Corona Virus! This mysterious illness that is sweeping the nation is literally hitting us in every aspect of our lives. Social distancing is no fun for anyone. But telling a child they are not allowed to have their birthday party because of this pandemic that they can not see let alone understand, is devastating. We have come up with some very innovative ways to make your child's birthday special without putting anyone in harm's way.
PLANNING THE SPECIAL DAY
The key to planning a successful social distancing birthday party is to let your child be involved in the planning. This makes them feel special and helps to take their mind off of everything else that is going on in the world.
Guests
You can still have guests participate in your party. You will just have to do it virtually. Make a list of participants that can be available via Zoom or other social webpages. These guests will participate in games and singing Happy Birthday. Making your little guest of honor feel loved! Once you have your list, contact guests and let them know of your plans and what time you would like them to be available as well as which social page fits your needs best. You can use Zoom, Facebook Live, or your favorite social hangout. If you do not have access to social hangout sites, simply enlist your live-in family members to participate.
Decorations
Let your child be a part of the decoration plans. Start by choosing a color or theme in which you will be decorating. Get the whole family involved in setting up the decor. You can do simple decor from streamers and balloons to having an entire craft day after scouring Pinterest and Google to make super cute themed decorations. Streamers can be twisted and taped to the walls. Balloons do not have to be helium inflated, you can simply use a balloon blower and let them flow throughout the room or even the house. Glue dots are your best friend when it comes to sticking balloons together or to the wall. Balloons are always festive no matter how you place them. Take a look at the simple ideas below for you and your littles to create a festive party space.
You can add colorful table cloths and make some cute centerpieces. If you have a printer, here are some cute printable banners from Paper Trail Designs.
Breakfast
You can start your morning off by making a fun breakfast the guest of honor. Here are some easy birthday breakfast ideas from Simply Well Balanced You can choose to do breakfast, lunch, dinner OR all three meals. But definitely make one extra special!!
Activities
Since there will not be the traditional family and friends as guests doing the usual party activities, the key here is to make everyday activities feel special.
When it comes time to have some fun activities, you can choose to do a virtual craft such as an art project. For example, if you choose a unicorn theme, have your guests gather some form of canvas and drawing tools. This can be anything from paper to canvas' as well as markers, crayons, and paints. Instruct your guests to create their favorite unicorn drawing and have fun showing off their projects to virtual guests. You could also do a virtual riddle-solving birthday puzzle. Give each guest a set of riddles and have them write their answers down. At the end, tally up who solved the most riddles. Here are some great riddles from Fatherly.com
While you have your group together, don't forget to sing Happy Birthday to the guest of honor. You can present her with a cupcake or cake with candles at this time.
Once you have thanked your virtual guests for being a part of your special day, don't let this be the end of this very special day. Now, would be a great time to get in some quality time with just you and your child. Together, you can figure out an activity that you would love to do together. This can be anything from reading a book, play their favorite game or make a craft together. Finally, as a family, treat your guest of honor to their favorite dinner and have a movie night complete with popcorn, candy, etc.
By the end of this day, your guest of honor will feel so special and loved! They will remember this special day and how you made it extra special for them. There is nothing betting in this world than creating wonderful lasting memories with your loved ones. Take this time to truly cherish each and every moment you have together. Stay healthy!
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