The first birthday party is very special in its amazing way and so is a roller coaster ride for the new parents that culminates in the first birthday. As exciting as your child’s first birthday party planning is, it can be stressful too. To help you with that, I have created the ultimate First Birthday party checklist that will help you walk through the entire planning process.
We all look forward to this day for a long time, and I was no exception. First Birthday plans had already started spinning in my head after celebrating Agastya’s ( my son) half birthday.
But guess what? Who knew covid would hit the world and life would come to still. Yes, it’s a hard time but we can’t let these moments slip away?? Right? Our baby will never have this special “ONE” again. Although it’s more about the parents than the kid, still it’s “The Special One”.
So we did it anyway, the safe way with the immediate family members. If you are also going through this same situation, don’t let the disappointment sink in. Plan and organize the party despite the times keeping in mind all the safety precautions.
See for yourself?? I think we did a pretty decent job. I am no party planner/ decorator, but assembling all the right stuff ahead of time will help you a lot to make this special for you. Since it was covid times so we had a quarantine birthday but I had listed down a checklist for the first birthday or any birthday celebrations.
Checklist For Unique First Birthday Party
Decide the Budget
Foremost, you need to decide on the budget. Sit down with your spouse and discuss how much you will spend. Although More or fewer doesn’t matter, it’s a personal choice. But keep some extra room for unexpected expenses for the last-minute pop up you know!!
Select the theme
There are plenty of themes available out there for the kiddos. You can choose nautical, wild, mermaid, unicorn, space, rainbow, Disney, or your kid’s favorite character. We went for a Unique first birthday party theme for our boy that was the color-specific theme “black and gold “, which looks glamourous btw!! Also, it’s gender-neutral, and can be done for both baby boys and baby girls. This theme is so perfect, it certainly can be replicated for adults too, be it anniversaries or Birthdays.
Decor according to the theme
Here comes the fun part. Yes, you can hire a Decorator but the DIY Freak in me didn’t allow that…hehe. Now that you have finalized your theme, make a visual board of where you will arrange the final setup, where will the baby chair go, where will the eatables go, and start making a list of all the stuff that you can make and the stuff that you should buy. Go around your place. We did it all online. Below, I have listed down the things that we bought for this decor setup. You can check in case you want to replicate this one.
No time to read. Pin this for later
Checklist for the First Birthday Party
Cake Smash Outfit for the Birthday Boy
Backdrops for the First Birthday Party
Black and Gold balloons
Cake Toppers
Disposable Plates and Cutlery
Get it here
Pom poms, Paper Ribbons, Garlands, Tassels
Table Cloth
Balloon Boxes
One Letter Pinata or Balloon for the first birthday
Birthday Bunting Garland
Baby chalk board Poster
You can either make this yourself like I did, with the help of photo editors like PicMonkey or you can get it customized online Get it here
DIY Crown for the Birthday Boy
We can easily make this at home with glitter paper, some glue, and Black satin ribbon. If you wish to buy it, you can.
Get it hereDecide Time and Venue
I recommend planning 2- 3 months ahead. As there is so much that goes into the first birthday, planning time becomes extremely crucial to save yourself from the last-minute troubles. Just for example, for how much time and when: like keeping the time of the day in your mind, you might wanna consider the timings if you are planning for a day, sunset hour, or night party. What I feel is that one can go for a brunch party as the kids are fresh, wide awake, and later the baby can rest and you too have a lot of time to clean up. Also, deciding and choosing the venue is quite important, go ahead with a fun kid-friendly restaurant, Playhouses or Waterparks, etc. Calling in advance and seeing how they take reservations, how many people they can fit in with or if they provide a catering service, or even if you are planning to throw the Birthday bash at your home all needs to be decided beforehand.
Create a guest list and send out invitations
Create a guest list depending on your family and friends. Since ours was during Covid times, we kept the circle real tight with only immediate family members around. Send out invitations via email, social media, paper, and calls. You can create a page on social media and get your guests to RSVP, so you know how much space and food to have.
Finalize the Menu for the Party
Dear Mama, I know you want to make this first birthday party as special as you can for your little munchkin, but there is so much going on this day; you don’t need to add up the stress of burning pies. There is no point if you tire yourself out when the moment comes. It gets stressful if you choose to cook yourself. However, you can have someone close who is good at grills, take over the barbeque. I think it’s good to consider a catering service if you are planning for a big bash. Get help and decide on the menu, the drinks, and appetizers, and get some cookies made based on the theme. Prepare a list of all the eateries according to your budget and complete it.
Entertainment
Kids don’t need to be entertained when together; they do it themselves. However, booking a magician will be a great option to keep the kids engaged. Lots of dance, music, activities, and games like musical chairs, Simon says. Passing the parcel can be organized. Smashing Bubbles and placing a ball pit for the Toddlers would be a great idea to keep them busy and entertained too. Also, consider booking a photography and videography service, or if you recruit someone close to capture the memories, remember to keep the camera charged. Keeping extra cards and charged batteries would come in handy.
Cake For the First Birthday
Well, this would be the cutest moment of your life. When your little munchkin eats the cake, it’s one of the best adorable messes ever, hence explaining the popularity of the cake smash trend. You can go for a creative cake, theme-based according to the party, to capture the baby’s attention.
We ordered two cakes, one for cake cutting and one for the cake smash. Tie up with the local bakery, give your designs, place the order, and finalize the pickup or delivery time to avoid the last-minute hassle. Ask them to prepare custom cookies or cupcakes based on your theme. Considering a healthier substitute for the cake is also a good option.
Some Points to Consider
Get your baby ready for the party. It can be overwhelming for the little kiddo. So, schedule the day and make sure he/she is full and slept well before the party so that they can also enjoy.
Do not force the baby to be social. They might retreat with so much attention. Don’t sweat over the small stuff — like if the baby cries rather than dives headfirst into their smash cake. Let him take his time, Let him enjoy the way he wants.
Babies have a short attention span, they might get agitated till the time of cake cutting. Who wants that?? Right!! That’s why I feel that planning the cake smash one night before the party is a good option. The baby also gets familiarized with the process and this way you, as well as the baby, can enjoy the moment. It saves you from the trouble of mess and cleanup that can go wrong during the big bash.
Get support as much as you can from your family and your friends. Assign small tasks to everyone. You need someone to check the food, to look after the decor, to take over the barbeque, to engage and look after the kids. HIRE HELP to keep the entertainment area clean (washrooms), for photography, and also to run the last-minute errands. Just in case!!
Also, check out How to Have a Hawaiian Luau here
Eventually, it doesn’t matter what theme you go with as long as you don’t forget the true meaning of this moment: which is to celebrate the biggest milestone in your and your baby’s life. Savor the moment and take pictures — no matter how things go, this is one event you’ll want to remember forever. I hope this helps you to make wonderful memories of your special first birthday. If you like this, pin it. Share it with your friends and families who might need this checklist.
Dear Mama, Wish you and your baby a very Happy First of many more to come!!
XOXO
