Olivia's Teddy Bears' Picnic 1st Birthday Party!

The only way I brainwashed myself to cope with the fact that my little baby was officially turning ONE, was to focus all my energy towards throwing her an amazing 1st birthday party! Ok, I was still super emotional every time I really thought about it, but it definitely helped some!

This may be my favorite party that I've planned yet! I had a lot of time (more than usual) to plan this party so I took my time thinking of each and every detail, finding coupons and creating DIY alternatives. The theme selection was taken into great consideration. I wanted something gender neutral (because the ratio of boys to girls in our group is totally unbalanced), something baby-ish (because she will have many years to come to choose her own birthday themes), and something outdoors to be able to give the bigger kids playground options. Once I came across the Teddy Bears' Picnic theme on Pinterest, I knew it was perfect! I loved the book and song when I was a little girl so it's probably safe to say that I'm reliving my childhood a little. :)

I couldn't really find any cute graphics that went with the image I had in my mind, so I just created it all. This theme I designed has more of a modern feel and is bright and colorful--the opposite of what I found online. I'm not hogging them all to myself--These party items are available at my Etsy shop for other mommies out there who are just as picky as me! If there’s something you like that’s not listed in the shop, just send me a message!

Invitations

I started with the invite and everything else evolved from there! I got them printed at OvernightPrints.com and they did a great job. (Note: They are usually hit-or-miss but thankfully, no hiccups this time around!) Custom address labels were attached and off they went to Olivia’s picnic guests!

Entrance to the Party

Bear Ears made of tiara headbands and felt were available for kids to pick up on their way to the party. I loved seeing the kiddies wearing them during the party. The Teddy Bears' Picnic book was on display, as well as a sign featuring a line from the book. These signs are available here.

Indoor Tables and Centerpieces

Centerpieces were made from large cans, covered with wood patterned gift wrap and a cute sticker label, and topped with a teddy bear cut-out on a stick. Red gingham tablecloths were placed on each table of the entire party. (Note: Tablecloths were purchased from the dollar store but I don’t recommend them—most tore the second we took them out of the bag! I guess you get what you pay for!)

Cake and Dessert Table

This table was full of treats including Teddy Grahams in picnic baskets, teddy bear Cake Pops on real wood stumps and amazing two-tiered cake by Thelma, cupcakes sitting in basket liners, gummy bears in snack containers, and s'mores cotton candy disguised as "Bear Stuffing". Labels available here!

 

Teddy Bear Workshop

The kids went home with teddy bears to host their own Teddy Bears' Picnic! It was a DIY version of Build-A-Bear! I purchased unstuffed wholesale bear skins and stuffing, and attached tags to show that each bear belonged to a child. The station also included foam hearts to add inside the bear, birth certificates for them to personalize, party hats, and house bags to take the bears home in. A kiddie-sized table and chairs were set up for the workshop. The striped fabric backdrop featured bear faces made out of tissue paper fans and a poster for instructions on how to build the bear. Check the Etsy shop for a digital printable set!

Picnic in the Woods

A picnic area was set up within trees and included blankets, and baskets with toys and balloons.

Selfie Station

This photo op area was meant for the kids to take photos having a picnic with their new bears. It was complete with props and a sign saying how so beary cute they are! This was a last minute area we threw together, and I’m so glad we did! The pictures that came from this were adorable!

Although it was a lot of work, every minute was worth it when I saw this face! Olivia had a great 1st birthday party!