Social distancing rules may have cancelled the typical children's parties we’re use to (see: handfuls of happy, energetic kids, food/germ-sharing, hugging and playing and DEFINITELY touching/ speaking moistly towards each other), but birthdays are definitely not cancelled. Despite large parties being on hold for the foreseeable future, the celebrations do not have to stop. In fact, we think we need to do a little extra this year to make our kids feel even more special. Without all of their friends and family to join in person, we thought we'd compile our ideas for making their at-home quarantine birthday THE MOST MEMORABLE BIRTHDAY YET!
Thanks to Covid, families are wisely opting to celebrate in the safety of their own bubble and home. We think decorations should still be hung, presents should be opened and a good old game of musical chairs can still take place! Games and fun are birthday party staples that can still happen within a small group.
Birthdays haven’t been cancelled and with that special day on the horizon, it’s important to plan ahead. Here are some caring tips on how to make a quarantine birthday feel special:
1. Make it a ‘yes day’: A full day where parents and caregivers can’t say ‘no’. Obviously this will have some limitations when you can’t visit friends, parks or favourite party venues. But within the walls of your own home you can still let them eat treats, make forts, dance with them, tickle them, chase them….whatever their little hearts’ desire! Coronavirus quarantine has made ‘no’ leave our lips more than usual, so it’s important to throw the stress, worries and rules aside (within reason) and repeat after us: YES, OUI, JA, SI, TAK!
2. Decorate, decorate, decorate! Take your kid’s favourite theme or colour and splash it all over the house. Make it extra special and do it while they’re sleeping. When they wake up, shouts of ‘Happy Birthday’ can be matched with unicorns, rainbows, pirates or dinosaurs everywhere.
3. Planning ahead also ensures friends and families can participate in the festivities. Video chat apps like Zoom, FaceTime or Google Hangouts offer ways for them to celebrate the special day. Between giggles, silent waving, blank stares and talking over one another, these video chats can be filled (with the help of platforms like Petit Party) with magicians, yoga classes and science experiments. Make sure to save time for a loud and exaggerated Happy Birthday song –you’ll never see a smile so big.
Petit Party is a Canadian company and online curator of virtual birthday parties, offering packages that can help parents throw an entire party from start to finish. Entertainment, treats, gifts, and décor are some of the items offered, that with the click of a button can be delivered to the safety of your own home. Not only will you be able to see the smiles on little ones’ faces, purchasing these packages will also put smiles on children in shelters. A portion of all proceeds go to supporting Birthday Angels, who bring the happiness of birthday parties to children in shelters.
4. Don’t forget the present! Kids are REALLY GOOD at asking for things. Everything. Everyday. All day. Their birthday may just be the day to splurge on a special gift and give in to what they’ve been hoping, asking and wishing for. A present doesn’t have to be expensive or big - just special. Shop Caring Confetti gifts.
5. Fill in all the gaps with hugs, kisses, cuddles and positivity. Covid is a hard time for everyone, especially for kids who have had their routines torn away, and don’t understand why they can’t see their friends and family. Show them that even though these extraordinary circumstances may have put a wrench in our plans, they haven’t ruined them.
So don’t let the party stop, we’re all in this together!