🎉 How to Throw a First Birthday Party Both Kids & Adults Will Love

Planning your little one’s first birthday is both exciting and a bit overwhelming. At Le Loft, we’ve been in your shoes—our team has celebrated four first birthdays between us and learned that the secret to a memorable party is planning something you, the parent, would actually enjoy. After all, your child may not remember every detail, but you deserve a celebration that reflects this milestone.

Use this guide to plan a gathering that delights both the kiddos and the grown-ups—and if you’d rather we handle the details? Let’s chat. Book your event with us here or drop us an email at leloftchicago@gmail.com.

First things first, lock down that venue

Whether it’s your neighbors backyard or a event rental space like Le Loft, finding the right place to host your party is a key first step. Work backwards from your non-negotiables. Do you wanna be outdoors? Would you like staff to clean up? Will you need room for a bouncy house?  These questions will help inform where you book.

From our experience both as event space managers and parents, it’s pretty great not hosting in your home. 1. It’s nice not having to worry about decluttering your living space beforehand or cleaning the baseboards. 2. You have a firm start and end time, so if Aunt Petunia is lingering, you have the convenient excuse of your rental ending. 

If you decide to hire vendors for the party, consider a photographer to capture the special moments, a baker for a custom smash cake, and perhaps a caterer if you’re planning to serve a meal. You don’t have to make this an MTV Best First Birthday Ever situation with over the top extravagance. Guests are always pleased with pizza and cupcakes. But, if you do want to elevate things a bit, catering fancy sandwiches and a custom balloon arch for pictures can make it extra special. Check out our go-to vendors here. 

Once you’ve booked your spot and have your guest list, consider whether you want a formal sit down meal, or something more casual (we vote casual). Ask if the venue offers any tables and chairs. Typically it’s great to plan one table for food, one table for presents, and a few others, depending on the guest count, for casual sitting. 

A “kids table” is a nice bonus. The fiercely independent little ones will love having something their size to destroy their food at or visit for some arts and crafts. 

Other supplies you may want to bring include:

-a high chairs
-a Joovy wheeler for your babe to scoot around in while your socializing
-some kid friendly toys or crafts so the parents can take a breather, e.g. magnatiles, coloring books, books to read, stickers, etc. 

Beyond the toys and crafts, splurging on a special activity often pays off huge in so many ways. A bouncy house or soft-play setup can keep kids occupied for hours which lets you catch up with friends and family you probably haven’t had much opportunity to see over the last year. Besides what we already mentioned, we’ve hosted birthdays with magicians, musicians, face painters, and more to great success. 

You don’t have to have a theme. First birthday party is theme enough, but it can be helpful to have one to anchor your decisions. For example, Emily’s son is born on March 16th, so she themed his birthday around St. Patrick’s Day, calling it Sonny’s Lucky Birthday. She used this theme to inspire her decor, choosing streamers and balloons, florals, and more in shades of green and gold. 

In the end, don’t stress too much on a theme. It’s just a fun way to get your guests pumped and can help you when it comes to decor. Some of our simple, go-to recommendations include: 

-balloons, always balloons
-florals, even simple buds that you can pick up Trader Joes for a steal are great!
-Streamers
-Photos of the birthday child
-Paper plates and cups can also be a festive pop
-A banner for pictures

Consider putting together simple goody bags for the young guests. This could include age-appropriate toys, stickers, or treats. For adult guests, a small token of appreciation such as one hitters or mini-bar size beverages is a nice touch, but not expected. Kiddin’ aside, you can find clever fun options on amazon like these discoball keychains that nod to the days when we still had energy to go to a dance club or more practically, these safety matches for all those friday nights spent lighting a candle and watching Netflix once the kids have crashed.

Babies and toddlers can get overwhelmed, so be prepared for meltdowns. Have a quiet space available for parents to take their little ones if they need a break, and consider having a few toys or activities on hand to distract fussy children. Snacks are also great when someone gets the hangrees before foods been served, and bubbles are always a good go-to for redirecting an upset child.