Get ready to party! Celebrate your little one’s first birthday with unforgettable first birthday theme ideas. From whimsical wonderlands to adorable animal adventures, we’ve got you covered.
Whether planning a small get-together or a huge gathering, having a first birthday party theme will help the whole party come together. Your theme will guide your choices for everything else – cake and smash cake, plates and napkins, activities, and decorations.
Combine these theme ideas with our Baby’s First Birthday Party Workbook, and your party will be a sure success!
What’s the best first birthday theme?
The following list of first birthday themes will inspire you to create an incredible, unique, and memorable first birthday party!
There are so many unique first-birthday party themes out there. Here’s a list of our favorites by party theme category:
TRENDY FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY THEMES
Pick a theme that’s on-trend and it will be easy to find decor and accessories!
First Trip Around the Sun
If you love the idea of a First Trip Around The Sun first birthday party, we’ve got you covered with tons of ideas in this post.
One Happy Dude
Every parent wants their child’s first birthday to be a day filled with joy and laughter, and that’s exactly what the “One Happy Dude” birthday party promises to deliver.
Wild One
Check out our post about How to Plan a Wild One First Birthday Party for so many awesome ideas!
A Few More Trendy First Birthday Party Ideas
- One-der the Sea (Boy | Girl)
- One-der Woman
- Mr. and Miss One-derful
- Whole Llama Fun
- Let’s Have a Ball
- Only Sunshine
- Baby Shark
All of these trends make for great birthday party ideas. A birthday party theme that’s on trend will be easy to shop for because it’s what people are buying right now.
First Trip Around the Sun Birthday Party
- 🌞【Package Included】 12 12-inch Boho Balloons and 4 Long Balloons, Tablecloth*1 Piece, First Travel Around the Sun Banner*1 Piece, Knife and Fork*16 Pairs, Water Cup*16 Pieces, Big Sun Pan*16pcs, Small Sun Pan*16pcs, 4pcs 8 inch paper pom-poms.
- 🌞【Premium Material】All of our boho birthday decorations, not easy to break, clear printing and colorful, will add fun to boho themed parties. All materials are safe so it can be used in any gathering or party.
- 🌞【First time travel around the sun birthday decorations】Unique design, use simple and cute sun elements combined with English letters to decorate the party, which will make your party unique.
Mr. One-derful Birthday Party
- First Birthday Boy Decoration – Package includes: 1st Birthday Backdrop, 3pcs 1st Birthday Balloon Boxes, Happy 1st Birthday Banner, Newborn-12Months Photo Banner, 1st Birthday Crown, High Chair Banner, One Cake Topper, 1st Birthday Milestone Posters, Number 1 Foil Balloon, 90pcs Latex Balloons, Balloon Garland Strip, 100 Dot Points Stickers, Balloon Ribbon, Instruction.
- Exquisite Quality Baby Boy 1st Birthday Decorations – Your little boy’s first birthday only comes once, which is why you cannot afford to settle for boring party decorations! Especially when we have put together a MEGA BUNDLE of 104 Party Pieces that will create an amazing setting for awesome photos and happy times with your family and friends!
- Premium Quality & Best Bang for Your Buck – Our 1st birthday decorations are made from premium quality materials. Everything you’ve ever thought of for your baby’s one year old birthday party is now in this set, eliminate the need to go-shopping for individual elements(otherwise ending up spending more money and wasting more time). Moreover, superior print quality and high attention to details are sure make your baby’s first birthday parties stand out.
CHILDHOOD ICONS BIRTHDAY THEME
- Dr. Suess
- Disney Birthday Party
- Nursery Rhymes
- Alice in One-derland
- Winnie the Pooh
- Peter Pan
For a unique first birthday party, let Alice in Wonderland invite your guests to fall down the rabbit hole into a fantastical tea party full of magical details. Think mismatched tea cups, petite sandwiches, and adorable cake toppers.
BOOKS AS FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME
Birthday party ideas inspired by your favorite book character will be fun for guests of all ages, especially if you choose a classic.
