Tips to make your child's birthday extra special.

Birthdays are such an exciting time of the year for your child.  Here are some ideas that can make your child's birthday extra special.

1.  Video your child opening their presents or take photos.  It's a great way of looking back on the previous year in the future so they remember what they got.  It's amazing how quickly you forget.

2.  Get them a new outfit of clothes for their birthday.  Also, if your child has to go to school on their birthday, let them wear their outfit instead of their school uniform to school.  If your child is made to wear their school uniform every day,  it will be a big deal to them.

3.  If they are not having a party, you can let them invite just a few friends over and you can have a "mini party" for dinner.  Have basic party food like sausage rolls, party pies etc.  Alternatively, you can just let your child choose what they want to have for dinner.  My nine year old especially likes this idea because he knows he doesn't have to have vegetables!!!

4.  Decorate the house with party decorations, even if you aren't having a party.  It's exciting for a child to wake up and see the house all decorated just for them!!!

5.  If they have to go to school on their birthday, let them take a cake to share with their classmates.  Sometimes if your child is from a large classroom, it's easier to take along cupcakes.  That way there's no mucking around trying to cut individual slices and trying to get them the same size.  Alternatively, a big bag of lollies to share is good too.   Before you do this though, it's a good idea to find out whether any children have any allergies first. 

6.  Take a full length photo of your child so you can compare with next year's birthday photo and see how much they've grown!!! When my children turn 18, I am going to give them a photo album and have a photo of them from every birthday.  It will be a great keepsake.

7.  Even if they aren't having  a party, it's still good to have a birthday cake so you can sing "Happy Birthday" to you child as a family and let them blow out the candles.  Also take photos or video them.

8.  In one of the child's birthday cards, draw around your child's hand on the blank side, and see how fast their hands grow over the years.  I also do this if they get books on their birthday - I date when they got it, and draw around their hand on the first or last page of the book where there's usually a blank page.

8.  Just have fun!!! Play some of their favourite music and dance around, maybe watch their favourite movie, or let them stay up half an hour longer after their usual bed time.