Congratulations! Your little bundle of joy is about to turn one year old! It’s amazing how quickly the time has flown by, and now it's time to plan your baby's first birthday. It's an exciting milestone to celebrate, but it can also be overwhelming and stressful to plan. Don't worry; we've got your back! In this blog, we'll provide you with all the tips and tricks you need to plan a memorable and stress-free first birthday party.
- Choose a Theme: The very first step in planning your baby's first birthday party is to choose a theme. You can decide the theme based on your baby's personality, gender, or a cartoon character you love (since baby is probably too little to have an opinion). Some popular themes for baby's first birthday include Mickey Mouse, Sesame Street, Superheroes, Winnie the Pooh, Disney Princess, or a simple pastel color party.
- Decide on a Venue: The next step is to decide where to host the party. You can either host the party at home, at a local park (make sure to call the city and see if you need to book ahead of time) or rent a venue depending on how big your celebration will be. Hosting the party at home can be more cost-effective option, and you have more control over the space and decorations. Alternatively, a park or city community hall will usually cost next to nothing and you’ll have access to a playground for siblings and a lot more space, usually more parking which is a huge bonus.
- Guest List and Invitations: Once you have chosen the party's theme and venue, it's time to make a guest list and send out invitations. Keep in mind that it is a first birthday party, so it's essential to invite family members and close friends only. You can either make your invitations or have them professionally made to match the party's theme and color scheme. My go-to has been the free options on Evite.
- Food and Beverages: No party is complete without food and drinks. For a first birthday party, you can keep it simple and serve finger foods such as fruit, cheese, crackers, tea sandwiches, and cake. You can also have a candy table with treats and a variety of drinks for both adults and children. These can easily be made by you and your family the night before or morning of, if you want to outsource this, some cost effective options can be found at your local grocery store deli, where you’d only need to order a few days in advance, obviously if you’re going all out, catering is appropriate or a taco cart for more of a down to earth and comfortable options everyone loves. One of our neighbors rented an In and Out truck, and as you can imagine that was a huge hit. Don’t forget a little cake for baby to smash away.
- Entertainment and Activities: Finally, the last step is to think of entertainment and activities for the party. You can hire a clown, magician, or face painter for the children. You can also have fun games and activities such as a DIY photo booth, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, and a piñata. Don't forget to keep the activities age-appropriate for your little one and their friends. Going back to park parties, provided weather allows – we love parks because siblings have a playground to stay entertained and it’s one less thing to worry about.
Planning your baby's first birthday can be overwhelming and stressful, but it doesn't have to be. Keep it simple and have fun. You can plan a memorable and stress-free first birthday party that your baby and family will cherish for years to come without too much fuss. Remember, the most important thing is to enjoy the moment and make memories with your loved ones. Happy birthday to your little one!