How to do a first birthday in the garden?

[C1umsyGiraffe]

My daughter is turning 1 in a week and we're having a party in the garden in a couple weeks with about 25 people and 6ish 1 year olds.

In laws are very kindly doing the food and drink. I was planning on just doing little "stations" of different toys in the garden - a few blankets dotted around with different toys on them.

1. ball pit
2. soft play slide
3. cuddly toys with birthday hats on around a tea set
4. toys from her toy box (cars, shakers etc)

My MIL asked me today if i had everything sorted for the party. I'm getting decorations today but what else did I need to sort out? She gets quite worked up about these things and I'm very much go with the flow. Is there anything I've forgotten? TIA!

It'll be more for you than the 1 year old - just have some food and drinks 🤷🏻‍♀️

Baby won’t even know so just stick to what you’ve already arranged

Don't stress about it, like a previous person said its for you not the baby so don't let MIL stress you out and keep it simple. I doubt any/many of us knew what our first birthdays involved :) celebrate surviving a year though!!

I bought a few beach balls rather than balloons for the GCs first birthday. They played with them for a long time afterwards.

I did this for my son. I set up a few different areas. So a blanket with books on, one with toys like blocks on, one with sensory type things - scarves, instruments, pom poms, I had a little paddling pool out as it was hot and one with trains on (he had a train themed birthday).

What is your wet-weather plan?

We got a cheap little water/sand table and filled it with Rice Krispies with a few little sand toys. Yup they ate a load but no harm there and they enjoyed playing with them, so basically edible sand! It was the most popular thing at our son’s first birthday. Should add absolutely no water that would be messy both sides were just Rice Krispies!

Please don't let MIL stress you out and make you feel like you're not doing enough. Its your baby, your party to plan. We had a garden party for our twins 1st birthday. We had a few garden toys out, water table, bubbles, a little teepee with ball pit. The kids had no idea what was happening so really it was for the adults, who were happy with plenty of food and drinks. Don't stress or let anyone take over! Few decorations, a cake, toys. That's more than enough for 1yo kids.

Have you sorted a cake? Otherwise sounds great.

The party will be more for you than your DC and all the children are 1 anyway so will be more than happy being entertained with what you’ve sorted already.

Alcoholic drinks (wine, beer) station for the desperate adults and a nappy changing station. As mentioned the 1 year birthday party is for you so enjoy it and for that day don’t worry about the sleep/eat schedule.

That sounds perfect that’s exactly what I did for my boys first birthday it was in august 2 years ago and it was a great wee day the only thing I had extra was we hired a bouncy castle which was brilliant and I made up wee bags to give away wee toys and a slice of his cake in but that was it oh and some nice big balloons with one on and happy birthday etc but for his 3rd birthday I’m just going to keep it v chill just as you have he’s recently got a big trampoline so can’t really have a bouncy castle just going to get some tunes on and some toys out and that’s it snacks and drinks and he will be happy it sounds like it will be a nice day no point getting stressed out about it they won’t know any different at 1 either x

Shaded areas?

Sounds perfect.

BBC good food have lovely no added sugar cake recipes for babies.

This

Hope you get lovely weather but really need a plan of what to do if it rains

I was about to say cake but someone beat me to it.

If it's really hot make sure you have some shade and maybe a little water play area- pouring cups and a washing up bowl of water!

Equally- have a wet weather plan