How to Throw a Farm-Themed Birthday Party for Your Toddler

Want your toddler to have an unforgettable birthday party? Look up a local farm and start planning!

Even if your kid won’t remember it consciously, they’ll know the joy and the magic of being around animals. Give them that joy!

That was the idea behind throwing my 3-year-old a birthday party on a farm.

She’s an animal lover so I knew she’d be ecstatic.

And it’s an easy no-hassle option for those of us (I see you) who don’t want to spend weeks planning and executing a toddler birthday party with fancy décor and catering. Although, to each their own! If that’s what you’re into, by all means 🙂

We found this amazing Children’s Nature Retreat in our area (San Diego) that has over 100 animals including zebras, camels, mini horses, etc.

It’s called “retreat” because many of the animals came from owners who could no longer care for them, while others were rescued from harsh conditions.

This beautiful farm gives them an opportunity to live with dignity, be surrounded by loving caring people, and enjoy lots of grassy “snacks” from the visitors!

This is one of the reasons I chose this farm — to help in some way. Places like this need donations to survive.

So if I’m going to pay to have my toddler’s birthday party somewhere, I’d rather give the money to the animals than a playground or a trampoline park.

Not only that, I wanted my daughter, and all the kids at the party, for that matter, to have a chance to experience the animals up close. To see them free and happy and well cared for.

Animals at this retreat didn’t look sad or trapped like they often do at the zoo. They were behind fences, but at the same time, there was plenty of space to roam free, enjoy the sunshine, munch on grass, and, hopefully, interact with the visitors.

At this retreat, you can feed the animals and then have a birthday feast in the picnic area.

As I said, I didn’t put too much effort into food and decorations, so the animals were the focus of the party.

Our “birthday package” included drinks and snacks. So I just bought cake, a vegetable platter, and fruit salad from the store, and ordered pizza.

But the coolest thing in our “birthday package” was a “show and tell” with reptiles and bugs! My little girl handled a snake like a champ, and all the kids were super excited to touch bearded dragons and Madagascar cockroaches. Brrrrrr

I also stuffed a piñata (always fun!) and let the kids go at it.

Everything was fine until…we brought out the cake and everyone started singing her “Happy Birthday.” Scary!!!

But lizards and spiders were fine, go figure.

Toddler Farm-Themed Birthday Party Dos and Don’ts

Here are a few tips for you to start the ball rolling.

1. Do hit your local 99 Cent store or Dollartree!

Stay clear of party supply stores, my friends. You can pick up a few specific items there to establish a theme but everything else can be bought 2-3 times cheaper at a discount store!

I bought everything there: paper plates, cups, straws, cutlery, tablecloths, napkins… Helium balloons that cost $5.99 each at Vons are only a dollar at a discount store! I even found a piñata there (an owl…close enough).

2. Do account for bad weather.

It’s an outside party so plan accordingly. Here in Southern California mid-October is still very hot and sunny. But depending on where you live, you might want to check the weather report to make sure everything goes smoothly.

Then inquire if your venue has an inside space in case it rains. You’ll have to cancel the animal feeding but at least you’ll be able to have a little party! If you left a deposit, they might also refund your money or reschedule.

3. Don’t think one drink per guest is enough.

Our venue provided water bottles and juice boxes (one per guest) but we ran out of them pretty quickly.

Kids tend to open bottles, have a few sips, then abandon them entirely and ask for a new one. So it never hurts to have plenty.

4. Do consider the timing

Most toddlers still nap, and they tend to get pretty cranky if they miss their nap time.

To avoid the possible disaster with a bunch of screaming kids, plan the party either before or after your little one usually goes down for a power nap.

For example, 10 AM to 12 PM or 3 PM to 5 PM would work well.

5. Do invest in gift bags.

It’s not a strict necessity but it’s a nice thoughtful touch, especially if you’re going low-key on everything else. I bought these cute farm-themed gift bags I found on Amazon (seriously, everyone commented on how cute the bags were).

Inside I put farm-themed stickers, play-doh, bubble bottles (all from the 99 Cents store), and candy, of course! I also found a few trinkets at Target, 12-packs for $5-6.

That triggered an unintentional scavenger hunt once the girls realized there were different colors, because, of course, everybody wanted pink!

6. Do keep it moving.

Our party ran a little long because first, we waited for all the guests to arrive to start the tour. Then it took a while to go through all the animals.

I would say, the bigger your group, the slower the pace is going to be. So keep things moving and maybe don’t invite too many guests.

7. Do ask someone else to take pictures.

I’m the photographer of the family so most family events and other festive occasions are kind of a blur to me because I’m running around trying to find the best angle and light.

I was very grateful to have a family member take care of that this time. This is your little one’s birthday we’re talking about!

There won’t be too many of those before they grow up, so put the camera down and enjoy it!

Take a moment to just breathe and feel proud of the wonderful human you created.