Throwing a birthday party for your kids can be an exciting and daunting experience. Kids are picky, which makes it tough to choose a theme that's fun for the birthday kid and their guests. We're here to help! From 80s theme parties to mystical mermaid parties, here are 20 birthday party themes your kids will love!
1. Princess-Themed Party
A princess-themed party is a classic favorite for little kids who dream of being royalty. Decorations can include lots of pink and purple accents, sparkling crowns and tiaras, and lavish table decor fit for a queen. Activities can include dressing up with princess costumes and accessories, a royal tea party, or a treasure hunt for hidden treasures. Don't forget to serve themed treats, like cupcakes with edible glitter, rock candy, or a castle-shaped cake. With a princess-themed party, every kid will feel like the belle of the ball!
2. 80s Theme Party
Transport your kids to the wild world of the 80s with a totally tubular 80s-themed birthday party. This decade was all about neon colors, crazy patterns, and rocking out to some of the best music. Create a fun atmosphere by decorating your party space with 80s-inspired decor items like Rubik's cubes, Pac-Man, and pop art posters. Incorporate some 80s fashion trends for the attire, such as leg warmers, teased hair, and bold accessories. Party activities can include an 80s dance marathon, a DIY air guitar contest, and playing with classic 80s toys like Atari and Cabbage Patch Kids. Serve memorable 80s snacks like Pop Tarts, Jell-O Pudding Pops, and Capri Suns to enhance the party experience.
3. Hawaiian Theme Party
Aloha! Bring the tropical paradise of Hawaii to your kids' birthday party. A Hawaiian theme party is a fun, vibrant, and engaging experience. Transform your party space into a backyard luau with island-inspired décor like torches, luau skirts for tables, and grass roof umbrellas. Encourage kids to dress in Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts, and flowery leis for the ultimate island feel. Plan fun activities like a hula hoop contest, limbo, and a lei-making station. Don't forget to serve tropical-themed foods such as fruit skewers, pineapple punch, and mini Hawaiian pizzas to keep up with the island vibes.
4. Cotton Candy Birthday Party
A Cotton Candy birthday party will surely be a crowd-pleaser for your little kids. This theme can be customized with endless color combinations to suit your child's preferences. Create a whimsical party atmosphere with pastel-colored decorations like streamers, balloons, and confetti. Enhance the theme with a cotton candy station featuring dozens of flavors and toppings to let children create their own fluffy treat.
Organize fun activities like face painting, a cotton candy-inspired craft station, and themed games. Make sure you serve some sweet treats like cupcakes topped with cotton candy frosting and ice cream for dessert.
5. Circus Party
Step right up and plan a spectacular circus-themed birthday party for your kids. The circus is a fantastic world of wonder and excitement, perfect for children of all ages. For this theme, transform your party space into a big top tent with red and white striped fabric, colorful balloons, and bunting. Set up circus-inspired games like ring toss, a bean bag clown target, and a duck pond. Hire or recruit family members to dress up as a ringmaster, juggler, or clown. Incorporate a photo booth with fun circus-themed props like hats, clown noses, and wigs. Complete the party with circus food like popcorn, hot dogs, corn dogs, and soft pretzels, and for dessert, serve circus-themed cake or cupcakes.
6. Unicorn Parties
Unicorn parties have been enchanting kids and adults alike with their magical appeal. These charmingly themed celebrations incorporate mythical designs and pastel colors, creating the perfect backdrop for a memorable event. The unicorn theme is exceptionally versatile, making it an ideal choice for both young children and older kids who still believe in fairytales.
When planning a unicorn party, consider incorporating eye-catching decorations like unicorn balloons, sparkly table settings, and even a life-sized unicorn cut-out for photo opportunities. For entertainment, consider hiring a face-painter to transform the little guests into magical creatures, or organize a unicorn-themed treasure hunt. Don't forget to include a unicorn-inspired candy buffet with pink, blue, purple, and rainbow candy options!
7. Encanto Birthday Party
With Encanto capturing the hearts of families worldwide, it's no surprise that Encanto-themed birthday parties are quickly becoming a favorite choice among kids. An Encanto birthday party is the perfect way to celebrate a child's special day, featuring vibrant colors, magical elements, and a touching storyline about family and self-discovery.
Get inspired by the movie and create an immersive, magical experience by incorporating colorful decorations that reflect the location of the movie. Organize activities that bring out the essence of the fantastical world, like a Madrigal family talent show, where each child can showcase their unique talents, or set up a craft table for kids to explore their creativity with a movie-inspired activity. Top the night off by watching the movie!