- The Little Prince
- Guess How Much I Love You
- The Giving Tree
- Where the Wild Things Are (Wild One Theme)
- Very Hungry Caterpillar Birthday Party
- Peter Rabbit
FAMILY INTERESTS AS PARTY THEMES
What does your family like to do for fun?
- Nature
- Travel
- Happy Camper
- O-Fish-ally One/The Big One (Fishing Theme)
Is your baby a future fisherman or fisherwoman? A fishing birthday party theme will grab your party-goers hook, line, and sinker!
CHARACTER TRAITS BIRTHDAY PARTY THEMES
Let your baby’s personality shine on their first birthday. If your baby is always smiling, a sunny party is the theme. Or if you have a little troublemaker on your hands, a Little Rascal’s first birthday would be cheeky.
- Sunny Disposition
- Little Rascal
- Cute as a Button
- Happy as a Clam
FOOD AS PARTY THEMES
- One in a Melon
- Berry Fun to Be One
- Berry First Birthday
- Sweet One
- Milk & Cookies
- Going Bananas
- One Sweet Peach
In addition to being a delightful pun, melons create a bright color scheme for a first birthday party. Consider a full-on watermelon theme with colorful pink details and party favors to match.
Here’s another unique birthday party theme – Going Bananas! Think monkey-themed birthday cake, faux greenery, primary colors, and banana-flavored food.
✅Get all your first birthday party planning questions answered in our super-detailed planner all about planning the first birthday party you’ve been dreaming of.
SPORTS FIRST BIRTHDAY
- First Year Down (Football)
- Hole in One
- Rookie of the Year
If you’re a football fan, a “1st Down” first birthday theme will be great! Grab some faux turf, pennant flags, concession snacks, and many footballs to decorate.
ANIMALS FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY
- Farm/Barnyard
- Zoo/Exotic Animals
- Woodland Animals
- Butterflies/Ladybugs
- Birds
- So Sweet to Bee One
- Some Bunny is One
There are so many cute ideas for animal parties, but this one has to be my favorite:
Holy Cow, I’m One First Birthday Party
CLASSIC FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY IDEAS
- Nautical or Beach Birthday Party
- Tea Party
- You Are My Sunshine
- Wild One
- Cowboy/Cowgirl (complete with a cowboy hat, of course!)
- Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
- Bubbles
- Hot Air Balloon
Cowboy First Birthday Theme
✅Get all your first birthday party planning questions answered in our super-detailed planner all about planning the first birthday party you’ve been dreaming of.
SEASONAL FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY
- Little Pumpkin
- Winter One-derland
- Lucky One (St. Patrick’s Day)
- Farmer’s Market
- Beach Party (think lots of bright colors!)
The season your baby’s first birthday party will fall in can play a big part in choosing a theme! Whether it is in the summer or winter, you can choose a party theme to coordinate. For example, you might throw a “Little Pumpkin” party in the fall. In March, a “Lucky One” party would be absolutely adorable for a birthday around St. Patrick’s Day. You could carry the same theme to future parties from year to year.
Having a birthday party in the coldest part of winter? Embrace the snow and ice with a Winter ONEderland 1st birthday party. Use lots of muted blues or pinks paired with pretty metallics. Or go with bright colors to contrast the season! Create a hot cocoa bar instead of a cake table to keep all your guests feeling warm and toasty.
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Buy on AmazonHow to Pick a First Birthday Theme?
Picking a first birthday party theme can take time, considering the millions of options available, just some of which we’ve listed above. So how do you choose? Here are some questions to answer that might inspire the perfect theme for your baby’s first birthday party:
- What’s your favorite book to read with your baby? A book you remember from your childhood that you now read to your baby can make a very creative theme!
- What color do you like to dress your baby in most? If your baby looks good in blue and you tend to dress him accordingly, an ocean or shark theme makes sense – complete with blue balloons. A princess party theme may suit you if you tend to dress your little girl in dreamy pastels.
- What season was your baby born in? Some great ideas can come from thinking about the season your baby’s first birthday will fall in. Palm trees provide a perfect backdrop for a summer party theme. Or think of hay bales and pumpkins for a fun fall birthday theme.
