Baby's first birthday is a very special day; you've made it through a whirlwind year and now your little one is now doing all of the amazing things one-year-olds do - and you're chasing around after her trying to balance her need for discovery with your need for safety and peace of mind!  It's definitely cause for celebration!  Whether you're hosting a small get together or an all-out bash, you'll be able to create a fun time for all with a simple plan.  You'll find ideas and resources for baby's first birthday as well as older kids throughout this article and along the left side of this page.  In This Guide Planning a Perfect Party Tips for coordinating the details of this special day so everyone will have a great time. Setting the Mood Invitations and Thank You Notes, Decorations, Birthday Cake, Refreshments, Grown Up Fun, Kiddie Games and Activities, Party Music, Party Favors. Birthday Keepsakes Crowns and Hats, Cake Plates, Birthday Memories. Especially for Your Little One Birthday Outfits, Gift Ideas, Gift Registries.

Planning a Perfect Party
Start by creating a guest list to get an idea of how much and what type of food, decoration, and entertainment you'll need.  Keep in mind how much space you have and, if you're planning on an outdoor party, what to do in case of rain.  A party tent is a good solution, but before you buy one consider how much future use you'll get out of it; you may also want compare the cost of renting a tent instead of buying one. 

Sensory overload is a good possibility on such a big day, so be sure to start your party well before baby's normal nap time and plan on one to two hours max for the party itself.  Flexibility is important because, as you already know by now, one year olds march to their own tune.  If your little one is anything like mine, she'll sense the excitement in the air and won't be taking her nap on her big day, which could cause a big case of the crankies!

Although you've probably already safety-proofed the areas that your baby plays and sleeps in, it's a good idea to re-check the party space. 

Try to arrange for a close relative or friend that your baby is familiar with to help out with the digital camera or camcorder, when you need to handle party details, or make a quick diaper change. 
 

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Setting the Mood
To theme or not to theme, if you've planned a child's birthday party lately, that will surely be the question!  Almost all of the elements of a child's party will be effected by the decision to go with a theme because just about every possible type of party supply is available in the theme you choose, which will definitely save you time and probably save you money (unless you go crazy with extras)!  We'll talk about themes in more detail in the Decorations and Tablewear section a little later.
 

Invitations and Thank You Notes

The possibilities here are limited only by your budget.  If you're celebrating baby's first birthday you may want to splurge here because your guest list probably won't be that big.   You can, of course, match your invitations to a theme.  Remember to order extras in case you make a mistake when preparing them for the mail; you'll also need at least one extra as a keepsake.  You can view a few of our favorite invitations on our Birthday Fun Resources page.
 

You'll want to send out your invitations two to three weeks prior to the big day. If your guest list is close family and friends only, you probably don't need to have an RSVP; if you do have an RSVP, call anyone who hasn't responded one week prior to the party.

Fill-in invitations come in dozens of styles, usually in packs of eight.  Many styles offer an invitation and thank you note combo.  One stand-out idea is the Invitation in a Bottle available in Pirate, Princess, or Beach Party Themes.

Personalized invitations are printed with party specifics and are also available in many styles.  Typically, you can order as many or as little as you need and the more you order the lower the cost; plain white envelopes are usually included, but you may be able to upgrade for a fee.  Some companies offer return address printing as well as an addressing and mailing service for additional fees.    

Photo invitations look great and are fun and easy to create.  You can include one or more photos and there are hundreds of professional designs and card types to suit every taste.  As with personalized invitations, you can order as few or as many as you need, the more you order the lower your cost, and plain envelopes are typically included; printed return addresses as well as addressing and mailing services are available from some companies.

Important reminder:  order personalized and photo invitations so that they arrive at least three weeks before the party.
 

If you've waited too long to send invitations by post or are on a tight budget, you can send an e-mail invitation; you'll just need to have the e-mail addresses for all of your guests.

You can usually purchase a matching thank you note for each type of invitation noted above.  If you go with a non-photo thank you note, an enclosed photo or photo magnet from the big day are special ways to say thanks.  Kodak EasyShare Gallery offers an Accordion Fold Card that could include the ten best shots from the party, which is particularly nice for family or friends who weren't able to make the party.

Cute Idea:  Seal your invitations and thank you notes with an adorable photo sticker of your baby.

Decorations
There are hundreds of party themes to choose from, including fairies, cowboys, pirates, or a favorite character, such as Winnie the Pooh, Curious George, or Woody, Buzz and the gang from Toy Story, or a First Birthday theme, where you'll choose from an assortment of cheery colors and styles.

Going with a theme simplifies planning because you can purchase a party package; a basic package usually includes plates, cups, napkins, and cutlery for 8 guests, plus a table cover, balloons, streamers, candles and curling ribbon.  If you need more supplies you can order a deluxe package, add another basic package or purchase specific supplies, such as extra plates; you can also add decorations and favors, stickers, banners, hats, and more. 

An alternative to themed party supplies is color-coordinated party supplies; you can use your own tablewear, cutlery and table covering, or go with coordinating paper and plastic, add a dozen or so balloons and a birthday banner (a personalized banner is a nice touch that you may be able to use again, depending on the wording) and you'll have a festive and fun setting and save a few bucks, too. 

See some of our favorite party decorations at our Birthday Fun Resources page.

Safety Tip:  Balloons are an extreme choking hazard, so be sure to pop them and dispose of them in a place that your little one cannot get to immediately after the party.