8. Sonic the Hedgehog Party
Rev up the excitement and join forces with one of the most iconic video game characters of all time — Sonic the Hedgehog! A Sonic-themed birthday party is perfect for young gamers and hedgehog lovers, while also sparking nostalgia in older guests, making it a blast for everyone involved! Get ready for a celebration filled with speed and adventure as you race through the Green Hill Zone, all from the comfort of your home!
Bring Sonic's vibrant world to life using bright colors like blue, yellow, and red, and iconic elements from the game, like gold rings and Chaos Emeralds, in your party decorations. Plan activities, like creating Sonic and Tails masks or hosting a 'fastest hedgehog' race, to entertain guests.
When it comes to serving up some high-speed treats, your Sonic-themed menu can include chili dog stations, Golden Ring donuts, and a cake featuring the blue hero himself. Coordinate your candy buffet and treats to match all the colors and themes of the games and movies!
9. Pokémon Party
A Pokémon themed birthday party is a perfect way to celebrate a child's love for the popular franchise. The decorations and invitations can include iconic characters like Pikachu, Charizard, and Squirtle. Party games like "Pin the Tail on Pikachu" and "Pokémon Bingo" can be played to keep the kids entertained. The birthday cake can be designed to look like a Pokéball or one of the Pokémon creatures. For party favors, kids can receive Pokémon cards or small toys. With the right planning and attention to detail, a Pokémon-themed party can be a fun and memorable experience for everyone involved.
10. Escape Room Birthday
Consider hosting an escape room party for an exciting and different birthday party experience. Escape rooms provide an immersive and thrilling adventure where guests must work together, solve puzzles and riddles, and use their wits to "escape" a themed room within a designated time limit. You can either go to an already open escape room or make one yourself at home! This makes sure there is a great activity that all kids will enjoy while keeping them busy for the whole party!
11. Dinosaur-Themed Party
A dinosaur-themed party is perfect for kids who love everything prehistoric! Guests can dress up as their favorite dinosaurs, search for hidden fossils, and dig through dino-themed party favors. Decorations can include life-sized cutouts of the T-rex or
stegosaurus and serving trays shaped like dino eggs. The cake can feature a fondant dinosaur or a volcano with erupting lava. This party is sure to make the birthday boy or girl feel like they've traveled back in time to the Jurassic period!
12. Pirate Party
Ahoy, matey! Get ready for a swashbuckling good time with a pirate-themed party that's perfect for adventurous children and adults alike. With a combination of treasure hunting, pirate games, and fabulous costumes, everyone will have a blast at this exciting celebration.
Deck out the party space with pirate flags, treasure chests, and ships' wheels, and invite guests to come dressed in their finest pirate attire. Organize a treasure hunt complete with maps and hidden loot, and engage everyone in pirate-themed games like "pin the tail on the parrot" or "walk the plank." Serve up some scrumptious pirate grub like fish and chips, and don't forget the treasure chest cake for dessert! Arrr, this be a pirate party everyone be talkin' about for ages to come!
13. Mystical Mermaid Party
Transport guests to an enchanting underwater world with a mystical mermaid party! This magical theme is perfect for celebrating birthdays among shimmering seashells, colorful corals, and the fantastical allure of mystical mermaids.
Decorate with soft shades of blues, greens, purples, seashells, starfish, and other ocean touches. Use shimmering fabrics and iridescent accents to create an ethereal atmosphere that captures the essence of mermaid folklore. Plan ocean-inspired games like a "seashell scavenger hunt," or let guests get creative with crafting their own mermaid fin headbands. Serve seafood and sweets, such as seashell-shaped cookies and sea glass candy. No mystical mermaid party would be complete without an appearance from a mermaid, whether real or costume-clad. Finally, send guests home with mermaid-inspired trinkets as mementos of their enchanting undersea adventure.
14. Pajama Party
There's nothing quite like a cozy, fun-filled, and most importantly, comfy pajama party! Whether for children or adults, this relaxed theme is perfect for anyone wanting to let their hair down, snuggle up in their favorite sleepwear, and have a great time.
Transform your living room into the ultimate slumber party central — think plush blankets and pillows, twinkling fairy lights, and comfy seating arrangements for your guests. Queue up a movie everyone will love, popping plenty of popcorn and providing everyone's favorite movie snacks! You can even set up individual sleeping stations so each guest feels special.
