Planning a birthday party can be a fun and creative process, or an overwhelming process, when you add multiples to the picture. When the children are younger, it may feel like you are getting away with something to have a two (or three, or four, etc.) for one birthday party. Once the children get older and have different groups of friends from school, they may want to invite even more friends or have separate celebrations. As the parent, you get to set the ground rules for how elaborate and expensive the party gets, but you can’t always control how many friends your children dream of inviting. So work out a plan from the beginning to go large or stay small, and many of your other party decisions will flow from that guest list.
The location of your party will depend on a few factors, such as number of guests, weather, and party budget. It might be possible to hold a large family and friends party at your home in the summer, when you can spread the festivities outdoors, but not during the winter months. If you don’t have the budget to hold a party at another location, then you probably have to limit the number of guests and account for the parents of young children who will stay at the party. Parents who don’t want the craziness and cleanup attached to a large party with lots of children should research local kid-friendly venues. I just had my son’s 5th birthday party at Bounce U because he was so excited to invite all of his classmates, and I thought the process was fairly easy on my end. Many places you can take your children for open tumble also book birthday parties. In my personal opinion, your money is better spent on this kind of option when your children are old enough to run around without constant supervision and can follow directions. You may get out of party cleanup, but you’ll be exhausted if you have to chase around multiple children in a large, crowded setting.
After picking a location and narrowing down (or expanding!) your guest list, you may want to pick a theme for your party. Themes can be simple or they can dictate everything you do for the party, including the food you serve and what your children wear. If you would like to keep things on the simple side, consider just picking a color theme. You can choose one color for each child and get decorations, invitations and a cake to match. The ever popular baby shower theme of peas in a pod can make a comeback for your multiples’ 1st birthday. Perhaps your multiples are really into a TV show or character. Popular twin character themes include Minnie and Mickey and Thing 1 and Thing 2 (or add Thing 3 for triplets!).There are also plenty of boy/girl twin themes that don’t focus on a specific character, such as Ties and Tutus or Princesses and Knights. Amazon and Etsy have an array of supplies, like invitations, onesies, party hats, bibs and decorations, that can supplement what you find in stores.
The cake is always something my children look forward to the most. They love having friends and family sing the birthday song, blowing out the candles, and eating nothing but the frosting. But a cake isn’t the only way to go. Cupcakes, cake pops, or giant cookies are always options. If you go with a traditional cake, you also have to decide on whether to do one large cake for your multiples to share, have smaller cakes decorated for each child, or have a cake for guests and tiny smash cakes for your multiples. Creative cake decorators can find ways to combine more than one theme on a cake. If each of your children likes a totally different cake flavor or frosting, however, then consider ordering a cake or dessert to suit each child’s preference. Keep in mind that if you are hosting a party at another location, you may have to order the cake through that business, which limits your choices.
There is no singular right way to throw a birthday bash for your multiples; every family and circumstance makes the process different. If you are creative and have the resources, then go all out with a themed party. If your budget and space are limited, then your multiples will feel special with a small family celebration. The most important ingredient in a good birthday party is love, and you can provide this for your children no matter how many people attend or what finger foods you serve.