Birthday Cake
To bake and decorate baby's cake or buy one is a choice that you'll make based on your budget, time constraints and cake decorating abilities.

Homemade

You'll have to decide whether to go with a boxed cake mix or bake from scratch.  If you've never made a cake from scratch before, you'll probably want to test out a recipe at least a week before your party.

You'll also have to decide on a theme for your cake; if you've gone with a theme for the party then you'll probably want the cake to match.  There are lots of character and theme cake pans available and decorating instructions are usually included. 

When deciding on a cake it's important to consider the frosting that is called for.  Fondant frosting is the smooth type you see on many cakes these days; it allows you to do wonderfully creative things with a cake, but although it is made almost entirely from sugar, it's kind of chewy and many people don't like the taste!

Butter cream frosting, on the other hand, is delicious because it has a higher butter to sugar ratio which makes it melt in your mouth.  It also looks great on almost any type of birthday cake and is generally easier to make and work with.  If you don't have much experience decorating cakes, you'll want to go with butter cream.

Bakery
A great baker can create a gorgeous cake that will not only take everyone's breath away but also be absolutely delicious.  If you're going to spend the money for a bakery birthday cake and you don't have a favorite bakery, you should get referrals from family or friends.  To be sure that you and the baker on the same page, order a sample cake with your chosen flavors for frosting and cake, even if you have a favorite bakery.

Market
Birthday cakes from your local market are more generic; you'll get a chocolate or yellow cake with white frosting and some other colored decorations and the bakery shop clerk will add "Happy Birthday ____" or you can add birthday wishes yourself at home.  It's not the fanciest choice, but you'll get a perfectly acceptable cake at a good price with little effort.

Cute idea:  photo cakes -  you supply your baker with a favorite photo and they use a special software and printer to print it right onto the cake with edible ink or you can order the image and apply it yourself at Icing Images, Photo Frost, and Icing Magic.  

Refreshments

There are no set rules regarding refreshments, but you may want to have a least a few light snacks in addition to cake and ice cream.  If you'll only be serving cake and ice cream, be sure to mention this in your invitation so that your guests will be sure to eat before they arrive.  Foods that can be prepared a day or two before your party will make things easier. 

Pasta salad - a favorite dish that is easy to prepare, they also tend to taste better after chilling for a day.  A good recipe to try is Pasta Salad with Peas and Ham.

Fruit kabobs - for a fun twist on fruit salad, serve these up on a party platter.  Good fruits for skewering include strawberries, seedless grapes, oranges, kiwi, pineapple, honeydew and cantaloupe.

Deli trays and crudités - you can prepare these yourself or order them from your local market; be sure to offer a variety of dips and condiments to suit the different tastes of your guests.

Pizza - If you've got extra help on the day of the party, you could whip-up Tom's Homemade Pizza.  You can always have pizzas delivered on the day of the party; you may want to order an extra large "sheet pizza" that you can cut into finger food size.  If you'll be ordering your cake from your favorite bakery, see if you can save yourself a step by adding pizza strips to the order.

Chicken wings  - another party favorite that's easy to prepare and can be made a day or two before the party.  You can go with a variety of flavors, such as sweet and sour, teriyaki, and honey mustard.

Grilled Foods - hot dogs and hamburgers are probably your best bet for easy party grilling.  Be sure to add cheese for the burgers as requested by guests; check out our Barbeque Burger Recipe.

Drinks - in addition to your standard sodas, water, juice, and coffee, you can throw in some easy-to-make party drinks, such as party punch, root beer floats, or milk shakes.
 

Important reminder:  Keep in mind any special considerations, such as guests who are vegetarians, lactose intolerant or have food allergies. 
 

Grown Up Fun
Baby's first birthday (and second, too) tends to be a celebration for the grown-ups, so you won't have to do much in the way of games or activities.  Some good ways to entertain the grown-ups are:
 

•  A personalized signature plate or signature mat frame - once everyone has signed, it will become a charming keepsake.
 

•  If your party space includes an outdoor area, break out the bubbles and watch as everyone joins in the fun. 

•  Create and display a photo memory book at the party.  Filled with your most favorite moments from baby's first year, it will be an instant hit and you'll also have a beautiful keepsake.  To learn about photo books, memory books, and baby books, and more fun things to do with your baby photos, visit our Photo Fun page.

Kiddie Games and Activities

If toddlers will be coming, you should have some fun things for them to do.  There are lots of classic party games and activities to purchase, such as piñatas, Pin the Tail on the Donkey or lawn games such as crochet or potato sack races.  See some of our favorite kiddie games and activities on our Birthday Fun Resources page.

You can also play Simon Says, Red Light, Green Light, or Duck Duck Goose.  Keep the games moving along quickly and have a prize for everyone or no prizes at all so no one feels left out.

Regarding hired entertainment, such as clowns, favorite characters, or petting zoos, there is a very good chance that your baby will be freaked out or overwhelmed by this, especially given the excitement of the day, so you should probably hold off this year.

Party  Music
Music is a key factor for any successful party, but finding appropriate music for a children's party that adults will also like can be tough these days.  We've put together a list of CD's that are popular with our
2-year old daughter that shouldn't offend anyone at your party!  Click on the titles to hear song samples.

Pop/Rock and Folk

Here Come the 123's CD and DVD by They Might Be Giants