From airplane birthday parties to dinosaurs to superheroes to teacups, there are tons of ideas for celebrating kids’ birthday parties. No matter what the theme is, a solid birthday party for kids is built on several things: invitations, decorations, a great menu, fun activities and take-home favors. Now, go back to the first thing that matters: the theme. Oh, sometimes you might have an inspiration idea and then decide on all the other components, but generally, if you choose a theme first, the other pieces of the party will be easier to resolve. So how do you choose?
Plus, see these great ideas…
- How to Throw a Kid’s Birthday Party
- How to Throw a Dinosaur Themed Birthday Party
- How to Throw a Birthday Party on Short Notice
Really, birthday party theme choices are almost limitless.
- If your child has a special interest, that’s a good place to begin. Let’s use music as an example. Going with stereotypes, a rock n’ roll party would likely include funky hair, grunge décor, and pizza.
- Family traditions might inform your choices. Some families have cultural rituals for particular ages that are meaningful.
- Especially for younger children and for those graduating from high school, hopes and dreams might give you a starting point. Sunshine and best wishes for smooth sailing could lead to a nautical theme, décor and a seafood rich menu.
- The seasons can influence a party theme—think of winter, a sledding party with a hot cocoa bar and a bonfire.
- Is there a guiding principal that has personal meaning? A fun “pay it forward” where kids do a surprise service project for someone could include a picnic meal that ended with cake and ice cream and a whole lot of satisfaction.
Sometimes it’s helpful to have a list of possibilities to spark your imagination. Here is your resource list; many of these broad categories have multiple possibilities. Happy hunting!
NATURE INSPIRED BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- bugs
- bees
- woodland, forest creatures
- birds
- snakes, snails, reptiles
- camping, lake and river
- beach
- farm animals
- safari
- zoo
- in the garden, secret garden
- seasons: spring, summer, autumn, winter
SEA AND SPACE BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- aliens
- astronauts/rocket ships/stars/planets
- under the sea, mermaid
- nautical/lighthouse
SPORTS AND HOBBIES BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- tennis
- golf
- bowling
- fishing
- dance
- football
- cheerleading
- baseball
- basketball
- soccer
- gymnastics
- ice skating
- kite
- geocaching
- archery
- skateboarding
- dance
- crafts
- art
- music, including karaoke
CHARACTERS AND HEROES BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- cowboys/cowgirls
- pirates
- rock stars/divas
- little chef/baking
- superheroes
- fire fighters
- police
- royalty
- farmers
- ninjas
- clowns
- detectives
- famous people
- Vikings
CHILDHOOD PASSIONS BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- milk and cookies
- Teddy bear, Winnie-the-Pooh
- sock monkey
- fairy tales, nursery rhymes
- pinwheels/confetti/bubbles
- school/teacher
- office
- doctor/nurse/hospital
- horses
- ice cream
- candy store/sweet shop
- books
- dolls
- Legos
- Disney characters
- Sesame Street characters
- Peter Pan
- Wizard of Oz
- recent popular movie themes and characters
SILLY FUN BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- circus/carnival
- mad science
- tea party (with or without Alice!)
- little gentleman/moustache
- magician
- pool party
- movie night
- games: classic board, card, and electronic
- historical events, pretend time travel
- dress-up
- spa
COOL CREATURES BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- butterflies
- fairies
- dinosaurs
- monsters
- dragons
- unicorns
- robots
- alligators
- dolphins, whales
- elephants
- lady bug
- dogs and puppies
- cats and kitties
- owls
TRANSPORTATION BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- cars, race and vintage
- hot air balloon
- boats, Noah’s Ark
- planes
- trains
- construction trucks
- bikes, dirt bikes, motorcycles
- fire trucks
- garbage trucks
SPECIAL BIRTHDAY PARTY THEME IDEAS
- holidays: so many!
- the first of anything
- character traits (cute as a button, little boss, sunshine, etc.)
- favorite color
- graduation
- favorite places or countries (Paris, Hawaii, etc.)
- Oscar night
- Olympics