Kids first birthday party ideas

Kids first birthday party ideas

The first birthday of a baby is celebrated most professionally, it is due to the memories, changes, and milestones included in the year. The first year of a baby is remembered for lots of reasons, the change in the behavior of the baby, when starts smiling to laughing, starts sitting to standing than walking, starts eating rather than drinking milk only.

As your child approaches their first birthday – there are so many different emotions that happen, mainly how on earth has it been a year already? Events in time like birthdays, first days of school, graduations, etc. are not just to celebrate your little, but the hard work you and your family have put into their little life so far! Just remember that whatever it is that you decide to do, the main thing is that you are taking the time to celebrate the first year of your beautiful baby boy or baby girl’s life, and all the memories you’ve shared so far.

The first birthday of your child is an important milestone, and we understand why you want to make it perfect. A successful year of parenting and raising your child. We know how thrilled you are to celebrate his/her special day with full joy and enthusiasm. You are looking forward to arranging an electrifying birthday party and why not? After all, it is their first-ever birthday. Our advice on this whole birthday party thing – do what makes you happy.

1st Birthday Party Ideas

Planning first birthday party

First birthday cake

Congrats! It’s a big milestone, so celebrate the moment in style. Good food and good company are the keys to any great party—but to make a baby’s bash extra special, consider picking a guide for your party prepping. Babies don’t like being in-crowd and all that commotion has the potential to startle them.

So to keep your baby happy try to make the first birthday party an intimate gathering. Plan the party keeping in mind the nap schedules of the baby and make it short not more than 2 hours. The last thing you want is to get them all excited when they’re tired or you’ll soon end up with a cranky baby.

Start planning the party budget, theme, guest list, venue, and all other party priorities will help you set specific party perimeters. Always make sure at least one person is keeping an eye on the young guests so they can avoid any choking hazards. Babies like bright and moving objects so buy a lot of interesting decorations. Balloons, streamers, and stuffed animals are just a few examples of birthday party decorations your baby will love.

Venue for first birthday party

Decide the venue for the party families opt to host birthday parties at outside facilities, either because they don’t have enough space at home, or because they like the ease of putting the party entertainment in the hands of a professional. Also when you are holding a party outside then you need no prep to deal with you need no cleanup, and you won’t have to entertain guests as much.

Hosting the first birthday party at home means guests can hang out longer, and the baby has a place to nap if they get tired. Plus, the baby might be more comfortable in familiar surroundings.

Wherever you decide to host a baby’s first birthday party, make sure there’s space for your little one and their friends to safely crawl around and play, and for you and your guests to nurse and change diapers. It’s also smart to prep a private, quiet space in case a baby or one of their friends gets fussy and needs a breather.

Invites for first birthday party

The first step is to create the perfect invitations to make sure that all his or her friends can be there to help celebrate. You may be going all out and organizing a themed children’s party for your little one’s birthday, so the first step is to create matching kids’ party invitations. Write short and child-friendly texts that are suitable for any type of birthday party. You can’t go wrong with these traditional texts for your kid’s party invitations, so see which one you prefer for your little one. Don’t forget to also add your RSVP details.

It’s my birthday! I’m turning 1!
You’re invited to my first birthday party
on ……(Date)……….. from …………(Time)…………
at our home …..(Address)…….
RSVP to my parents.

If you want guests to know you don’t expect any more presents, you could write something on the invitations to indicate that, such as “your presence is gift enough.”

Food and drink for first birthday party

Food makes everything a success. While planning the menu, take into consideration whether the party is going to be mostly adults or if there are going to be kids of all ages coming too. Be sure to note on the invitation whether you’ll be serving a full meal or just snacks and cake, so guests can plan accordingly. Double-check if anyone has eating restrictions or food allergies.

Find the perfect list of food ideas for your baby’s 1st birthday party:

  1. Main Courses (They can be different for kids and adults) – The main courses should be affordable, easy on the tummy, and easy to prepare. You don’t want to be left hassling on your kid’s first birthday with complex menus. Get options that the adult will love, and the kids will grab on easily by themselves.
  2. Finger foods and Snacks for little ones – Finger foods work well for both babies and adults, and eating them won’t interrupt play or socializing. Some babies may have quite a few teeth and be able to bite into food; others may still be toothless, so cater to both extremes.
  3. Sweets! without which the party will remain incomplete.
  4. Beverages – It’s a good idea to have water, milk, and maybe diluted fruit juice around for the kids and mineral water and sodas for the adults.

