Baby birthdays are a great time to invite friends and family to celebrate the birth of your little one. You should start the planning about 2 months in advance (especially if you are planning a big bash). Planning your baby’s birthday in advance also gives guests time to RSVP and organise travel arrangements.
The first thing on your mind should be how many people to invite. Keep in mind that younger babies often get anxious and scared when there are alot of unfamiliar people around so try limit the guest list if possible. You should also try to make your baby birthday short and sweet, or your baby may tire or lose interest in proceedings fairly quickly. For early birthdays (especially 1st and 2nd), the party will be more about your friends and family as your baby probably can’t quite grasp or understand the concept of a party, so tailor proceedings accordingly. For older kids bday’s, it’s time to start focusing on the children in attendance.
Try to make your baby’s birthday on the weekend so most of the people you invite can attend, and try schedule the party in the mind morning or mid afternoon so that your baby and other children who are attending can still get in a nap. If you plan on having children at the party, keep plenty of toys and activities available to keep them occupied.
1st birthday
The 1st birthday party is undoubtedly more special to you than to your baby. In fact, your 12-month-old will probably view the celebration as an unnecessary interruption of playtime. So the key to creating a wonderful event is to make it memorable – for you and your friends! Everything – from food to decorations – should be kept as simple as possible. Your job is to take footage and marvel at how your baby’s becoming a toddler – not to be running around the kitchen washing dishes or putting the finishing touches on homemade soup. Get extra help – babysitter, grandparent, or friend – so you can participate in the activities and share in the fun with your baby.
Birthday cards
Having a baby will increase the amount of birthday cards you will be giving out by a fair bit, so there are some important questions you need to think about regarding the cards. Will you print your own off the internet (there are many websites out there offering this service)? Will a sticker attached to every present from your family suffice? Will you even give a card? There are no right or wrong answers in regard to cards, but just put some thought into the matter and if you are printing or getting cards for each party you are attending, make sure to personalise the card with a message from the whole family.
Birthday invitations
Birthday invitations come in all shapes and sizes and should roughly correlate to what kind of birthday party you are having (if a theme is involved), if the invitations are for a boy or a girl and what age is the special bday child. You should include the following details:
- Your child’s name
- The date of the party
- The time of the party
- The address of the party
- An RSVP number or email address
- A brief description
A birthday for your baby is bound to be a special occasion but that doesn’t mean you have to feel bogged down by the expectation of a massive bash. Plan something that you know, your baby and your closest friends and family will enjoy, and everything else should take care of itself.
Last Published* December, 2022
*Please note that the published date may not be the same as the date that the content was created and that information above may have changed since.
