Kid’s Birthday Party Ideas

Planning a birthday party for your child can be overwhelming, stressful and totally time-consuming. How is it that an event that’s all about having fun can feel like anything but?! Luckily, we’re sharing some must-know kids birthday ideas to help you along the way.

Birthday parties are notoriously fun for children, but nightmares for parents. The good news is: they don’t have to be! We’ve rounded up some of the best kids birthday party ideas and recipes to make planning a party for under-fives a breeze for parents.

Kid’s Birthday Parties Ideas

Birthday party ideas for a one-year-old

Stereotypically, a one-year-old’s birthday party is more for the adults (and the super cute photos) than it is for the child themselves. We say, why can’t it be both?! Your one-year-old probably won’t understand a pirate or fairy-themed party, so think about the things they do love instead. Why not throw your one-year-old…

• A musical party: Supply each child with their own musical instrument (think drums, maracas, kazoos) or have them BYO! You can play games like Musical Chairs and ‘Dance, Dance, Freeze’ and have a disco.
• A bubbles party: If there’s one thing one-year-olds love more than random household items, it’s bubbles. Give out bubble blowers, invest in some jumbo bubble makers (or even a bubble machine) and go crazy with bubble-themed cakes and treats. Oh, and blow up lots and lots of balloons of course!
• A stuffed toy party: Stuffed toys are the ultimate plus one, especially for your little ones! Take cues from the classic teddy bears picnic and have your guests dress match with their toys, and offer food and party favours for your guests and their toys. You could even hire a face painter to make each guest look like their favourite toy!

Birthday party ideas for a two-year-old

By age two, your child may be more aware of party themes and procedures, but they still have two things on their mind – food and fun. Knowing this, here are some themes that will delight your two-year-old as much as your older guests…

• An animal-themed party: You can upgrade your theme from stuffed animals to real animals as your child gets older! There is no shortage of animal-themed decorations, props and recipes out there, and you could even hire an animal rescue organisation to bring along puppies or native animals for a presentation.
• A zoo party: In that same vein, why not take your party to your local zoo or wildlife sanctuary and have them help with the planning? They no doubt offer party packages, which means you don’t need to lift a finger to give your child an amazing second birthday!
• A painting party: If there’s one thing two-year-olds love to do, it’s get messy. Why not channel that mess into some creative fun with a painting party? It’s so easy to set up, and the parents in attendance will get to take home their children’s creations at the end of the day.

Birthday party ideas for a three-year-old

Now that your child is three, they’re probably starting to show interest in some more traditional party themes. Think about their favourite things – whether it’s a book, activity or even food – and centre their birthday celebrations around that. Here are a few ideas…

• A princess-themed party: Princess parties aren’t just for the ‘girly girls’ – anyone who is a fan of Disney movies, medieval times and even Barbie will love a princess party! Think pink, add sparkles and crowns and you’re on your way.
• Their favourite show or movie: From Bluey to Batman, it’s always a good idea to look to your child’s favourite TV shows and movies for party inspiration. Your child will love dressing up as their favourite character, and a quick Google will reveal a tonne of recipes inspired by the show/movie!
• A craft party: An upgrade on the paint party you threw for your two-year-old, a craft party is a great way to keep younger guests preoccupied with minimal effort. Crafts can include painting, colouring in, slime making and cupcake decorating.

Birthday party ideas for a four-year-old

By the time your child is four, their parties are more about activities and games than anything else. They’ll still love a good theme, but their ability to (kind of) understand and follow rules means you can introduce party classics like ‘Musical Chairs’, ‘Pin the Tail on the Donkey’ and ‘Duck, Duck, Goose’. Here are a few themes you could try…

• A treasure hunt party: Perfect for your pirate-loving children, but still lots of fun for everyone. Set up a treasure or scavenger hunt with lollies or small toys as prizes. This is ideal in homes with backyards, but your local park or playground is a great alternative!
• A circus party: This is another theme that’s easy to outsource. Find out if there is a circus school in your area that does children’s parties and sit back and relax. They’ll organise the activities and maybe even the food, too!
• A dance party: If your child doesn’t really care about themes, a dance party is a super easy way to guarantee a lot of fun for them and their friends! All you need is a great playlist, some floorspace and a couple of dance-themed games. Maybe everyone could come in disco outfits?!

Birthday party ideas for a five-year-old

Fifth birthday parties are a lot of fun. Your child and their friends are old enough for a slightly longer celebration, and don’t need to have as many structured games to have fun (though they’ll always enjoy them!). Here are a few party ideas for your five-year-old…

• A movie night: This one is perfect if your child is obsessed with a particular movie franchise, like Harry Potter, Marvel or Star Wars. Simply round up their friends (preferably in costume), set them up with cosy blankets and pop on the movie – all you need to supply then are the snacks.
• A camping party: The classic sleepover party is taken up a notch with a camping party! You don’t need to hit the road to do this, either – you could set up a ‘campsite’ in your backyard or living room. Fun activities include roasting marshmallows on a fire, drinking hot chocolate and singing campfire songs.
• A sports party: Turn your child’s favourite sport into a birthday party with costumes, themed cake and fun sports games! Ask your guests to dress as their favourite sports player, host a games tournament and refuel with sports-themed snacks afterwards.

Birthday party food ideas

No matter what kind of party you choose, here are some easy party food recipes to have on hand for your next celebration…

Kids birthday party food ideas (budget)

1. Cadbury chocolate crackles
2. Jelly boats
3. Hawaiian pizza pops

Kids birthday party finger food ideas

1. Mini beef party pies
2. Pork belly sausage rolls
3. Crispy baked chicken nuggets

Kids birthday cake ideas

4. Fairy bread birthday cake
5. Birthday cake cupcakes
6. Honeycomb and chocolate ice cream cake