Tips for Your Child's First Birthday Party

Every birthday is special, but your baby's first birthday is a particularly significant event. It can be a lot of fun to plan and have a first birthday party, but it can also be a lot of work! Here are some simple ideas for your little one's first birthday party:

1. Plan the logistics ahead of time. Decide who to invite, and give the guests plenty of notice about the party. Plan what activities you will have and in what order you will do things. Even if you are just going to eat lunch, have birthday cake, and open presents, you need to have a plan for when you will do what. Do not leave decisions to be made in the midst of all the excitement and after the guests are already there, or you will feel stressed and overwhelmed.

2. Choose a time that is good for your child. The party if for your baby, after all, so have it at a time when he or she will be alert and have fun. Most importantly, avoid having it at naptime!

3. Have food that is good for adults and kids, and make sure there is some that the birthday boy or girl can enjoy. Some ideas are: grilling hot dogs and/or hamburgers; pizza; taco salad; plates of sandwich fixings; chips and dip; pigs-in-a-blanket; fruit and vegetable trays; snack mix.

4. Cupcakes are a good choice for first birthdays, as a cupcake is just the right size for a one-year-old. You can put the candle right in the cupcake and it will fit on his highchair tray. There are also small shaped foil pans that you can use to make small individual cakes. Kids really like these, and if you have older children they can help you decorate each cake with icing and sprinkles. If you have a large decorated cake, you might just cut a piece and put the candle in it so you don't have to try to hold the whole cake in front of your child. Another option is to have a large cake for the guests, and a smaller, individual cake for baby to just dig into on his own.

5. Choose a theme for decorating. Most babies do not have favorite characters yet, as many older kids do, but you can still find a theme to use. Some examples are jungle animals, trains, cars and trucks, dolls, and flowers and butterflies. You can scour the internet, as well as shop at party stores and dollar stores to find things related to your theme. If you do not want a theme, just using colorful balloons and decorations will provide a fun party atmosphere.

6. Get your cameras ready! Don't find yourself searching for batteries, film, or video tapes at the last minute. Make sure everything is ready to go when the fun starts.

7. Help your child with the presents. Kids who are turning one year old can help open presents, especially if they are in gift bags, but they are going to need some help. They will quickly get bored if you don't sit with them and keep things moving.

8. Prepare treat bags for children who come to the party. It is always nice to give a little something to your young guests. Some items that could be put in treat bags are: candy, small tubs of Playdough, small toys, stickers, and crayons.

9. Have a momento to remember the party. One idea for this is to take a picture of your child and frame it with a white mat around it. Then ask the guests to sign the matting at the party. You can also just use a guest book. If you are really creative, take pictures of everyone throughout the party and put together a scrapbook or photo album.

Your family and friends will have a great time celebrating your child's first birthday. Remember, you are celebrating your child and your family. If the party does not go perfectly or exactly as planned, just go with the flow. Everyone will still have fun!