Once you have earned the proud notch in your parenting belt from having successfully thrown (read: survived) your child's first birthday, you'd think that the second one would be a piece of cake, right? Not necessarily. A lot of parents, myself included, tend to burn themselves out trying to make birthday number one perfect down to the last detail. So when it's time for number two, you might get a little stressed wondering if you can pull it off again. If you don't want to break the bank, don't worry, there are plenty of easy and creative second birthday party ideas out there.
It's normal to feel the pressure when it comes to planning a toddler's birthday party, especially if you threw an awesome and unique first birthday party already. Sure, you want to have some flawless pictures to look back on and great memories to share, but that doesn't mean you have to go all out. There are a surprising number of fun yet simple options when it comes to finding the perfect inspiration for your little one's second birthday party. From cosmic to cute, check out all the different ideas that won't take a toll on either your wallet or your time.
1Backyard BBQ Birthday Bash
One of the hardest parts of having a party for kids is coming up with activities. Toddlers can be especially messy, so hosting a backyard birthday bash—complete with colorful sponge water bombs in place of water balloons—like A Pretty Life in the Suburbs did is simply genius.
2Colorful Flower Power
Who doesn't love colorful flowers? This super cute flower power birthday party from Studio DIY is delightfully easy to pull off. From decorating solely with floral bunches to simply taping a large sheet of paper to the wall to make a wonderful keepsake, this birthday is sure to keep everyone happy.
3Horse-Themed Party
Whether you love Country music or your tastes are a touch on the rustic side, a horse-themed party, like the one from The Merry Thought, is fun for all ages. In keeping with the Western feel, you can go very low-tech with the decorations and even the food.
4Moon & Stars
Gender neutral and easy to coordinate, the moon and stars birthday party idea from A Beautiful Mess is stellar. You can find celestial shaped cookie cutters almost everywhere and use them to turn fruit, cookies, sandwiches, and more into cosmic shapes.
5Birthday Box
Instead of relying on blurry pictures to catch cute photo opportunities, the brilliant minds at Burlap and Blue incorporated creating keepsakes into the party with the Birthday Box idea. The concept is that the kids get to decorate the outside of their box however they like and parents fill out a little questionnaire (like your child's likes, dislikes, favorite toys) to put inside so you can have your very own moment in time captured forever.
6Simple & Classic
Still stuck on ideas? Julie Blanner solved her situation by using her daughter as the inspiration for this simple and classic second birthday party. The menu is comprised of their favorite food, the decorations are their favorite colors, and so on. Super simple!
7A "Happy" Birthday
When she asked her child what theme she wanted for her birthday, she gave a very toddler answer: Happy! So the very "happy" birthday party from Crafter Hours centered on all things sunshine and fun. Feel free to interpret "happy" in your own way, of course.
8Fun On The Farm
One of the perks of hosting a party at a location that's not your house, is that there's no clean-up involved! For this little guy, they did his birthday party at a local farm. After all, 2-year-olds love nothing more more than getting to run around uninhibited and explore.
9Candy Party
Usually you try to keep your kids away from sugar, but why not let them go a little crazy on their birthday? DIY Candy put together this edible and easy-to-make candy garland for a sweets and treats themed party.
10Lego Party
Most toddlers can't get enough of building and smashing and blocks. So using their favorite toys as the theme for a Lego birthday party, like Delia Creates did for her 2-year-old, is genius. From easy print-outs to activities that practically handle themselves, this idea is perfect for your mini architect.
11Forest Friends
If your 2-year-old's favorite stuffed animal is a teddy bear, then they will probably love celebrating a forest friends birthday party. You can use all the animals of nature as inspiration for cupcakes, decorations, and party favors. You can even help the kids make animal-themed masks and hats.
