Those of us who’ve got kids know that their first birthday is a big cause for celebrating. Your teeny tot will love sticking their fingers in the cake and crawling or toddling around with a few other littlies. And every parent should be proud of getting their child through that first year, having survived sleepless nights, teething and first fevers, as well as watching them develop from a newborn into a dynamic little person! How will you celebrate?

• Invites and guests

  Send out an invite from our selection of first b’day invites. It may be tempting to invite everyone you know to celebrate this milestone, but consider whether your child can handle the hype – they may be upset by the attention of too many guests shoving presents in their faces. In this case, stick to grandparents, cousins and godparents/close friends with similar-aged bubs.
• You could also consider splitting your baby’s celebration into two occasions – one on the weekend with family; then a second, combined party with other kids of a similar age, such as those in your mothers’ group. You can hold this during the week, and because it’s a joint event, everyone can bring a plate of nibbles to share (less work for you!).

• Timing

  We all know that babies are at their best when they’re not grumpy and tired, so scheduled the party for after their morning or afternoon sleep. If your one-year-old is down to one nap a day, make the party a morning or afternoon tea to allow for their lunchtime siesta. Give the party a set start and finish time to make sure all the babies go home before they lose the plot. Two hours is ample.

• Venue

  Keep the venue low-key – somewhere where the babies can crawl or toddle around safely such as an enclosed park, your own back garden, or a local hall. Lay out some picnic rugs for the rugrats and adults alike to lounge on, and set up a couple of card tables or a simple trestle nearby to keep the babies from handling all the food!

• Theme

  Don’t worry too much about a theme – you’ve probably got years of themed parties ahead once your child become princess-crazy or dinosaur-mad from about three or four onwards! But keep it cute with colour-themed or matching napkins and plates, party hats and the like.

• Entertainment

  This depends on the age of most of the guests. If there are a lot of older kids, you might like to borrow some items from your local toy library, hire a jumping castle, or even bring in a character/magician/clown. If babies and their parents are the main guests, don’t waste your money on any further entertainment than a large selection of toys (yours, plus some borrowed from other parents to ensure there are plenty to go around). Play tents or fabric tunnels are other inexpensive but fun ideas – they’ll be great for the backyard after the party also.

• Food

  You’ll need to provide two sorts of party food – baby-friendly snacks such as cut-up fruit and mini-sandwiches; and more exciting food for the adults such as a cheese platter, antipasto plates or a more substantial barbeque. Don’t feel you have to provide a lavish spread – most parents will bring their baby’s own food anyway, and they’ll be so busy chasing after their child that they won’t have time to sit down for a gourmet meal.