A child’s first birthday is an incredibly exciting time, not only for the child but also the parents and family. It marks a very special milestone in the child’s life, and therefore requires celebrating!
Knowing how to tackle the first birthday party can be tricky. The chances of your little one knowing exactly what they did for their first birthday in years to come are slim, however, this doesn’t mean that you can’t still plan a special get together.
So if you’re looking to throw a first birthday party, here are some top tips for planning the perfect birthday bash.

Decide who to invite

The first thing which you need to do is to decide who to invite. At the age of one, the child probably won’t have had too much interaction with other children.
While it would be nice to have some other children there of a similar age, it’s important not to overwhelm them with too many unfamiliar faces! There’ll be plenty of other birthdays in which the child will be able to socialise with other children, so there’s no need to rush them into making friends.
As briefly mentioned before, the party is as much a celebration for the child as it is the parents and family, so make sure to invite plenty of family members and friends to the party.

Choose a venue

Where you host the party may depend on how many people you are expecting to turn up. However as suggested in babycentre’s article, ‘home is the place where your baby will feel most secure.’
For this reason, and the fact it means you wouldn’t have to transport all of the party accessories to another venue makes having the party in your own house a great idea.
To transform your home and garden into a party venue, it might be a good idea to invest in some colourful accessories. Pom Pom Studio’s beautiful paper pom poms, tassel garlands and balloons would be the perfect way of splashing a bit of colour onto the venue.

Timing is key

Another important point that you need to consider is the timing of your party. If your child is used to having a nap throughout the day, then it’s best not to throw a party when the baby is sleepy and not really feeling in the party spirits.
Keep the party to brief to some extent, as it could be quite a long affair for your little one to handle otherwise, as recommended by The Bump’s tips for planning a first  birthday party.

What food should I serve?

If you’ve got a range of different ages coming to the bash, then knowing what to plan in terms of food can be quite difficult.
Buffets are always a great idea for parties and means that there will also be something for everyone to tuck into. If there’ll be some younger kids at the party, then make sure you’ve prepared something that they’ll enjoy too. For the birthday boy or girl, make sure to have bought them their favourite food.
It’s always a good idea to mention on the birthday invitations whether or not you’ll be serving food to give you guests prior warning as to whether they should avoid eating before the party.

Entertainment

Again, due to the child’s age, securing the right entertainment can be hard. Also, if you have lots of adults at the party, then playing games probably won’t be suitable.
Setting a theme can be a great way of infusing a bit of fun into the party. This also means that the younger guests can dress up and get involved in the party spirit.
Our professional party planners here at Twizzle agree that toddlers and young children can be tricky to entertain. Saying that, Twizzle suggests that there are always lots of ways that you can add amusement to the party, whether it’s through surprise visits from Pingu to petting zoos.
Don’t forget to take plenty of pictures at the party which you can then put into an album. You could even hire a photographer to save you the hassle and this would also mean that have a set of wonderful photos to show your child in the future.
When it comes to planning a party for your one-year-old, one of the biggest pieces of advice is to be organised and ensure that everything is in place before your guests arrive. This will mean that you can relax, mingle with your guests and just enjoy your little one’s special party! Head to Parenting for more fun party ideas for your one-year-old.