Children's Entertainer for 1st Birthday Party

[TheNewShmoo]

Help! DD's bday party is in a months time and I still haven't booked anyone . Can anyone recommend a good entertainer (in north London) appropriate for 1 year olds? Any advice gratefully received!

[Mamabear12]

You could higher monkey music teacher? They are great for that age. Babies love it. Or just buy a bubble machine.

[annittaa]

Entertainers for first birthday parties are becoming more popular...we had one for our daughter..a princess theme..with games and fairytale props..the entertainer was great..she came as a princess..sang songs..diid a fairytale puppet show...we had older children at the party too..so worked really well...there was also some softplay for the children to explore...they were called perfect princess parties ..hope this helps!

[SecretSquirrels]

She is a baby.
Save the party stuff until at least 3. Have a cake for the photos and a family tea.

[Morph2]

my DS (now 2) was one of the last of his peers to turn 1, quite a few had parties and the hard work of chasing DS round other peoples parties was enough without the added work or having to organise the party itself.

For his first birthday we went to the zoo, 2nd birthday we went to twinlakes (which is a little kids theme park in leicestershire), he loved both days. At that age i think a party is more about you than the child, they don't really have a clue

[1805]

If you like messy stuff, you could get the said sheet (aka parachute) and some pots of -washable- paint, strip the kids down to nappies and have them 'decorate' the parachute. Then put the paddling pool out and wash them down. Mine loved doing this, except I hosed them down with freezing cold water, oh, and the first time I forgot to use washable paint, and they were stained pink for a few days. DD loved this, ds not so impressed!!!!!

[Zipitydooda]

Very fun activity; cut up lots of old newspaper into small squares/rectangles. Throw it in the air repeatedly onto 1 year olds and say it's snow.

Another fun activity that they have some complicated explanation for at baby sensory classes; buy a foil blanket (£2 from amazon) and spread it out for babies to crawl on and crinkle.

[1805]

[TheNewShmoo]

Well 1805 I went to another one of those baby sing-song sessions this morning, and the same sentiment struck me also. My plan: I'm going to give my best mate, who has quite a lovely voice, some alcohol, a big puppet and a bubble machine, a big sheet for a make-shift parachute, and stick on some nursery rhymes and get us all to sit in a circle. Done. £130 saved. (alcohol for said friend and not for the children)

[1805]

You can hire me if you like! - I will turn up, put the bubble machine on, play some nursery rhyme cd's, blow up some balloons and sing happy birthday. You will provide the toys in the garden and the picnic tea and cake. Sorted. Oh, and pay me £150 if you really want to!!!!!!

[yousankmybattleship]

Seriously? For a 1st birthday? Give her a cardboard box to play with and save your money for some cava for the adults!

[Zipitydooda]

Remember whatever you do for the first you will feel the need to repeat for any other children too.

I wouldn't do anything more than a family tea until they are 3 and have their own friends at nursery that they actually play with. At 1 all they care about is their immediate family and people they see v often like grandparents, aunties, uncles.

My youngest had his first birthday this week. We are having a jubilee themed family tea at home on Sunday. No entertainment planned except playing with the toys we have at home (and the queen on TV), no other children except siblings (2) and first cousins (4).

[EverybodysSleepyEyed]

The last 10 mins of monkey music is just dancing around with the automatic bubble machine while the leader tidies up isn't it? you can get a cheap one of those in argos i'm sure.

[EverybodysSleepyEyed]

He enjoyed it but it was expensive and I made a themed meal with a themed cake and had about 20 kids from nursery.

it was more about me than him - I wanted him to have a fantastic day with all his friends when ultimately he would have been happy to meet a couple of friends at the soft play and have a family party!

[TheNewShmoo]

Wow. What an eye opener. And money saving exercise this post was too. Thanks guys.

EverybodysSleepyEyed why do you say the soft play party was completely unnecessary?

[MmeLindor.]

Balloons and bubbles and lots of cake.

Keep the entertainer for her 3rd birthday. If at all. I've never had one.

[EverybodysSleepyEyed]

I'm planning the same thing for DD's second birthday!

DS had a home party for the first 2 and then I splashed out on a soft play party for his 3rd. I now realise that was completely unnecessary! With hindsight, I wouldn't have bothered with the organised parties until his 5th when it was his first school party

[HMQueenElizabeth]

Yes that sounds perfect... An entertainer is really unecessary. Bubbles, music, swing, paddling pool etc... All good!

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

your plans sound perfect - dd2 is 18mo and would be thrilled at that lot.

[TheNewShmoo]

Pass the parcel is a good idea...

[TheNewShmoo]

We're hoping for some good weather so we can have the baby swing/slide out, paddling pool, ball pool and sand pit, and my SIL has a small bouncy castle. Lots of balloons and bubbles too.

DD loves the lady who runs our local Monkey Music franchise, but I can't justify the expense... would pay for almost two terms of Monkey Music! There is another 'singing' baby group in our area which all the babies in my local mums group love... I thought since this was something they really engaged with that it'd be great for a 1st bday party? No? Hmmm, my Dad laughed broadly at me when I mentioned it.

[BillyBollyBandy]

If you are mega keen you can hire soft play packages for the house/garden.

DD2 is 1 next week and she is getting all her relatives cooing over her and some cake that her big sister will steal

Just a family tea party!

[CharlotteBronteSaurus]

i agree that you definitely don't need an entertainer for under 3s
you need lots of cake, lots of balloons, a few toys, and perhaps some sand/water play if the weather's nice.

[HMQueenElizabeth]

Sorry but I'd seriously not bother with an entertainer of any sorts for a 1 year old.