15. Cowboy Party
Howdy, partner! Are you looking to throw a rootin' tootin' good time for your next shindig? Well, look no further than a cowboy-themed party. This classic theme works marvelously for any age group and is perfect for those who love the Wild West or anything country. Gather your cowboy hats, boots, and western gear — you're about to take your guests on one wild ride!
When it comes to decorations, wooden barrels, hay bales, and rustic-looking signs can be used to set the scene. Don't forget to lay down some checkered tablecloths and incorporate western-themed centerpieces, like cowboy boot vases filled with wildflowers. Create a photo booth area complete with cowboy and cowgirl accessories for guests to snap fun pictures. And since no cowboy party is complete without a sheriff badge, provide each guest with one upon arrival. Plan fun activities, like square dancing, decorate your own cowboy hat, or a lasso contest, to make the night memorable!
16. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Party
All aboard for fun and adventure! If your kid has a passion for transportation, consider throwing a plane, train, and automobile-themed party. This versatile theme caters to kids of all ages and interests, combining elements of air travel, locomotives, and hotrod machines. With endless possibilities for decoration and activities, you're sure to please even the most die-hard transportation fans!
For décor, incorporate elements of all three modes of transportation. Hang model airplanes from the ceiling, create a track around the room with toy trains, and fly car balloons. Use road signs, traffic cones, and small vehicle toys as centerpieces for each table. Customize place cards using a variety of transportation-related images, such as cars, trains, or airplanes. Large maps and travel posters also make great backdrops for the party space!
17. Fiesta-Themed Party
Arriba! If you're looking for a festive and colorful theme for your next party, a fiesta never fails to impress. This vibrant and lively celebration offers countless decorations, food, and entertainment possibilities. Transport your guests to Mexico with mouth-watering dishes and traditional games.
Start by decorating the venue with vibrant reds, greens, purples, and yellows. Hang papel picado banners across the ceiling and use tissue paper flowers or cacti as centerpieces for each table. Place sombreros, maracas, and serape blankets around the room for added touches of Mexican flair. Another fabulous idea is to set up a DIY piñata station where guests can create their own festive piñatas. Make sure you have candy on deck to fill them up!
The food is the star of the show at any Mexican-themed party. Offer a build-your-own taco, nacho, or fajita bar filled with various meats, toppings, and sauces. Serve up sides of rice, beans, and chips with salsa or queso. Don't forget the sweet finishing touches, such as churros, flan, or a tres leches cake. Quench your guests' thirst with refreshing virgin margaritas, virgin sangria, Mexican sodas, or delicious horchata.
18. Outer Space-Themed Party:
Throw an out-of-this-world outer space-themed party with planet decorations, starry lights, and galactic music. Dress up as astronauts or aliens and serve snacks like moon rocks (popcorn), meteorites (chocolate-covered raisins), and comet punch (sparkling grape juice). Have fun with space-themed games, such as a scavenger hunt for hidden planets or a space-themed pin the tail on the donkey. Take a group photo with a DIY spaceship backdrop and give out stellar party favors like glow sticks and galaxy slime. It's sure to be a blast!
19. Super Mario Party
A Super Mario birthday party is a fun and popular theme for kids of all ages. With colorful decorations inspired by the classic video game, guests can be transported to the Mushroom Kingdom for a day of adventure and excitement. From Mario-themed snacks, such as mushroom cupcakes and piranha plant cookies, to games, like pin the tail on Yoshi and a Super Mario obstacle course, the party can be tailored to fit any child's interest in the Mario universe. It's time to level up your child's birthday celebration with a Super Mario Party!
20. Wizard Themed Party
A wizard-themed birthday party can be an exciting event for children and adults alike, a chance for them to indulge their love of fantasy worlds full of enchantment. Decorate your home with mystical books, potion bottles, and spell scrolls. Use a sorting hat to distribute guests into different wizarding houses, and make sure to have plenty of wizard-themed snacks like chocolate frogs and cauldron cakes. Encourage guests to dress up in wizard robes and play Quidditch in the backyard. With a little imagination, you can create an enchanting and magical celebration fit for a wizard.
The list doesn't end there! Plenty of exciting and unique birthday party themes are available that will make your child's special day unforgettable. Whether it's a classic theme like a superhero or a princess party or something more modern like a gaming or emoji-themed celebration, there is something for every child's interests.
By incorporating fun décor, games, and activities to match the chosen theme, you can create a memorable and enjoyable event for your little one and their guests. Use this list of the most loved birthday party themes for kids as a starting point for your planning, or let it inspire you to create a unique idea that perfectly suits your child's personality and likes.