Just because baby won’t remember it doesn’t mean you should not explore first birthday party ideas that mark the occasion in a meaningful way. After all, celebrations are just as much about the guests as they are about the guest of honor! The first year of your baby’s life feels like a whirlwind but you somehow managed it thus far and that deserves some praise. Congratulations!
We wanted to brainstorm some first birthday party ideas that feel extra special but do not come with a huge price tag. If you get creative, you can easily make the day feel much grander than you can imagine. Let’s take a look at some first birthday party ideas that will create memories that will stick with you forever! Even if your baby won’t recall it, they can still look at all the fun you had later on by looking at all the cute photos you snapped on their day!
Make Your Baby’s Day Special with These First Birthday Party Ideas!
Frame Your Baby’s Firsts
One of the best first birthday party ideas involves a touch of decor that will make the whole party feel much more special! Simply create a photo collage of the images you have captured from the baby’s first year to share all the progress that they have made! Think first smile, first bath, first Christmas, etc. It will be a keepsake that you will cherish forever!
Baby Ball Pit
What child does not love a ball pit? All you need are a kid-friendly pool and a bunch of plastic balls to fill it up. Allow any of your young guests to participate but make sure you reserve plenty of time for the guest of honor to play. You’re going to love the colorful pictures you will snap!
Balloon Time
Baby’s love balloons and one of the best cheap first birthday party ideas is to fill a room with them and let your baby go wild. You can toss balloons with baby and even get crafty with your little one and decorate some of them!
Paint Some Onesies
If your friends and family are particularly crafty, one of the best first birthday party ideas for your guests would be painted onesies! Simply purchase some white onesies and fabric paint and have a contest to see who can paint the cutest 1-year onesie for your birthday baby!
Make a Big Banner
Create a showstopping name banner complete with your birthday message for your baby. Use colorful markers, glitter, stickers, or whatever you want to decorate baby’s special banner. Hang it over a window or your dining table to really get into the birthday spirit.
Get Messy
It will come as no shock to most that babies are little agents of destruction who love to make a mess. If you want to give your baby a free pass to get wild, consider getting safe fingerpaints that they can play with in the bath or in a little inflatable pool outside.
Painted Hands & Feet
Remember the day forever with some fun keepsakes that your guests and, hopefully, baby will love. Paint baby’s feet or hands with washable paint and make imprints on pieces of paper. You can give these to your guests with the date and your baby’s name printed on it. Be sure to keep one for yourself!
Crown the Birthday Princess or Prince
Craft a special crown decorated with imagery that feels personal to your baby. Crowns are so festive and will make your baby feel so regal. Really do it up and you can keep the crown as a memento from their birthday.
Cake Smashing
Bake your baby a healthy little cake if you think they are ready for it and allow them to really dig in. Expect mess, but also a ton of cuteness. We advise that you have a separate cake for guests and let baby have their own to dig their little paws into.
Get a Water Table for Kids
One of the best first birthday party ideas is to gift your baby a water table. You can get a qaulity water table for under $100 and even find deals on tables that are much lower in price. Allow your baby to splash the day away with their little baby friends.
Dance Party
Every child and the majority of adults love music. Why not throw a dance party with some fun tunes that your kid will love? Listening to music is so stimulating for children and a little dancing never hurts!
Create a Slideshow
If framing those “baby’s first…” pictures in a collage does not appeal to you, consider turning them into a slideshow to share with your guests. There are many free online slideshow makers like Animoto that you can use to make a show in a snap! It’s one of the best first birthday party ideas that you can return to and enjoy for years to come.
Baby’s First Year Banner
If you’d like yet another way to show your baby’s progress through their first year, consider printing a photo from each month of their first year. Print the photos in the same size and label each month so that your guests can see just how much your little bundle of joy has changed!
Animal Party
You can choose a theme as one of the first birthday party ideas. A fun one is a barnyard birthday theme or a zoo theme. Think all things animal print and animals! You can even decorate treats to look like wildlife. You better believe there should be some “Old MacDonald” sang at that barnyard birthday!
Make Salt Dough Imprints
Whip up some salt dough and imprint your baby’s feet and hands in the dough. You can later paint your creations or leave as is for a subtle reminder of your baby’s little size after their first year. It’s one of the most sentimental first birthday party ideas on this list!
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Costume Party
For one of the cutest first birthday party ideas, dress up your baby in a festive costume. Think superhero costumes, animal costumes, and more! Encourage your younger guests to also get in on the fun by showing up to the party in their very own unique costumes. If you’ve chosen a theme, this will make the event even easier.
#1 Collage
Another way to get crafty is to create a collage of photos from your baby’s first year in the shape of the number one. Let your guests see all of the highlights from child’s first year that way!
Create a Sign with All Your MVP’s Stats
Another one of these fun first birthday party ideas involves you designing a poster or chalkboard with fun facts about your baby at this special stage in their life. So, you can include things like your baby’s current weight, how many teeth they have, how long they are, things that interest baby, favorite foods, first words, first baby book, etc.
High Chair Throne
Turn your baby’s highchair into a throne or simply decorate it to the nines for their special day. Think ribbon skirts, highchair tutus, and so much more! You can really go all out making the place where baby will eat cake look amazing!
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Bubble Party
All kids love bubbles and one-year-olds are no exception. Consider creating a bubble station to set up outside with different wands and types of bubble toys. Have guests blow bubble to your baby and give them wands to create their own bubble magic!
There you go! We hope you enjoyed these first birthday party ideas and will consider going with one for your baby’s first big day. There’s no right or wrong way to ring in a baby’s first birthday but you can easily make the day fun for all who attend. Congratulations on surviving the first year of your baby’s life. It’s not easy but you made it. Now, it’s time to party!