Creating a special day for your soon-to-be one year old is all in the planning. After all, how DO you entertain toddlers who can't yet walk, sleep half the day and would just as soon put jelly and ice-cream in their hair than in their mouths?
Online party experts partydelights.co.uk have put together a guide on how to make your baby's birthday party a huge success - for you and them!
Party planning:
Keep it short - Your party shouldn't last any longer than a couple of hours
Keep it simple - Managing a large number of one year olds or trying to entertain children across a wide age range is fraught with problems
Stay flexible - don't get too hung up on timings and activities happening at a particular time. Keep a selection of toys on hand to keep your little guests happy in between times
Keep it safe - make sure the whole space is baby and toddler proofed
Keep support on hand - it's your day too, so try and enlist help in the party running so you can spend time with your child and enjoy it
Themes:
Young children love themes - so stick with bright colours and basic patterns for plates and decorations. Good themes for very young children include faces, teddy bears or a character like Winnie the Pooh
You can personalise your theme with pictures of your child's first year or order ready-made banners and birthday cakes featuring your choice of picture
Activities:
It's difficult to organise babies and toddlers to play games, but try simple ideas such as dancing, singing, pass-the-parcel (with help from adults), balloon races or story-telling
Food:
Remember the basic rule to keep everything simple and stress-free. Prepare as much as you can beforehand, and stick to baby-friendly finger food, with enough snacks to keep your little guests, and the adults happy. A large sheet is a good idea to stop too much mess on the floor, plus cups and straws with lids
Hang onto any packaging so parents with children who have allergies or food intolerances can check ingredients
Goody bags:
Take-home treats can be tricky for this age group, with many of the traditional favours not suitable for younger children. Birthday cake and chocolate buttons are a popular option, plus perhaps a small board book or soft toy
Don't forget, if you're inviting older children, have something age-appropriate ready for them to take home too
For a free advice guide on how parents can relax and enjoy the big day, plus for details of the wide range of toys, games and party products for babies and toddlers visit www.partydelights.co.uk
