Your little one is finally turning one, and you want to host a fabulous party for the occasion. Well, guess what? Most parents are super excited to make their baby’s first birthday memorable because this party is just as much for you as parents, as it is for the baby.
You have raised your little bundle of joy and spent a year of sleepless nights, countless diaper changes, and calming cute tantrums to come to this day, and while your kid may not remember much or anything about their first birthday, it is an occasion that calls for a celebration.
From the themed décor and the cake to the guests and the venue, we will share the top tips to help you host your baby’s first birthday party in style for some amazing, lifelong memories.
Consider the Guest List
First of all, let’s talk about who you’re going to invite. Most babies get anxious in crowded places and in front of a bunch of strangers. Since this day is all about your little one, consider keeping the bash small. Invite close friends and family only.
Decide on the Right Time
A 12-month-old baby is usually still taking their morning and afternoon naps, so if you want your child to enjoy the festivities, you need to set the party between naptimes. If you are inviting other babies or kids to the party, make sure their naptimes do not coincide with the time of the party either. Additionally, keep the party short, an hour or two at most. Babies tire out and become cranky quickly.
Book Your Venue
While you might be eager to have the party at home, consider the time and effort that goes into setting up a small space for a dinner party. Evaluate your options carefully. While rearranging the furniture might work, booking a hall or party room in a kid-friendly restaurant might actually be cost effective. However, if your baby feels uncomfortable in new surroundings, having the bash at your place might be ideal.
Choose a Theme
Setting up a theme is not mandatory. However, first birthdays are celebrated mainly for the amazing photographs and memories they leave behind and having a themed backdrop will undoubtedly add to the beauty of the photos. Pick a simple theme that you can follow throughout the décor, cake, and other arrangements. You can simply have it in a single colour or have a rainbow theme, a bunny or bears theme, or even a cars or planes theme, depending on what works for you.
Hire a Photographer
The party is being hosted for the sake of the pictures and the memories you wish to preserve. Thus, you cannot skip out on hiring a photographer for the day. You have two options. If a family member or friend has a good camera and photography skills, enlist their help and ask them to take photos at the event. If you can’t find anyone around you who can do it right, then hire a professional photographer for the shoot. Make sure you hire the service well in advance, so you don’t have to worry about it on the last day.
Order the Cake
If you want to do a cake smash photo shoot, you need to get a small cake baked just for the baby. If the baby is just going to blow out the candles and cut into a larger cake with your help, then you can just order one cake big enough to feed all the guests. You can customise your cake’s order as per the theme you have chosen. When it comes to flavours, most children enjoy a chocolate cake, and if your guests are young, this is the default choice.
Plan the Menu
Since your baby’s first birthday party is for a relatively short duration and will probably be held sometime in the afternoon or evening, snacks and drinks can work well. Babies enjoy finger food, so that is also one option that you can consider. Keep carbonated soft drinks for the adults and fruit juice for the young ones.
Schedule Games and Activities
If you have a bunch of other kids coming to celebrate your baby’s big day, then plan some games and activities for them in advance. Musical chairs, passing the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey are some games that you can set up at the party venue with prizes for the winners.
Have Fun
It’s your baby’s big day, and you’ve spent a year looking forward to it, so smile, relax and enjoy the party. Do not let small mishaps ruin your mood. Nobody expects you to pull off a flawless event. It just might be your first attempt at hosting a birthday party. Also, if you need a helping hand, ask for it. Do not hesitate to let your relatives know that you need assistance with holding the baby or getting the food ready to eat.
Use these tips to plan your baby’s first birthday bash and capture the memories that will last a lifetime.
