Monday, December 17, 2018

Baby’s 1st Birthday Party Ideas and Planning Guide

Baby first birthday opening giftsYour Baby’s first birthday is the most important one ever—not just for your special little girl or boy, but also for you! You are the proud parent of your bundle of joy, but planning your child’s 1st birthday party can be incredibly stressful. YTE Events in Tampa has helped dozens of Moms and Dads make baby’s first birthday party memorable, fun, and completely stress-free! As the best entertainment solution in the Tampa Bay area, YTE has everything YOU need to plan the best one-year-old party!

Where do I have my child’s first birthday party?

The best place to host your baby’s birthday is at your home. Your home offers all the amenities that you, your baby, and your guests need:

  • Convenient location
  • Baby-proof surroundings
  • Changing table and diapers
  • Crib for emergency nap-time
  • High chair and baby furniture
  • Favorite baby toys
  • Comfortable & familiar environment

Is your house too small for your baby’s special day? Try asking your friends and family if you can host the party at their house—bonus points if their home is already baby-proof! Just be sure to put the correct address of the birthday party location when sending out your Baby’s 1st Birthday Party invitations!

When is a good time to host my baby’s 1st birthday?

As a parent, you KNOW that your baby is the boss when it comes to scheduling. When choosing a timeframe for baby’s party, take into account:

  • Nap time
  • Play time
  • Meal time

The best times to host your child’s first birthday are in the late morning (after breakfast but before lunch), or early afternoon so long as lunch is provided for your hungry friends and their ravenous kids.

 

Theme and Decoration for baby’s first birthday

Get ready to unleash your creative instincts! Your one year old won’t recall the decorations, but all your friends and all the photos certainly will! Some of the most popular themes for baby’s 1st birthday include:

  • Sock Money theme
  • Thomas the Tank Engine theme
  • Wild Animal theme
  • Rubber Ducky theme
  • Pink Elephant theme
  • Elmo or Cookie Monster theme
  • Little Man & Mustache theme
  • My Little Princess theme
  • ABC Alphabet theme
  • Where the Wild Things Are theme
  • Circus theme
  • Garden or Ocean theme
  • Rainbow party theme
  • Owl theme (Look Whoo’s One!)
  • Lady Bug or Bumblebee theme
  • Very Hungry Little Caterpillar theme

Of course, choosing a party theme based off your baby’s nursery works wonders too! You can also encourage your guests to dress accordingly to your party’s theme for beautiful, memorable photos and lifelong memories.

Best Entertainment for babies, toddlers, and parents

It doesn’t take much to entertain your 1 year old and their teething toddler friends—but it’s important to make sure that whatever “toys” you have lying around are baby-proof, stain-proof, and indestructible! Besides your typical Fisher Price toys, the best entertainment to have at your baby’s 1st birthday party are:

  • Pots, pans, and wooden spoons for musical melodies (or torture)
  • Foam Pool Noodles cut in half for harmless swordfights
  • Soft Plastic Balls inside an inflatable Swimming Pool or large Playpen (children absolutely LOVE this—and so do the adults!)

It is also a good idea to coordinate professional entertainment for your guests older than 3 years old. YTE Events has the best party entertainers in Tampa, and our skilled artists have been specially trained to handle all partygoers at baby’s 1st birthday:

Don’t forget the photographer! You will want lots of photos from you and your baby’s super special day, so if you are not camera-savvy, YTE has professional photographers that will make baby’s 1st birthday unforgettable. Click here to submit a free, no obligation event request with Tampa’s top entertainers!

