31 First Birthday Party Ideas

While a first birthday is a time to celebrate, it’s also a time of anticipation!

It’s hard to believe that only 12 months ago you were anxiously waiting for the worst tantrums and midnight feedings; now you’re struggling with how much longer until they walk, talk, or drive!

After my son’s long stay in the NICU, I knew that I wanted his first birthday to be super-special!  I did A LOT of research and came up with the following ideas.  Check them out and see if they’re a good fit for your burgeoning toddler!

1. Lion King Birthday Party Theme

I did this one and it was great! The Lion King is a classic and popular movie among kids of all ages. From the characters to the music, there are plenty of details you can use to create an amazing party them!

2. Lego Birthday Party Theme

Decorations for a Lego birthday party are easy to find, including helpful ideas for invitations, food (like Lego shaped sandwiches), and more. If your child isn’t into Legos, you can easily substitute other building toys or games and create an equally good theme! Adults can get in on the fun too, give out one of the adult Lego sets as a prize for a lucky parent!

3. Barbie Birthday Party Theme

Barbie is another classic toy that encourages creativity and imagination in your child. You can easily put together a Barbie birthday party with a few decorations, clothes, and accessories from the toy store.

4. Animal Party Theme

Who doesn’t love animals? Whether you’re celebrating a jungle-themed birthday party or planning an animal themed party for your little zookeeper, there are plenty of animal themed decorations you can use to create a memorable day.

5. Pirates Birthday Party Theme

Your child may be young, but they’ve probably seen plenty of pirate movies like Hook or Peter Pan. If your child loves pirates, then you can recreate their favorite movies with a pirate-themed party.

6. Superheroes Birthday Party Theme

Superheroes make great parties thanks to awesome costumes and themed decorations that encourage kids to try new things while still making it look like they’re having fun. You can even incorporate superhero games into the party by creating obstacle courses or asking guests to use their superpowers in creative ways!

7. Hawaiian Party Theme

Hawaiian birthday parties are fun for both adults and kids thanks to the bright colors of tropical flowers, bright clothing and accessories, and sand paintings for decorating the entrance. If your child isn’t obsessed with tropical themes, you can include other beach-related activities in the party.

8. Safari Party Theme

If your little kids are fascinated with safaris, then make their birthday one to remember! You can decorate the party area with jungle-themed decorations and even build a zoo in your backyard thanks to decorations like giant animal cutouts that guests can color to take home.

9. Harry Potter Birthday Party Theme

Forget the magic wands, Harry Potter parties are all about DIY decorations, food, and activities. You can use the characters from the movie as inspiration for eating, like creating a petrified cake for dessert or putting a lightning scar on your child’s forehead.

10. “Under the Sea” Birthday Party Theme

If your child loves the ocean, then you can easily create a party that’s appropriate for almost any age group. Include foods like shrimp cocktail and cake pops, decorations like an under-the-sea themed photo booth and fun games like a scavenger hunt or fishing contest!

11. Princess Birthday Party Theme

If your child loves princesses, then you can easily recreate their favorite movies with a princess-themed party. With the right decorations you can create an entire playroom theme around the popular characters. If your little girl isn’t interested in dresses and accessories, you can also make her birthday a fairy-themed party.

12. “Dora the Explorer” Birthday Party Theme

You can easily create a party centered around the popular school-aged cartoon character. You can include decorations like take-home board books, play areas with toys and games, and even a party theme with a menu inspired by the character’s favorite food!

13. Sports Party Theme

Sports themes can be really fun for any age group, including children who aren’t yet old enough to play sports. To get started, you can make sports themed decorations for your child’s birthday like sports posters or activity books to keep guests busy during the party.

14. Fairy Birthday Party Theme

Fairy-themed parties are perfect for little kids because there are plenty of adorable decorations like fairies, flowers, and other magical items you can include. You can even make customized favors for guests that incorporate the fairy theme.

15. “Cars” Birthday Party Theme

You can go with the movie “Cars” or cars in general.  You can help kids with their car-related crafts, especially if they’re new to the world of cars. And if your child isn’t interested in cars, you can easily switch to planes or trains!

