One Happy Camper Birthday Party Ideas for a Sensational Event
Celebrating a very special someone’s first year on Earth is a magical moment. With so many party themes, it’s hard to know which one to choose. Let us introduce you to one of our favorite (and trending) themes for baby boys and girls — a one happy camper birthday party!
This fun first birthday party theme embraces the great outdoors and is perfect for an adventure-loving family or a curious little one. Get ready to find inspiring tips and helpful ideas for hosting a memorable camping-themed birthday celebration for the guest of honor.
14 Ideas for a One Happy Camper Birthday Party
There’s so much you can do with this adorable and creative first birthday theme. Here’s some inspiration on how to throw a one happy camper birthday party — with everything from color schemes and decorations to treats and party favors.
1. Choose a Fun Color Scheme
Bring your camping birthday party theme to life with a lively color palette. If you’re throwing a lumberjack party, go all-in on buffalo plaid with reds and blacks. For a woodland-themed party, embrace natural browns, greens, and blues. You also can’t go wrong with deep, earthy shades — or switch things up and choose pastel versions of nature-themed colors instead.
2. Make a DIY Welcome Sign
Let your party guests know they’ve arrived at the right location with a handmade sign. Draw a teepee, bear, or campfire and add “Camp [Child’s Name]” or choose a themed phrase like “wild one” or “happy camper” instead.
With a handful of materials, it’s easy to create your own sign. If you haven’t made one before, follow this tutorial on how to make a DIY chalkboard sign.
3. Set Up a Backyard Campsite
For the ultimate outdoor birthday party idea, transform your backyard into your very own camping paradise. Set up a hammock or two (just be sure to have some adult supervision!) and tents where little ones can go to relax or play. You can also set up an unlit campfire with logs and hang some bunting or string lighting for a little atmosphere. Don’t forget to plan to have a few outdoor party games for the older kids and grown-ups too.
4. Host Your Party Indoors
It’s not always practical to host your party outdoors — whether it’s for space or weather reasons. But that’s no problem because you can easily turn your living space into a cozy camping experience. Hang up camping party decorations like themed banners and camping-inspired balloons, fill a teepee with balls or toys, and use LED tealights in lanterns to add warmth to your fun camping 1st birthday party.
5. Have Fun with a Balloon Arch
No birthday party is complete without balloons and a balloon arch makes a wonderful party decoration and a great backdrop for those all-important first birthday photos. Buy a balloon arch kit and DIY your own version or order a ready-made arch from your local party supply store in your chosen colors.
6. Hang a Birthday Banner
Let everyone know exactly whose big day it is with a birthday banner. Hang this up on the wall for a photo backdrop, above your dessert table, or as a high chair banner behind the guest of honor. Choose a banner in a color to match your theme or with a fun woodland or camping-themed decal.
7. Create a Rustic Table Setting
For your one happy camper birthday celebration, consider offering snacks that suit your theme. Try styling your table with rustic birthday party supplies. Use a tablecloth with a camping or woodland theme, add some plaid napkins, and choose tableware, straws, and glasses that match your color scheme. For the kids’ table, use matching items with kid-safe plates, cutlery, and cups.
8. Create a Camping-Themed Play Area
Your little one’s first birthday party is an opportunity to catch up with loved ones and celebrate this milestone moment. The guest of honor is likely to have one thing on their mind though — playing and having fun! Set up a cute happy camper theme play area with teddy bears, coloring supplies, play dough, and imaginative play toys for them to enjoy.
9. Dress the Guest of Honor in a Camper’s Outfit
You only turn one once, and this is the perfect moment to go all-out with a themed birthday outfit. Dress the birthday boy or girl in a 1st birthday party onesie, dress, T-shirt, or other outfit to match your party theme. Choose outdoor-inspired colors, mini adventure gear, or a happy camper shirt that’s personalized with their name.
10. Serve a Themed Birthday Cake
With a fun birthday theme like this, it makes sense to have a 1st birthday cake that’s just as impressive. Order a beautifully themed cake with a woodland scene or bake your own at home and add a happy camper cake topper to match the celebration.
11. Try a Cake Smash
It’s not every day you get to smash cake and eat it, but this could be the lucky moment for your little wonder. Have an extra cake made and place it in front of your one-year-old, then capture the milestone birthday moment in photos or video as they attempt to destroy and eat their delicious birthday cake.
12. Host a BBQ
For a camping themed birthday party, there’s no better party food than a tasty BBQ or cookout. Set up the grill in your backyard and prepare a selection of classic cookout fare like burgers, hot dogs, salads, baked potatoes, and grilled veggies. Set up a condiments bar and chill some drinks and you have the perfect backyard BBQ party experience.
13. Serve Plenty of Snacks
Babies and toddlers love to snack, so make sure you have plenty available. Cut up fresh fruit and veggies into age-appropriate treats that they’ll love. Set up a DIY trail mix bar where your older guests can create their own personalized trail mix jar or bag to enjoy on the spot or take home with them.
14. Hand Out Camping Theme Party Favors
As your guests prepare to leave your happy camper birthday celebration, don’t let them go without a themed party gift. S’mores cupcakes with a marshmallow cupcake topper are an ideal choice, but other great options include a camping mug for the adults or a mini woodland stuffed animal toy for younger guests.
6 Invitations for Your One Happy Camper Birthday Party
When you’ve put so much love and effort into your party planning, you want your party invites to feel just as magical. For a fun camping-themed party invite, look no further than Greenvelope.
We have a beautiful collection of kids’ birthday invitations that are ideal for this party theme. Every design can be customized, so you can change the colors, layout, wording, and fonts to create your own unique invite.
To help you find the perfect match, here are a handful of our favorite camping-themed party invites.
1. Woodland Camp Invitation
Design: Carmia Jordaan
Invite your party guests to join you for a memorable day with this woodland camp invite. Choose from a handful of pastel or bolder color options, or work with our designers to bring your own color scheme to life.
2. Outdoors Adventure Invitation
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Although this example is for an adult’s birthday weekend, this adventure-themed invite can easily be transformed into a one happy camper birthday party design. The sweet illustrations in contemporary colors make this a charming invitation for the special day.
3. Camp Fun Invitation
Design: Jennifer Rozbruch Design
Stick with traditional plaid or opt for a funky color combination with this camping-themed party invitation. This fun design includes space not only for your party time and venue but also extra details like menu items and activities.
4. Happy Camper Invitation
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Let your loved ones know there’s an adventure on the horizon with this camping-inspired invitation. The vintage illustration and subtle colors make this a wonderful choice for a more relaxed woodland or camping-themed celebration.
5. Let’s Go Camp Invitation
Design: Jessie Steury
Invite everyone along for a camping experience in honor of the birthday child with this woodland camp invitation. Whether you’re hosting a backyard camping adventure or have set up camp in your living room, this fun invite is sure to get people excited about the big day.
6. Camp Buddy Invitation
Design: Elizabeth Silver
Get ready for a beary-good time with this colorful happy camper birthday invitation that would work perfectly for an outdoorsy bash or indoor celebration. Simply update the text to suit your one-year-old’s birthday and add your details for a can’t-miss event.
Host a Very Special One Happy Camper Birthday Party
Throwing a one happy camper birthday party is all about embracing the great outdoors, and all the wonder, adventure, and joy it brings. Use this guide to help you find fun ideas that you can turn into your very own camping-themed birthday party.
When it’s time to send out those party invites, use our collection of camping birthday invitations to spread the word. You can send your invitations instantly via email or text and keep track of RSVPs. Here’s to a great party!
