A Party Plan for Your Child's First Birthday

Have simple expectations, try to make it fun, be flexible, and read your audience as the party gets under way.  This is my very best advice about hosting a successful first birthday party for your child.  Think of the party as a short, sixty- or ninety-minute playgroup with cake and a few photos thrown in for good measure, and you get the basic idea about what is achievable.

The unique challenge of planning a one-year-old's party revolves around the fact that some children won't yet be walking; others can walk but not run; and some are better at using their hands to maneuver and play than others.  In short, you have quite a range of abilities, interests, and play styles to contend with. 

First Birthday Party tips:

• Schedule the party early in the morning or after the afternoon naptime (so all children are in good humor).
• Keep the party short (sixty to ninety minutes is best)
• Rely on each parent (or caregiver) present to help supervise and play.
• Have a short birthday cake break during playtime, but realize that many of the children won't sit still for long.