First Birthday Party Ideas?!!!

Crayola Cafe at Crown Center has a private party room. Waldo Pizza (75th & Wornall)has a great back room for a private party. Pizzeria Uno on the Plaza has a room. 75th Street Brewery has an area that's separate from the rest of the place.

We did dinner at a restaruant's private room, I bought some inexpensive decorations/favors from Oriental Trading Co. (also try US Toy for these) and had the cake done in the theme, which was yellow rubber duckies. Everyone had a good time including the celebrant. Since I work FT, the best part was someone else cleaned up!

Don't sweat it too much. For both of my kids, I had family and a few friends attend the parties. I would say to go ahead and get the clubhouse and make the invites. As far as entertainment goes, have you ever got to just sit back and watch a bunch of babies? Now that is entertainment! I would bring a small box of toys to the party from your son's stash of toys that he has already and let the babies enjoy themselves. It's not like when they get older and need/want more stimulation. It will all work out. The first birthday was one of the most fun (and least expensive) birthdays for me to enjoy with my kids. Good luck!

I am from a large family and a have two kids myself and I think first birthday parties are really special. I love going to them, I love having them. I appreciate the comment about one child/year and that first birthday parties are really for the adults...... I don't disagree with that, but that doesn't make them any less special! Like others have said, that many kids together are going to have a great time no matter what!
Get some mylar balloons, they will love that - and music, and cake or cupcakes. Having any games or structure will likely not work out anyway because they are too little and will be too wound up!!
I'm sure if you google first birthday ideas you'll get a lot!

Have fun!

Try your local McDonald's or Burger King or resturaunt with a play yard. It is great for smaller kids and McD's provides a cake and everything. You can bring your own in too if you want. Or go to your local community center and rent a room. Usually $15. Good luck and God Bless.

Do something that the kids will love that will not be expensive.

My son just turned two, and we did a "fish/bubbles" theme. I filled an outdoor kiddie pool with crumpled up tissue paper (only paper, no water) and the kids went crazy for it! I also put bottles of bubbles around the room and people blew them for the kids.

We had lots of food that was kid-friendly as well.

We also had games (board games/card games) for the adults. It was great!

Have one area/room for changing diapers and bring extra plastic bags for super stinky ones. I hope the club house area works well for you! Good luck!

My baby boy's #1 is today (HOORAY!) so I've recently been thinking up a bunch of ideas myself. I don't know what to suggest as far as location- we're having it at my parents' house (which is 1800 miles away, but worth it because the most important people are over there instead of here!) My activity ideas are more geared toward adults since they are the ones that really understand the celebration. Some I considered were:
1) A guessing game using pictures/mementos from baby's milestones (e.g. birth weight, time/day of week born, Dr's name; dates of first bath, smile, solid food, sitter, etc.)
2) Have all guests bring their own baby photo and play guess who.
3) Baby Portrait: pass around white paper and give guests 30 seconds to start drawing portrait of baby (with crayons). After 30 seconds, pass and continue working on neighbor's drawing. Continue until mostly complete.
4) Pass baby around for visits/cuddles and guess his weight.
5) The classic 'guess how many in a jar' using something baby appropriate like cheerios.
Most of the ideas I'm actually doing relate to keepsakes more than entertainment. I'm decorating with a Movie Theatre motif (Take ONE), making popcorn cupcakes and doing these keepsake activities:
1) Having guests 'autograph' a birthday plate that my babe can eat on for birthdays to come.
2) Creating a 'walk of fame' by having guests use paint to make handprints on a long sheet (future use= birthday tablecloth).
3) I'm making a time capsule/memory box with mementos from 2008, baby's first year, and personal notes from guests at the party.
4) I made a simple video of pictures from my little guy's first year for our viewing pleasure.
Sorry this is SOO long- I just figured the more I share, the better chance there will be that at least one idea will fit! Have fun with the planning and celebrating!

For my son, his first birthday was just family from both sides out at my small home (2 bdrm trailor - not much room), we had a cake and gave him his own small cake to dig into and took pictures of that, then let him explore the presents family got for him. Then the next year he turned two and my daughter turned 1, and we did the same thing, but she he didn't get his own little cake, instead he got to blow the candles out on the big cake then they opened the presents again. Of course we had some balloons too.

Now this year, that they are turning 2 and 3, we have a huge party planned for this sunday. We invited other kids to this one and have activities planned like a pinata, coloring, and dancing to some music. We have party bags for all the kids... we are doing a pirate-themed party. All the kids are going to get pirate hats to wear. We bought most of our decorations at celebrations in festus on main st. we are having it at pizza hut in the party room. Using the party room is free as long as you buy pizza, you just have to reserve the room ahead of time.

