9 Great 1st Birthday Party Ideas in 2022

Your child’s 1st birthday is a huge occasion, so you’ll want to celebrate the day in style. Here are lots of 1st birthday party ideas that will help you make your child’s first birthday even more memorable:

1st birthday party ideas

• Hang up photos from your baby’s first year: print out lots of pictures of the main highlights of your child’s first year to bring back memories. You can hang them all around your house/ the venue. 
• Get a smash cake: this trend is loved by lots of people and provides some great photo opportunities! 🎂 First, put a small cake in front of your little one. Then, watch them stick their fingers and face into it and smash it up! (Don’t worry, this cake is separate from the actual birthday cake, so your guests won’t be going home cakeless!) Sure to get messy – here’s an example.
• Balloons: loved by all children, balloons have to play a part in your 1st birthday party. 🎈
• Picnic in a park: a great low-cost way of hosting a kids’ birthday party – as long as the weather’s good. You could also turn it into a teddy bears picnic by getting the kids to bring their favourite teddy!
• Create a video invite: why not send a video invite of your 1-year-old mumbling away dressed up in the theme for the party? This could be a great alternative to your standard paper or Whatsapp invite. Of course, you’ll probably have to add some detail of your own to get all the important information across! 

Entertainment ideas

• Hire a children’s entertainer to sing songs: an entertainer who can get a singalong going among the kids is a great 1st birthday party idea. Think nursery rhymes, Disney songs and more.
• Create a soft play area: with mats, cushions and other soft stuff!
• Hire a ball pit: a great, easy way to entertain children.
• Puppet show: a puppeteer could be a great way of providing entertainment for children and adults alike.

Now you’ve got some ideas for your 1st birthday party, have a look at our ultimate kids’ party guide for help with your theme, party food and lots more!