Baby's 1St Bday

It won't be much of a party at a water park. Everybody will be going their own direction. Having it at home or a nearby park with just some cake and light food would be a good thing. (Yes you would have to pay for everybody's entry to the waterpark if you had a party there. It would be rude to invite people and expect them to pay.) Babies don't always last long at their first birthday party. Keep it simple and at home and invite family and a few close friends.

we ended up doing a big thing for the 1 year bday - lots of friends and family. it was fun but we wont do it again - i dont want my kids to think thats normal, and as she gets older they will be much smaller. because it was so big, we insisted on "No Gifts" - which worked mostly :) you cant tell grandma what to do sometimes! I opened a fund in my daughters name at St Jude and suggested that people donate if they wanted instead of getting a one year old a bunch of stuff she dosent need, and that was a great success. There was no charge for the place we held the party, but perhaps an option for you with the water park, if you didnt want to pay for the guests, would be to insist on No Gifts, since they would be paying their own way - that would be their "gift" to you.

WOW! When both my girls turned one, we had a family birthday for them. We asked each family member to make a birthday card for them, but not for this year. They were to pick a special year in their own life and write a birthday card for that year. For example, my mom made a card for them for their 26th birthday, the year she had me. She told them of how she felt having me etc. It was great. My Baba made cards for their 60th birthday with a list of what she was doing when she was 60. It will be a nice comparison for them.

The first birthday is more about you than the child, they are truly too young to grasp it. So make it special so that when you baby is older they can really appreciate it.

Whatever you plan will be perfect.

B.
Family Success Coach

I am also planning a birthday party for my 10 month old son. His 1st birthday is also in August. Since it is his first birthday I don't want to make it a big party so we are just having it at our house. I am not sure if my son will be walking by his first birthday so it's not like he can run around in the park or anything like that so we decided to have it at home instead of at the park. We figured his first birthday is very special so we are only going to invite close friends and family members. I'll probably make some kids friendly food depending if there will be alot of kids at the party. My mil will be baking the cake. We are still thinking of a theme, probably something simple. I just don't want to stress over it.

I think if you invited a bunch of one-year-olds to a water park that requires paid admission that etiquette would state that you would have to pay for all the adults as well. My thoughts would be to have a water play day at your home. Buy a large baby pool with a ton of cute water toys, a water table, a fun sprinkler attachment and/or a slip and slide, paint brushes and buckets for water painting, etc. This would be just the right amount of fun for everyone (especially for your little one), and cost a considerable amount less. Additionally, all your purchases can be used throughout the years to come.

We just did a small family party in the house for first birthday. The kids don't really interact with each other at that age and they don't really understand what they day means. First birthday is more exciting for the parents/grandparents. I would do something small at home this year. Then plan bigger parties when your daughter is older.

Hope this helps!

I am having the same problem! lol. Trying to plan a 1st bday party is hard work. I wouldnt do anything that would require you to have to pay an entry fee for each person.. keep it simple. I decided on doing cupcakes instead of one big cake.... I would keep the guest list to close friends and their kids and family. The more people you have the more food you have to provide and whatnot. I would do it at a park! You dont have to pay to rent a gazeebo ( at least where im from you dont) and theres also playgrond equipment and whatnot so the kids will still have a good time! good luck!

I think a water park is too much. It will be hard to keep the party guests together to enjoy each other. Parents will be so focused on watching their little ones that they won't be able to visit and enjoy. Plus, it will be costly paying for the little ones AND their parents.
Do it at the park and make it a water theme. Kiddie pools, wet sponge fights, water painting on the sidewalk, squirt toys, ice block races if there's a hill and maybe you can hook up a sprinkler.
Have fun!

I agree about the water park maybe being too much. Plus, you'll have to be the host and that is hard if you are at a water park. Put a baby pool or sprinkler in your back yard and call it a day. If it rains too then you'll have a place to go inside. My son's 1st birthday was a few months ago we had 2 other kids near his age and a few adults. Put up some streamers, had cake and that was it. He was thrilled and had a great time! Good luck!

ave a back yard water park for the kids and a BBQ of sorts? The kids can have fun in sprinklers and kiddie pools and you can grill burgers and hot dogs and have finger foods for the kids? August is the perfect time for some back yard activities. And it's a calmer atmosphere for the inevitable "first birthday breakdown" that most kids have on their special day. She will probably wear out fast from all the excitement.