There is no better way to celebrate a one-year old’s birthday than music. At this age the magic of music stimulates the brain with rhyming, words and direction. Songs that highlight words like ‘Stop’and follow pattern as in the famous ‘Head,Shoulders, Knees and Toes,’ will delight your young one as he or she figure out their body and movement.
Add an eggshaker or two, introduce a drum with tambourine and witness their eyes brighten in amazement.
You can find musical classes in your area. Try your local public library, frequently they will offer complimentary baby classes that incorporate these techniques.
Celebrating with a musical theme for baby’s first birthday will bring a familiarity to a party that can sometimes be overwhelming for your wee one.
So how do you make a musical magicalbirthday?
I plan parties on an affordable budget, with sentimental details, creating a special experience for your youngster and guest.
What are some of the main ingredientsfor a musical birthday?
- Egg Shakers
- Musical Instruments
- Singer with guitar
- Bubble Machine
- Cake
- Number One Onesie/shirt
- Party Favors
- Food
Don’t forget with the first birthday party you will want a small ‘smash’ cake for you little one! Your guest can then indulge in their own sweetness, hands and sliver free.
I had afamily member make a small cake into the appearance of a drum, accompanied by real drumsticks.
I found numerous of adorable cake ideas on Pinterest, but when it came time to order I decided to go for a ‘cupcake cake.’ I came to the conclusion that this would allow easier access for the guest to grab dessert and wouldn’t have to worry about cutting. (I also opted in on the individual cups of ice-cream.)
In most Examples, I searched on Pintrest, the colors used for this theme of Birthday were vibrant. I narrowed it down to Teal Blue, Orange, and green. These colors matched a onesie I found on Etsy and the bright colors screamed kids party.
While you can purchase egg shakers from party websites and Amazon.com, I transformed this into a craft for the kids. I set out two separate bowls, one of black beans and one of rice, offering the children to choose their sound. (You can also use different type of dry beans, dried quinoa, coffee beans etc.)
You will also need:
– plastic eggs (without holes)
– Scotch Tape
– Stickers for decoration
If you play your cards right,you can take advantage of the after Easter markdowns and stock up on plastic eggs.
Offer the older children to add their ingredients, help the younger ones.
Have an adult supervise the taping. I recommend at least two to three pieces around the crease. (If you are to remake them, I would recommend hot gluing them and then still using tape around the edges.)
If you save those coffee cans, you can also make drums. I pre-made a couple for home use and brought those to the party. You can find more musical instruments crafts at my Pinterest board.
Speaking of crafts, easy ideas for the children who might need extra entertainment away from the crowd is simple crayon set up with pictures to colors. I printed pictures with favorite toddler characters engaging in music. Such as Elmo, Barney, Cars, Mickey and Friends, etc. I suggest googling: “Coloring pages Music Theme Kids.” (Adding a special character name if there is one.)
For additional instruments, Amazon.com has some affordable musical sets that are rather sturdy for great prices.
Finding a musician for your kids birthday party can be tricky if you don’t know where to look. If you are local to my part of town, Cincinnati, Ohio or Northern KY area, I’d highly recommend trying to pin Zak Morgan.
In other areas you can try your luck with Google. Your hometown may offer a website to a Star in your area.
If you need further direction, I’d recommend your local library for references.
If your local library doesn’t have a musician on site,they will most likely have access to a replicable referral.
Next let talk about your bubble machine set up!
A bubble machine adds for an additive party vibe, and lets be honest, what tot doesn’t love bubbles!?!
Find a durable bubble machine. Trust me, it’s worth it. You will be able to use it again to entertain your little one! It will also be a great addition to future birthdays, bath time, family gatherings… trust me, I wish I bought ONE durable one to begin with instead of three over the years. (The last one got sand put it in – I was done then. #boymom 🤦🏼♀️)
Plan where you will put your bubble machine ahead of time. This will allow you to make the area safe. You will need a plug that is not visible to the children (unless you get a battery operated one – but they aren’t usually heavy duty) Don’t forget, lots of bubbles cause slipperiness, choose your placing wisely.
Let’s talk party favors. Every good party has a little something for the kiddos to take home. This is a big ‘Thank You” for coming.
Party Favors can be simple, that being said I would opt out of throwing candy in those bags mostly or in entirely (at least for the first one…)
Here are some ideas:
*IF candy, then ‘Starburst‘
*And don’t forget they get to take their eggs shakers with them!
I buy most of my party favors from Oriental Trading Company. They sell bulk with reasonable prices. (But beware: plan plenty of time for your shipment, they do take longer than your prime order.)
In addition it’s fun to have something they can fashion during the party. I chose guitar necklaces. There are many fun designs to work with.
I also usually set out party blowers for the kids to grab during the party. This musical year I added lollipops with a number “1.”
Food!
There are so many ideas on food, but for this party, I stayed away from the theme food and went for simplicity. (And didn’t think to take pictures because I was just starting out. Promise I get soooo much better 😉)
I made the menu based off of my one-year -old’s favorites.
*Fruit
*hummus
*guacamole
* pretzels
And then added –
*veggie tray
* Taco Dip
* Chips
* mini ham, turkey and cheese sandwiches
Be thoughtful of the time you will have your party.
} 10am – 12pm include breakfast snacks such as donuts and breakfast bars
} 12pm – 3pm include lunch and snacks.
} 1pm – 4pm include snack food.
} 4pm or 5pm – 7pm or 8pm include dinner with snacks.
You’re party time should be centered around your lil’ ones nap times. Keep in mind, nap might be a challenge on party day. Baby WILL know something is going on and feed off of your energy. Nap will be challenge before the party.
For the decor, I didn’t go overboard. I kept it simple with tablecloths, balloons, and streamers. The Dollar Tree is a my favorite place to buy basic colors of party cloths, streamers, plates and cutlery.
Don’t forget the invites!
For invitations I created a card that highlighted his last twelve months. The twelve month picture I used a music theme photo:
There is now an idea of hanging pictures from a string. I did this for my sister-in-law’s bridal shower and a friend of mine mastered it as her little guys birthday a few months ago. I love this!
A nice sentimental touch to your party is offer to have your lil’ one’s baby book on display. (Gives you a reason to get it done too! 😉)
Also offering a small blank book for loved ones to sign. An advice book to give him/her on their 18th birthday.
Have fun and enjoy the magic of this first birthday. Time flies by and before you know it, you too, will be looking at pictures of this day and reminiscing how quickly your wee one has grown!
HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!
ENJOY!
Rebecca Ann Price
Ps: An additional touch is to feature pictures from the party on your Thank You cards.
Rebecca Ann Price 