It’s your baby’s first birthday coming up and you want to do something special to celebrate it. That means planning a birthday party. While you want it to be perfect, you need to remember that this is more for you than your little one. She isn’t going to remember this, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Here are some tips for planning the perfect 1st birthday party.
Don’t Get Too Stressed
Things won’t go to plan. Your baby will get tired and she won’t realise that this is a day all for her. You need to accept that things are going to go wrong and not get stressed about them. It’s really important that you simply have fun on the day. Plan as much as you can in advance to try and limit the disasters on the day.
Book a Hall for Two Hours
You don’t need an all day event. As your child gets older, longer parties are the norm but for the first birthday, two hours is just enough. Book out a church hall or invite people around to your home. Make it clear that it is just for two hours and that people are welcome during those hours. If you’re doing it at home, though, this can be harder to set.
Invite People Close to Your Little One
Make it a special event by inviting the people close to your baby. It could be grandparents and siblings only, or it could be other babies and children your little one knows from nursery or toddler group. She will recognise faces and feel more comfortable around people she knows. She’ll have fun and you will feel more relaxed.
Set the Hours Outside of Nap Time
You’ve likely gotten into a routine with your little one now. This is great, since it means you can set the time for the party so it’s outside of nap time. If your little one likes to sleep between 1pm and 2pm, set the part for 3pm or for 11am. She will be happier and not feel like she’s being forced to stay up for the sake of others.
Avoid Overspending
Remember that she’s not going to remember this. You don’t have to get the Peppa Pig entertainment or a live band for your guests. Stick to entertainment that she is going to love. The same applies to the food and the cake. Make a big deal out of later birthdays when she is going to remember everything. If you have the budget though, feel free to go all out.
Think About the Food
Finger food is usually the best for your baby and guests. It’s likely that your baby is still on bottles of milk and not a full solid food diet; however, this will depend on the diet that you have set her. Whatever you do, think about the type of food you offer so that it covers as many guests as possible. Don’t forget the vegetarian options!