Skip to main content

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Here’s why a smash cake is a great idea for your baby’s next birthday

When your baby hits that first-year milestone, it’s only natural that you want to throw them the ultimate celebration. However, the unfortunate truth is that your little one isn’t going to remember their big bash and all the people that were there. Luckily, there are little ways to make sure your baby still enjoys him or herself while you celebrate with your loved ones.

Smash cakes are an ideal way to give your baby girl or boy some fun on their birthday, no matter the age! What is a smash cake, you ask? Well, in addition to a cake that will be served to your party guests, make sure to either bake or purchase a mini cake for your little one. When the time comes, serve your baby that entire cake! 

Recommended Videos

You can find a mini birthday cake at most grocery stores or local bakeries. If you’re having trouble finding a smaller cake, you can also opt for a cupcake!

Whether they poke at it, “smash” it, or stuff their faces into the cake, you and your partner simply have to let your baby enjoy every moment of it. You really can’t go wrong — your little one will love having a full dessert to themselves!

Baby boy enjoys birthday cake
Michelle D. Milliman/Shutterstock

If you choose to bake a smash cake for their birthday, then your guests will love witnessing your baby’s moment unfold. Just make sure you don’t miss out on this photo opportunity.  Surely you and all your guests will be snapping photos! 

As you take photos, you’ll get to witness your child’s pure joy at having a whole cake and the different levels of happiness that come along with it. Perhaps you’ll witness quite the opposite — your baby being disgusted at the gooey frosting on their fingers (hey, it happens). Regardless, this is a prime moment to commemorate their birthday.

Instead of giving your little one a smash cake, you can also choose to do a full blown photoshoot. Take this opportunity to totally personalize the photo op and cake eating. 

Baby boy blue first birthday
Dementeva Julia/Shutterstock

If you and your partner are major sports team fans, then dress your little one in a mini jersey and make sure to have a football or soccer ball nearby. If you guys have a favorite television show or movie franchise, dress your baby as your favorite character! The options are limitless when it comes to design. 

You can take a different route, simply choosing a style of decor and rolling with it. Whatever theme you choose, hang up banners in the back, blow up balloons, and lay props everywhere. If your baby is staying in their high chair, you can even find banners made to attach to the chair. Thankfully, you can even purchase packs of smash cake decorations from major retailers if needed!

In all the decoration excitement, make sure you don’t forget about your baby’s look! If you’re not dressing them in a themed outfit, you’ll want to dress them in a birthday outfit — there are a ton of first birthday onesies and bibs waiting to be worn! You can even find soft crowns and hats for your baby to wear, and they won’t hurt their delicate heads. 

If you’d like to partake in a photoshoot but don’t want the hassle of getting all of the supplies, then you can even head to a professional photographer for a smash cake shoot. Don’t worry, you’ll get to collaborate with the photographer for your photo session design. Typically photogs, will provide the cake smash outfits and props, taking that pressure off of you.

Now you may still have to provide the smash cake, but the photographer will most likely have bakery suggestions. Once you’ve arrived at the photo studio with baby and cake in tow, now you can sit back and relax. Just enjoy the photo session, although you’ll probably be in charge of trying to make your little one laugh!

Whether you are choose a professional photo session, or if your baby is in a typical white onesie sitting in their high chair with just you and your partner, you’ll be thankful for capturing your baby’s cake smash moment.

Antonia Maric
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Antonia Maric originally hails from Westchester, New York. Aside from writing, Antonia takes pride in exploring national…
12 inspiring Dr. Seuss quotes your child will love
Memorable Dr. Seuss quotes that inspire and make us smile
Mother reading a book to her daughter

Did you know how Dr. Seuss got his name? Seuss was actually his mom's maiden name. While he was a student at Dartmouth, Theodor Seuss Geisel got himself into a bit of trouble like many college students do. In his case, gin was considered bootleg in 1925. Yes, Dr. Seuss books have been around for a very long time. The dean at the time suspended Geisel from his editing duties at Dartmouth's humor magazine. In reality, the joke was on the dean because Geisel remained editor-in-chief and began using Seuss as his pen name. A few years passed before he tacked on the Dr.

Dr. Seuss published his first book, And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street, in 1937, His manuscript was passed over 27 times. Imagine that, thought the Cat and the Hat. We cannot. Seuss would go on to publish and illustrate 86 books throughout his legendary career. Today, elementary kids celebrate his birthday, March 2, with a special week celebrating his books and those of his fellow children's book authors. With a career spanning more than 60 years, there are quite a few memorable Dr. Seuss quotes.

Read more
Experts agree: 5 benefits of art for your child’s development
Improve your child's language development and more with art
Kids drawing a mural

Allowing your children to express themselves creatively has endless benefits on top of just keeping them entertained. We all know that children are inherently creative. Children can take almost anything and create a game, an activity, or simply amuse themselves using their imagination for hours on end. However, as kids get older, we tend to focus more on the scholastic side of learning, while reducing the creative side of learning. This is one reason why art exploration is so beneficial for a child's development.

Art exploration doesn't just fuel your child's creativity, it also benefits other areas of their development. When children partake in art projects like painting, sculpting, building, or any other form of artistic expression, they're also working on their motor skills, language development, math skills, and more. Here are five ways art benefits your child's development that you may not have realized.
Benefits of creative arts concerning children's development

Read more
How to play capture the flag: Teach your kids the rules
This fun outdoor game is ideal for groups of kids of all ages
Group of children running in capture the flag in a park

Capture the flag is one of those backyard games that have been around forever. It's easy to play and requires minimal supplies. It's a staple for kids' camps, the Boy Scouts, and a popular game for neighborhood kids to play, especially in nice weather. Its origins date back to the battlefields of the Civil War. Color guards were given the serious duty of protecting a regiment's flag. A battle concluded when one side gained possession of the other side's flag. The Medal of Honor was awarded to the soldiers who captured the opposition's flag.

Capture the flag has evolved into a fun, competitive game ideal for the outdoors and groups of kids, as well as a go-to game at summer day camps and sleepaway camps. If need to entertain a group of kids or even teens, you need to know the rules. Here's how to play capture the flag.
Where to play

Read more