Nursery Birthdays, What do I do?

[mummylove24]

New first time mummy here with a 10 month old who’s just started nursery day care (less than a month)

Another baby had their 1st birthday and parents gave all the babies little goody bags with a toy, my daughter got hers a week after, she’s not there everyday.

Though I don’t know the baby or parents, Do I get the baby a birthday card now, is it too late? I don’t know the etiquette 😅

Also… when it’s my daughters 1st birthday, and she’ll be in nursery that day, should I do goody bags for her room, should I give the staff some cakes, I just dunno , I’m new to this, what’s the protocol!! 😂

e.g. If it’s my birthday I’m in the office I bring in cakes and donuts etc..

Any advice? Thanks Mamas ❤️

Ask the nursery what they do - at ours it was the nursery itself that organised cake, and parents could choose to do extra things if they wanted to. There was a mix of whether families did anything extra or not. We didn't until DS1 was 3, when he asked for a (extra) cake to be taken in as he specifically wanted to share a Colin the caterpillar one.

I wouldn't get the baby a card.

I would send in some cakes/ treats for them all to share ( although check with the nursery first). I certainly wouldn't be doing gift bags nor have I heard of anyone doing that before. Just another thing for mums to organise and stress about

Oh really, I’m so new, I didn’t think to ask , thanks x

I did think with cakes the babies dietary restrictions etc. but would be OK for staff. I’ll ask them what’s allowed?
When I saw the goody bag I was like HUH 😂very thoughtful but like you say I have to start looking on Amazon etc. organising and I’m already busy….and tired 😂❤️

I have never seen anyone do this at my children's nursery! Many of the babies don't start till they're already one anyway. A few had 2nd birthday parties, but not that many. We held off till 3, when DS1 had clocked that birthday parties were a thing and had spent months planning his.

I always send a supermarket birthday cake in with my child and nursery will do the candles and sing happy birthday, then we get pictures of them all enjoying the cake together at snack time. Just check with your nursery if there's any requirements though, as our nursery aren't allowed to give all children cake unless the box specifically says "no nuts" on it. If you asked them that, they might come back to you with info on anything they specifically do there at that nursery.

"What do I do?"

Nothing.
It really isn't 'typical' and definitely not expected nor even wanted .

Don't need to send a card and don't need to send anything in when it is your little one's birthday.

I've done this few years ago. Sent in loads of toys for the babies in my DC's room. Also sent in treats for staff. The first birthday was just coming out of Covid so they had a homemade cake for the kids.

I also did the same for all the 3 years they were in nursery. But sent in a nut free cake as they got older because of allergies.

Never had anything like this at nursery. Got invited to a few parties and invited to my DC's in return but that's all. No party bags or cake or anything sent in.

Unless you're invited to a party you don't need to buy anything and you don't need to send anything in on your child's birthday.

For the preschool and toddler classes we sent in enough small fairy cakes for everyone but in the two baby rooms, so up to 2 we used to send those tiny Kinder bars. Just enough chocolate or a nice little treat for the parents if they did not to give it to their dc

When my DS was in nursery, they didn't allow you to send in cake but making a weird low-sugar cake was their activity for the day. A few parents would give out 'party bags' but not many and I never bothered.

Agree with everyone else - no need to organise a card.

Goody bags sounds a bit extra! I'd be hoping to avoid that one. We usually just send in a cake (supermarket labelled as said above). You can ask about allergies but if they have anyone with severe/tricky allergies (i.e. not nuts!) they probably have stuff in that's suitable or have a safe bag from the parents (that's what we do).

Definitely keep it as low key as possible! By the time you do cake at home, cake at nursery and then depending on how things fall maybe cake with grandparents a different day and maybe a party when they're a little older - well, it becomes a whole fiesta season.

Never heard of goodie bags and I’ve had 2 kids at 4 different nurseries! DS’s preschool allows cake to be sent it on the exact date only, so not allowed if they don’t attend on their day because they’re PT or it falls on the weekend, and it must be nut free. But when you’re turning 3/4 it’s a big deal to be at school on your birthday! If I had a baby turning 1 honestly I’d do nothing. Obviously have your special day at home but no way would I be going to any kind of effort for nursery when the babies don’t have a clue.

What fresh hell is this?

My child was at nursery from 7 months to 2 weeks before his 5th birthday, never had any of this going on (thankfully!)

For first and second birthday I took a load of nicer fruit in so a whole watermelon, mangos, pineapple etc...... and the nursery used them as snacks for a few days. They even sculpted the watermelon into an elephant! The kids loved it. Once they hit 3 I sent in a birthday cake and she had a whole nursery party at a soft play as well.

2 kids at 2 different nurseries and we've never done this. We had a couple of party invites but only a few and I think maybe twice there was birthday cake sent home from other kids.
I never sent in cake or did parties until they were at school.