We set the party for early afternoon so that all of our friends with young children could attend. And as the guests started to arrive, we could see that they were just as excited about the theme as we were.
Little ones crawled and toddled around the front yard, playing yard games with our handmade Cars bean bags, racing toy cars up the race track runner to the snack table, and chasing bubbles. And when it came time for cake, they dug into our homemade checkerboard creation with enthusiasm.
Are you planning your little one’s birthday party? Follow my tips to make planning and partying fun for you and your guests.
Choose a birthday party theme
Choosing a party theme can seem daunting, but it’s important to pick one that reflects your child’s personality and current interests. My son loves his racecars (thanks to Daddy’s obsession with Formula One), so we chose a racecar-themed party for his first birthday. If your child loves trucks, have a truck-themed party; if they love princesses, go all out with a princess party! You can also choose a theme based on the season, like a beach party in the summer or a Christmas party in December.
Whatever theme you choose, make sure to have plenty of decorations and activities that reflect that theme. Our racecar-themed party included cars on the cake, homemade sugar cookies decorated like racecars, a runner made to look like a race track, a checkered photo backdrop, and other car accessories sprinkled here and there.
Send Invitations
Once you’ve chosen a theme, it’s time to send out invitations. You can make them yourself or order them online, but be sure to include all the important party details like the date, time, location, and what to bring. Ours said “Ready, Set, Go! GT’s 1st Birthday. Rev up your engines on date at location” and included a dino driving a racecar illustration by yours truly on the front.
Don’t forget about the advantages of setting up a Facebook event for your party. Instant RSVPs and discussions there for all to see so that you don’t have to repeat yourself with party details or updates.
Set up the party space
Now that your guests know when and where the party is, it’s time to set up the party space. This can be as simple as your backyard or living room if you’re keeping it small, or you can rent a space if you’re expecting a lot of people.
We chose the front yard because it would safely host the most friends and family without worrying about the pool, stairs, or social distancing if anyone was concerned about that.
Inside, we set up a serving table buffet style with snacks, cookies, and center-stage birthday cake. This kept the food and drinks in the comfortable A/C but didn’t encourage people to gather there and block the table or miss out on the community-centered games out front.
Decorate the party space
The decorations for your party can be simple or extravagant, but they should all contribute to the overall theme and decorate the entire space.
Outside, we set up a photo area with the checkered backdrop and balloons, a yard games area on the grass, and several tables for friends to spread out and enjoy yummy snacks and desserts.
Serve food and drinks
To keep our guests happy and hydrated, we had a snack table with veggies, chips, dip, cookies, sodas, teas, and a selection of beers. That way, everyone could help themselves to anything without someone constantly having to be on hosting or serving duty.
Party games for all ages and guests
We had acquired cornhole boards from a neighbor, so GiGi got crafty and sewed bean bags – adult-size and kid-size – in checkerboard print and Cars fabrics to play on the lawn. My brother had made a giant Jenga set for our sister’s wedding the year before, so that was happily repurposed for the party.
By employing a bubble machine, bubbles were an easy passive activity for the little ones to chase and pop without too much hands-on commitment from moms.
