Penelope Plans at MyPunchbowl – July 14b

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1st Birthday Boy Party

Dear Penelope,
I would like ideas/suggestions on what to do for my son's first birthday.

Mia

Georgia

Dear Mia,

When my son was one, he loved beach balls, and actually still does. You could plan a 1^st Birthday Beach Party. Here are some ideas on how to pull it off:

Have lots of beach balls ready for action—at least one per child.
If you don’t have a large sandbox, lay down a plastic tarp and cover with bags of play sand. Add fun shovels, sand molds and rakes for instant tot entertainment.
Strategically place big, colorful beach umbrellas around your yard for some extra shade for delicate skin.
Decorate a floppy sun hat with a big “1” on the front. This will make a great 1^st birthday photo as he gobbles down his piece of birthday cake.
Have a variety of small finger foods such as cheese cubes, crackers, blueberries, peas and pasta served on Frisbees that can be washed and tossed around later.
Hand paint each child’s name on a sand bucket as a great 1^st birthday party favor. Fill it with small sand trucks and shovels. Don’t forget to send guests home with the beach balls and Frisbees too!

For a one year old birthday party, a morning event is generally best for young children. Keep the party short (1-2 hours) and specify the ending time clearly on the invitation to avoid any meltdowns. You can find this cool beach ball invitation or other free birthday party invitations and more birthday party planning tips on MyPunchbowl.