31 1st Birthday Party Games Kids will Love
Planning a first birthday party can be both exciting and a bit daunting.
While your little one might not remember the details, creating a joyful and engaging atmosphere is key to making the day special for everyone involved. One of the best ways to ensure your tiny guests (and their parents) have a blast is by incorporating fun and age-appropriate games into the celebration. Whether you’re hosting a big bash or a small gathering, these 31 first birthday party games will keep the smiles wide and the giggles plentiful. From sensory activities to simple party classics, there’s something here to delight every young heart and make your child’s first birthday a memorable milestone.
Dive in and discover how to create a party that will be the talk of the toddler circle!
Bubble Bonanza
How to Play: Create a magical bubble-filled space by using bubble machines or blowing bubbles yourself. Little ones can chase, pop, and marvel at the bubbles. It’s a simple yet mesmerizing activity that toddlers love.
Supplies Needed: Bubble machines, bubble solution, bubble wands.
Sensory Bins
How to Play: Set up different bins filled with a variety of sensory items such as rice, sand, water beads, or pasta. Include scoops, cups, and small toys for the kids to explore the textures and objects.
Supplies Needed: Plastic bins, rice/sand/water beads/pasta, scoops, cups, small toys.
Musical Mats
How to Play: Place mats or pieces of colorful paper on the floor. Play some fun music and have the children move around. When the music stops, they need to find a mat to sit on. This is a toddler-friendly twist on musical chairs.
Supplies Needed: Mats or colorful paper, music player.
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Ball Pit
How to Play: Set up a small inflatable pool and fill it with soft plastic balls. Kids can dive, swim, and play in the ball pit under supervision.
Supplies Needed: Inflatable pool, plastic balls.
Soft Blocks Building
How to Play: Provide a variety of soft blocks for kids to stack, knock down, and play with. Encourage them to build towers and structures, enhancing their motor skills and creativity.
Supplies Needed: Soft blocks or large foam blocks.
Storytime Circle
How to Play: Gather the children in a circle and read short, colorful picture books with engaging stories. Use props or puppets to make the stories come alive and hold their attention.
Supplies Needed: Picture books, props, puppets.
Animal Parade
How to Play: Give each child a stuffed animal and have them walk around in a parade, mimicking the sounds and movements of their animals. Play some upbeat music to add excitement.
Supplies Needed: Stuffed animals, music player.
Balloon Play
How to Play: Inflate several balloons and let the children play with them. They can bat them around, chase them, and enjoy the movement and colors.
Supplies Needed: Balloons (ensure they are supervised to prevent choking hazards).
Finger Painting
How to Play: Set up a finger painting station with large sheets of paper and non-toxic, washable paints. Let the kids explore colors and textures with their hands.
Supplies Needed: Large sheets of paper, non-toxic washable paints, aprons or smocks.
Peekaboo Tunnel
How to Play: Set up a play tunnel and encourage the kids to crawl through it. Add a game of peekaboo at each end to make it more interactive and fun.
Supplies Needed: Play tunnel. These games are designed to be safe, simple, and engaging for one-year-olds, ensuring that the party is a hit for all the little guests and their parents!
Duck Pond
How to Play: Fill a small pool or large container with water and float rubber ducks with numbers or symbols on the bottom. Kids can pick a duck, and you can give a small prize based on the number or symbol.
Supplies Needed: Small pool or large container, rubber ducks, small prizes.
Bubble Wrap Stomp
How to Play: Lay out a large sheet of bubble wrap and let the toddlers walk, crawl, or stomp on it to hear the satisfying popping sounds.
Supplies Needed: Large sheet of bubble wrap.
Toddler Obstacle Course
How to Play: Set up a simple obstacle course using pillows, tunnels, and soft play equipment. Guide the children through crawling, climbing, and navigating around obstacles.
Supplies Needed: Pillows, tunnels, soft play equipment.
Parachute Play
How to Play: Use a small parachute or a large sheet and have the children and parents hold the edges and wave it up and down. You can add lightweight balls or stuffed animals to the parachute for added fun.
Supplies Needed: Small parachute or large sheet, lightweight balls or stuffed animals.
