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…

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

What’s your favorite birthday party theme idea?