You’ve scheduled your date, and you’ve sent out the most adorable invitations to your first birthday party. The decor matches the theme perfectly, and a special cake is placed on the order. Everything is in place for that time when your guests show up, however how do you entertain them when they arrive?
Because the majority of 1st birthday parties involve family and friends whose age ranges between young and old. You might want to arrange a range of activities that will ensure everybody from birthday girls to grandpa may be part of the fun.
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Soft Play
A separate area designated to play in is a safe and enjoyable area for toddlers and babies to play together while the older kids are playing games such as music chairs. Put a mat of soft play in the space in the corners or put together click-together gates for babies to create a baby area at the center in the space. The space should be filled with soft blocks that children can play with when they want to take a moment of space away from the hustle of the celebration.
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Snatching Bubbles
Do you think anyone will ever get bored of the joy of playing with bubbles? Dispense plastic cups to children play with a bubble machine and challenge the kids to catch as as many bubbles that they are able to. The birthday girl might require some assistance, but when she’s not completely understanding the idea, she’ll just be as content to play in the air with her bubbles.
Do you not have a bubble machine? Simply let some of those older children blow up bubbles for younger children to play with!
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Wagon Rides
Decorate the wagon with streamers balloons, stickers and streamers. Put up a banner on the wagon which says “Just turned One!” Place the birthday boy inside the wagon, and then pull his body around the room while guests applaud and wave.
Then, after the ride you’ve taken let the children gather for an excursion on a wagon, or bring several wagons and request other parents to give rides to the children.
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First Birthday Parade
If your child has started walking, she may participate in the parade. If she’s not then mom or dad could definitely carry her! Hand out instrument and other musical items and then lead the guests through the room in the marching band fashion. If the party you are hosting is themed and you want to incorporate it into the parade. For a zoo-themed event could, for example, be a parade of kids carrying toys with plush animals. If you have space, you could include a pull-car and ride-on toys.
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Cardboard Boxes
It’s a common joke that parents tell that doesn’t matter which toy you put in the box it, the chances are that your kids will be playing in the boxes instead. Put out a few cardboard boxes, and let your kids have amusement crawling into and out, or making them into rocket ships.
Children may also like using wrapping paper to crush into balls. If you’d would like, you could offer crayons and stickers children can use to decorate their boxes.
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Building Blocks
Children love playing with blocks to build, and although not all children of one year olds are able to build huge towers but they all enjoy to tear them down. Help the birthday boy build the structure and let him smash it down. Create several towers simultaneously then watch the child squeal in joy as he walks down his way through destruction.
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First Birthday Time Capsule for Birthdays
Fill a container as well as a cookies tin with cherished mementos from the first year of life, including footprints, photos and hair of your baby. Keep them in a box that will serve as your child’s first birthday capsule. Request guests to make notes for your baby to put in the capsule.
Some notes ideas could be a memory from the first time your guests came across your little girl, or perhaps their hopes for the future of your baby girl. Make a timetable to open your time capsule like the day she turns 10 and then ask family and friends to donate something she might want or require on the occasion.
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Baby Picture Guessing Game
Before the date of the event, invite guests to bring photos of themselves as infants. The day of the event, place them in the room. Put a piece under each photo, and ask guests to write down their name and guess at the baby’s name in each picture. The prize will be awarded to the person who makes the most accurate guess.
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First Birthday Photo Board
Put a picture that shows the boy’s birthday into the middle of a poster board. Invite guests to write messages for him on the board, which is a border around the image. After the event you can frame the message board and place it in the playroom or nursery.
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Story Time
Bring a selection of your favorite books for babies for the celebration. Set up a reading space by putting a chair on which a grown-up will be able to be seated in a space and carpet or a rug where children can be seated and read an audiobook. Each time during the evening, bring youngsters in the reading room and ask an adult to who is willing to read a book to them.