Food Options for one year old birthday party

You think your baby is a picky eater? Just imagine the picky palates of all the kids (and their adults companions) attending your baby’s first birthday. But do not fret—with all the baby parties that YTE Events has served, we know the best baby-approved food choices to serve at your party:

  • Pizza Cupcakes
    • In a greased cupcake pan, place refrigerated biscuit dough, pizza sauce, and cheese, and/or any other toppings such as pepperoni, spinach, or sausage. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until fluffy and gooey. Kids and adults will love ‘em!
  • Mini Corn Dogs
    • In a greased mini muffin pan, pour Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix along with a slice of a hotdog pressed in. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Try not to eat them all before the party guests arrive!
  • Rainbow Spaghetti
    • Taste the rainbow—literally! Using different Food Coloring colors, place 20 drops of one color + 2 tbsps of water in a large Ziplock bags (so 1 bag for Blue, 1 bag for Red, etc). After cooking the pasta of your choice and straining it, transfer equal amounts of pasta into each bag of food coloring; let sit for at least 2 minutes. Strain out the pasta again, and enjoy!
  • Peanut Butter and Jelly “Sushi” Rolls
    • Use rolling pin to complete flatten piece of bread. Spread 1 tbsp Peanut Butter and 1 tbsp of Jelly or Jam. Roll slice into a tight spiral, then cut into 4 pieces.
  • Banana Dogs
    • The healthy alternative to hot dogs! Line hotdog bun with peanut butter, place a small to medium sized banana inside, drizzle strawberry jelly on top, and watch the smiles commence! Cut into half or thirds for minimum waste and maximum YUM.
  • Deli Sandwiches & Wraps
    • Make them at home, or make things easy by picking up sandwich trays from your local supermarket Deli.
  • Pizza Delivery
    • With so many other things going on, sometimes it’s better to leave the fan-favorite food to the professionals. Order a bunch of cheese and pepperoni pizzas from your favorite pizza joint and appease the pickiest of eaters.

Snacks and Finger Foods are an absolute must at any party, especially your child’s first birthday. Popular snacks for baby parties include:

  • Animal Crackers
    • Especially awesome at Circus, Sock Monkey, and Wild Animal themed parties
  • Goldfish and Cheez-Its
  • Cheerios, Alpha-bits, or other cereal
  • Carrot, Celery, and Apple slices
  • Grapes
    • Skewer them to create caterpillars
    • Freeze grapes for fun chilly treats
  • Fun Fruit shapes
    • Use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes in watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple
  • Ants on a log
    • Celery, peanut butter, raisins, YUM
  • Pretzels and Chips, with Hummus and/or Vegetable Dip

And don’t forget the drinks! Be sure to supply enough water bottles, fruit juices, and adult beverages (along with plenty of ice!!) to keep you and your guests happy.

The perfect birthday cake for baby!

Picking the perfect cake for your baby’s first birthday is NOT a piece of cake! Your one year old’s birthday cake will undoubtedly be the most memorable one for years to come, so it will be difficult deciding which decorative dessert is right for you and your baby and your guests.

  • Main Birthday Cake:
    • Fancy 3 tiered cake that matches the theme of the party
    • 2 tiered cake is less expensive but still fancy
    • Make-at-home cake (circular or rectangular) with colored frosting and/or fondant shapes
    • Baby cakes are small “wooden block” inspired cake squares, individually covered in fondant and individually decorated. 1 baby cake square yields 2 perfect triangle cake slices when cut diagonally.
  • Cupcakes and Cake Pops
    • Cupcakes are easy to make, easier to buy, easy to eat, and easy to clean up
    • Cake Pops are a perfect choice at baby’s first birthday party, providing the most MMMM and the least amount of waste and cleanup.
  • Cake SMASH!
    • Your baby is a master at destroying confectionery creations. Have a smaller, simpler cake ready for your one year old to smash and devour while capturing picture-perfect photos
    • You can make this doomed cake at home, or purchase a cheap round sacrifice at your local supermarket Bakery.

If you are a culinary wizard, or have a gifted friend or family member, you can create any of these tasty treats at home. For the challenged baker, your local supermarket has plenty of decadent options to choose from. And if money is not a problem, find a specialty bakery to transform the cake of your dreams into a reality!

If you are planning your Baby’s first birthday party, or know anyone looking for baby-approved entertainment for their party, send us an event request form and allow YTE to make baby’s 1st birthday the best one YET!

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