16. Construction Party Theme

What can you do with a construction theme? Lots of things! You can make your own decorations, like cardboard or poster board buildings or signs to place around the party area. You could also include fun construction games like helping them build a tower with Lego blocks or playing hot potato with an oversized toy wrench!

17. “Sesame Street” Birthday Party Theme

Your child may not be interested in the larger-than-life characters of Sesame Street, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a great party using these characters. If your child loves Cookie Monster and Elmo, then get crafty and create decoration ideas that include these popular cartoon characters.

18. Ice Cream Party Theme

If your child loves ice cream and candy, then they’ll love an ice cream themed birthday party! You can include games where kids have to race through an obstacle course of balloons filled with various candies or other goodies. You can also incorporate activities like decorating cupcakes and ice cream cones.

19. Circus Party Theme

If you’re not a fan of clowns, you can forget about clown parties for your child’s birthday. But if your child loves all things circus, then including it in their birthday party could be a great way to make them feel special. They can include a variety of activities like magicians, clowns, and even face painting!

20. “Dinosaurs” Birthday Party Theme

If you want to get creative with the themes for your parties, then try including “dinosaur” themed birthday parties! You can make everything from decorations to the food to the games dinosaur-themed. For example, you could try making food with melted marshmallows or even sweet-tasting dinosaur cookies. Then throw fun games like an obstacle course with vines and dinosaurs.

21. “Star Wars” Party Theme

If you love Star Wars and are looking to incorporate it into your child’s birthday party, then you can easily do so. You can include lots of Star Wars-themed decorations and activities like dressed-up outfits and even a character that fans can dress up as for pictures.

22. “Alice in Wonderland” Party Theme

If you love Alice in Wonderland but want to get a little more creative with your themes, then consider incorporating Alice in Wonderland themes into your child’s birthday party! You can use it as inspiration for the decorations, and even create a fun cake that looks like an egg.

23. “Peter Pan” Party Theme

Fairy tale characters have different connotations for different people. If you’re a fan of Peter Pan then your child might love it as well, especially if you include lots of fun party games.  You can incorporate fun activities like Peter Pan and Wendy’s face painting and even a costume contest!

24. “Cinderella” Party Theme

Everyone loves Cinderella and so many people incorporate her into their parties and birthday celebrations. If your child loves Cinderella, then you can include the fairy tale character into the party theme! You could use it as inspiration for the decorations and activities included in the party.

25. “Toy Story” Party Theme

If you like the latest movies from Disney, then you’ll love making a Toy Story or Woody themed party! You can include games like “space ranger” where guests have to run through an obstacle course of out-of-this world items. You can also create decorations that fit with the theme and even create a cake that looks like Woody’s cowboy hat.

26. “Transformers” Party Theme

If you have a fan of the latest movie, then you can easily incorporate a Transformers-themed party. You can include lots of decorations that fit into the theme and even delicious party foods shaped like a robot.

27. “Camping” Party Theme

There are plenty of outdoor themes that you can incorporate into your child’s birthday party, including camping! You can create fun activities that include themes like fake campfires and creating skits. You could also add in some fun outdoor games as well!

28. “Hollywood” Party Theme

You can easily incorporate a Hollywood theme into your child’s birthday party. For example, you can use stars as decorations that look like movie posters. You could also create a cake that looks like a movie theater marquee or even make cookies in the shape of movie posters.  Kids could also dress up as their (or their parents!) favorite Hollywood actor or actress.

29. “Beach” Party Theme

If you love the beach, then you can easily incorporate it into your child’s birthday party! You can include activities that include the theme such as making sand castles, or even a jumping castle! You could also try creating party decorations like large seashells and beach balls.

30. “Halloween” Party Theme

There are lots of themes for parties that you can include into your child’s birthday party, but one of the most popular is certainly Halloween. You can even use it as inspiration for decorations that fit with the theme.

31.  “Waterpark” Party Theme

If you want to encourage your child to keep active and be healthy, then consider making a waterpark themed party! This includes having activities such as sprinkler battles or even small water balloon tosses. It also includes providing delicious foods like watermelon and pineapple.

Hopefully you’ll find the perfect decorations, cakes and invitations!  Be sure to take lots of pictures and most importantly – enjoy yourself!