The first year of your baby's life is often filled with unforgettable moments, and their first birthday is a milestone that deserves to be celebrated, both for you and your baby. From the guest list, the venue, to the entertainment, we understand the importance of creating a magical experience for your little one's special day!
We’re all first time parents once, so let's dive into some tips on how to plan a memorable first birthday celebration.
Tip 1: Create a Small Guest List
First, we’ll start with our guest list. It’s best to keep your guest list small. By having an intimate gathering and only the most important people in your life around you, you’ll get to spend quality time with each and every guest you invite. The last thing we want happening is the hassle of worrying whether everyone is entertained on your baby’s first birthday.
Once you’ve finalised the guest list, you’ll get an idea how big of an event space you’ll need to find to fit everyone into.
Tip 2: When and Where to Throw Baby’s First Birthday Party
Choose a date and time that works best for you, and your guests - weekdays or weekends, breakfast or dinner, brunch or tea. Once you’ve got that, you can either host it at home, or look for a cafe or an event space with flexible timing and space options. It’s also important to keep in mind to have sufficient set-up and tear-down period for your event.
As for the "where", consider getting a place with:
- Ample parking space
- Convenience for travelling (not too far)
- Service or ‘manpower’ to help with your coordination
- Elderly and Children-friendly
Additional points for places with:
- Beautiful ambience
- Comfortable environment
- Sufficient space for entertainment
Tip 3: Prepare Food for Kids and Adults
Next, you can’t call it a party without snacks! If you choose to host your party at home, preparing food can be a hassle, so be sure to get some help around! Choosing to host your party out definitely eases your burden, the best part is you don’t have to clean after yourself. All you have to do is know which cuisine and the style of serving you want your guests to enjoy. You can choose from:
- Brunch a la carte
- Sharing platters
- Afternoon tea canapés
- Dinner Course menu
- Buffet line
When choosing the menu offerings, don’t forget to include a variety of kid-friendly meals.
Tip 4: Keep the Party Environment Baby-Friendly
This next tip is the most important but easily the most neglected one. It is imperative to make sure your party environment is safe and baby-friendly, not just for the birthday boy / girl, but also other children. Make sure there are minimal sharp edges, neat, and is spacious enough for movements to avoid any accidents.
Tip 5: Entertainment
We love seeing babies with a big smile on their faces. Since it is a party for them, this is an optional add on you can consider to let them have some fun! For added entertainment at the birthday party, consider hiring a clown, puppet show or having a pop-up ‘Playroom’ during the party!
Take a look at Little Kudos, who provides rentals for children’s modular gym, and other functional toys for your event!
*BONUS TIP*
Here’s a summary checklist for planning your baby’s birthday party. Parties should be fun, and we hope you have fun planning them. Bonus tip - be present and enjoy the day itself!
We hope these tips and tricks are able to help you in planning your very own first baby’s birthday! It’s quick and can be easy when you put your mind to it.
NOTA also provides event plans and packages for baby’s first birthdays, you can be sure we’re here for you! Click here to know more about our space!