20+ Trendy First Birthday Themes for Modern Celebrations

If you are parents planning a special celebration for their little one’s first birthday, you will want something more than just the common party option – you may want first birthday themes that are new, recent, somehow trendy, and importantly, reflective of your chosen style for your baby. So, determining a perfect theme can be quite a task.

But don’t worry. In this blog post, CustomAny has done the research for you, providing all the beloved readers with 20+ first birthday themes including specific ideas, suggestions and notes to help you throw an unforgettable birthday party for your one-year-old. Join us in discovering these exciting first birthday party themes.

Fairy Tale First Birthday Themes

For the very first ideas for first birthday themes, we’d love to start with fairy tale enchanting themes.

1. One-Derland

Use a clever play on “wonderland” and transform your baby’s birthday party into a magical land with the “One-Derland” theme. 

We recommend using soft pastels and playful decorations.

• Dress your baby like a real Alice.
• Decoration: Using models of wonderland characters such as the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter or the Queen of Hearts. 
• Serving: A birthday cake with playing card motifs and some tables for an adults’ tea party.
• Activities: A game like “pin the grin on the Cheshire Cat”. 

2. One-der the Sea

One-der the Sea theme is to create an underwater adventure on your little one’s first birthday.

The key of this first birthday idea is marine-inspired decor.

• Dress your baby like a super cute sea creature
• Color scheme: Blues and aquas
• Decoration: Using sea creature cutouts or stickers to create the underwater world. 
• Serving: Cookies in the shapes of seashell, jellyfish, starfish, mermaid, moss or sponges. 
• Activities: A Fish pond game or a creative sand art station for the kids.

3. ONCE Upon a Time

ONCE Upon a Time first birthday theme is a timeless choice with vintage-inspired decor.

• Dress your baby like a charming prince or beautiful princess with vintage-inspired outfits.
• Color scheme: Gold and pastel. 
• Decorate: Arrange crown, magical mirror, red apples, etc throughout the venue. 
• Activities: Consider a ‘storybook corner’ where every guest can DIY a story page for the birthday child.

4. Mister or Miss One-derful

This is also a royalty party theme for the one-year-old misters or misses.

Put all effort into creating a castle-like space:

• Color palette: gold and silver.
• Decoration: Crown-shaped invitations, royal fonts on the party banners. 
• Activities: A crown decorating contest for princes and princesses.

5. Unicorn-Themed

It’s not a complete list of fairy tale first party themes if there’s no Unicorn theme.

• Color: White and pastel pink and hints of gold to bring out the magical scene.
• First birthday decorations: Unicorn-themed balloons and banners
• Serving: A white and pink first birthday cake with one unicorn-shaped candle. 
• First birthday party games: Consider a magical unicorn treasure hunt.

6. Mermaids

Similar to the One-der the sea but much more trendier is the Mermaid first birthday theme. This is one of the most trendiest first birthday themes for girls.

• Dress your baby in a first birthday outfit like a beautiful mermaid.
• Color scheme: blues and teals
• Decoration: Create a banner in the shape of a mermaid tail with colorful seashells around, or incorporate Mermaid wall decals to create a personalized backfrop for the party.
• Activities: Consider a mermaid-face painting contest or a ‘create mermaid tail’ craft station.

If you found this magical theme interesting, you can find more detailed suggestions on party decoration, food and drinks or activities, check out our previous blog: “5 Steps to Throw An Incredible Mermaid Themed Birthday Party“.

Sweet Little One First Birthday Themes

When looking for your little one’s first birthday themes, consider those that bring delightful sweetness.

7. One in a Melon

One in a Melon, which means “one in a million”, is a meaningful theme for your kid’s one year old birthday party. Also, it means you can throw a fruity and refreshing party. 

• Color palette: Vibrant shades like red, pink and green.
• Decoration: Enhance the venue with watermelon colored decorations, from banners to tablecloths.
• First birthday food ideas: Watermelon-shaped birthday cake, watermelon flavored cupcakes or watermelon juice.
• Activities: Fun games like a ‘watermelon seed spitting’ contest or a fruity taste-testing station.

8. Berry First Birthday Party

Celebrate your kid’s first birthday in the “Berry First Birthday Party” theme, which is about berries.

• Main colors: Red, pink, blue, and purple.
• Decoration: You can try berry garlands and balloons in strawberry shape.
• Serving: Make cakes and mousses with berry flavor.
• Activities: You can create fun with a ‘berry picking’ game or a berry-themed story time.

9. Candy Land

A Candy Land first birthday theme is like the start of a sweet adventure for your little one.

• Decoration: Fill the revenue with oversized candy decorations and colorful balloons. 
• Serving: A candy buffet featuring a variety of sweets and treats like lollipops, gummy bears, cotton candies, jellybeans, …
• Activities: Host a ‘candy scavenger hunt’ or a ‘decorate your candy bag’ contest.

These 3 ideas will be the best first birthday themes if your little guests are sweet tooth.

Cutest Animal First Birthday Themes

When it comes to celebrating your little one’s first birthday, why not incorporate the cuteness of adorable animals into the theme?

10. First Bee Day Birthday Party

First Bee Day theme is to celebrate the party with a buzzing affair that’s as sweet as honey. This adorable bee-themed party is not only cute but also a trendy choice for a first birthday celebration. 

• Let your baby wear cute bee wings.
• Color scheme: Yellows and blacks.
• Decoration: Honeycomb-patterned tablecloths, bee-wings banners.
• Serving: A beehive-shaped cake or bee-shaped cookies. 
• Activities: A ‘flower planting’ or a “drawing your own bee antennae” game.

