Top 10 Kids' At-Home Birthday Party Ideas
Planning a birthday party at home? Here are our top 10 suggestions for making your celebration super fun and special!
1. Make a Paper Countdown Chain
Cut out strips of paper and tape them together in loops to create a chain. Each day, rip off one chain loop and watch the chain shrink up until the big day. Bonus points if you write a little message of encouragement on each chain link for the birthday kid to read each day!
2. Create a Book of Letters
Ask friends and family to write letters including their favorite memory of the birthday child or a note detailing an activity they can do together in the future. Once you have all the letters, staple them together on the side to create a book you can give as a gift and read over and over again.
3. Decorate Their Room at Night
If you think you're sneaky enough, decorate the birthday kid's room while they are sleeping the night before the big day. Hang streamers or litter the floor with balloons so that they wake up to an immediate birthday surprise! Bonus points if you surprise them with breakfast in bed.
4. Plan an At-Home Fancy Dinner
Many kids like to go out to eat at a restaurant for their big day, but a night in can be just as special if served properly! Have the whole family dress up for the occasion and consider video calling relatives to "sit at the table" throughout the meal.
5. Make a Present Scavenger Hunt
Hide birthday presents around the house and create clues for the child to follow to find each one. You could hide the next clue with each present, or you could have the clues themselves point to the next clue and include all the presents at the end.
6. Schedule a Digital Cake Cutting
One of the best (and most embarrassing!) birthday traditions is having your friends and family sing "Happy Birthday" to you before you get to cut the cake. Set a time for friends and family to all call in and sing together to make the moment extra special.
7. Have a Special Birthday Story Time
The day that a new child arrives is one no family could forget. Gather the family round and tell the story of the child's birth or adoption day as if it were their favorite bedtime book. Bonus points if you feature more than one person's memories of the day and write it down!
8. Let Them Help Decorate the Cake
Little ones love to help out in the kitchen, and what better way to include them on their birthday than letting them take control of their own special cake? Them them go wild with the sprinkles and frosting, and maybe even include some (pre-washed) toy decor on top!
9. Have a Special Birthday Outfit
Maybe not their birthday suit, but have a special outfit for the birthday kid to wear on their birthday to make it feel special. Maybe it's a fancy party dress, or maybe it's just a crown and a cape. It will help set the day apart as something special and out of the ordinary.
10. Ask for Birthday Honks
If your neighborhood wouldn't mind too much, put a sign on your lawn asking for folks to honk as they drive by in honor of the birthday inside. Then every time you hear a honk, it's like a surprise birthday wish. Just remember to take the sign down when the big day is over!
And don't forget the gifts!
While gifts certainly aren't the most important part of making the day special, it's always fun to open presents on your big day! Check out our top gift selections by age, or if you're not sure what the birthday child might want, grab a gift card and let them pick it out themselves! With free gift wrapping and free shipping on orders over $50, we're here to make birthday gifts easy and fun!