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7 Memorable First Birthday Activities

Your little bundle of joy is turning one soon – congratulations!

With their big day around the corner you probably can’t wait to plan something fun that everyone will enjoy.

While your baby will of course be too young to remember it, many moms and dads believe a first birthday is a big and important milestone that deserves to be celebrated in style.

So with that in mind and to help inspire you, let’s take a look at 7 practical and memorable first birthday activities.

1. Play Date

If you have the space in your home, then a lovely first birthday activity for your son or daughter could be to host a play date for your child and their friends.

The ideal set-up would be a nice big padded mat or play pen, given they provide a safe, and in the latter case contained, area kids to play on.

If you do decide to host your child’s party at home, then you may want to consider some of the other activities below, including baking a beautiful cake and decorating your house with gorgeous balloons!

Gimars XL BPA Free 0.6 Inch Foldable Baby Play Mat (Amazon, $70.98)

Baby Playpen Baby Playard ($49.99, Amazon)

2. Bake (Or Buy) A Beautiful Cake

We all know that no party or celebration is complete without a beautiful cake!

If you are a dab hand at baking, you may want to make the cake yourself, particularly as this will not only save you money, but you’ll know exactly which ingredients go into it.

This can be helpful from an allergies point of view, and will help avoid giving younger kids foods they shouldn’t consume like chocolate.

Baking however can be both difficult and stressful, so there’s absolutely no shame in ordering a cake from a bakery instead.

Either way, a beautiful cake will look fantastic in any photos you take, and your little one will no doubt love everyone singing Happy Birthday, and blowing out the candles with the help of mom and dad.

3. Birthday Picnic

If your baby’s birthday falls at the right time of year and you have some nice picnic spots nearby, then a picnic is a lovely way to celebrate their first birthday.

Setting up might not be totally straightforward because you will need to bring and set up everything before the party starts (think food, drinks, blankets, tables, decorations etc).

Although if you go for a public park with things like BBQ grills and picnic tables you’ll be making life a little easier on yourself.

On the plus side a picnic will enable you to enjoy some beautiful scenery, an abundance of space in which the kids (particularly any older siblings) will be able to run around and play games in, and you won’t need to break the bank along the way.

Family Having Picnic Together

4. Photo Shoot

Make – and more importantly record and preserve – memories for life by arranging a photo shoot to celebrate your baby’s special day.

You’ve got two options here; the DIY route and the professional route.

Most of us have very good cameras on our cell phones nowadays, so if that’s your preference all you need to do is create a nice backdrop of pretty decorations, dress your child up in a gorgeous outfit and you’re good to go.

The professional option will of course cost you more, and you’ll typically have to visit their studio, but the quality will be better and they’ll probably have a range of outfits, props, accessories and backdrops that you can choose from.

Whichever option you choose, this activity will allow you to capture special memories which will last a lifetime and which you’ll be able to show and share with your child once they are older.

camera studio set up

5. Day Out With Mom & Dad

Another beautiful activity to celebrate your child’s first birthday is to go on a family outing together!

Some fun options to suit all budgets include visiting a petting zoo, going to the beach, picnicking in the park and going for a meal, but of course the options are endless.

While we’re on the subject of going out for food, you might automatically think about lunch, but keep in mind that sometimes breakfast is the better and less stressful option.

You can also incorporate a trip to a toy store or bookstore and enjoy seeing your child’s face light up when you present them with a cool new toy or book to add to their collection.

man and woman with baby walking on the beach

6. Indoor Playground Or Softplay

Another really fun activity that your child is sure to love is a visit to your local softplay center or indoor playground.

The great thing about this activity is its versatility.

That’s because you can either do this with just a few people (say mom, dad and your baby), you can invite a few other kids and their parents (for example any close friends that may have kids), or go all-out and host a full blown party with friends, family and the other kids from playgroup.

This would also be the perfect opportunity to serve everyone that beautiful and delicious cake we mentioned above!

7. Staycation

If you are looking for a more extravagant and extra special first birthday activity, we’ve got just the thing – a staycation!

From dealing with the challenges of pregnancy and labor, to the shock of being a parent to a newborn, it’s probably fair to say the past one to two years haven’t been the easiest.

So why not get away for a few days so you can really celebrate your child turning one in great style.

Some popular options include a city break, escaping to warmer climes for a few days of sun, sea and sand, or heading off for a rural or countryside getaway.

Tori is mama to 3 year old Isabella and co-founder of Rockinbaby. She has a BSc in Psychology, is a certified yoga teacher and is a working mom. In her free time Tori loves cooking delicious foods and baked treats, entertaining and working out. Learn more about Tori here.

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