Planning that Pinterest-inspired first birthday party can be stressful especially for first-time parents. Your celebrant can’t demand a theme or can’t give you an idea of how things should go. You’re on your own and that can attract loopholes.
To avoid missing anything, here are a few tips for throwing a birthday party for a one-year-old. When you finish reading this article, you’ll find out about how to avoid mishandling key details for your angel’s celebration.
Choose a Theme
Picking a theme isn’t a necessity but it can ease your burden for assembling the whole party. You can focus on decorations, colors, and other important party details more cohesively.
Here are a few first birthday party themes to consider:
Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Dress your baby in overalls, set up hay bales as seats, and serve a farm-themed cake. You can also put your party favors in metal buckets to mimic milking pails. Older kids can play Duck Duck Goose.
Over the Rainbow
Decorate your venue with bright rainbow-colored party supplies. Serve a rainbow cake and give everyone a CD filled with children’s music. You can also start your celebration with your favorite version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”
Seasonal
Have a theme that mirrors the time of the year. You can organize a Snowflake party for a winter celebration or Flower Power for a summer party. Have a Sprinkles and Sunshine if you have a spring baby and Fall for an autumn baby.
Hang handmade snowflakes or suspend umbrellas from the ceiling. Give Hawaiian leis as party favors or serve food made from pumpkins. Pick decorations that coincide with your theme and everything will follow.
Cupcakes and Cocktails
Some might not agree but hey, the baby will never know. You can throw a party in the evening and serve cocktails for grownups. The kids can enjoy mocktails. You can set out classy cupcakes and cupcake-shaped piñata.
Invitations and Gifts
At least three weeks before your baby’s party, send out invitations reflecting your chosen theme.
Some parents are concerned about how friends and family members have given enough presents during previous celebrations. If you wish that your guests shouldn’t bring gifts, you can say “your presence is gift enough.”
You can also ask someone to write down all the gifts and who brought them. This step lets you find out whom to send out thank you cards when the party is over.
Games and Activities
There are no right or wrong games to include as long as they are age-appropriate. Just make sure that the birthday celebrant will have fun and so as all the guests.
The Birthday Cake
Some parents let their children taste sugar at their first birthday party. But others worry about the effects of sweets on a tiny tummy. If you’re worried too, then you can consider serving a carrot cake with less sugar.
When blowing candles, let the baby stay from a safe distance from the cake. During the Happy Birthday song, make sure they can’t reach the cake to avoid a sweet disaster.
Takeaways
The tips listed above are the key aspects you need to consider. But to avoid being overwhelmed, you also need to watch out for the following:
Limit your guest list
Plan around your baby’s naptime
Never pick the weekend that falls right after the baby’s 12-month shots
Don’t overload yourself
Accommodate all ages
Take pictures ahead of time
All these tips for throwing a birthday party for a one-year-old are basic guides for a successful celebration. But more than everything, make sure to set realistic expectations.
Note that the baby will not remember the festivities, but you will. So make sure you’ll have fun and know that your baby is already so lucky to have you as a loving parent—whether you organize a big birthday party or not.