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 you’re planning a small get-together or a huge gathering, having the right first birthday party theme will make the party more fun and easier to plan. Your theme will guide your choices for everything else – cake and smash cake, plates and napkins, activities, and decorations. Choose a theme you love!
Start by printing this amazing First Birthday Party Workbook – with step-by-step plans, worksheets, decision-making guides and checklists to walk you through every part of the planning process:
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.
Related Post: Guide to Planning a One Happy Dude First Birthday Party
Wild One
Roar with excitement at the “Wild One” first birthday party! This jungle-themed bash features adorable animal decorations, playful games, and a lion-shaped cake. Celebrate your little cub’s first year with a wild and fun adventure!
Check out our post about How to Plan a Wild One First Birthday Party for so many awesome ideas!
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 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.
- Package Include: You will receive 1 football photo banner, 12 football latex balloons in three colors and two designs, 1 ONE highchair banner, 1 cake topper, a set of 1st year down foil balloon.
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
- Package includes: 1 pc happy birthday banner, 1 pc glitter banner, 1 pc one cake topper, 1 pc cows garland, 4 pcs mylar balloons, 30 pcs 12″ latex balloons & 24 pcs cupcake toppers.
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
✅Download our super-detailed planner all about creating 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.
Buy on Amazon 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.
✅Download our super-detailed planner all about creating 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, What is the Best Time for a First Birthday Party?
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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 cake is complete without candles. Decorate any sweet treats with Pink Number Birthday Candles by Talking Tables. Use this Number 1 Candle on its own, pair with another Number Candle or with a Cake Topper
- OCCASION – This Glittery Numbered Candle is the perfect Cake Decorations for a 1st Birthday Party, Teenage Birthday, Wedding Anniversary or Milestone Birthday whether that be a 1st, 16th, 18th, 21st or 100th
- SIZE – This pink candle measure 8 cm (3”) Tall
- 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)
- WE’VE INCLUDED ALL THE CARDS, INCLUDING ‘NEWBORN’ – Noticed many sellers did not include the ‘NEWBORN’ card to their monthly banner, leaving you hanging with not enough time to return and forced to use the banner imperfectly. Our first photo banner covers all your baby milestones to 1st Birthday from Newborn to Twelve Months.
- 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!
- My First Rodeo Party Supplies – Package includes: my first rodeo backdrop, one balloon box, my first rodeo cake topper, cowboy 1st birthday high chair banner, 1st birthday baby monthly milestone photo banner, cowboy first birthday hat, number 1 foil balloon, 1st birthday milestone posters, my first rodeo table cloth, 118pcs cowboy balloon garland set.
- Wide Applications – The cowboy 1st birthday decoration kit is perfect for my first rodeo birthday party supplies, little cowboy’s bday party, cowboy 1st birthday decorations, cowboy baby shower decorations, Western cowboy themed party, rodeo themed party.
- Wild West Cowboy Style – Designed with popular western cowboy elements, such as: cowboy hats, cow skulls, cowboy boots, cactus, bandanas, horses, etc., so that your party is full of rich western cowboy atmosphere, and is more full of wildness and vitality.
- First Birthday Time Capsule: Preserve the precious moments of your child’s first year with our first birthday time capsule, designed to hold all the memorable keepsakes and notes from their milestone celebration
- Set Include: This set comes equipped with everything needed to capture the essence of your baby’s first birthday. It includes a time capsule for baby first birthday, 1st birthday keepsakes, and a memory box for keepsakes to store items securely.
- Gift Idea: this is essential for any first birthday party. It complements baby 1st birthday party games and is one of the 1st birthday party must haves, providing a unique activity with time capsule 1st birthday activities for party
- Assembly Needed: Marquee numbers are pre-cut frame with slots, 1) Match the slots on the board and put all boards together by hot glue; 2) Screw the bulbs on the board and install 2 AA batteries
- Customize Your Party: Our Large marquee numbers for you to freely customize your party theme, a perfect backdrop to decorate any of your romantic party and celebrating occasion
- Highlight of Your Party: marquee numbers lightss 3 feet tall / 36 inches / 91 cm. They will serve as the attractive finished point of your birthday, graduation, anniversary, and other event decors
- Party Banner for Your Kids – This colorful birthday theme banner is made of beautiful colored tulle and ribbon, like a rainbow, and is equipped with silver flash cards, which can be used to decorate the high chair of the kid’s first birthday party.
- Suitable for Various Decoration for Party – The chair banner can be used as your kid ‘s 1st birthday banner, hanging on the high chairs, dessert tables, background walls, corridors, doorways, and other places for the party you’d like to decorate.
- Kid’s Party Banner Size – The size of banner is 28” length X 20” width , and the total length of the string is about 80”. Each string hangs about 11in long, the ONE banner is made of gold glitter card stock is 5in*13in.
- 🎉 Beige Number 1 Balloon 🎉 – You will get 1pc 40 inch mylar foil number 1 balloon and 1pc straw. Perfect for 1st 10th 12th 13th 15th 16th 17th 18th 21st birthday or anniversary party decorations supplies.
- 🎉 Large Size & High Quality 🎉 – This giant 40″ mylar white sand number 1 balloon is made of high quality aluminum foil, all the balloons are safe, durable, non-toxic, strong and light. The number foil balloons can be reused. Just fill 90% of the balloon that could allow the balloon to expand completely.
- 🎉 Easy to Inflate 🎉 – The big cream number 1 foil balloons have self-sealing valve does not need to be knotted for easy inflation and deflation. It can be inflated with air or helium. When filled with helium, the balloons can float in the air; after filling, press the valve of the digital balloon to seal it. It can be reused. Do not throw away after use!
- 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 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.
- 【First Birthday One Boxes】 It can be the great decoration of the first birthday for your baby. You can use it to display the precious and meaningful memories for boy or girl during birthday party or other situations in the future.Use our amazing birthday decoration to create a dreamy background for your party. Leave your friends and family great memories in life.
- 【High Quality】These one boxes for 1st birthday are made of high quality paper and plastic patchwork.one boxes for 1st birthday are widely used,light weight and reusable.
- 【Easy to Use】 One boxes for 1st birthday are pre-folded in one pack,easy to set up as our picture instruction shows, then paste “O””N””E”on the box. With instructions this decoration is very easy to use. You can reuse it many times and save money.
- All-in-One Onederful Decor Pack: Make your little girl’s first birthday truly wonederful with Dadile’s 1st Birthday Decorations Girl set. This 128Pcs package includes 1*Highchair banner, 1*Photo banner, 1*70″ Backdrop, 1* Milestone card and others necessary party decors ensuring a hassle-free and delightful celebration
- Awe-Inspiring Party Assistance: Every parent dreams of the perfect first birthday party, and this vibrant and uniquely colored decoration set is designed just for that. Dadile’s decorations not only help you create an awe-inspiring party but also leave beautiful memories for family and friends to cherish
- Premium Quality, Worry-Free Set: Dadile’s balloons are crafted from high-quality, non-toxic latex with reinforced thickness, making them resistant to leaks and bursting. This first class and richly accessorized set eliminates the need to individually purchase additional elements, providing a cost-effective and stress-free solution