11 Easy DIY First Rodeo Birthday Theme Ideas

Planning a First Rodeo birthday party? Here are some creative and budget-friendly ideas from Stetson’s 1st birthday celebration to inspire your own! Because when you name your child Stetson, his 1st birthday has to be “First Rodeo” themed, and I think it’s safe to say that our sweet little cowboy had an absolute blast at his first birthday party.. and so did we! 

This post is all about how to DIY your own First Rodeo Birthday!

1. Rodeo Theme Balloon Backdrop

One of the standout decorations at the party was the balloon backdrop. I used a round arch stand from Amazon and attached a balloon garland with zip ties. For the garland, I combined my balloon strip method (linked below) with the cluster method using balloon quads connected with 260 balloons.

Need Help with your own Balloon garland creations? Check out these tutorials:

• The Only Balloon Garland Tutorial You will ever Need
• What does Double Stuffing Balloons Mean and What’s the Point??
• How Many Balloons do I need to Make a Balloon Garland? 

I opted for a blue color scheme rather than the traditional red and blue, which made it unique compared to other rodeo-themed parties I had seen on Pinterest. I’ve always loved blue for my boys, so it felt fitting! (Ironically, I did use red and blue for his second birthday, which had a farm theme!)

To personalize the backdrop, I made a personalized banner using my Cricut. I designed it in Canva (font name: “Rye”), cut it with my Cricut, and hung it across the round arch stand. On the floor, I placed decor from Stetson’s cake smash session to tie everything together, including his white cowboy hat we received at our baby shower when we announced the name. 

Balloon Backdrop Tips:

• Pay attention to your bottom color choice, as this is where most pictures of your little one and their friends will be taken.
• Consider your top color choice, as this will be visible in photos guests take and share later.

2. Cowboy Handkerchief Garland

To help carry the rodeo theme throughout the space, I made handkerchief garlands for the windows. This was such an easy and inexpensive DIY! I used Dollar Tree rope and strips of Blue handkerchiefs (the same fabric I used in other decorations). I simply cut the handkerchiefs into strips and tied them onto the rope. This small detail helped distribute the party colors throughout the space and made everything feel cohesive without adding extra clutter.

3. Rodeo Themed Cake Smash Photo Display

Since Stetson’s cake smash session was rodeo-themed, displaying those photos was the perfect way to personalize the party decor! Instead of just putting them in a photo album (where no one really sees them), I hung them up using twine and clothespins.

Because we were in a cabin, I simply used thumbtacks to secure the twine. If you’re doing this at home, I recommend using small clear Command hooks to avoid damaging walls or attaching the twine to existing fixtures. This simple display filled the space beautifully while adding a personal and sentimental touch.

4. Handkerchief DIY High Chair Banner

For the high chair, I attached a custom banner to a vintage high chair passed down from my grandma using Command hooks. The banner was made from Dollar Tree rope, which I measured, cut to length, and decorated with different fabric strips.

I used:

• Blue handkerchief fabric (which I also used to decorate the windows)
• Unraveled rope strands for added texture
• Scrap off-white chiffon ribbon to break up the colors

I started from the middle and worked outward, tying knots until I liked the look. While I considered adding a number one, I ultimately kept it simple, knowing the backdrop was already visually busy.

5. Rodeo Cupcake Display

A family friend made delicious cupcakes, which we displayed on a custom cupcake stand my brother built for my wedding shower. Since then, we’ve used it for multiple events because it’s the perfect size for cupcakes!

To decorate the stand:

• I cut blue handkerchiefs in half and layered them across each shelf, slightly shifting them to break up the white background.
• I created custom cowboy face cake toppers (check out how you can make your own DIY face cake topper).
• We used rodeo-themed cupcake wrappers to further tie in the theme.

6. Rodeo-Themed Guest Book

A fun keepsake idea I borrowed from my sister-in-law is using a theme-related book as a guest book. Finding a rodeo-themed book was harder than expected, but I managed to track one down! Guests signed the book, making it a special memento from the day.

The sign by the guestbook says “Wait! Stop and take a look, then write a message in my cowboy birthday book. A birthday wish, or just sign your name, so that I will remember that you came. You can find a spot on any page, it’s something that I will treasure at every age.”

7. Kids’ Craft Cart

At every party we throw, I like to have a kids’ crafting station. Since our space is limited in the cabin, I used a craft cart to organize the supplies.

Activities included:

• Rodeo and Cowboy sticker sheets from Amazon
• Rodeo and Cowboy temporary tattoos
• Other rodeo-themed stickers

This was a great way to keep little ones entertained without taking up too much space!

8. Custom Rodeo-Themed Coloring Sheets

One of my favorite personal touches was creating custom coloring sheets with Stetson’s name on them! I designed these in Canva, and they were such a hit with the kids.

9. Extra Balloon Garland (s)

We had leftover balloons, so I threw together extra balloon garlands for the cabin railing and some for outside. Unfortunately, the outdoor balloons didn’t last long due to wind, so we moved them inside early on.

10. Outdoor Activities

To keep guests entertained, we set up a few outdoor activities too:

• Bounce house (Stetson’s birthday gift from us)
• Corn pool with rodeo toys (a family favorite at outdoor events)
• Bags (cornhole) set borrowed from my work

We also decorated the outdoor space with a “Happy Birthday” balloon display from Walmart. It was a last-minute purchase, but I loved how it turned out and got a great picture of Stetson next to it!

11. Cozy Play Area for Little Ones

Inside the cabin, we set up a small play area for younger kids:

• Placed an extra piece of loose carpet in this little nook in the cabin for a comfy play space
• Set up Stetson’s tent as a designated area for little ones to play
• This was especially helpful since we had a baby boom in our friend group!

Share your First Rodeo Birthday Theme Ideas

This “First Rodeo” birthday theme was so much fun to put together! Hopefully, these ideas help you plan your own rodeo-themed celebration. Let me know if you have any questions or need links to supplies!

As always, thank you for following along with me in my creative journey. Be sure to tag me and use #meagannicholedotcom when sharing your own first rodeo birthday ideas! Thanks for stopping by MeaganNichole.com

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