Gift Guides
1st Birthday Gift Ideas and Custom Shirts for Kids’ Birthdays
Nov
Updated November 2, 2026
A personalized photo shirt makes a sweet 1st birthday gift when the family wears it: parents, grandparents and siblings in matching tees printed with the baby’s face. For older kids turning 5 or 10, our youth tees carry their own photo, name and age. Toddler and baby sizes aren’t available yet.
Kids’ birthdays move fast. The cake gets eaten, the balloons deflate, and three weeks later the toys are under the couch. A shirt with the birthday kid’s photo sticks around in a different way: it’s in every party picture, and it comes back out for the next family barbecue.
A 1st birthday gift the whole crew wears
For a first birthday party, the people in the photos are mostly adults. Matching shirts with the baby’s face on the front turn mom, dad, grandma and the cousins into one team, and the pictures from that afternoon look great years later.
For parents, grandparents and siblings
Birthday crew shirts with the kid’s photo
A bootleg-style family shirt built around the birthday kid’s photo. It comes in adult and youth tees, so big brothers and sisters can match the grown-ups.
For a birthday girl and her people
Birthday girl name and age photo tee
Her photo, her name and her age in chrome rap-tee lettering. Available in youth and adult tees, so mom can wear one with the birthday girl’s face too.
5th and 10th birthday gifts in youth sizes
By five, most kids have opinions about what they wear, and seeing their own face in big 90s lettering usually wins them over. These designs come in our heavyweight youth tee. They make easy 5th birthday gifts and 10th birthday gifts from an aunt, uncle or grandparent who wants something other than another toy.
For any kid with a birthday coming
Kids photo shirt with name
A bootleg rap tee with the child’s photo and name. Pick the shirt color, then choose from up to 15 design colorways for the lettering.
For the birthday boy
Birthday boy bootleg tee with his name
Made for the party itself. Youth and adult sizes mean dad can wear the matching version with his son’s face on it.
Sweet 16, 18th and teen birthday shirts
Teenagers outgrow youth sizes, so these come in adult tees, crewnecks and hoodies. Think of them for the milestone birthdays where friends show up in matching shirts.
For a sweet sixteen
Sweet 16 face photo tee
A bootleg collage of the birthday girl’s face for her and her friends to wear at the party or on a birthday trip.
For a son turning 18
18th birthday photo shirt for him
His photos in a rap-tee collage for the last birthday before he’s officially an adult. Order extras so his friends can match.
For the teen girl who lives at the barn
Horse girl photo tee
A vintage photo tee that turns her favorite barn picture black and white under a tall headline. A thoughtful teen girl birthday gift that isn’t another gift card.
See every design in our kids birthday shirts collection, or browse the wider birthday shirts range for adults.
Which photo of a child prints best?
Photos of kids need a little more thought than photos of adults. Here’s what works:
- Use a head-and-shoulders or waist-up picture in everyday clothes.
- Choose good light and a face looking toward the camera.
- Phone pictures are fine; a higher-resolution file gives a crisper print.
- Keep the whole head in frame so nothing gets cut off.
- No swimsuit, bath or leotard photos. We won’t print those.
- No favorite cartoon or movie characters, superhero logos or sports team marks in the design.
That second point trips up a lot of kids’ birthday orders, so to be clear: we can’t print trademarked characters, brands or league logos, or anyone famous. The shirt is about your kid, and the photo should be one you took or have permission to use. If an order includes protected content, we cancel it and send a full refund. Our photo guidelines have more examples.
Youth and adult sizes
Kids’ designs print on the Comfort Colors 9018 heavyweight youth tee. Measurements are in inches with the shirt laid flat.
| Youth size | Width | Length | Sleeve (center back) |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS | 13.5 | 18.75 | 11.5 |
| S | 14.5 | 20.5 | 12.5 |
| M | 16.5 | 21.5 | 13.5 |
| L | 17.5 | 22.75 | 14.5 |
| XL | 19.5 | 26 | 15.5 |
Grown-ups and teens get a different set of options:
| Adult garment | Sizes | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Tee (1717, 100% ring-spun cotton, garment-dyed) | S–4XL | Summer parties and backyard birthdays |
| Crewneck (1566, 80/20 fleece) | S–3XL | Fall and winter birthdays; size up 1–2 for oversized |
| Hoodie (1567, 80/20 fleece, pouch pocket) | S–2XL | Teens who live in hoodies |
Measure a shirt your child already likes and compare it with the chart. Full adult measurements are on our Comfort Colors size chart. Because each piece is made to order, we can’t exchange a size you picked, so it’s worth the two minutes.
Ordering and party timing
- Choose shirt and sizeYouth tee for kids, or tee, crewneck or hoodie for adults.
- Pick colorsShirt color first, then the design color on bootleg styles.
- Upload and typeAdd the photo and type the name and age. Your picture replaces the sample.
- Check outWe print and ship from the USA to US addresses.
Production takes 1–3 business days and USPS shipping takes another 3–5, with tracking. All in, that’s usually 4–8 business days, though we can’t promise an exact arrival day. For a Saturday party, ordering two full weeks ahead leaves breathing room. Ordering for the whole family at once? Orders of $75 and up ship free in the US. See our shipping times guide for the full breakdown.
FAQ
Do you make shirts for a baby’s first birthday?
Not for the baby yet. Toddler and baby sizes aren’t available right now, so for a 1st birthday we suggest family shirts with the baby’s photo in adult and youth sizes.
What’s the smallest kids size?
Youth XS on the Comfort Colors 9018 tee. Youth sizes run XS through XL.
Can I put my child’s age on the shirt?
On designs that include it, yes. The kids birthday girl tee and the birthday boy bootleg tee have boxes for name and age that you fill in on the product page.
Can I add a cartoon character my kid loves?
No. We don’t print characters from cartoons or movies, brand logos or team marks. The design uses your child’s photo and the text you type.
What if the shirt arrives misprinted?
Send us a photo within 15 days of delivery and we’ll replace it or refund you at no cost. That covers a misprint or an item that doesn’t match your order.
Put the birthday kid front and center
Youth and adult sizes, your photo, their name.
