1st Birthday Party Plan

Whether you want to plan a big party or a small party will depend on what you aim to achieve. If you are planning a party where there are going to be lots of babies and small children or you want your baby to be the center of attention for the whole party, keep it short and sweet. 1 hour is probably long enough (1 1/2 hours maximum) for this age.

Some people want a big party. Perhaps they haven't had a christening or naming day for their young baby or want an excuse to get all friends and family together to celebrate their child's 1st year. Sometimes a 1st birthday party is more for the adults to celebrate their child's 1st year. This is fine, just bear in mind you may want to have some quiet time for your baby if the party is going to be long.

You may prefer a party with just some close friends and family. You may want a weekday party with your mommy and baby friends. Or you may want to invite extended friends and family too. The choice is yours

Write down the names of all the guests you wish to invite to help clarify the type of party you want. You will also need this information early on so you know how many invitations to write, how much food is needed, how big the cake should be and what kind of venue you will need. The age of the guests will also determine the type of entertainment, games and food.

Your budget is obviously a very important part of a 1st birthday party plan. Make a note of how much you want to spend and write down your costings before you go ahead to make sure you don't overspend.

If money is tight, you can still throw a really impressive and good 1st birthday party if you're prepared to be resourceful and put in a bit of time and energy. This can be really fun too. For example, lots of people can be accommodated in a big open space such as a park. You can make your own invitatations, decor and cakes too. If money is an issue, you could go for a small affair too. Babies will probably enjoy a small gathering with a couple of other mommies and their babies and a nice tea party with cake much more than a massive party. You can add a few special touches to the day to make it memorable.

Make a list of everything you are going to buy and pay for to write costings next to it. Here is a sample list:

Hire of venue

Invitations

Decor - balloons, banners, hats etc

Paper plates, cups and plastic cutlery

Food

Cake

Entertainment

Check out this article for some ideas of how to throw a birthday party on a budget.

The venue you choose as part of your 1st birthday party plan will depend on how many people you want to event, your budget and the type of party you wish to have. Here are some ideas:

Home - many 1 year olds will be happier celebrating their 1st birthday party in their home environment as it's familiar to them. The advantages of a home party is that it's cheaper, but on the downside you will have to prepare food and clear up the mess (unless you hire a caterer). There's more chance of your carpet or furniture getting ruined too.

Backyard 1st birthday parties - If you have enough space, you could have a party in the backyard. Have a blanket and a few toys outside for the babies and toddlers. Why not have a barbecue 1st birthday party? You could hire to entertain young children too.

Party in the Park - If the 1st birthday party is taking place in Summer, consider having it in a park or open space. Bring a picnic with lots of finger food for babies and adults and a cake too.

Restaurant - If you're 1st birthday party is mainly for adults, you could go to a child friendly restaurant and just have a celebratory meal.

Hire a hall/venue - Hiring a hall or other venue can cost a bit more, but you don't have to worry about your home getting ruined.

The type of food you plan to have for the 1st birthday party will depend on the number and age of guests.

Finger food is often a good option as babies can eat it and adults will enjoy indulging too.

Another option is to have finger food for young children and another option for the adults. Good ideas for the adults include pizza, barbecue food or a big a curry or chilli. If catering yourself try and keep it simple.

You need to decided if you will prepare the food yourself or pay a caterer too. A caterer is obviously much easier if you have larger numbers.

You could plan to have simple decorations - a few balloons and a banner. Or why not pick a theme such as the ones below:

A color theme - pink, blue or another block colour
Disney theme - Winnie the Pooh - Mickie Mouse
Number 1 theme
Nursery Rhyme theme

A theme can make it easier to choose the decorations, plates, cups, favors etc. It also looks good for the photos too.

Babies of 1 year old don't need to much entertaining. Here are some options:

Have lots of different toys available on a blanket for the babies
Prepare a sing song or story time
Have some outdoor toys such as a sandpit, water play or a small inflatable.

For older children you could hire an entertainer. Or put together a few party games. Pass the parcel and pin the tale on the donkey are good fora ll aged.

For adults, why not have a guess the baby competition. Have pictures of the guests when they were 1 year old and you have to guess which baby is which adult

Hopefully, this article has helped you put together a good 1st birthday plan. Here are a couple more things you may want to consider:

Music - do you want certain nursery rhymes or other music at the party

Help - you may wish to enlist other relative or friend to help. Will somebody help take photos and videos? Can somebody help with the party if you need to change your baby's diaper etc? Can anybody help prepare the food / clean up / entertain the children etc.

Party bags - are you planning to put together a party bag. They're not really expected at a 1st birthday party but it may be something you wish to do.

Outfits - what will you and your baby wear? Or maybe you want to have a fancy dress party.

It's worth putting together a 1st birthday party checklist to make sure you don't forget anything. Check out this sample 1st birthday party checklist