Kids birthday parties. Phew. Do you get stressed just thinking about them? Our media saturated culture has created some crazy expectations.
Because of this, my husband and I have decided that our kids’ birthday parties will always have a theme that everyone can enjoy. Which usually means no characters or having to buy a set of products that all have the same picture on them. Instead we use things that we can continue to use on the regular or reuse at the next event we host.
My firstborn daughter’s 1st birthday party was “Milk and Cookies” themed. It was so much fun for me to plan and really low-key.
I made two or three different types of cookie dough and baked them up an hour or so before everyone arrived. The cookies were then stacked in a tower on cake stands. There were three drink dispensers filled with white, chocolate and strawberry milk. Under the milk was a rolling cart (that we routinely use in our kitchen) filled with glass bottles and striped straws that our guests could fill with their milk of choice.
Decorations were so simple. I bought a balloon that corresponded with her age, so that when I look back at pictures I know exactly when it was because… mom brain. Tassels and fresh flowers filled the rest of the space and we used disposable plates and napkins. I also grabbed a friend-made piece of art from her room and displayed it on one of the tables.
Her “smash cake” was just a cookie with a candle in it. Everything was so sweet and simple and I look back on it with such fond memories. The simplicity and inclusiveness of the theme really allowed us to enjoy the most important things: the birthday girl and all of our irreplaceable loved ones!
Supply List:
- Cookie Dough
- Milk(s)
- Drink Dispensers
- Glass Bottles or Paper Cups
- Straws
- Cake Stands
- Paper Plates & Napkins
- Candle(s)
- Optional decor: tassels, balloons, fresh flowers, personal art