Water Play Station
How to Play: Set up a water play station with tubs of water, cups, scoops, and floating toys. Ensure adult supervision for safety.
Supplies Needed: Tubs of water, cups, scoops, floating toys.
Puppet Show
How to Play: Put on a short puppet show using simple hand puppets. Choose stories or themes that are easy to follow and visually engaging for the little ones.
Supplies Needed: Hand puppets, simple stage setup.
Ring Toss
How to Play: Create a simple ring toss game using soft rings and posts. This can be an easy and entertaining game for toddlers to practice their hand-eye coordination.
Supplies Needed: Soft rings, posts.
Baby Disco
How to Play: Create a mini dance floor with soft mats and play some fun, toddler-friendly music. Let the kids dance, jump, and move to the music.
Supplies Needed: Soft mats, music player, toddler-friendly music.
Sandbox Dig
How to Play: Set up a small sandbox with toys, shovels, and buckets. Toddlers can dig, build, and explore the sand.
Supplies Needed: Small sandbox, sand, toys, shovels, buckets.
High Chair Art
How to Play: Secure sheets of paper and non-toxic crayons or markers to the high chairs. Let the little ones create their first masterpieces while sitting comfortably.
Supplies Needed: Paper, non-toxic crayons or markers, high chairs. These additional games provide a variety of sensory, motor skill, and interactive activities that will keep the little ones entertained and happy during the birthday celebration.
Pom Pom Drop
How to Play: Set up a cardboard tube or empty tissue box with holes cut in the top. Provide colorful pom poms and encourage the kids to drop them through the holes.
Supplies Needed: Cardboard tube or tissue box, pom poms.
Baby Sensory Bottles
How to Play: Create sensory bottles filled with water, glitter, beads, or small toys. Seal them tightly and let the babies shake, roll, and observe the mesmerizing contents.
Supplies Needed: Clear plastic bottles, water, glitter, beads, small toys.
Sticker Fun
How to Play: Provide a variety of colorful stickers and large sheets of paper. Let the toddlers stick the stickers onto the paper, fostering creativity and fine motor skills.
Supplies Needed: Colorful stickers, large sheets of paper.
Teddy Bear Picnic
How to Play: Set up a picnic blanket and invite the children to bring their favorite teddy bears or stuffed animals. Enjoy snacks and refreshments together in a cozy outdoor setting.
Supplies Needed: Picnic blanket, snacks, refreshments, teddy bears or stuffed animals.
Baby Sign Language Session
How to Play: Introduce simple baby sign language gestures such as “more,” “all done,” and “thank you.” Encourage parents and toddlers to practice the signs together.
Supplies Needed: Baby sign language resources or flashcards.
Shape Sorting
How to Play: Provide soft, oversized shapes and encourage the toddlers to match them to corresponding holes or containers. This game promotes shape recognition and problem-solving skills.
Supplies Needed: Soft, oversized shapes, containers with corresponding holes.
Baby Gymnastics
How to Play: Lay out soft mats or blankets and guide the babies through gentle stretching and movement exercises. This activity promotes flexibility and coordination.
Supplies Needed: Soft mats or blankets.
Pom Pom Race
How to Play: Use a cardboard ramp or incline and have the toddlers race pom poms down it by blowing through straws. The first pom pom to reach the bottom wins!
Supplies Needed: Cardboard ramp, pom poms, straws.
Fruit Smash
How to Play: Hang whole fruits like watermelons or piñata-style fruit cups filled with small fruits. Let the toddlers take turns smashing them with a safe, soft object like a plastic bat or wooden spoon.
Supplies Needed: Whole fruits or fruit cups, plastic bat or wooden spoon.
Baby Yoga
How to Play: Lead the toddlers and parents through simple baby yoga poses and stretches. This activity promotes relaxation and bonding.
Supplies Needed: Yoga mats or soft blankets.
Nursery Rhyme Sing-Along
How to Play: Gather the children and parents for a sing-along session featuring classic nursery rhymes. Use props or hand movements to make the songs interactive and engaging.
Supplies Needed: Nursery rhyme lyrics, props or hand movements. These additional games offer a mix of educational, sensory, and interactive experiences that will make your little one’s first birthday party a memorable and enjoyable occasion for all!
