Celebrate your baby's first birthday with a party full of itsy-bitsy treats!
Invitations
Mini-Hand/Footprints- Nothing is cuter than tiny fingers and toes! Capture the sweetness of this milestone birthday with a mini-handprint or footprint invitation.
- Buy blank note cards at a stationary or party store.
- Take a non-toxic, washable ink pad and press the child’s foot (or hand) onto the pad and then firmly onto the front of the card.
- Under the footprint write the child’s name and the date of the print. Inside the card write, “First smile and first tooth, first word and first step. Its Baby’s first birthday, we have lots to celebrate!”
Centerpieces
Mini-Cupcake Stands- Keep your tiny theme going with mini-cupcakes displayed on each table or on a buffet.
- Purchase festive birthday themed plates and set each on top of an upside down ceramic or glass small mixing bowl.
- Fill your mini-cake stands with little cupcakes baked in mini-muffin pans and then frosted and topped with mini- M&Ms. Choose your favorite box cake mix and make according to package directions.
- Before placing the centerpieces on the table cover each table in butcher paper and then spread colorful crayons around the cake stand. The colors will brighten the table and the freedom to draw on the paper will amuse guests of all ages!
Decorations
Create your own handprint streamers.
- Trace your child’s hand multiple times on a blank sheet of paper and use a copier to reproduce the handprints on colored paper.
- Cut out the hands and glue onto crepe paper streamers. Hang the streamers from the doorways and ceiling at the party location.
Food
Dish up a child-friendly mini-feast! Make all of the food ahead of time and serve it buffet-style on large platters.
- Mini-Quiches- Don’t waste time making these from scratch- check out the frozen food section of your grocery store for a variety of heat and serve options.
- Mini-Pancake- Again let others do the cooking! Buy a large box of pre-made mini-pancakes and all you have to do is stick them in the microwave.
- Mini-Bagels- Separate the halves and serve with an assortment of butter, cream cheese and jellies.
- Tator Tots- An easy to heat finger food that no one can pass up- the new hash brown!
- Swedish Meatballs- Depending on your time and inclination you can make these from scratch or buy frozen. Provide the toothpicks on the side for adults; they are a choking hazard for toddlers.
- Baby Carrots- A toddler favorite served with ranch dressing. Boil them for any partygoer who may not have gotten his molars yet.
Activities
- Freeze Dance- Play “tiny” themed songs such as, “It’s a Small World”, while everyone dances, scoots and wiggles. Stop the music periodically and say, “Freeze!” Have guests try and hold their position until the music starts up again.
- Itsy Bitsy Spider- Hand out toy spiders to all the kids. Sing “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” and act out the motions. Ask all the children who know the song to act out the song with you. Have the others, who may be too young to sing along, hold out the spiders while everyone is singing.
- Mini-Collage- Pass out 4”x 4” squares of paper. Provide age appropriate art supplies and have each person or family decorate the square. When finished take each mini-square and put them together to form a large collage. Write the date and guests on the back of the collage and save as a keepsake of the day.
More birthday ideas: football birthday, toddler pool party, carnival birthday party, very buggy birthday, ladybug picnic
The copyright of the article 1st Birthday Party in Children's Parties is owned by Megan Sheakoski. Permission to republish 1st Birthday Party must be granted by the author in writing.
