1St Birthday Party Ideas and Suggestions

whatever you do will somewhat set a standard for future birthday parties. She won't remember her first birthday as well as you will...why not opt for something at home with a few special friends (family, godparents, favorite aunt and uncle) and save the big birthdays when she will remember what you did for her and appreciate it more. Sure there will be pictures for her to look at but I doubt she would have the memories like she would from a party at say 3 or older.

If you want to stick with inviting her little friends..that can be tricky... because I would try to plan it around their nap schedules.. and everyone can differ. Pizza.. maybe dinner time or just before? Party favors are a nice little token for saying thank you for coming.. but they don't have to be elaborate.. maybe a box of animal crackers and a small inexpensive toy in a bag with a little computer generated note saying thank you - maybe with your daughter's picture on it. Don't put names on the goodie bags if you are going to have a lot of kids there.. just make them all the same and maybe have a few extra on hand. Ask them to each take one as they leave. Decide what you can afford... pizza for everyone can be expensive.. then state on the invitation there will be pizza cake and ice cream for all the kids.. that might be the polite way to say "buy your own pizza" - but these pizza place parties can be expensive. Do they have a "package" you can buy to have her party there? Look into that. It is certainly nice to do parties someplace other than home since you don't have to get your own house ready for guests and someone else can do the cooking and cleaning!

Hi E.,
I am a single mom by choice of a beautiful almost 4 year old son. Every year we have a family party with a theme. I think it is important. Time for the party depends on nap time I think usually about noon is a good time. I think your thought of 2 large pizzas is a great idea... party favors if the other kids are older than yes just little things like maybe bouncy balls, and slinkies. Hope this helps. Have fun.

P. M

HI-

I understand you want to do a big party for your childs 1st birthday. I did a BBQ for my sons 1st and everyone brought a side dish. Of course this time of year in Oregon is not really a good time for that. Plus I found out I was prego with my 2nd child a few days before so it was kinda a party to announce that too. We made him a shirt that said I'm the big brother but forgot that when I ironed it on to a shirt it would be backwards. Oh well people figured it out anyway.

If the children that are coming are little a Balloon, bubbles, or a book make a great party favor if you want to do them. I did a cool cup that had a straw attached with temporary tattoos and stickers with a piece or two of candy for his 2nd b-day. I still see his friends using them when we visit.

I am thinking of doing some homemade soap for my daughter 1st B-day (which is in March).

Having just been to a birthday party (for a 1 yr old Boy) at Roaring Rapids. I can give you my 2 cents worth. You can reserve the party room and have to pay a deposit, which you loose if you don't show up at all for the party. Pizza can get spendy, but if you don't want to have to buy pizzas for all the adult say on the invites that there with be pizza & cake for the kids. Polite way to tell adult to buy there own. If you don't expect to buy for everyone.

The carousel runs every 30 min. if I remember correctly, so intermittent entertainment. Don't expect your daughter to unwrap everything. You can do that. Or open them later.

my son just turned one and we had our party at a pizza place as well. Instead of paying for soda I had them bring glasses and a couple pitchers of water. I had approx 25 people at his party and I ordered 3 of the largest pizzas there, there was enough to go around and some people just ordered there own as a courtesy. I had a theme but it just consisted of balloons and table cloth for the cake table and a banner but I didnt want to go all out. I did not give party favors, most the kids were too young so I just gave a balloon to each child as they left. I had the party from 12-1:30, nice and short so the kids dont get restless and most adults dont want to spend their whole weekend day at a kids party and it worked out to be enough time. Happy Birthday to your little one. Just remember to have fun yourself and focus on your child, the day is about them =)

most importantly this party is to let her eat cake & all who want to see her eat cake. She's really not going to understand the gift giving part, & will most likely get sad & cry when you take the first one away. so you might consider opening a small gift she can hold while you open the rest. also don't do the party at a bad time to interrupt her nap schedual. I love going to pizza parties for kids, they have so much fun, but they have had years of practice about how things go & If this place is like Chuck E cheese then it might be a little overwhelming. If the pizza place gives out token & has games then really you don't need to worry about getting those party favors, maybe just the bags to put all the goodies they won into.

Picking a theme is just for fun. I did a "it's fun to be one" party for my daughter with lots of pink. My son had a "winnie the pooh" party. They love picking out the theme from year to year what their party will be & what kind of cake I'll make for them. Maybe you could do a little circus animal party -what kids (boys & girls) wouldn't be happy with animals.

I hope you have a wonderful party & everything will be great!

Blessings to you & yours

Save your money. After three kids I can tell you that the first birthday party is only for you and for the photo op. Just invite any friends or family over for cupcakes, take a few photos, and you are done. Trust me, you will have plenty of real birthday parties to plan and pay for when she is old enough to have her own friends involved.

The "courtyard" (or whatever it is called) at Seattle Center is a great place for kids. There is usually some fun activity taking place on the stage - and the children's museum is downstairs. Kids can be as LOUD as they want - and there are many food choices. Also - if the weather is decent - there is the fountain to look at and the grassy areas for playing.

The only thing I would suggest is to keep it simple. At the age of 1 the kids don't really know what's going on anyway. The party is truly for you, so you should do what makes you happy, and don't sweat the rest.

Usually you calculate a half a slice for each child who eats pizza, and 1.5 for each adult there. The dollar store has great cheap party favors like wooden musical instruments. I personally do not think you need a theme. I joked that the theme for my son's 2nd birthday was "a birthday party"!

Have fun!

I think i went a little over board for my son's 1st birthday, but I rented the spenard rec gym had family cook food and rented a jumper from party world.

First of all congratulations mama! Remember that this day is your celebration too.

First birthdays are really mostly about what you and your guests want to do. I wouldn't worry too much about themes and party favors yet. Believe me there is plenty of time for that when she is older. Focus on just having a good time and keep it simple.

Take lots of pictures of her digging into the cake. My kids love those pictures of themselves!

All the best, K.

RE: party favors -
E.,
I am the mother of two, 4 year old boy and six year old girl.
If you are inviting more than say 5 or 6 other kids, (or more) then I suggest having everyone bring a book, unwrapped and let every kid choose one on their way out. This is done many times instead of gift giving. If you want to have gifts then you could still do this but limit the book price to 5 dollars.

Try to plan the party around nap time. If it comes before nap she could be cranky for her party. Party favors are an option especially if there are alot of older children invited. Themes can be as simple as a color or colors. Its really how exravagant you want to go. For party favors the local dollar store or dollar tree is an inexpensive way to fill a loot bag.
A little tip for mom, do your best to be prepared, but things don't always go as planned, and don't let it stress you out. Her first birthday is just as much a milestone for you, so the day of the party, slow down and enjoy it. It will only happen once. Make the memories unforgetable.

I agree with the advice to simplify. Have a nice get together with some friends and family, and don't spend much money.

If you provide a pizza party, I think you are obligated to buy enough pizza to feed everyone, kids and adults. If you can't afford or don't want to pay for that much pizza, don't plan a pizza party. Just plan a afternoon cake-and-ice cream party in a non-restaurant location.

I don't think you need a theme or party favors. I hate party favors -- I feel that I don't need other people's cheap giveaways adding clutter in my house. My suggestion would be to buy some regular helium balloons for decorations and send one home with each interested kid.

It is really hard to do themes at a pizza place. I have never heard of roaring rapids pizza so I not sure what they have, but with my daughter's bday the day after Christmas we have gone to Chuck E Cheese's for a few years. They already have a theme, we get pizza for everyone and tokens for the kids and sit back and chat. With the smaller kids we run around with them. A tip for keeping an eye on the big kids - give 5-10 tokens at a time, they run out quick and they will be right back asking for more and then you can keep an eye on them w/o having to search through the sea of overly excited kids. Also with the tickets they get from playing games they pick out their own party favors...but if you want to get them something I agree with the stickers and temporary tattoos since those are always big hits.

Then again, if you want to go all out, go for it! And have fun...

A good time to have the party is in between naps! Don't mess with nap time, or you'll have a cranky kid. ;0

Party favors? Only if she's going to be opening gifts at the party. The only time I've ever seen party favors be anything but a time and money waster, is when the other kids have to sit through present opening. At one, you might be able to get out of it!

How many pizzas? How many people are coming? I wouldn't count on one year olds to eat more than one piece (combined!), so estimate 2-3 pieces per adult.

For my daughter's first, we did one of the generic pink first birthday party stuff at Party City. Unless she's koo-koo for Elmo or something, this is your year to do what YOU want to!

Good luck!

Hey there - I had my son's 1st Birthday party at Roaring Rapids. For many reasons there - they have Awesome pizza, they are local, very clean, great lighting, and the play area is cool too with the carosel. I wanted to do something really big for his first - also, yes I admit it was for me a party to have all the family and friends together. (side note - growing up - we didn't have birthday partys for us kids so I may have over compesated) At one...they don't really understand the whole unwrapping the presents and such. I think the most fun of the experience was really the cake. I had his party at about 4 or 6 - dinner time for about 2 hours. That was the time was alotted. The reason I did that was because you go home and put him down for bed. I also had requested 50 seats. We needed more. Since he is also the first grand-baby on both sides.....we kinda had to invite my side of the family and my husbands side of the family - there was a lot of people. Then our closer choice friends were also invited. I could have invited a heck of a lot more people, but refrained. Anyway, Moving on. I had saved about $200 for his birthday party. I don't exactly remember but we bought about 9 pizza's and 5 pitchers of pop and it came out to be about $165 or so. Since it was his first birthday - I wanted to make a big deal about it.

Now that he is turning two this month....I am still up in the air about doing anything really. Maybe a small gettogether. I am not going to buy everyone food this time.

Now, you don't have to go all out either. Invite the people you want there the enjoy the precious moment of eating the cake. Just let everyone know that you are providing some pizza and cake. People will understand. You don't really need a theme either. I didn't. Your daughter isn't attached to anything really quite yet. Next year she will have her favorite movie that she will want to watch over and over and over.... For the time of the day - depends on when would you like it to be. Lunch, Dinner, whenever - people will go to your daughters party.

Also another place to go is Mind's of Motion as well. They do have a party package - I don't know how much it is. But I believe that they provide a pizza or two, party favors and something else.
Another pizza place is Papa's Pizza (Coburg location is better - I think), their play structure and area is pretty cool too. But I really like Roaring Rapid a lot better.
I haven't been in Chucky Cheese's yet.

Anyway - I hope that you have a great time with your little one, best of luck deciding on what to do. In the end it will turn out just fine. It always does. Oh the best thing about having the party elsewhere - you don't have to do the dishes or clean up...lol.

Hi there..My name is I. and I have two kids (3&5)...
My suggestion to you would be to keep it low key the first year or two. Have a small get together at your house and just invite some family members...It is much less stressful this way. When my son turned 4 we took him to Chuck e cheeses and it was just crazy!!! AND stressfull. Ive learned since then how to approach a birthday without going crazy but for the first one you will be much better off easing your way into the birthday party scene...Make some cupcakes and have some chips and dip..Or take her? out for ice cream...Low key is my advise...I know your excited though....
Good luck