Your little one’s first birthday party can be a source of a lot of fun and enjoyment for everyone involved. But sometimes as a very busy parent, you might not have the time or initiative to come up with exciting and unique 1st birthday party ideas to keep everybody at the birthday party entertained. It’s not something you should let worry you, most 1st birthday parties are actually about your friends and family who have come to celebrate with you as opposed to other babies who might come.
Getting Ready
Your tot will be pretty closely attached to you at this stage of their life so the best way you can make this a good day for your one year old is to give him/her your entire attention. This may be pretty easy as it’s likely that your bub’s friendship circle will be small and personal. Your baby may be afraid of strangers and new places, so it’s smart to stick to just inviting close friends and family to your house. If you do want to invite more people, you could ask some of your friends from your old pregnancy classes. However, if you know that your bub is somewhat on the adventurous side, then an outing could be a unique and great idea for a 1st birthday idea. A trip to the zoo could be a great baby birthday idea with the animals, fresh air and so much to discover.
Why not buy or make some really special invitations, as you won’t need many for a small gathering. A great idea for a 1st birthday invitation is to cut a large number 1 from bright coloured paper. Write your child’s name on the front of the number and the party details (time, location, etc.) on the back of the number and send to your friends and families.
Decorations
Some mums love to decorate the house for a birthday party, while others think of it as an unnecessary hassle. If you belong to the latter, then one of the easiest things you can do is to buy a “partyware sets”, consisting of matching table cloths, plates, cups, and napkins, that convey the theme of the party (if there is one). If you belong to the former group, you can have a real field day decorating your house with bobbing balloons, silly confetti, colourful streamers, creative banners and even centre pieces for the tables
If you wanted to make your day an occasion that you will remember for years to come, you should photograph your bub (or get it done professionally if you want) and setup the picture in a cardboard frame with a wide edge. Place the photo with markers or pens on a table then throughout the party, invite guests to write a message to the birthday child.
1st birthday Activities
Your little one year old probably won’t be able to participate in too many activities at this stage in their lives but you can still make it fun for them! Play dough is a great way to keep your little one and their friends occupied, just set up a baby safe area with a table full of play dough and let the kids loose (always under the watchful eye of some parent). The children will end up not only playing with the play dough, but also with each other and have heaps of fun.
A great big beach ball is also guaranteed fun, just get the kids to roll the ball to each other and watch the enjoyment ensue. A play area with all you bub’s favourites (blocks, stacking toys and pull toys) can also be a big drawcard.
You have the option to make this 1st birthday as simple or as complicated as you want, but you should remember that the main aim of the day is to have fun! That’s often the perfect gift for your child!
Last Published* May, 2024
*Please note that the published date may not be the same as the date that the content was created and that information above may have changed since.