- What childhood characters or icons are important to you? Perhaps you were a big fan of Sesame Street as a child. Throwing a party full of primary colors and some of your favorite characters would be fun. Think back to your own childhood for first birthday party ideas.
- What are your family interests? (i.e., nature, sports, music) What does your family like to do together, or what are you looking forward to doing as your birthday boy or birthday girl grows up? These questions could spark a fabulous first birthday party theme unique to your family.
✅Get all your first birthday party planning questions answered in our super-detailed planner all about planning the first birthday party you’ve been dreaming of.
Tips for Your First Birthday Party
We have a fantastic and practical guide to throwing your baby’s first birthday party. Here are a few of our favorite tips for throwing your big bash:
- Choose the time wisely: The birthday party should only last an hour to an hour-and-a-half because babies are known for short attention spans and lose interest quickly. Host the party either late morning or late afternoon – before or after baby’s nap – never during nap time!
- Create a menu that works for everyone: Are there any food allergies to consider? Keep snacks simple and kid-friendly. Cut-up fruit and graham crackers are suitable for kids. Any sweet treats on the dessert table should follow the same guidelines.
Make sure to pick a first birthday theme that you love this year because once your baby isn’t a baby anymore, you won’t have as much of a say in future birthday party themes!
Check Out Our Step-By-Step Guide to Planning Baby’s 1st Birthday Party!
Read More: How to Plan a Wild One First Birthday Party Theme, First Trip Around the Sun Birthday Party Theme Ideas
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✅Get all your first birthday party planning questions answered in our super-detailed planner all about planning the first birthday party you’ve been dreaming of.
- NO MORE FALLING PICTURES DURING THE PARTY – Our banner comes with photo insertion frames that will make your preparation simple and quick! Simply slide in the 4R photo (4″x6″) to the frame and you’re ready to show the beautiful banner with the cutest photos to your friends and family. (Others are giving glue to attach)
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- REDESIGNED LETTERS – Our design team has fixed all the design flaws that the other photo banners in the market are having right now, FRAGILE & POORLY DESIGNED letters, for example the ‘TEN MONTHS’, compare the ‘T’ of the other banner and ours, noticed that their ‘T’ is on the edge, this is what led to parents complaining about broken and missing letters!
- 【VALUABLE PACK】32pcs One Balloon for First Birthday Kit include: 40inch blue 1 balloon, blue HAPPY BIRTHDAY banner, 6pcs 12inch pastel blue balloons, 6pcs 12inch light blue balloons, 12pcs 12inch white balloons, 8pcs blue confetti balloons.
- 【PREMIUM MATERIAL】Blue white balloons set are made of high-quality and Eco-Friendly natural foil and latex balloons, thick and durable.These birthday balloons can be filled with air.
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- Material: Eco-Friendly Paper banner,Wear-resistant paper banners can be hung at will. The photo cardstocks are thick and strengthened, The sequins on the cardstocks are also lasting.
- Package set: 13pcs photo cardstocks, from newborn to 12 months; 2 ribbons,You need to thread it .it is very convenient for you to hang it; 30 double sided glue points for sticking photos and banner.1pcs Alphabet “ONE” Bunting decorate baby table, 1pcs Alphabet “ONE” Bracket for Cake.A very big and baby show set perfect for you to record the meaningful year of your baby.
- Size: The size (w x l) of cardstocks is 7 x 5 inch and ribbon is 9.8 feet, Alphabet ONE for baby table is 12.4″x5.9″; star is 4.1″;alphabet ONE for cake is 5.9″x2.9″; enough for your party!
- Package Included: you will receive 120 pieces of latex balloons in 3 sizes and 6 colors, 5 pieces of confetti rose gold balloons, 24 pieces of 3D butterflies in 2 styles and 2 colors, 1 piece of happy birthday cake topper and 2 pieces of fairy cupcake toppers, equipped with a roll of balloon hole tape, a roll of glue point dot; A series of balloons and various butterflies add joy to the party, which will draw the attention of guests and leave an impressive memory
- Easy to Assemble: these garland balloons are quick and easy to build a DIY balloon arch; Balloon tape strips have many holes to fix the balloons, and the balloons can be applied to make a garland arch; You can also use the adhesive tapes to stick them to the wall, which will be more tight; After folding the wings, the butterfly will slightly create a 3D effect, giving a fantastic look on the cakes or balloons
- Elegant Design: as you can see in the pictures, the balloon garland kit adopts a variety of elegant colors, like rose gold, gold, pink, white and more, which could naturally bring a harmonious decor while showcasing your personalized artistic taste
- It’s a Winter Wonderland – The package will help you create a lovely winter world with beautiful snowflake balloons, the lovely colors of light pink, white, silver will create a warm atmosphere to your winter party, and also bring lots of joy to every guest.
