This adorable DIY Mickey Mouse first birthday party was hosted by yours truly, so yes I may be biased LOL…it also contains affiliate links. We had Mickey and Goofy there and the kids loved it!! We also had a balloon twister and bouncy house.
We welcomed guests with a basket of Mickey and Minnie ears (similar signs here) and a Party is Here sign. We placed a custom Mickey Keep Calm sign from ETSY at the adult beverage bar.
I made a DIY dessert table with a cloud peel and stick paper background, pre-made pennant, wooden letters, curtain sheers, cupcake risers and table linens, all from Amazon. I set the table with Mickey paper plates and scattered party accessories on the kids tables (bouncy balls, party blowers, bracelets) again all from Amazon. A friend made the Wooden block stack, similar ones are available on ETSY.
On the food table I prepared cupcake wrappers with kid snacks so they were easy to grab and go. Party Favor was Melissa and Doug Sidewalk Chalk sets. I am not a fan of the bag of junk…we try to always give a book or a practical activity for kids.
If you are inviting a large group of friends and would like the most amount of kids to attend, here are some first birthday hostess tips:
(1) Morning parties are better for this age group- be sure your party starts early enough that parents can get children home for a nap. 9-11 works great
(2) Choose the morning that religious services aren’t most common among your friends- for most people this means to choose Saturday morning. But for some it might be that Sunday is better.
(3) Invite siblings. This is regional, and highly correlated to a host family’s ability to pay for a larger party – I can tell you in my circles in Los Angeles, siblings are included for a first birthday party (and generally all birthdays up until parties are “drop-off” and the family isn’t expected to stay). If you absolutely cannot then just be clear about that on the invitation, but expect inquiries. For some families weekends are family time…
(4) Reciprocate. If you cannot make anyone else’s parties, well thats what you can expect for yours. Ride the train or don’t bother to ride at all.
(5) Advance Notice. Give your guests a full month of advance notice.
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