Birthday parties are incredibly important for kids, especially if you throw a party for your kids every year. However, given the current coronavirus crisis and social distancing, you won't be able to invite your child's friends to the party, and of course, that means friends won't be hugging.
Don't worry about your child getting upset, because you can still throw a kid's birthday party during lockdown and make it very special. The first thing you should do when bringing up the subject of a postponed birthday party is to reframe your conversation to focus on the positive things you will do instead.
You can start by talking about how great it would be to see the faces and hear the voices of their friends, grandparents, and other relatives in a video chat.
You should plan ahead, and we have some ideas for how your child can celebrate their birthday in other ways.
Arrange a virtual birthday
Your child may find it interesting to plan a virtual birthday. There are many platforms where you can host a virtual birthday party, including social media messaging apps and conferencing apps like Zoom.
For young children, many animators offer virtual theme parties. At the beginning of the blockade, this story of a family creating a Frozen themed party hit the news.
You can get your child interested in a virtual party by ordering hats, glasses or costumes for their birthday to create a party atmosphere. You can ask the parents of your child's friends to do the same and ask them to share photos of the gifts wrapped and in transit.
To make the party a hit, you can ask parents to cook something special for their children. Don't forget to order or bake a birthday cake for your child to blow out the candles and make a wish.
You can ask each child to prepare a talent to showcase it at a virtual birthday party. It can be magic, singing, dancing, reciting poetry or telling jokes. You can also find online versions of classic birthday games or the latest multiplayer games for everyone.
If a virtual birthday party isn't practical for you, you can get your child interested in taking photos and videos to share online. You can decorate the house and garden, plan and record a treasure hunt, host a dance party, or have your child prepare a baking show.
Birthday wishes
By following social distancing rules, you can ask grandparents and friends who live nearby to walk past your house as part of their daily workout. Children can say happy birthday or, if grandparents prefer, drive past in their car and honk.
Canceling a birthday party for kids doesn't necessarily ruin their birthday. Remember that it's all about making your child feel special and unique.
