1st birthday parties are such joyous occasions! First things first!
It’s best to plan a fairly short party (from an hour to an hour and a half), and its best to plan it after your baby’s naptime so that they will be rested and in good spirits for the special day. Remember that your baby doesn’t really have any expectations whatsoever. This party is for you and your family and friends who are coming to “ooh” and “aah” over your wonderful one-year-old!
You don’t need to worry too much about entertaining the adults, just make sure they have all been introduced to one another and they will chat and mingle on their own. You can have a few parent-child games organized to break the ice and add some flavor to the party besides the food and chitchat.
If possible, it’s recommended to hold first birthday parties at your own home (or in an environment your baby is comfortable and familiar with).
A theme doesn’t have to be elaborate at such a small age. A simple concept such as a shape or color, or a favorite Disney character or storybook can be the main point to focus on for your decorations and activities.
Below you’ll find some cool themes for 1st b-day parties, complete with ideas for invitations, games, foods, etc… all fitting perfectly into one theme!
Pirate 1st birthday party ideas and photos by: Angelica from San Diego, CA About two months before Sebastian’s Pirate 1st Birthday Party, I bought a child penguin tail tuxedo for $3.00 at the Salvation Army thrift store, along with a bag of gold military buttons for 25 cents, gold color trim for 25 cents, white … Read more
Bumble Bee party ideas and photos by: Linda from South Africa 23 November 2003 – Megan woke-up and I dressed her in a little “bumble bee outfit” we hired for the day! I decided to have the Bee theme as this was the theme of her room when she was born. We all went to … Read more
Ducky party ideas and photos by: Laura from Mobile, AL We had a bubble maker going and had it outside on the back patio. So our guests would know we were back there we cut out duck feet prints out of orange poster board (mommy duck size and baby duck size) and taped them to … Read more
First birthday ideas and photos by: Elad from Israel There are already a bunch of great 1st birthday ideas on this site. For our latest first birthday for Noa, I came up with a few new first birthday ideas while planning the party. 1st birthday parties are a challenge, primarily because the guests are usually … Read more
Jungle theme party ideas and photos by: Michelle from Buffalo Mills, PA For my son Collan’s 1st birthday we had a Baby Jungle theme party. I decorated my living room to look like a safari with inflatable animals, such as zebras, monkeys, tigers, elephants, lions, etc and many plants to give a “jungley” feel. I … Read more