28 First Birthday Party Ideas Your Kid Will Love

First birthdays are a big milestone, and come with a traditional party for friends and family alike (did someone say cake-smashing?) But your 1-year-old’s birthday party doesn’t need to be an expensive affair. We put our most creative hats on to come up with 14 memorable themes to help you throw the best possible first birthday party ideas — without breaking the bank—plus more ideas for food and drink to serve, activities, and decorations to incorporate into the party.

Unique first birthday party ideas

Frame your baby’s ‘year of firsts’

Keep your kiddo’s first birthday decor super simple and sweet with a framed photo collage of all their firsts. Not only is it an adorable decoration for the party, but it’s also a beautiful keepsake you’ll always cherish.

Crepe paper everything

Want to keep the budget to a minimum for your child’s first birthday and still have a stylish bash? No problem! You can make all the decor out of crepe paper (no, really). You can make napkin rings, lanterns, party favors—you name it!—with cheap paper streamers.

Do the monster mash

Some kids are drawn to spooky themes, so a monster bash is a fun way to go. Create budget-friendly monsters like utensil holders that are really just empty tissue boxes. This theme is also fitting if your child’s birthday is bear Halloween.

Make a no-sew high-chair tutu

Up your smash cake photo op with a no-sew tutu for your baby’s highchair. The little ballerina in your life will look even cuter (if that’s possible) sitting behind a big tuft of tulle.

Have a party in the park

Some public parks have BBQ grills, picnic tables, and other attractions that can make a family gathering outside super fun (and free!). State parks are also a great option and typically cost very little to enter.

Bring the beach home

You don’t have to live near a beach to throw a beach party. Create a beach with some sand and beach toys in a small kiddie pool right in your backyard. For added fun, set up a water table, and give your baby (and their friends) some toys like buckets, shovels, and sieves to add to the splashy, beachy fun.

Have a ‘Very Hungry Caterpillar’ theme

Set up a food table with color-themed finger foods like a plate of sliced strawberries here and a plate of orange crackers there, and of course, some green cupcakes. Print some colorful Very Hungry Caterpillars and attach to toothpicks for cupcake toppers and you’ve got yourself an adorable first birthday party!

Create a woodland fairytale

Grab an inexpensive pack of headbands and hotglue some ribbons, fabric flowers, and even faux moss to create a whimsical fairy woodland crown for your guests. The crowns can double as a sweet photo prop for family pictures.

Incorporate all your animal friends

If your baby loves animals, try using plastic animals as cake toppers to create a sweet zoo or barnyard theme. If you have some baking chops, try using food coloring to match the frosting design to your birthday baby’s favorite animal, like zebra stripes or a fuzzy brown bear.

Go with a sunny theme

For your baby’s first completed trip around the sun, try throwing a sunny theme party. A simple yellow cake with sunshine rays, some yellow balloons, and a heartfelt nod to “you are my sunshine” can make this a sweet and memorable party.

Have a storybook party

Does your baby love a great storybook? Try hosting a storybook-themed party. Gather your birthday baby and their guests and read a fun story out loud. Follow it up with story-themed snacks and activities based on the book you chose.

Get sporty

If you’ve got a kid who already loves watching football with the family or is showing an interest in throwing and kicking balls, opt for a sports-themed party. Decorations can include touchdown, soccer goal, or hole-in-one themes depending on what sports you family enjoys the most.

Throw a ‘wild’ party

If your baby is a wild one (pun intended) a fun jungle theme that incorporates the classic kids book, Where the Wild Things Are. You could have jungle-themed decorations, paper crowns, and lots of dancing—as long as you’re celebrating your baby’s inner wild child.

Take a trip to the farm

Kids seem fascinated by farm animals—those are often the first animals they learn to name. From cows, to pigs, to chickens, all these animals could be incorporated into your decorations and cake. You could even decorate your home or the venue to look like a barn.