11. Beary First Birthday

This birthday theme – Beary First Birthday, is a word play that is similar to Berry First Birthday, but in a way more cute. 

• Dress your baby in a cute fursuit.
• Color palette: Browns and soft neutrals, inspired by cuddly bears.
• Serving: Consider a bear-shaped cake or bear paw cupcakes as party food.
• Activities: You can organize a ‘teddy bear picnic’ to keep the kids entertained.

12. Some Bunny Is One

Celebrate your little’s first year with Some Bunny Is One theme, highlighting their adorableness at this age. 

• Wrap your baby in a bunny bodysuit.
• Main colors: White, pink, blue, and lavender.
• Decoration: Consider adding fluffy tail centerpieces. 
• Serving: Bunny-shaped cake or carrot-themed cookies. 
• Activities: Interesting games like ‘bunny hop’ dance party or a ‘pin the tail on the bunny’.

13. Wild One First Birthday Party

Bring your child to a wild adventure with Wild One first birthday theme. 

• Dress your baby like a mischievous little tarzan
• Color palette: You should choose colors inspired by the jungle.
• Decoration: Set the scene with lush greenery and animal prints on the backdrop. 
• Serving: Make a safari-inspired cake and a series of animal-shaped cookies.
• Activities: Consider games like ‘jungle treasure hunt’ or a ‘make your own animal mask’.

Sporty First Birthday Themes

For active families celebrating their little one’s first birthday, why not infuse the celebration with the spirit of sports? 

14. Rockie Year Birthday Party Theme: Baseball Bliss

Your little one’s first “Rockie Year” is worth to celebrate with a baseball-themed party 

• Let your baby dress like a little baseball player.
• Color scheme: Classic reds, whites, and blues.
• Decoration: Consider incorporating our Baseball Wall Decals for Kids as a dynamic backdrop. 
• Serving: A baseball-shaped cake or cupcakes. 
• Activities: You can host a ‘baseball toss’ game.

15. Hole in One! First Birthday Theme

Hole in One! is a first birthday theme for families interested in this golf. 

• Main colors: You can use lush greens, sandy browns and white.
• Decoration: Incorporate golf ball balloons and golf flag centerpieces. 
• Serving: Consider a birthday cake in the shape of a golf ball or golf ball-shaped cookies as dessert.
• Activities for first birthday party: Organize a ‘mini golf’ course.

16. Catching A Big One

It’s time for fishing with a “Catching A Big One” – a wordplay for first birthday themes. 

• Color palette: Choose soothing blues and greens.
• Set the scene: Using fishing rod, fishnet accents and fish shaped custom stickers for party decoration.
• Serving: Consider a cake shaped like a fishing reel.
• Activities: It’s a great idea to incorporate a game like a ‘fish pond’.

Other First Birthday Themes

For families seeking unique and imaginative themes to celebrate their little one’s first birthday, consider these 5 distinctive options.

17. Rodeo Birthday Theme

Celebrate your little cowboy or cowgirl’s birthday with a Rodeo Birthday Theme. This Wild West-inspired first birthday theme brings the spirit of the rodeo to the party.

• Color scheme: Earthy tones like brown, beige, taupe, mustard.
• Decoration: Cowboy-themed decorations, such as lassos and cowboy hats. 
• Activities: Consider setting up games like ‘stick horse rodeo’ or ‘lasso toss’ game.

18. Numero Uno: A Fiesta Birthday

A colorful and festive Mexican Fiesta Birthday theme is a trendy choice for first birthday themes for your little one. 

• Color palette: Bright colors like red, green, and yellow. 
• Let your kid wear a sombrero.
• Decoration: Brighten up the party with piñatas and papel picado banners. 
• Serving: Consider traditional Mexican cuisine
• Activities: A ‘taco bar’ for customizing tacos is a great idea.

19. Air Force One

Inspire the little pilots with a birthday in Air Force One theme. 

• Let your kid and the guests wear aviator hats.
• Main colors: Choose military-inspired tones like greens, blues, and khakis. 
• Decorations: Use camouflage patterns and aviation symbols to make an adventurous look for the backdrop. 

20. First Trip Around The Sun: Space Theme

Go further and create a cosmic adventure for your one year old baby with the Space first birthday theme. 

• Color palette: Deep blues, purples, or shimmering silver.
• Decorations: Using stars, planets, and astronaut stickers to turn the party into the outer space. 
• Serving: Make space food snacks like colorful galaxy popcorn, star-shaped cookies, space rock-shaped candies.

21. Hot Air Balloons Theme

Celebrating your kid’s first birthday with a colorful Hot Air Balloons theme is not a bad idea. 

• Colors: Soft and pastel color palette.
• Decoration: Using balloon garlands through the revenue and hang cloud lights on the ceiling. 
• Serving: Make cookies in hot air balloon shape, and a birthday cake with the color of a hot air balloon.
• Activities: Organize a ‘balloon art’ station for the creative little ones.

All these distinct first birthday themes will make the party a memorable and  one-of-a-kind celebration for your one-year child.

Conclusion

After exploring all the first birthday themes in this article, we hope you can determine the most inspired and suitable for your little one. No matter which one you choose, remember that the key to throwing an awesome first birthday party is fuel it with love, laughter and a bit of personalization.

If you plan to make this party tailored to your kid, consider adding our custom stickers and labels. Using transfer stickers featuring your baby’s name on first birthday invitations, happy birthday labels or party labels on party backdrop, or custom photo stickers showing your cute little baby face as favor stickers will create a lasting impression on the guests’ mind.