Baby's 1st Birthday Party
It's never too early to celebrate your baby's first year
with family, fun and games and we're here to help!



Planning Your Birthday Party
Planning your baby's 1st party has special considerations.
We have tips from moms and party professionals. 

Popular Baby's First Birthday Themes  
We've provided a list of favorite 1st birthday party themes,
as well as ideas to help you create your own theme.

First Birthday Party Games and Activities for Grown-ups
Baby focused ideas to entertain the adults.

Do you have a Cute Baby?
Your baby's first birthday party is bound to generate some adorable pictures. Thecutekid.com is a great place to share your cute kid photos
and possibly take home a $25,000 College Tuition fund! ...read more >>

BABY'S FIRST BIRTHDAY GAMES & ACTIVITIES
Realistically, one year old parties are for the grown-ups to celebrate.
Here are some game ideas that adults can enjoy. That is, if they are a playful bunch! We also have some fun entertaining activities for the
"not so playful group". When children are attending your party,
traditional party games can be played.

Baby Bottle Bowling
Also a good baby shower game!
Fill ten baby bottles with water or rice to make them more stable.
Arrange the bottles on the floor like bowling pins. 
Mark an "X" a reasonable distance from the "pins". 
Players will take turns trying to get a strike using a ball. 

Baby Monitor Madness
Also a fun baby shower game!
This is similar to a treasure hunt.
You'll need a a baby monitor that can travel some distance.
Admittedly, the instructions are a bit confusing, but the game
is too fun not to mention!

Before the party, write two lists of clues about areas, or items from
around your home, 5-10 objects per list; toaster, bathroom, crib, broom closet etc.
Hide a fun object or candy at each location. 
Clue Example:
"POP" too, dark!  "POP", too light! 
I never seem to get it right
(toaster)

To play: Divide your guests into two teams. One team is assigned to the the baby monitor transmitter and the other will carry the receiver.
The teams will begin the game in different locations.  The transmitter team has a list of clues. They read the clues through the monitor to the "receiver" team. They have only 1-2 minutes to solve the clue and collect the object at that location before the next clue is read. When the clues have all been read, that round is over. The teams switch and there is a new list of clues. The team that solves the most clues wins!

You Are So Special
Place a current photo of your baby in a cardboard mat frame with a wide edge. Place the photo with acid-free markers or gel pens on a table. Throughout the party invite guests to write a message to the birthday child. You are special because...Happy birthday, Why we love you etc....After the party place this special keepsake in a 
glass frame and hang it in baby's room!

Take a Guess
Fill a jar with dry Cheerios cereal, a baby's favorite! You'll need to count
the cereal before placing it in the jar. Every guest will write their name on
a piece of paper and make their guess as to how many pieces of cereal there are in the jar. Closest guess wins a prize.

Baby Gym Relay
Have you ever noticed much moving your little one does.
Most adults would find this exhausting! This relay race will give your guests a workout. Place two baskets at one end of a room and a pile of toys at the other end. Divide the guests into teams. The game starts at the pile of toys. Players take turns picking up a toy, crawling (or walking on their knees) to the basket, drop the toy into the basket and return to their team. Next player takes their turn and so on. Until  all of the toys are in the basket. First team to finish wins!

Baby Portrait Time
This is supposed to be fun and with no artistic pressure. 
Give every guest some crayons, paper and a hard surface,
or play at a table. Hold your baby where everyone can see him/her. 

When you say "Go" players have 30 seconds to draw the baby. When the time is up...switch drawings to the player next to you (clockwise).
Say, "GO" draw again. Keep this going for several rounds (or as long as your baby can handle sitting) the pictures are quite entertaining. Remember,
no artistic talent is necessary. Stick figures, abstract ...anything goes.
After the party you may want to make a collage using all of the pictures and frame it - talk about an original work of art.

Baby's First... Guessing Game: 
Before the party, collect photos, mementos, and hand drawn pictures of your babies milestones. Tape them onto construction paper and then mount them on the wall chronologically, but without dates. Examples of milestones: left hospital, first shots, 1st bath, first trip, slept through the night, 1st smile, met grandma, first solid food, first babysitter.

Give the players some "sticky notes" and a pencil. Each player writes their initials and the date that they think the milestone occurred. Place the sticky note on the milestone picture. Whoever has the most correct guesses, wins a prize!

Baby Can Do...
Before the party, write a list of tasks your baby can and can't do; clap, eat with a spoon, walk, use the potty, count to 20, throw a ball...Can your guests guess correctly. To play, designate one side of the room to be the "CAN" side and the other, the "CAN'T" side. All players start in the middle.  
When you call out a task, if a player believes your baby CAN do it - they move to that side of the room and vise versa.

Messages to Baby
Before the party, decorate a plastic shoebox container. Provide pen and paper. Encourage your family and friends to write special notes for your child to read when they get older. Good topics are...
My hopes and dreams for you are...How you've touched my life. 
What I like about you. I love you because...
Store the container to be opened at a later date.

Related Links:
Kids Birthday Party Planning
Party Games
Baby's First Birthday Party Supplies
Shop for Birthday Gifts
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