Food and Drink Ideas for a 1-Year-Old Birthday Party

The key to a fun party sis serving up memorable snacks and treats that are satisfying for all ages, and since this is a kids birthday after all—a whimsical twist to whatever you serve wouldn’t be out of place. Try sweets to celebrate the little one, plus savory bites so that your guests don’t go hungry. Here are a few more first birthday party ideas.

• Get your snack on: Chances are, there will be a few toddlers at the party in addition to the guest of honor. Cater to their culinary needs by displaying Cheerios, Goldfish, and other “pick-ups” in cute treat cups. It’s inexpensive and looks nice and polished.
• Serve milk and cookies: Whether you’re turning 1 or 100, it’s impossible to resist the tried-and-true milk and cookies combo. And a bonus? Neither will break the bank, making for a super affordable party theme.
• Decorate with sweet treats: Few things are cuter than mini donuts (besides, of course, the birthday kid), so why not make them part of the decor? Slip a few mini donuts (or cookies that look like donuts) around a straw and glass of milk, and you’ve got some adorable party treats that double as decorations.
• Don’t forget the ice cream: Create a little ice cream parlor for your guests by setting up a table with a toppings bar. Be sure to avoid choking hazards like nuts and candies for the youngest guests. Try adding food coloring to ice cream to give it a bright rainbow feel, and don’t underestimate the power of whipped cream. Kids will love topping their scoops with a swirl of that dreamy white fluff.
• Make Rice Krispie numbers: Grab a number one-shapped cookie cutter and use it to mold some Rice Krispie treats. Once they set, try dipping them in white chocolate (you can add food coloring!), and sprinkling candy confetti to add some glam.
• Make a rainbow fruit display: Try a fruit rainbow if you’re looking for the perfect first birthday party food that won’t cost you a ton of money. Take a few skewers and add strawberries, mango, pineapple, green grapes, blueberries, and purple grapes and then line them up in an arch shape on a platter. Not only is fruit sweet and nutritious, but the added charm of the design will enchant your guests.

Decoration Ideas for a 1-year-old Birthday Party

The space where you are hosting the birthday part should reflect the celebratory nature of the day and show off how excited you are to celebrate your baby’s first birthday. Here are some decoration ideas that will help you make your home or venue look special.

• Print a giant photo collage: Take a big piece of cardboard and cut out a giant number one. Then attach pictures of your baby’s first year until you have a photo collage celebrating their first year of firsts. Bonus: It can double as a fun photo prop for friends and family.
• Add a balloon arch: Balloons are a bright, colorful, fun way to add some pizazz to a birthday party. With a couple of dollars and a little bit of time, you can blow up enough balloons to create a beautiful archway that can double as a photo opportunity for your guest of honor.
• Stamp handprint invites: A super cute way to celebrate your child’s first birthday is to use their hand to stamp out handprints for invites and thank you cards. Don’t forget to save one as a keepsake!
• Make a baby face banner: Add some goofy fun to your first birthday party decor by printing black and white pictures of your baby’s face. Add some construction paper birthday hats and then attach them to a long piece of string, and you’ve got a custom-made, first birthday banner!

Activities for first birthday party

Keep guests entertained with these activity ideas. Even the adults can get in on the fun.

• Wave bubble wands: It’s no secret that babies love bubbles. Grab a few inexpensive bubble wand kits at the local dollar store and set up a bubble-blowing station outside! Of course, you may need to get a few big kid (or adult) volunteers to help blow the bubbles for your birthday baby.
• Bring in a ball pit: No baby or toddler will be able to resist some good, clean ball pit fun. Simply add colorful balls to a blow-up kiddie pool, and you’ve got hours of (cheap) entertainment on your hands.
• Fingerpaint fun: A fingerprint party is a super fun way to keep a group of toddlers and babies happy. Lay down a tarp, some paper, and some cups of food-grade finger paint and let your little Picasso go wild.
• Throw a dance party: Kids love music and have tons of energy, so why not make music a central theme for your baby’s first birthday! Create a dance floor, play some kid-friendly tunes, and boogey down, just don’t forget to get lots of pictures.