Actually , the first year of the baby's life is full of celebrations. After the baby showers, there is usually a welcome home party or a christening party to be planned. Some couples have small “monthsary” celebrations on the baby's birthday with a few close friends and family. And then comes the big day: Baby's turning one! Now, what can you do for Baby's 1st birthday party?
First of all, the baby is definitely not going to remember anything about that first birthday party except through the pictures that will be taken. That brings us to several relevant points:
Allow a lot of time to plan and get supplies together. You're caring for a baby at the same time that you're planning a party so give yourself a lot of allowance to minimize stress.
This 1st birthday party is more for the parents than for the baby! This is the parent's first and last chance to have full control of a birthday party, as the baby will not have any special preferences just yet. The parent can have the birthday party that they had always dreamed of but never had, or could have a certain party fantasy fulfilled here. It's YOUR celebration, so keep that in mind when choosing the theme, color scheme, and any activities if it's a large party that you have planned.
If you're inviting any children over, and they are all about the same ages, keep the party as small as possible. Having a small celebration with the children on one weekend is a great way to introduce your child to group play and the fun they can have with friends.
Keep the decorating simple and colorful for this kind of birthday party. A few large, soft, colorful balls would be great points of color on the floor. Large floor cushions also add to the color and are pieces of furniture that the children can topple into and not hurt themselves. Have some soft music playing in the background; children don't need to be listening to nursery rhymes the whole party long and honestly, most parents find it irritating after about half an hour or so.
Keep the food for this kind of party simple, something that any child can have everyday. Toddlers love steamed baby carrots, baked fish or chicken fingers, and peanut butter and jelly finger sandwiches with apple juice as a beverage. Ask beforehand if any toddlers have allergies and prepare any substitutes, if needed.
The adults can be treated to more grown-up food, of course, like a taco bar or a pasta station with maybe some wine coolers as a beverage. A selection of hors d'ouvres and a deli platter would be a good choice, too.
Have a changing area set aside for the mommies as there may be some accidents or dirty diapers that may need to be taken care of. A diaper pail and some baby toiletries would be very thoughtful additions.
When you're hosting a large birthday party with lots of kids of different ages, have a quiet room for the babies and toddlers to rest. Most small children get overexcited and need some time away to center themselves.
And no matter what anyone says, clowns and any entertainers with
painted faces are scary for small kids. You don't want to traumatize
any kids or embarrass any parents when their children start yelling
out of fear. Storytellers, balloon artists, or face painters are
better choices for entertainers for small children.