Cake Decorating For Kids Birthday Site:pinterest.com

Kids' birthday parties are always a fun (and often chaotic!) time, especially when your child requests a themed birthday party. Even if they're too young to choose a theme, parents often have a great time choosing for them based on what their child shows an interest in. When it comes to kids' birthday party ideas, the only limits are your or your child's imagination!

And planning your child's birthday party doesn't have to be stressful, either. There are so many amazing, easy, and fun DIY decor and party game ideas that you, your child, and their friends will enjoy.

So, to help you get started, I've rounded up the best birthday party ideas for a kid's birthday. And I've also included birthday party themes that were a huge success for our own kids! Those will give you tons of ideas for themes and activities that we've already tested out for you to help make your child's special day extra special! 🙂

I love putting together birthday parties for my babies and love sharing all the details to help inspire others in their party planning too. Kids birthday parties don't have to be stressful. You can put as little or as much effort into planning the event as you'd like, all that matters is that the birthday boy or birthday girl feel special on their day!

It fills my heart with such joy to see my children's eyes open wide when they walk out and see their party decorations on the day of the event! They love all the party food, the treats, the birthday cake, the party favors, the photo booth, the birthday party games and all the FUN! From their first birthday party as a baby and beyond it's all about making the memories and taking all the photos to capture the Happy Birthday joy!

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First, a word about birthdays in the age of COVID

Even now, many places are still under COVID restrictions that limit how many people can gather at a time. That means, as the party host, you may want to be extra careful about how you plan your kid's birthday party.

Be sure to check your local regulations for more details. But in general, here are some tips to keep in mind as you plan:

The guest list. How many kids and parents is it safe to invite, or that you feel safe inviting? Consider the number of guests you're comfortable with in your home or at the event location.
Social distancing. What activities and spaces can accommodate staying six feet apart?
Masks. Will you require them? If so, will you provide them?
Renting a private room. If you're not throwing the party at home, consider renting a private room so you have control over sanitation.
Zoom party. If you or your child's friends are uncomfortable getting together as a group, consider hosting a video call. There are even games you can play over Zoom that can make everyone feel involved.

Best Activities for a Kids' Birthday Party

There are as many options for party games as there are for party themes, but which activities you choose depends on several factors. The number of kids at the party, whether they're older kids or younger children, and what you know your child enjoys.

For younger kids, you know those energy levels are going to be up high. (Especially with all the sugar!) So active games like hide-and-seek, tag, relay races, an obstacle course, or even a bounce house are all great ideas.

One great way to keep a group of young children entertained is to have a dance party! Not only is it fun, it's easy to set up right in your living room. You can even turn it into a game, where they have to freeze when the music stops. Kids love it!

Another easy way to ensure all your party guests have a good time is to throw the party someplace where kids can play. A local park is always a great place, especially if it has an outdoor picnic area, too. Many local businesses also offer options for birthday party places. Maybe a trampoline park, gymnastics facility, local swimming pool, or other kid-centered fun play places!

For older kids, you might be able to do activities that are more complex, like arts and crafts or an ice cream sundae bar. I've also heard that food trucks are becoming super popular to have cater a child's birthday party, which can be really fun, especially for older kids who know what foods they like to order! Older kids may also enjoy local attractions for their parties like going to play laser tag, arcade games, paintball, movie theaters, or even an escape room!

No matter what the age of my kids they ALL love when I come up with themed party food ideas. It doesn't have to be elaborate, just come up with your party theme and think of ways to make simple food items fit that theme. A simple and fun way to add a special touch to the party theme. Even something as simple as hot dogs can become lightsabers or slinky dogs or hot diggity dogs. Make a little label and a creative name and bam! Party food ideas are done and you've got a super cute theme your kids will love!

Best Kids' Birthday Party Ideas

Best Party Ideas for Boys

When you're planning a party for your birthday boy, there are tons of fun themes to choose from. From cars to dinosaurs to video games, no matter what your little man likes, decorating and finding fun activities is a no-brainer. Here are some great ideas for younger and older boys, though of course there's no age requirement!

Red, yellow, and green balloons, a table decorated to look like a paved road, and orange traffic cones are all perfect for a car themed birthday!

Paw Patrol is super popular with kids, especially little boys! If your child loves it, then they're sure to love a Paw Patrol themed party. (And these days, you can find merchandise everywhere!)

Dump trucks, construction tape, and black balloons turn your living room into a fun, festive construction site!

Kye loved when we threw him a pirate themed birthday party. There are so many fun pirate-themed activities you can do (including a scavenger hunt turned into treasure hunts!), it's enough to make you want to say, "ARGGG!" (In a good way!)

If your little boy loves firetrucks, he'll love this firetruck-themed party! Lots of red and lots of fun!

Legos are not only a classic toy, they're also a classic party theme! The amount of fun lego-shaped snacks you can make is amazing! So easy and so fun!

What little boy doesn't love dinosaurs? You can go wild with a dino theme and even come up with fun outdoor activities like a fossil dig (aka toy dinosaurs in a sandbox!)

You can always count on trains to be a crowd favorite! With a few conductor hats and some wooden trains to paint, everyone will be on board!

What's more popular right now than Star Wars? Kids of all ages love it, and if your birthday boy is one of them, then you can count on it being a fun party!

Even though I put football in the "older boys" category, as you can see, little boys love it, too! Our youngest, Spear, had a blast at his football-themed 2nd birthday, "Fear the Spear!"

