Celebrating kids half birthdays

Celebrating kids half birthdays is a growing trend - why wait a whole year for your next birthday party!

When you’re little your birthday seems like FOREVER away! But now it seems half birthday celebrations are starting to pop up everywhere. Sometimes for practical reasons and sometimes just because.
 

Celebrating kids half birthdays

For the longest time kids have described their ages as ‘3 and a half’ or ‘4 and a quarter’. To them, those days and months represent large percentages of their time on the planet, they love to keep track.

For babies and their parents, a half birthday is a big deal and a reason to celebrate. Reaching 6 months, 1 ½, 2 ½ and 3 ½ years old are major milestones in their little lives.

Children who have Christmas birthdays or theirs falls during the holidays, particularly in summer, may find that their friends are often away and they have no-one to celebrate with.

Or your child’s birthday might fall in the middle of winter when there are limited venue options to accommodate pre-schoolers running around on a cold wet day.

Your child’s birthday might even full in a leap year on 29 February. Whichever way, a half birthday celebration could remedy these situations.
 

Kids half birthday parties

Celebrating half birthdays is becoming more popular, but is it a trend that’s worth the extra stress and spending?

It really is down to you to decide how much you want to be caught up in organising another celebration for your little one.

If you’re considering starting a half birthday tradition, start simple. You don’t have to go all out for half birthdays.

Having a half birthday party is supposed to be fun and different, not stressful.

While your child’s actual birthday might be a huge celebration full of party food and invitations, half birthdays are generally much more low key.

Half birthdays lend themselves to fun ideas!
 

5 Ways to celebrate kids half birthdays

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate your kids half birthdays.
 

1. Invitations

 

• Invite half as many friends to your child’s party as you would for a full birthday party celebration. Keep things low key.

 

• Perhaps focus on making a family dinner special rather than holding an actual party.

 

• If your child is still small, how about celebrating their 6 month or 18 month birthday with all the other babies and parents in your coffee group.

 

• Start and finish the party on the half hour.

 

2. Decorations

 

• Decorate only half a room! It saves time and money. If you already have party supplies in the cupboard, half parties are a great excuse to use them up. They don’t all have to match.

 

• However you can now buy specially designed half birthday party supplies if you prefer.

 

3. Presents

 

• If you’re buying birthday presents, giving a smaller gift than on your child's actual birthday is perfectly acceptable.

 

4. Party food

 

• If your child’s old enough let them choose their favourite meal or party food.

 

• Otherwise you could play on the ‘half’ theme and serve up half of everything: cupcakes, pizza, carrot sticks, bananas etc.

 

• Rather than a full-sized birthday cake, how about baking half a cake or decorating a smaller cake with ‘Happ Birt’.

 

• Cupcakes are a great option too. Perhaps even snip the candles so they’re half-size as well.

 

5. Extras

 

• Keep party entertainment low key. Maybe let your birthday child choose a couple of party games for everyone to play after they’ve finished eating.

 

• Fill the party bags or loot bags half full or full of half things to keep with the theme.

 

More kids party articles to enjoy:

• Birthday party food ideas
• Toddler party tips
• Traditional birthday party games

^{Image source: bekicookscakesblog}