- Winter Wonderland 1st Birthday Girl Decorations – Package includes: snowflake balloon garland set(103pcs), winter onederland banner, snowflake photo banner, snowflake highchair banner, snowflake first birthday cake topper, 10pcs snowflake cupcake toppers, 32inch number 1 foil balloon, winter onederland pink latex balloons.
- Wonderful Winter Party Decorations – With our these party decorations accessories, you can freely make various types of balloon arch garland to create you unexpected winter theme party atmosphere. It can’t be better for winter Party, wonderland baby shower, gilrs first birthday party, Christmas party, New Year, party backdrop, photo props, outdoor indoor decorations, any one can leave a deep impression on all your guests.
- 👑OPEN YOUR BABY’S FIRST PARTY – Life is only a blink of an eye from the beginning to the end.We should live in the present, enjoy the moment, and record the baby as the first party in her life.That would be significant, making a photo album of the photos recorded at the first birthday party, and recording them every year today.Waiting for your little baby’s adult gift to surprise her This is more meaningful and great than anything.
- GLITTERING BABY IS ON THE SCENE － As a mother, do you want your little baby to be amazing?Are you worried about how to make your little cute birthday more glittering?Then I can give you advice, 1. You can match cute clothing like tutu or Commemorative coverall, 2. Balloon ribbons related to your theme birthday,3. If it is for the baby 1st birthday, You can choose the appropriate 1st birthday banner and cake topper in our shop.Do you feel perfect in this way?if you have Better advice,you can tell
- 👑ABOUT THE CRAFT MATERIALS OF THE HAT – Our waouh Designs baby crown hats are made of non-woven fabric, sequins, elastic band, glitter ribbon, elastic, A4 glitter fabric, etc. The sequins are not easy to peel off, crack or fade! When the baby wears it, you can feel her pure happiness. Of course, we refuse materials that affect the baby’s skin
- First Birthday Time Capsule Cards
- Package of 50 Cards
- Have guests leave a special note for your son or daughter to open on their 18th birthday! Perfect for baby showers or first birthday parties!
- Already Assembled: Our banner is NO DIY required, opening the package then you can hang it up for use, such as, wall, dessert table, window, fireplace and so on, such a convenient way of decorating, what are you waiting for?
- High-quality Material: Using high-quality gold glitter cardstock. It’s shinning and will meet your quality needs. Also it can as your backdrop ornament for your social media photos during the one sweet year party!
- Size and Package: Size of letter” o “is approx 4.01 x 3.93 inches. Total length of banner is approx 4.3 ft. A package included 1 pcs One Sweet Year banner
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- ♔【First Princess Birthday Tutu】Adorable Baby girls floral Themed Birthday Park Costume Play Celebration,Girls first birthday outfit one year old girl clothes,made of selected cotton and polyester fabrics, which is super soft to the touch, safe and skin-friendly,Matching the Bohemian Crown Hat.Boho Rainbow Neutral Baby Shower Birthday Party Supplies for Kids Girls baby clothes are breathable and comfortable,brings your baby great wearing experience.allowing her to play comfortably all day long.
- ♔【THREE PIECE SET】Short sleeves and round neck bodysuit, bodice is printed with letter “one”, “1st Birthday”,rainbow pattern,which is very suitable for her birthday.Lapped shoulder design offers enough space for babies movement, and with 3 snap buttons on the crotch for easily diapers changing.Matching the fluffy tiered tutu skirt with elastic waistband,super stretchy and breathable to wear.A ribbon bowknot printed with polka dots at front waist, adds cute feelings to the overall.