Baby’s first birthday only comes once, and you want to make sure it is one you remember and cherish. However, if you are like most mommies, you are short on time and on a tight budget and can’t afford to splurge on lavish decorations or spend a lot of time preparing treats for your guests.
With careful planning, and some savvy shopping, you can make your child’s first birthday a memorable one.
Create a Guest List
The best way to organize your time and money when planning your baby’s first birthday is to create a guest list and establish how many adults and how many children are attending. Once you know this and your overall budget, you can make informed decisions about themes, foods, cake size, and other party supplies.
1st Birthday Party Ideas
If you enjoy party planning and want to do something special here are some great 1st Birthday Party ideas to help you create a theme:
- ABCs
- Welcome to the Jungle
- Princess Party
- Mother Goose
- Baby Tea Party
You can make baby’s first birthday party as elaborate or simple as you like. The trick is to start ahead of schedule. Once you pick a theme, you can start buying decorations and other party essentials that will get your home ready for the big day.
Scheduling Your Party
When you’re planning baby’s first birthday party, you’ll need to think about when the best time of day to hold the party is. Consider the following:
- When is your child most active and chipper?
- When is nap time?
- Are there scheduling considerations for any of the guests?
Plan to host your party around nap time so your little one has a better chance of staying awake, and happy, during the party. Late morning and mid afternoon are popular party times, but you should stick to whatever fits your schedule best.
Feeding Guests
When planning baby’s first birthday, keep in mind that scheduling a party at mealtime implies you will be serving that meal. So, if you are on a tight budget or limited time, try to schedule a short party between meals and just serve cake and punch. As guests arrive, lead them to the punch bowl and serve cake within the first half hour. This will provide an instant activity and let hungry guests grab a bite sooner than later.
Tip! Start the party with an empty dishwasher. That way you can easily rinse and load as you go. You’ll love not having a pile of dirty dishes at the end of the party and you will save the expense of buying disposable plates.
Regardless of time and budget, many mommies feel stress about how to entertain guests at their baby’s first birthday and subsequent parties. First of all, everyone’s there to see the baby. You could sit around with cake and never hang a single decoration and everyone will have a great time. Half the party is taken up with unwrapping presents and watching baby’s face light up. Second of all, you don’t need to keep up with the Joneses. Just have fun.