Gift Guide :: 1st Birthday Gifts

There's something so special about a child's first birthday.  Just like anyother milestone, a first birthday usually brings lots of fanfare and of course the pressure to find that perfect gift.  Although, the child in question would probably be just as happy with a cardboard box, it certainly is more everyday and not 1st birthday special.   Choosing the perfect gift for a first birthday can be a little challenging.  I find myself asking is the gift right for the child developmentally, or does it fit their growing needs?  Having gifted several first birthday gifts, I rounded up some of our favorites, including some that we received for our now 15 month old.  While some are decidedly boyish or girly, the majority are gender neutral.

In case you were wondering, the Little Man can't get enough of his tool set, basketball hoop, and his personalized name puzzle stool.  Of course all the wrapping paper, boxes, and bags that everything came in was the most exciting at the time.  My personal favorite, and go-to 1st birthday gift for all our friend's kids, is the PB Anywhere chair. 

Other great gift ideas include:

- Cute outfits

- Books are another great gift, story time is a nightly ritual in our household, and reading helps expand a child's vocabulary. 

- Museum or zoo memberships, and or classes (ie. swimming, music) 

Shop the Post:

PBKids Anywhere Chair | Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table | Personalized Name Puzzle Stool | Cool Tools Activity Set | Teepee | Tiffany Mini Heart Earrings | Whisper Ride Buggy | Twilight Constellation Night Light Turtle | Easy Rider | Water Activity Table | Basketball Hoop | Shopping Cart | Melissa & Doug Farm Puzzle | Stacking Blocks 

Jungle Safari Themed 1st Birthday {Eats}

Today I'm sharing all the details behind the food and desserts we had at the little Man's jungle safari themed first birthday.  If you haven't already done so, you can enter to win an Etsy prize pack featuring all our designers over at The Wise Baby.

The dessert bar featured a safari cake, which sat on top of a vintage suitcase, with the most adorable gold elephant candle holder, thanks to Gnome Sweet Gnome Shop.  The goodies on the dessert table included: rice krispy treats, cake pops, jello cups, ants on a log (with animal crackers), and delicious personalized safari hat cookies from Rollin’ in Dough.  The  backdrop consisted of zebra print fabric, the happy birthday banner, which hung from a bamboo frame, and animal prints from Lisa Kay Designs.  Green moss, large leaf prints, and a raffia table shirt, polished off the dessert table.

We kept things simple for food and served salad & pizzas, and it's the easiest way to feed a crowd of nearly 75 people.  In addition to the usual appetizers we had a cheese plate and a fruit tray with a double pineapple tree. In case you are wondering, I cut the top and the bottom off the the bottom pineapple and hallowed it out, and used skewers to secure the two pineapples together. At the beverage station, or the watering hole, we served jungle juice, water, juice pouches, Izzes, and of course milk.  I created custom water bottle labels, and used the same stickers on the cups.  And for added fun, I made drink flags with the little Man's favorite jungle animal sound, the roaring of a lion.

Zebra fabric: Joann Fabrics

Pizza paddles & bamboo fencing: Amazon

Raffia tree skirt & green leaves: Party City

Photos by Niraj Gandhi Photography.

Jungle Safari Themed First Birthday {Decor}

Today I'm sharing the detail behind the decor from the little Man's safari themed 1st birthday.  Don't forget to enter to win a fabulous Etsy prize pack giveaway featuring all of our Etsy designers over at The Wise Baby. 

Starting with one of my favorite details from the little Man’s first birthday were the amazing invitations created by one of my incredibly talented friends at PS Paper Couture.  She pulled together beautiful details to create a passport style invitation, including the customs stamp from our most recent trip.  And the boarding passes are amazing, check out all that detail. 

As the little guests entered their jungle safari adventure, their first stop was base camp.  Here they gathered their supplies like binoculars, safari hats, and picked up their safari passes.  The back of the safari passes had a fun safari adventure itinerary that included: a photo in the safari jeep, searching for a herd of zebra, a romp in the quicksand pit.  For slightly older safari adventurers, I created a custom activity book.  

Safari supplies for our little adventurers.  Safari hats, binoculars, & their safari passes.

I wrapped a few cardboard boxes in contact paper, and stenciled in a few stats about the little man, and included the usual shipping terms.  I also created a cargo manifest and altered it for 'live cargo' and added washi tape in the par avion pattern to finish it off.

The guest book, a copy of Disney’s Jungle Book, and favors were also featured at “base camp”.  I know guest books aren’t typical for first birthday parties, but I love the idea of the little Man reading his signed copy in years to come, and it’s another wonderful addition to his library.  The favors, stuffed animals from the Kohl’s Cares collection, were housed in a vintage crate.  I love that they doubled as favors and were a great way to give back.

The centerpieces consisted of a safari animals that I spray painted gold, and a framed picture of the little Man throughout his first year.  To add some texture and add a more safari feel, I added burlap runners to each table.

One of my favorite details from the party was the favorite things poster by Moulage Collection is one of my favorite party details.  I love how it turned out, and we received so many compliments on it.  I can’t wait to frame it for his nursery; it’s the perfect way to capture his first year.

We created several play areas for the little ones, which included a 'quicksand pit', a safari jeep photo booth, and a floating zebra herd. The  safari rides photo booth came to life with several yards of burlap, the safari jeep, and a few jungle friends from the little Man’s nursery.  The Mister built the safari jeep using a cardboard box, and after several coats of spray paint and some quick glue gunning, we had ourselves a fun photo prop.  Using an inflatable pool filled with plastic balls, we created the “quicksand pit”, which was by far the most popular play area at the party.   The “zebra herd” consisted of several inflated mylar zebra balloons, the inspiration behind the zebra herd was  this Land of Nod design photo.  With several floating zebras around the party, our little guests could spot them with their binoculars, or take them for a walk.

Inflatable pool, balls, safari hats, binoculars, zebra balloons, & mosquito netting: Amazon

Safari animals & burlap: Joann Fabrics

Photos by Niraj Gandhi Photography.

Jungle Safari Themed 1st Birthday

We are sharing the little Man's jungle safari themed first birthday on The Wise Baby today.  And you can enter to win a fabulous giveaway featuring all the Etsy designers we used.  The giveaway includes a $10 gift certificate to Lisa Kay Designs, a $10 gift certificate to PS Paper Couture, an animal candle holder from Gnome Sweet Gnome Shop, and a dozen delicious mini Easter egg cookies from Rollin' in Dough!  Enter over at http://www.thewisebaby.com/safari-themed-first-birthday/ to win.  Also for all you parents or soon-to-be parents out there, our photographer, Niraj Gandhi, is offering 55% off a newborn or family photo shoot if you mention 'The Wise Baby' and book by March 31st. 

And I'll be sharing all the details behind the little Man's first birthday this week on the blog.  But first, I give you the smash cake success as it was beautifully captured by Niraj Gandhi.  Since the little Man is a replica of Mowgli, from the Jungle Book, we found this orange diaper cover to complete his 'Mowgli' inspired look.

Moustach Bash 1st Birthday

Love this moustache bash first birthday party.  From the chevron to the blue & green color palette, to the fabulous cake,  to the wet your whiskers beverage station, and to the little bow ties and moustaches adorning everything, I'm loving all the great details.  The chalkboard sign is fabulous, love how it displays all his favorites, and is so trendy.  And how dapper and adorable is the birthday boy!

{photos via Kara's Party Ideas}