We loved throwing a Toy Story themed party for our oldest, Kye! If your child loves Toy Story, too, then you'll love these ideas!

Sports themes are often popular with boys, and a golf theme is no exception!

The sky's the limit when you do an outer space or astronaut theme! Rockets, silver balloons, and a moon-shaped cake make it out of this world!

If your birthday boy is a video game fan, chances are he's played Super Mario Brothers. Fun, family-friendly, and classic, it makes a SUPER fun birthday theme!

Last but not least, you can't go wrong with a super hero theme! I included a general one here, but if there's a specific character your little boy loves, go for it!!!

Best Party Ideas for Girls

If you have a birthday girl, then there are endless ideas for how to decorate for her special day. From ballerinas to princesses to super girls, you can find the best themed parties for younger and older girls here. Once again, none of these have an age requirement, they're just a way to get you started!

Tutus, tiaras, and twirls make a ballerina birthday theme a tried and true favorite for little girls!

The Trolls movies are fun, colorful, and super popular with kids. Little girls in particular especially relate to Princess Poppy!

The Frozen movies are still super popular, which means that Frozen-themed birthdays are, too!

For the little girl in your life who loves pink, a flamingo themed party is a perfect fit! We threw this one for one of our daughters and it was a hit!

For a winter birthday extravaganza, a snowflake birthday party is a great choice! Here's how we threw our daughter's snowflake-themed birthday!

Disney Princesses are always a popular theme, and for good reason! Of course, if your little girl has a favorite, then you can make the whole party's theme revolve around one princess! (See: Frozen!)

For the little mermaid in your life, a magical underwater theme with seashells, pearls, and fishtails is sure to wow her and all her friends!

You can really go-all out with a unicorn theme: rainbow streamers, colorful frosting, and pin-the-tail-on-the-unicorn are all huge hits!

If your birthday girl loves Mary Poppins, then do I have the themed birthday for you! We had a blast putting this one together for our daughter!

Considering an American Girl Doll Birthday Party for your little girl? Here are all the details to plan the perfect American Girl Birthday Party!

Go out of the this world with a space themed birthday! Not just for boys, stars, moons, and fun, galactic colors make this perfect for your little astronaut!

Girl power! For your little super girl, a super heroine-themed party is perfect!

Classy, elegant, and perfect for an outdoor venue, having a garden tea party is as fun for the adults as it is for the kids!

Ice cream, cake, candy, donuts... if your birthday girl has a sweet tooth, why not make the whole part all about dessert?

Dinosaurs: also not just for boys! I love the idea of having a neon-themed dino party with lots of pink and orange. Super fun and a unique spin on a more popular themed party.

If your birthday girl is starting to show an interest in makeup or cosmetics, why not have a makeover or spa party? With some adult supervision, it can be super fun!

Best Age and Gender Neutral Party Ideas

While many of the ideas above could be modified to fit any child's special day, there are some themes that are just universal no matter what. Here you'll find the best gender-neutral and age-neutral party ideas for your birthday child!

If you're a Disney family like we are, you know you can never go wrong with a Mickey or Minnie party, no matter what kid it is!

Another favorite amongst boys and girls of all ages is Finding Nemo! If you're looking to throw a great Finding Nemo themed birthday party, I've got some great ideas for you (plus one of my favorite birthday theme cakes!)

Donald Duck is another Disney favorite that makes a great party theme no matter who it is! We had a great time with this one and it was the perfect option for our little Donald Duck fan.

Who doesn't love sunshine? This is a great theme no matter the kid or the time of year! Summer party? Yes! Winter party? Makes the room feel warmer!

You can never go wrong with your child's favorite animal! For example, check out this monkey themed party we did for our oldest's first birthday!

Iconic and classic, Dr. Seuss books make great party themes with their bright colors and lively imaginations. Cat in the Hat is always a favorite!

Ever since the first Despicable Me movie came out, the Minions have taken the world by storm. So there are tons of creative ways to put together an adorable Minions themed party!

You can really let your imagination run wild with a jungle safari party! With lots of green foliage (and, if available, a jungle gym) you can create an adventure right at home or a great theme for outdoor games and fun too!

Kids Birthday Party Gift Ideas

Looking for that perfect gift for the little one on their special day? Having four kids means I've had a LOT of experience in birthday gift giving as well as knowing what items my kids loved to receive too!

I've put together several gift guides to help give gift ideas for that perfect birthday present at every age:

Birthday Gift Ideas for a 1 Year Old
Birthday Gift Ideas for a 2 Year Old
Birthday Gift Ideas for a 3 Year Old

Birthday Gift Ideas for a 4 Year Old
Birthday Gift Ideas for a 5 Year Old
Birthday Gift Ideas for a 6 Year Old
Birthday Gift Ideas for a 7 Year Old

Conclusion

Birthdays are fun and special occasions, so I hope these kids' birthday party ideas help get the gears rolling so you can enjoy the celebration! If you have any other great themes or ideas to share, leave them in the comments below!

Hey Y'all, I'm Emily! I'm a stay at home mom and consider parenting to be my passion. Disney is my happiest place and I love making memories as a family together. I'm a big believer in transparency and share all of my real-life moments as a mother of four.

My work has been featured on Love What Matters, Today Parenting and Babywise.Life. I'm also honored to be a member of the Babywise Friendly Blog Network.

You can read more about our family on my About Me page. Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

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