I am throwing my niece a surprise birthday party. My idea is to see if the local salon would do mani/Pedi's for her and her best friends (4-6 girls). All the girls are very girly and love having their nails painted, but price might be an issue. What did you all do for your 3 y.o. birthday party for your girls?
I wasn't suggesting like a full blown mani/pedi just let them have them nails painted, maybe hair curled a little lip gloss and then some cake. No I am not raising my niece, but my sister is just fine with the idea. Also, it wouldn't be a typical surprise party where everyone yells or anything. I would just tell her that we are doing something fun with her bestie friends and would end up at the salon (or back at my house that has been transformed into a salon).
Thank you for the wonderful ideas.
3 year olds don't need mani/pedis.
And her Mom should be asked first.
And, the other girls Moms... may not even approve of that idea or activity for their 3 year old girls.
What about just doing a dress up party? You could do this at your home, her home, or at a facility that does dress up parties. Or, you could just have a mani/pedi party at your or her home.
What about a tea party? That would be easy to do on a budget.
I agree the surprise factor is unnecessary. It could scare or confuse her,or at the least, none of the kids that age will get "it". Aside, then the other girls will also need to not be told or they will spill the beans. At that age, the anticipation is one of the best things. As for the salon, IMO, its too much. She is too young to appreciate it and they will just want to play, not wait there turn. Aside, starting out at such an expensive arty a 3, what will she expect at 7?
Let them be little kids. Why not decorate the house a nail salon section and a makeup section where grown ups give them a little makeover, then sit down for a tea party and the cake. That's the most important part. Send out the invites to dress up fancy for a tea party in honor of the birthday girl. I think it will go over much better at that age. And just be prepared that no matter what you plan, some of the kids might not enjoy it or rather just run around. Good luck.
Are you raising your niece? Because if not I'd check with her mom to make sure this is OK with her and the other moms, or do you know for a fact they'd be cool with it? Most moms of girls that age I know say "no" to mani/pedis for 3 year olds. Our 5 year old neighbor's parents say no, (my granddaughter was doing her nails and asked if their daughter could have hers done, she'd asked) and the mom has her nails done all the time. They were pleasant, but adamant.
At 3 cupcakes and balloons at a park are fine, mani/pedi parties come later. And you're right, price would be an issue. Why not buy some pretty polishes and stickers and do it with a couple of the other moms yourselves?
Ahhhhh, I like Bug's idea of a tea party :)
At 3y/o I threw my daughter a tea party with her stuffed animals and family only, it was so cute! I had my BFF, who is a professional cake decorator, make her a cake that looked like a tea kettle, kinda whimsical and 'Alice and Wonderland' like, very cool!
I also threw her a 'painting party' one year, where she got to paint on plain white t-shirts, black hoodie w/glow in the dark neon paint and piggy banks and name placks...it was pretty darn cute too!
~My sister and I just took my daughter for her very first mani/pedi a couple weeks ago, she is 5y/o and she loved it!
What a good Auntie you are for doing this but I bet you that anything you come up with she will LOVE as long as she gets to hang with you!
You sound like a very thoughtful aunt but as others have suggested: a.) check with the mom. b.) 3-year-olds definitely don't understand surprise parties.
The awesome thing about 3-year-olds and birthdays is as long as there is cake and they know it's their day, ANYTHING goes.
I've been to parties for 3-year-olds in parks, at homes and for my own, an indoor playground.
Good luck.
3 year olds do not get the "surprise" in surprise party. Actually it might scare them. Also mani/pedis for a 3 year old. I don't think so. My kids always just played at three years old. A home party with sidewalk chalk.
They can draw. If you just put some outdoor toys out they will be very happy.
Sounds like a more appropriate party for 8 to 10 year old girls. And like others have said, the other moms may not be too keen on the idea.
I didn't do a birthday-party-with-friends for my daughter until she was 4, and then it was at an indoor play place - pizza, cake, balloons and being able to run around like crazy was and is good enough for kids at this age!
My 3 year old LOVES to get pedicures! She feels so grown up. That being said, I probably wouldn't do it as a party until she was older because the logistics of coordinating that many 3 year olds makes me dizzy. It's a fun thing to do just the two of you, though. That could be her present from you, her aunt.
When my daughter turned 3, we had just moved to a new city, so we invited her daycare class to a "paint your own pottery" place. We picked the "pottery" ahead of time (each girl got to paint a plate with their initial on it) so there was a fixed cost.
As other's have mentioned, a dress up tea party is pretty common at that age as well.
If you end up doing the mani/pedi thing, i would check with the moms of ALL the girls. I prefer that my daughter does not wear nail polish, and if she does wear it, we get the water based kind (Piggy Paint, Hopscotch Kids, etc).
Check around and see if there is a beauty school near you. Wanted to mention that at 3 they might not be able to actually sit long enough for a pedi. That's a pretty involved thing for 3 year olds. That's more a tween thing.
There used to be a place at our mall that did little mini up do' s, some blush and lip gloss and fingernail polish, the girls put on a princess dress, learned a song and ate cup cakes. This all together was about an hour and fifteen minutes. Cost about $20 per kid. They lived it.
You should just do a nail salon at home! That would be perfect for this age. I would not do it at a salon bc they are so little. You could get a couple helpers - like some neighborhood teenage babysitters. My 3 year old LOVES horses as in she is gaga about them. We had 2 teenagers at the local horse stables give her and 5 friends some pony rides for her birthday. She loved it so much and talks about her cowgirl birthday party all the time.
Princess party where everyone brings dress up clothes. Boys can make capes and wear stuff too.
Get foam crowns from Hobby Lobby, make sure at least one style is less frilly so a boy can wear it. Then let them decorate them with glue on gems and glitter. They can have a castle cake and play princess/kings etc...for hours.
If you want to paint the girls' nails, I'd just do it at your home. Little girls that age don't care about the quality of the manicure, and it will be much less expensive.
I will say, however, that I wouldn't be very happy if my three year old went to a party where she came back with nail polish and make-up. My friend babysat my then two-year-old daughter and painted her toenails. I didn't tell her so, but I was upset. I don't like the way it looks on baby feet and hands. They are already perfect without being artificially enhanced. It sounds like maybe that might not be a problem with your niece's friends? But just something to keep in mind. I personally like to keep them little while I can.
When my daughter turned 3, we just had a birthday party in the backyard and let the kids play. You are an awesome aunt for wanting to do something special for your niece.
Hello! I did a tea party. Purchased the pink boas, sun hats, utilized my china. I made home maid cranberry tea and Italian wedding cookies. I purchased small little toasts and apple butter and ordered some super cute cupcakes. I can't recall what the party favors were but they had tons of fun. I told the parents their child could dress up as a princess and they did! It was great. If I could post photos on here I would.
