride on bikes and shopping trolleys upstairs to try to prevent jealousy attacks of "mine" (especially if your little one is not into sharing like ours is)

3) Create a distraction with a large inflatable car ball pit filled with balls and balloons, fairy lights and a child friendly flashing disco light.

4) Play music and get the children to dance in flashing lights.

5) Play games like pass the parcel instead of focusing on toys

6) Have toys in the other room/other space for those who don't like pass the parcel and dancing or want to sit on their own.

7) Have seperate food availavble for mummies & daddies - remember they will be very hungry too. We put ours in the kitchen so it was seperated from the children's food. We just did jacket potatoes with variuos fillings.

8) Have a space for nappy changing upstairs (we used little mans bedroom) and place a potty, wipes, anti bacterial spray, a bin and a step for little ones to reach to the sink/toilet in your bathroom.

Well it went unbelievably well!! We are so happy, our little man didn't have one strop, no tears and only a slight tantrum over a green train which became the favourite item once discovered. There were very few tears and it was lovely, everyone knew everyone else from playgroups etc.. so that really helped and the children were lovely. We had 9 children aged from 5 to 5 months, the majority being between 20 months and 3 years.

We got the inflatable ball pit from Tesco for £5 (bargain!) - the balls to go in it cost £10 for 200, but it was worth it for the entertainment value and it really helped take the emphasis of little mans toys. The other children did discover them but he coped with it and was sad when they went, he asked for more "miiiss" and made cuddling motions with his arms!

He's a little 2 year old superstar!

We had another party in the evening, mainly for adults but some older children came (10, 8, 6 and 4), they still loved the ball pool and we switched on Wii and they played Wii sports happily whilst we all chatted in the other room.

Little man spent lots of time kissing and cuddling the 4 year old girl in ball pit!!!