Five Mumbai families make birthday celebration for kids more meaningful

Setting sailIn the hope of giving their son a different experience every birthday the Bhandare couple took to the seas a few years ago We had been thinking of a boat ride for quite some time but we had to wait till Advay turned the minimum permitted age say parents Neha and Kunal On his fourth birthday therefore Advay was eligible for a sailboat ride and so the family headed to the jetty by the Gateway of India It was an enriching evening for her son says Neha as he got to journey on the sea for an hour and also watch a sunset Since Advay is a March baby the weather is great for sailing Besides he has always had an attraction for water says Neha What made it a memorable birthday experience was that the sailboat crew had decked up the vessel with balloons and also got a cake for him to cutTotal Cost Rs 5000 for an hourlong ride for a family of threeDiving inMartin Ebnazer and Jessica Martin are not the kind who think big first birthday bashes are the way to go for toddlers There are too many guests and loud music and babies usually end up crying uncomfortably I am not sure if they actually enjoy it It seems like an awful waste of money over something a baby wont even remember says Martin a college lecturer It was the reason why the couple took their son Oliver for his first swimming lesson last year on his birthday instead of throwing a mega party for him Knowing how much he loves playing in water we thought it would be good to do something that he enjoys says the dadOliver therefore spent his first birthday at Babys Castle in Santacruz which has a playzone and kiddie pools In these pools specially designed for kids Oliver had a personal trainer As he buoyed about in his float Martin and Jessica took turns to step into the pool with him He was very enthusiastic and it looked like he just wanted to spend more time in it says Martin Our families and friends wondered why we hadnt chosen to throw a party but they soon understood when we said that it was Ollys day We will certainly start hosting parties for him when he turns five and is old enough to choose his birthday cake and remember the occasion says MartinTotal Cost Approximately Rs 2000 for a kiddy poolHave a woofy birthdayAbout a couple of years ago Bengalururesident Mira Nandi adopted a pup from an animal shelter When Mira turned 13 this year she thought that for a change shed spend it with her furry friends at the shelter instead of throwing a party At Charlies Animal Rescue Centre in Yelahanka they have about 305 dogs of which many have suffered the brunt of old age and been abandoned by their pet parents Thesy are kept company by rescued cats ducks pigs and the occasional cow On her birthday Mira and her parents enjoyed sponsoring the days meal for these birds and animals and just hung out at the centre watching them play or snooze Whats more Mira also decided to treat the caretakers and other staff at the centre to a birthday lunchTotal Cost Rs 5000 for lunchTurning old naturallyLast weekend as Arham Mota turned 10 he was pretty sure that he wanted to celebrate his birthday outdoors His parents have always planned different themes for his birthday parties right from a cooking party to an ecofriendly theme and this time around they decided that they wouldnt do a restaurant party Arhams friends were invited to a guided nature trail at the Maharashtra Nature Park in Sion Here they explored the parks various nooks including its amphitheatre and learned about different kinds of mushrooms bird sounds butterflies and harvest stations Cakecutting is strictly not permitted inside the park and so Arham organised cupcakes and packed snacks for his friends He just thought that his friends ought to be informed that there will be plenty of natural company but no birthday cake so that theyd know what to expect The park expects you to keep the place clean We made sure we disposed all the plastic and waste that would have accumulated after the party It helps to pack in snack boxes therefore so that guests can carry the food home as well says Arhams mother HarshanaTotal Cost Rs 1000 for snacks and a guided tourLearning new linesFiveyearold Jiya Dand loves the story of Cinderella so for her birthday her parents thought it would be a great idea to take this a step forward Her mother Surabhi tells us that they checked with their friend Sangeeta Vyas who runs Pitaara an art centre in Goregaon to see how they could do this On Jiyas birthday she and her friends got a chance to get on stage and deliver a few lines as characters from the Cinderella taleJiyas friends had been informed earlier about the theme so the young ones turned up in their party suits and frilly frocks We couldnt have a fullfledged speech and drama workshop as they are too young but it is a good start says SurabhiWe have been keen on creative ways of celebrating birthdays for Jiya mdash a way for her to not just enjoy the day but also learn something It should ground them says Surabhi a psychotherapist She adds that a baking workshop would have been the other option However no matter what the theme Surabhi believes that cake is a must It cannot be a birthday without cake she tells usTotal Cost Rs 15000 for booking stage food and decorCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates