First Birthday Party

I agree with Denise. I think keeping things simple will help your daughter to better enjoy the day. It's easy to go overboard. Little ones can get really overstimulated and then just get grumpy. For all three of my little ones' 1st birthdays we just had it at home with relatively simple food. The kids just free played either indoors (for my Feb baby) or outdoors (my May and Sept babies) while the adults visited and ate/drank. The kids grazed as they wished. We paused for cake and then did gifts at some point. It always turned out fun and relaxed.

I didn't organize any games or crafts figuring the kids would really be happiest just playing and wouldn't really understand the organized activity anyways. That went well.

A really important factor you want to consider when planning the timing of your party is the time of day. Pick the time of day that your daughter is at her best. You want her to have fun and to enjoy the day yourself. If you pick naptime because it fits your schedule best, you will likely have a grumpy guest of honor. Once you have decided on the time of day, then that can guide your food choices.

2 moms found this helpful

Hi J.,
This is just my personal thought on the first birthday party occasion...why not just have a simple cookout & cake & ice cream at your home for your daughter's first birthday? Since you are having mostly adults attending, why plan a party where they will not be getting lunch or dinner? Believe me, the kids will get more out of Chuck E Cheese when they're 4 or 5 than at 1 or 2. Just a thought. Have fun no matter what you do!

1 mom found this helpful

Maybe you shouldn't have the party @ Chuck E. Cheese if it's only going to be 5 kids. If anyhting you could have a little something at your house and order pizza or other food for adults that may be cheaper than Chuck E. Cheese. Even if your baby is walking, at 1 year she won't be able to enjoy the games there. you can also go to ACME and SHOPRITE with her birth certificate and they each will give you a free 1/4 sheet cake. (This may allow extra money for food for the adults.) Hope this helps and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the BABY!

Are there any parks nearby where you can have it. We do this with my son every year. The kids can play on the playground. Adults can do whatever they want. And as far as food, we've done the whole picnic thing burgers and hot dogs, salads, chips etc. And we've also ordered pizza from a local pizza shop - usually you get great discounts when ordering a large quantity. It seems to work out well for all. Sometimes the pavilions are on first come first serve basis, and most times you need to call the parks and recreation department to reserve one for a small fee. I also would like to add re: chuck e cheese, is that it's like a group party for all the birthday kids at once, no special attention is given to each child. I prefer to give my kids that one day when it is ALL about them. Good Luck on what you decide.

Hi. If you can do the party at a families home it would be the best because the first birthday usually is more adults and more presents than the rest. Check out some local parks or other places that would allow you to bring your own food, maybe a firehall if there are any places that would be cheaper and allow for more time with the family. CEC is really not a great place for a party ecspecially for children under 5, usually there are more video games than climbing toys so the price can become more because of buying more tokens. There are probably places that would be more suited and enjoyable for you little one. But if you cant find anything else maybe your parents or other family members would be willing to pitch in for cost if you have to go with CEC. If all else fails Im sure the family would understand that extra food is not in your budget and you are doing so many things to include them. I hope this helps and try not to stress out over this, remember this party is for you beautiful daughter and will be great to her even if she just gets to spend a wonderful day with mommy.

You can do a party at any time and in any fashion you wish, lol! Whatever works for you! Most kids parties I've been to and have had for my own 5 has never had food for the adults except for maybe some chips cuz it was at my house. If I was to hold it outside the home then I wouldn't worry about the adults unless I was specially having a lunch or dinner party. The party is for the kids so that's what I always focused it on. If the adults get hungry they can order something. It depends on your budget too. If you feel strongly about feeding the adults as well, be sure you put that in your budget cuz adults can eat, lol!

K. b
mom to 5 including triplets
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat

Hi!
Do you particularly like Chuck E Cheese? (I personally don't, but I know there are those who do!) With many more adults than children, I would suggest having it someplace more enjoyable to adults. I'm sure you're really busy getting your nursing degree, but why not have it at home? (A one year old will be happy running around anywhere.) Or a lot of local parks have gazebos, BBQs & tables that you can reserve. The adults can enjoy a low-key BBQ while the children have fun on the playground equipment.

Personally, I would not go to Chuckie Cheese at all since there will be more adults that children and the adults would probably appreciate a party elsewhere! You can have a fabulous party at your house where you can serve whatever food you want and still have a lovely time. Plus, at one year of age, your daughter won't enjoy Chuckie Cheese for the price you will be spending! Good luck!

Dear J.,

I read somewhere that it's good to plan the number of children attending a birthday party by the age of the child. So at one, you'd have one child as a guest. If you are planning to have 5 children, don't have more than 5 adults. Plan age-appropriate activities at your home for the children, and have the adults help with those activities.

Remember, that this party is her celebration. Have a small cake decorated so that she'll be able to really dive into it and have fun. This birthday is really special, and you'll treasure that little messy face forever. You can have another cake or cupcakes for the others. Do not light the candle, fire hazard.

Get together with those other adults another time, but don't call it a birthday party for your little girl. Potluck get togethers work well if money is a problem. Get everybody to bring a dish. OR meet at chuck-e-cheese and everybody pays their own way. Too often, the adults end up being the ones celebrating whatever, and the child is not celebrated, except for receiving presents they're too little to appreciate. Just make the first birthday party for her to have fun and for you to get memorable pictures. The presents really don't even matter.

I've been to first birthday parties where there were too many people, and the little one just gets too tired and either gets put down for a nap OR frantically stays awake to guard her new things and not share with the other children while the adults party on for hours. Yuk! At one party, the child was not even allowed to touch her special cake because she would mess up her party dress. So sad! Have you ever had to sit through watching a one-year-old open twenty presents? Think about it. Plan to have fun instead.

Hope this helps. Sincerely, M.

There is nothing wrong with having the adults buy their own food. I just went to a party at Chuck E Cheese like that. However, Chuck E Cheese is very disorganized with parties. We had my son's first birthday there also, and there was not enough room for the adults to sit (even though we reserved for more than what showed up. If you are having it there, I suggest a weeknight, not a weekend :)

Well, J.,

Not to be mean or anything, but I went to Chuckie Cheese one time and the food was terrible... in my own opinion I feel that at your daughters age the games etc are even too old for her and children her age... did you think of a nice picnic in the park or someplace different like Dutch Wonderland or Knoebles Grove, or even Lake Tobias in Upper Dauphin County... (I'm not sure where you live) but someplace different... the time I was there it was sooo loud and there was so many people there it was terrible (at Chuckies) and I think a one yr old would be afraid not have fun... you could even have something nice at home and make family games or games more for one yr olds like finger painting with pudding on paper plates...

good luck and happy birthday to your little angel

S.
Elizabethville PA

I agree that you must feed the adults if you are feeding the kids. Unfortunately this is the way it goes until the parents can drop off their kids. The only way around it is to skip the pizza and just have cake for everyone. That will save money and the Chuck E. pizza isn't very good anyway! And who need pizza in the middle of the afternoon? Good luck and have fun!

i would not go to chuckie cheese it is nothing but germs,and being so little ,a cake and ice cream with family would be enough,

We did have a party at chuck e cheese and we bought a few pizzas for everybody. I don't remember how much the pizzas were. My suggestion is that you do have some food for the adults.
Have you considered doing the party at gymboree? This place is for little ones and I assume that the rest of the kids are not older than 4 years old. I believe at that at gymboree you can bring your own food.
Good luck!

personally, I would rethink the whole thing... I took my son there for his 3rd birthday and there really weren't that many things for him to do other than the slide/climbing thing. Most of the activities are for older kids (like 4-5 and up). There really won't be anything for your daughter to do. If all the other kids coming are older than fine but it's HER party. Do something for her. If you really want all the grown-ups to come, maybe you could go to a park with a small play-ground and get pizza and cake or ask them to bring a plate instead of a gift. you seem to have a lot on your plate. Don't stress yourself out. You can always do a larger scale CEC party when she will remember it.

Joise
If I were you, I'd maybe rethink the Chuck E Cheese party. Your 1 year old will be too little to run around inside the tubes and play....because the other children at the facility run wild inside of there. She could get hurt. I agree that you have to feed the adults though.....I think it would be tacky to expect them to come to your party, then say...oh hey, if you want something to eat or drink, get it yourself? Someone suggested going to a nice park? maybe getting one of the pavilions there....that is a very good idea. Then you can plan some games and bring your own food...there is usually a playground for the little ones. Since you have so many adults as opposed to kids, that may be more enjoyable for you. I'd hold off on Chuck E Cheese till she is a little older. You'll save yourself a little bit of money and a huge headache. :-)

If you were having a party where only kids were invited and any adults attending would be chaperones, you might get away with providing finger food for them. But it sounds like the adults are also invited guests, in which case I think you need to feed them as well. The only exception I see is if you make it clear on the invitation that food will not be provided, only cake and beverages (if that is even an option).

As the other moms suggested, you might want to consider another simpler, quieter alternative for a first birthday party. Little ones can wear out, get over-stimulated, become fussy, etc when there is too much going on.

Another thought... since you have invited mostly adults, the ones who aren't chasing kids around are going to want to socialize with the other adults and that often isn't easy to do at CEC. You obviously can't cater to each guest's preferences and there will come a time when your daughter will request a certain kind of party and you will honor her request regardless of what anyone else thinks. But ask yourself if this is truly the party you want to have considering your daughter's age and your guest list.

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy this special day!

Yes it would be wrong to feed the kids and not the adults. Imagine if you went a party and the hostess said "oh no you can't eat, only the children can". Another less expensive option is to have the party at a local playground and then provide snacks, juice boxes and cake for the whole gang. The children will have a great time and you don't start a uphill battle to find the next best thing next year (Read: more expensive). If you get a rain out move it to the next sunny day you are available. The parents will thank you for tiring their kids out and you will save a bundle by keeping it simple.
Kids do not remember anything until they are about 5-6 years old (my 6 yo can't remember huge important things that happened when he was four anymore), so try to think of that when you are planning special occasions. A couple of balloons and a cake is such a special treat that they think they are at the worlds biggest party even if it is in your living room.

Good luck and happy birthday!

She's too young to appreciate a chuck e cheese party, and it may totally annoy the adults. My suggestion is to have it at your home, and serve only birthday cake. Many grocery stores will make a little cake for the 1 yr old. We used to live in FL, and Publix made that cake for free. I sat my then 1 yr old son in his high chair, pretty much naked except for his diaper and birthday hat. After we sang happy birthday to him, I let him just go at the cake with his hands. It made for great pictures. I then had a different cake for the adults.

Of course, there's no reason you could not make both cakes yourself, and save even more $.

(yes, my son made a mess, but his entire highchair was made of plastic, so after we took him into the tub and cleaned him off, we took his highchair outside, and scrubbed it down).

Save Chuck-e-cheese for a party when she is older and she and her friends can enjoy the games! Outside parties like that and bowling, craft parties etc are great for kids once they are school age and the party is all about the kids and not the adults! For a first birthday party I suggest a party at home...You can get great party trays just about anywhere to please just about anyone. You'll find that this party is really more about family gathering around the baby and lots of talking etc. which you really can't do in a noisy enviorment like chuck-e-cheese. Have fun with your party!

Hi, I am a SAHM of a beautiful 18 mo and we were thinking about doing her party at Chuck E Cheese this fall as well but I looked into it and there is a place that is cheaper and has a pizza party with games to play (they don't have the mouse). I would start off by trying to look out there for some place cheaper. If that is not an option then I would be ok with having the party in the middle of the afternoon and ordering a basket of munchies. With the cake the adults should be fine. I would explain it to the adults by saying that the party package allows for a piece of pizza and a drink per child but doesn't cover the adults. With the travel cost of you coming to them rather than them having to come to you, it just isn't in the budget to buy any extras for the party. They should understand.

with only 5 kids and 20 adults, I do not recommend you go to chuckie cheese. have it at someone's house or a small hall. set up a little swimming pool for the kids, throw some ducks and toys in it. Buy bubbles, sidewalk chalk, crayons, coloring books, etc. Have a pinata', but do not have it at chuckie cheese with all of those adults. This is obviously just my opinion. It is very expensive to buy food there. Look into a dressed-up character to come to your house or something, ie. Elmo, Clown, etc. Have some music cd's playing with some musical instruments. The kids will love it. I hope this helps.

I would look into another plan B. Chuck E. Cheese is not worth what they charge and not a good idea for a 1st b-day, in my opinion. My friend had his daughter's 5th b-day there and it was only four kids. Complete waste of time and money. Especially with the b-day girl being terrified of Chuck E. when he came out. And yes, you do have to feed the adults since they are invited to the party. If they were just chaperones you might be able to get away with not feeding them, but that doesn't sound like the case.

I would not do Chuck e Cheese for a one year old. It is very loud, she will probably be scared of the mouse and she is really too little to play the games. I would not do chuck e cheese until six - if ever.