1st birthday party - HELP!!!

[lill72]

Hi,
I am organising a first birthday party for DD and would love to hear your ideas....

I am having the party at our house and was thinking from 2.30-4.30 for kids, adults can stay later.

Just want some ideas on food for bubs (they are all around 1) and if that is too long for them in terms of the time?

Do people open presents these days? I have no family here so I wondering how I will go hosting, chatting, minding baby, cutting cake and opening pressies!!!!

any thoughts much appreciated !

Looking forward to hearing the replies on this lill72. We have a first birthday party coming up soon. Was just reading the mumsnet guide to parties (www.mumsnet.com/food/childrens-party) and have decided to do train shaped sandwiches, a jelly (in a nice oval, old fashioned style mould), bread sticks dipped in chocolate and hundreds and thousands, and cupcakes (with a slightly bigger one for DS if I can find a tin/ mould). Seems a bit random, but ours is from 2 'til 4, and don't think much more will get eaten, will it? Also, what about party bags?! Are you doing them?

Hi BoSho, they all sound like great ideas for food. I was going to do some cupcakes and then some healthy ish muffins and a few other things. Keep i fairly simple for bubs. I wasn't going to do party bags - not with lollies anyway. May give them something like a small toy to go home with. Not really thought about it.... ahhhh... when you have to organise baby and adults, feels like you are organising 2 parties!!!

Just a thought, but lots of 1 year old will still sleep after lunch so it might be worth checking that 2.30 is an OK time for your guests. Also, if it's during the week, some parents may need to collect kids from school around 3pm.

Personally, I'd ask one friend and make a couple of fairy cakes. And no to party bags - be strong! The other parents will thank you, honestly.

i think a lot of the kid- based party food ideas are great but geared towards toddlers and older kids - one year olds won't really appreciate the effort! I'd just make them all a dish they will all eat being so young - pasta or stew or something and make them fancy treats for after. My dds are 4 and 6 and we do the whole kiddy food now but when they were younger they'd have not noticed all the effort involved in actual catering. Again, far too young for party bags - try the book people for collections of books - can get say 8 books for £10 and given each child one?

My dds at age 1 slept straight after lunch so the time is okay if no older school age siblings -although most kids at that age have set meal times so presume you will feed the an early tea?

I also wouldnt let the adults stay later! Kids parties have a habit of going on for ages and turning into adult events which is not often the aim! If you dont mind this then definitely choose a saturday!

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I probably would only have a simple family affair - if I had any family here! I am from Australia, so we don't have any family here and if we didn't have any celebration, it would seem like the day would come and go.

Thanks for your thoughts on the time - my mothers group meet up around this time and they all seem to nap before 2.30 and after 4ish so think it should be ok.

I will take the suggestions for not catering for children that won't really appreciate it - save my energy up for the 4, 5, 6 and so on birthdays!!!