Party Types
First birthday parties are for the adults, and that is fine
A one year old will not remember it, will not sit through anything and will probably nap through part of it. Plan the day around that honestly and it becomes a lovely event rather than a stressful one.
Every honest first birthday guide starts in the same place. The birthday child will not remember it. That is not a reason to skip it, because the day is genuinely for the parents, the grandparents and the photographs, and those are worth doing properly.
It does change what you book. A performer needs an audience that can watch, and a one year old cannot. What actually works is somewhere safe for the babies to be, so the adults can talk without hovering. That is soft play, a ball pit or toddler play hire, hired for the whole party rather than an hour of it.
Get the timing right and the rest is straightforward. Late morning, after the first nap, for about two hours.
The shape of the day
How a first birthday actually runs
Two hours, late morning, with the food and the cake front loaded because the children fade rather than build.
- Ten in the morning. After the first nap and well before the second. This one decision does more for the day than anything you can hire.
- First 30 minutes. Arrival, adults settle, babies go into the play area. Nobody needs entertaining yet.
- 30 to 60 minutes. Food for the adults, morning tea style. The babies graze and play around it.
- About 60 minutes in. Cake and the photographs, while the birthday child is still in a good mood. Do not leave this until the end.
- Last 30 minutes. Wind down, presents if you are doing them, and let people leave before the nap window closes.
Getting it right
What works and what does not
The gap between the two columns is wider at this age than at any other.
| Works | Why | Does not work | Why not |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soft play or toddler play hire | Somewhere safe for the whole party | A magic show | They cannot follow or sit through it |
| A ball pit | Play area and photo corner in one | A two hour booking of anything | Attention lasts minutes, not hours |
| A face painter, if older children are coming | Occupies the cousins and siblings | Face paint on the birthday child | Most painters decline under threes anyway |
| Plenty of adult seating | The real guest list is grown ups | A late afternoon start | It collides with the second nap |
What to book
What to hire for a first birthday
Play hire and a photo corner do more here than any performer can. Add an entertainer only if there are older cousins and siblings to occupy.
Soft Play Hire
Padded play sets, mini slides and fencing for under fives.
ExploreBall Pit Hire
Sanitised pastel and rainbow ball pits that double as a photo corner.
ExploreToddler Play Hire
Small scale play sets and sensory equipment for ones and twos.
ExploreFace Painters
Face painting, glitter tattoos and body art with skin safe products.
ExploreBalloon Twisters
Balloon artists working a queue of children fast.
ExploreKids Party Equipment Hire
Fairy floss, popcorn, kids tables, chairs and teepee sleepovers.
Explore
The photographs
You are really planning for about six photos
Be honest about it and set the day up so those six are easy to get.
Get quotes
Tell us about the first birthday
Suburb, date and how many little ones are coming. Most first birthday quotes come back for play hire rather than entertainment, and that is usually right.
- Say how many children under three are coming
- Mention any older siblings or cousins who need occupying
- Tell us indoors or outdoors, and the flooring
Questions parents ask
First birthday questions
What entertainment works for a 1st birthday party?
Not a performer. One year olds cannot follow a show or sit through one. Toddler play hire, a small soft play set or a ball pit works far better, because it gives them somewhere to be for the whole party. Add a face painter only if there are older cousins and siblings.
What time should a 1st birthday party be?
Late morning, around ten, after the first nap and well before the second. This is the single most useful decision you will make about the day, and it matters more than anything you hire.
How long should it run?
Two hours. A first birthday that runs to three ends with an overtired birthday child and a difficult last half hour. Front load the food and the cake so the good part happens while everyone is fresh.
Do I need entertainment at all?
Not in the performance sense. What you need is somewhere safe to put the babies down so the adults can actually talk. That is what soft play hire and a ball pit are for.
How many people should I invite?
Fewer than you are planning to. The guest list at a first birthday is really adults, and a crowded room with a dozen babies in it is harder work than it sounds. Enough seating for every adult is a better target than a big number.
Is a cake smash worth doing?
Plenty of families love it, and the trick is timing. Do it about an hour in while the birthday child is still in a good mood, in a spot you do not mind cleaning, with one person nominated to take the photos.
Get quotes for the first birthday
Tell us the suburb, the date and how many little ones. We match you with play hire suppliers who deliver to you.