Cake for first birthday party

1st Birthday cake

Don’t forget a wonderful birthday cake as cakes are the inevitable part of the celebration of a birthday party. Some parents like to have a small separate cake for the birthday baby – this way she can smash into it to her heart’s content. Homemade treats are special, but supermarkets have a great variety available or try a bakery. You may need to order the cake or cakes in advance.

When it comes to choosing the 1st birthday cake, you must select a themed, well-decorated, lip-smacking cake. Whatever theme you have chosen for the party the cake will be customized according to the theme. If you want something more unique then you can order a cake customized to the age the kids are turning.

Themes for first birthday party

The important part of the party is the decoration of the venue, which should be theme-related and should be astounding that other guests remember it for their whole life. Whether you decide to plan a big bash or keep things more intimate, honing in on a theme can help make the party feel all the more special. It’s also the key to staying organized. Knowing that the party is all about mermaids, trucks, or whatever theme you land on will help you make decisions about snacks, decorations, invitations, and more.

Here are some of our favorite first birthday party themes.

  • Jungle theme
  • Garden(Greenery) theme
  • Hello Kitty theme
  • Space Party Theme
  • Circus Themed Party
  • Doraemon Themed Party
  • Minions Birthday Party
  • Cars-inspired theme
  • Daniel Tiger’s theme
  • Sweet candy-theme
  • Butterflies theme
  • Trolls theme
  • Horse theme
  • Fall theme
  • Winter Wonderland
  • Royal Blue/ Pink theme
  • Mickey Mouse theme
  • Bunnies theme
  • Dinosaurs theme
  • Mermaids theme
  • Winnie the Pooh theme
  • Circus theme
  • Twinklet-twinkle little star theme
  • Unicorns theme
  • Nautical theme

Make a Photo Booth

Make a photo booth for the first birthday party according to the theme and all guests are a kid or an elderly, everyone will enjoy getting clicked with a special backdrop. It is one of the best ways to create memories to treasure forever. Make sure you have a willing volunteer to take plenty of photos and videos. You may be too busy, and you don’t want to miss those shots of your baby digging into her first birthday cake!

Also, a photo booth will be a source of entertainment and is a good relief in between exciting events. A photo booth can also be a fun way to get involved with your guests. Taking photos with the birthday boy or girl is a must-do at every birthday party. And if it is the first birthday of the child, then the kids and the adults would love to do it in style. So make sure you get a lot of trendy Photo Booth Props to make photos an exciting event to be part of, at the party. These props will keep the party more fun for everyone as your little child makes beautiful memories on camera.

Costumes for first birthday party

There is something special about dressing up in coordination as a family and when it is the first birthday of your little one, matching 1st birthday outfits for the family makes an interesting choice of clothing. Express your bond of love along with fashion in the most unique way. The first birthday memories will get all sparkled and beautiful with the first birthday dresses for the whole family.

If you’re trying to keep costs down or just aren’t that keen on a costly dress, a few party hats and a nice dress will make for some nice pictures on the big day.

Games and entertainment for first birthday party

Birthday fun

Entertain the birthday child and all of the guests with a variety of first birthday games that friends of all ages can play. Loud bangs from party poppers and bursting balloons may frighten your baby, and discarded poppers and balloons are a serious choking hazard until age 3.

All of these 1st birthday games are designed for guests of all ages. Pick and choose your favorite games or print out the whole list.

  • Color Poster Boards
  • Dancing Game
  • Freeze Dance Game
  • Sidewalk Chalk
  • Bubble Station
  • Ball Pit
  • Musical chairs
  • Three-legged race
  • Karaoke
  • Piñata

Return gifts for first birthday party

At the end of the day, it’s customary to send kids home with return gifts. You can give away fancy swag bags or keep it simple with little harmonicas or a bath toy. You can also give a safe soft toy or a board book to chew on.

Ask someone to write down the gifts and who gave them so you can write personal thank you cards after the party is over.

May your beautiful journey with your special little 1-year-old child continue throughout the years.

Suggested Read: Alternatives to Birthday Parties

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Simmi Kamboj

Simmi Kamboj is the Founder and Administrator of Ritiriwaz, your one-stop guide to Indian Culture and Tradition. She had a passion for writing about India's lifestyle, culture, tradition, travel, and is trying to cover all Indian Cultural aspects of Daily Life.