It is important to keep the toddler's foray into the world of parties as pleasurable as possible to ensure a happy occasion, and a fun party experience your child will want to build on over the years.

Navigating those first birthday parties should be exciting for all concerned - but every new experience can be a potential minefield, so here are some tips to ensure a fun-filled occasion.

When hosting a party for the little ones, it's important to plan for limited attention spans, and the odd tear or tantrum. To avoid complications, keep the guest list relatively small, avoid sleep and meltdown times, and have a selection of appropriate games or activities up your sleeve.

Games are the perfect way to add some excitement, and structure to your party. Keep each game short and sweet, and don't expect toddlers to stay still or stick to any one activity for too long. Ensure there are small prizes to go around, and be sure to provide adult supervision at all times - to avoid children being left out, or becoming distressed.

Some suitable toddler game suggestions include:
Pass the parcel (adults will need to supervise here to ensure that every child has help unwrapping a layer - with included 'prize')
Treasure hunt (around the house, garden or park - stick to a defined space, provide plenty of direction, keep prizes obviously placed, and make sure there are plenty for everyone)
Balloon pop (best played outside, and be prepared to cut this short if the littlies are more scared than excited)
Stick the spot on the butterfly
Simon Says (keep instructions very simple, and plant plenty of adults amongst the group for the little ones to copy)
Blind Man's Bluff

It is wise to keep a party stash on-hand - small game prizes, balloons to play with, streamers to throw and bubbles to blow. You could also set up a kids' corner, with a dress-up box, or a floor full of plastic farm animals for instance, to ensure there is always somewhere for little people to play.

Toddler parties can be brief (2 hours is plenty), and should be kept relatively simple and structured. Most importantly, relax and enjoy - and the little ones will take their cue from you.