For a one-yr-old I wouldn't worry about a big party with friends and other babies, I keep those special moments to our family, grandparents, aunts, uncles... a couple more years though and they understand what 'friends' are so inviting friends to a party becomes fun. My 3-yr-old knows what a party is now too, so he can appreciate it more.

The first birthday is usually for adults. The child doesn't know what is going on except he/she is getting all the attention which they love. I would hold it at the club house, with lots of colorful baloons and streamers. They love color. Let them play with the baloons; just don't blow them up to tight that they might pop. I let both of my children tear into their own little cake and served a big one to the others. It was a picture moment. By the time gifts are opened and cake and ice cream are served it probably has been about an hour and a half. That's is about right on the time. The rule is the party should last about how old your child is versus hours. Example 2 yrs old-2 hours. Good luck. And don't forget pictures and having fun.

Rule of thumb from mom of 6, fostermom to 24 - one same aged child per year of age. Let's face it - at 1 yr old, this party is for the grown ups - LOL! He won't remember it at all. A personal sized cake is fun that he can bite and get all messy with, and makes great pictures that he can look back at later. Don't worry about making it "fun" for the 1 yr olds - make it a family/friends get together, potluck style is great with his own cake and then a cake for the guests to enjoy. He will love the ribbons, paper and boxes more than the gifts anyway - LOL! Balloons at this age are dangerous anyway! Relax - have fun sharing your joy in your child with your friends and family - even in your small apartment (maybe they won't stay long or you can give them different times to come??)

M. in MO

You could just decorate the clubhouse and hold the party there... Here is a website of bday party ideas. I use this website for all of my kids' parties and they've all been huge hits!! http://www.birthdaypartyideas.com/html/party_ideas.html

Of course at that age, I would go somewhere like AirZone! Kids that age LOVE it!!! There's a lot to do for little ones. You could go to a community center and play in the pool- kids that age normally love water.

Good luck!!
Happy Holidays!!!

Im interested to read the ladies respons b/c Im throwing my sons 1st bday this month at my home. I dont have any advice b/c my home is small as well but Im just going to try and do it here. But I thought of the idea of putting out a picture book of pics of him from birth to now so the adults can look and see how much hes grown! Good luck and just remember its a bigger deal for us the moms that the kiddos!!! They are basiclly just there to look cute and get love and attention!!

I love gymboree. We did my daughters first bday there and it was great. Not sure what your budget is but if you can swing it it is definately worth it. Also, if you are looking for a fun alternative to cake I have a cupcake business. They are super cute and very convenient especially if you do the little ice cream cups with them. Check it out: www.crumbscustomcupcakes.com

Have you looked at Gymboree? It's not too expensive and they do EVERYTHING! And, it sounds like you are going to have lots of kids, so they will have a blast too! You won't have to do anything unless you are doing the cake.

For your cake, just do cupcakes. I loved when my kids dove into their little cakes. Too cute. You can get cupcakes pretty cheap and some places can get them into the shape of a cake and ice it up. I just make the cupcakes at home and am not good enough to get them into the cake form, but I know of people who've had those.

I wouldn't do latex balloons unless they are filled with helium and the kids can't have them. There are allergies and choking hazards to worry about. Mylar balloons are fun, though.

Whatever you do, take tons of pictures!

hi A.,

Although the other posters are right in the sense that he won't remember, he won't be able to play with too many kids, etc. I totally understand the need to have a fun 1st b-day bash. I mean, it's really for you, but that is not wrong! You brought this precious life into the world a whole year ago and the whole thing should be recognized! ;) That being said, living in a small place and it being so close to Christmas makes it hard. My suggestion is to look into the Great Mall of the Great Plains in Olathe. I've seen people hold parties there by the play land. I don't even think you have to call and reserve (but I would check just in case) as there is way more space than people and I'm sure it's free. With only 7 kiddos, it's perfet. They can play on the foam playland and then you can have cake right there in the "food court", open presents, and be done. I would recommend taking some fun tableclothes (and probably some cleaner b/c those tables are disgusting! btw) and balloons, etc. to make it more festive, but you could do a fun party for cheap and easy!

Good Morning Ashely, Congratulations on your precious Little Prince's Up coming 1st Birthsay. First B days aren't to demanding. Little ones are easily entertained. Put on some Kids music have a few toys out and thats about all you might need. Hopefully the parents are coming as well and not just dropping off a baby for a party.

Use your CLub house if possible have cake or cupcakes for the little ones & one of those small ice cream cups would work also. Some balloons tied to chairs for decorations.

Hopefully your little man likes to share as the other children will probably want to touch or play with his gifts. Sometimes little ones don't even care about the gift they want the box, paper or ribbon to play with.

SO have fun take lots of Pictures, it only gets harder to plan as they get older. This one is a piece of Cake.

God Bless you and yours
K. Nana of 5