All birthdays are a special and exciting day. You’re one year older and wiser.
Milestone birthdays are especially exciting to celebrate because they don’t come around
as often. Though the novelty of birthdays may have worn off for you by now, it definitely
hasn’t for your kids. Here are some fun ideas for to use to celebrate your kids’ milestone
birthdays!

Even though during their first milestone at age one your child won’t really remember
or even truly appreciate the day, it’s a big deal. For a long time, families celebrated a
child’s first birthday because so few children actually made it to age one. And you both
deserve some celebration after the tumultuous first year of your baby’s life. Make the
theme of the day something unique like crayons, rubber ducky, teddy bears, Legos, or
balloons that the kids will enjoy. Pick your child’s favorite games or time of the day and
plan the theme around that. If you choose crayons, you could line your walls, floor, or
tables with butcher paper so the kids can draw on everything. Plan around naptime and
invite baby’s friends over. Decorate the house to differentiate the day in your child’s eyes
and provide plenty of easy finger foods. Consider tiny cupcakes instead of a big cake so
small hands and mouths can easily enjoy the birthday treat.

Many of those ideas will translate really easily to a five-year-old child’s birthday
as well. Though by five your child will be more developed and have a personality
completely her own and will be able to help you plan according to her favorite colors,
movies, toys, or games. If you want to plan either birthday away from the house, think
about doing a zoo or petting zoo party, or a party at the [Read more…]

So, the family’s decided to go on a picnic. When it comes to planning that kind of
event, most people would probably think that it’s a pretty easy thing to do. After all, what
do you need besides a blanket, some food and a basket?

If you want an average kind of picnic, nothing.

But if you want one that will seem like more than eating tuna sandwiches outside for
lunch, here are some recommended steps that can make your family picnic a fun and
memorable experience.

Determine the time of day you want to go. If you have younger
children (that are on a sleep schedule), then you’ll probably want to do the traditional
midday kind of picnic. But if your kids are older, who said that a picnic has to be at
noon? Instead of Saturday morning cartoons, maybe have a breakfast-themed picnic,
instead. Or, perhaps opt for watching the sunset by having a picnic at dusk.

Select the perfect location. When it comes to just about everything
in life, “Location, location, location!” is key. Picnics tend to be more enjoyable when
there’s not a lot of traffic, people or even pets around (to try and join in on your dining
experience). Therefore, instead of automatically going to the closest or most popular
park, think of other places that would be just as good (if not better). It could be at the
backyard of a family friend’s home or somewhere by a lake. Or, you can stay close to
home and build a tent in the backyard or even eat in the back of your pickup truck.

Make the cuisine a collaborative effort. Once you’ve decided
when to have the picnic, it’s the time to determine what will go on the menu. Sure,
deli sandwiches will work, but there’s [Read more…]