Finally, after days of sleepless nights, dealing with hunger cries and sharing giggles, it is time to celebrate your little munchkin’s first birthday. Of course, we know the baby will not remember how great his/her first birthday bash was, but we still want to give our best shot.
The perfect way to mark the day is by picking a theme for the party. However, with so many themes available, it becomes another reason to fuss about! So, how to choose a theme for first birthday party?
Actually, it’s quite simple, and you will know the answer once you understand the purpose of a theme party. A theme party is organised to save a memory of something that your baby is fond of or gets excited about just by seeing it, like a cartoon, superhero, food or likes. So, to choose the best theme, you must consider points like:
- Is your child fond of nursery rhymes, Disney characters or a hero?
- Do you want this theme to symbolise hope and a bright future for your baby?
- How much space is available to incorporate a particular theme?
- Does the particular theme match the personality of your baby?
After exploring answers to these questions, you will definitely have your theme! However, a few more tips are mentioned below to help you with the process.
4 Tips On How To Choose A Theme For First Birthday Party
Instead of scratching your head off on what can excite your tiny guest of honour as a whole, focus on one factor at a time. It helps pick the right theme for the party. For this purpose, here are some tips noted down for you:
First, Research Well
The first step to starting any process is thorough research. There are tons of kiddie magazines, first birthday party theme pictures and ideas available on the internet. You can surf through it or even ask your neighbour or friends for their input.
Decide The Party Venue
The party venue is an important factor that will influence your decision. In other words, if you are hiring a venue, you can go all fancy. There will be no shortage of space, and you will not have to clean up the mess afterwards. On the other hand, if you are hosting the party at your home, there will be some restrictions you need to consider.
Mix Up Two Or More Theme To Spice It Up
If you are bored of the same old first birthday party theme, you can always mix and match to bring variations. However, make sure it fits the personality or gender of your child. For example, it is kind of awkward to choose a princess theme party for a baby boy.
Look For Current Popular First Birthday Party Themes
Keep the theme of your baby’s birthday party something that is currently viral or a hit on the internet to add an extra punch to the party. So, make sure to look through the current birthday hype before making your final decision. For your convenience, we have also compiled a list of theme suggestions.
5 Popular Themes For First Birthday Party You Can Try
Here are some little out of the box ideas you can try to nail the first birthday party of your little one:
Underwater Theme
If your baby is thrilled with underwater characters like the ‘Little Mermaid’ or ‘Dory’, this one will be a fishy idea. Moreover, there are many underwater elements to use for décor too. Like you can hang fish cut-outs, cover the ceilings with glazed blue paper, and carve out paperboards to form coral reefs. To add authenticity, you can even keep an aquarium in the corner.
Now comes the costume part! Babies at the party can be dressed as marine creatures or their favourite underwater cartoon like a whale, octopus, Nemo, etc.
Space Theme
Your baby is the star and moon to you. Show this thought by throwing a birthday bash on a space theme. For decorating purposes, you will have multiple options. Here, the sky is the limit! For example, you can cut out star-shaped figures and hang them in the background. Also, you can use elements like a crescent moon, sun, planets and others. For some groove, play space-themed songs. The cute baby moves will brighten the party for sure.
The costume for this party will be funny yet innovative! Babies can dress up as aliens, astronauts or a part of the solar system. Even the adult guests can participate in this one.
Chocolate Theme
A chocolate party is one of kids’ most loved first birthday party themes. Moreover, it will be a bigger hit if you choose an outdoor venue for this one. You will be able to rent a chocolate fountain and place it at the centre of your decoration. Apart from this, amp up the place by using a glazed piper of brown colour and sticking pictures of the favourite treat of your munchkin.
For costume, make the babies wear brown colour clothes. Also, keep different favourite chocolates on the food counter. Here, you can also excite the adults by keeping chocolates that are rarely available now, like marbles, choco rolls, etc.
Circus Theme
Another popular idea you can try is the circus theme if your kid is fond of clowns and jungle animals. You can also bring uniqueness by renting a tent and decorating it for a perfect picture background. Also, decorate using simple circus elements like pennant banners, red and white strapped pipers, elephant stickers, etc.
You can even set up chairs to play musical chairs along with your babies! Add extra fun by dressing up your kids in animal costumes like monkeys, lions, and elephants.
Baby Shark Theme
Does your baby dance on Baby Shark Do-Do-Do-Do-Do all day? Then, what can be a perfect theme than this one? In this party theme, you can use all shades of blue colour for the décor. Play the music video in the background, and don’t forget to queue the song. Also, include characters by decorating with blue, yellow, pink and other vibrant coloured sharks. You can even add mirror work for attraction.
Your baby can also dress up as a water creature like starfish, crab, shark, etc. Apart from this, order a baby shark theme cake for a picture perfect party!
How To Plan A First Birthday Party?
After you have picked up the theme, it’s time to start planning the party. Here are the steps to proceed to avoid missing out on important things:
Step 1: Create Your Guest List
Kids usually get excited with a huge guest list! Even though they are unaware of what’s happening, the crowd interaction can be startling. So, it is best to keep the first party intimate. This way, kids will be able to interact with each other better.
Step 2: Keep Your Baby’s Schedule In Mind
Babies have a sleep and food cycle, and if they don’t meet it, they go all cranky. So, to avoid dealing with a cry baby, plan the party at the time that usually is his/her playtime. Also, keep the party hours accordingly. For example, if your baby sleeps for as long as 18 hours, cut the party short to 2 hours.
Step 3: Work On Invitation
Now the next step is to work on the invitation and party details. For the idea, you will find many options available on the internet. However, don’t forget to add important details like its venue, start and end time of the party, etc.
Step 4: Shop And Decorate
One of the things that can brighten the mood of babies is shining and moving objects. So, when you go shopping to pick up things for decoration, make sure you buy things like streamers, balloons, stuffed animals and moving toys.
Step 5: Arrange For Snacks
Your party will at least continue for two hours, and in the meantime, both babies and adult guests will require something to munch on. So, don’t forget to arrange for kid-friendly snacks like fruit, potato chips, cracker, and of course a cake.
Step 6: Get A Photographer
You are throwing this great party for your kid, so you obviously want to document it to show it to him/her later when he/she is all grown up. So, book a photographer from before and take videos and photos for endless memories.
Step 7: Hire A Babysitter
Hiring a babysitter can save you from the exhaustion of handling too many babies at a time. They are notorious creatures and need constant attention. Since the adults will also be in a party mood, getting professional help will be great.
Hope you have found your answer to ‘How to choose a theme for a first birthday party?’ Just remember to pick a theme that matches your baby’s personality and is something he/she loves. As a parent, you will know your baby the best so try to pull out ideas from your one year experience. You will indeed have the perfect party which is on your mind!