The Most Popular Themes for Children’s Birthday Parties
If you’re looking to do a little more for your kids’ birthday parties this year simply bake a cake from a box and let them spend the day watching movies with their friends, perhaps you’ve decided to throw a themed party. But you might be a little worried that you’re out of touch with what kids these days are into. For this reason you’ll no doubt be interested to learn what some of the most popular modern themes are for birthday parties. Here are a few to try with your son or daughter that won’t end up on the lame list.
GIRLS:
- Disney princess. This one is obviously for girls in the elementary (or younger) age range. Since your daughter and her little friends have probably all fallen in love with Cinderella, Snow White, Jasmine, and more recently, Tiana, they can all come dressed as their favorite princess. You’ll have no trouble finding appropriate decorations and you can play music from the soundtracks and teach them some dances. Or if you aren’t keen to shell out the money for all the branded Disney paraphernalia, try a variation on the theme by doing a fairy princess garden party.
- Pinkalicious. Does it get any more girly that a party with a pink theme? You can really go the distance here with decorations and pink-hued foods, and to keep the girls entertained, get a variety of pink craft items so they can create something fun and useful to take home, like greeting cards, hair accessories, jewelry, t-shirts, or tote bags.
- Spa day/makeover. For the tween and teen set, a spa day could hit just the right note. Set up a long table with plenty of mirrors and then get some of the moms to help you manicure the girls’ nails, administer facials, and do their makeup and hair.
BOYS:
- Pirates. You’d be hard pressed to find a boy that doesn’t romanticize the swashbuckling pirate life, what with eye patches, piles of gold, and all kinds of fun phraseology (Ahoy, me hearties! I’ve got a land-lubbing scallywag here what’s set to walk the plank!). And you can keep the boys entertained with a treasure/scavenger hunt.
- Super heroes. The popularity of the Avengers franchise (with blockbuster lead-ins from Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor) has gotten a lot of boys into the world of super heroes. And their brightly colored costumes, catchphrases, and incredible powers make for a vast world of imagination that you can easily use to create a fun theme for your son’s birthday party.
- Star Wars. This is probably so popular because kids who grew up with the franchise now find themselves throwing birthday parties for their five-year-old sons. While plenty of parents go generic by playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey or hiring a clown or a magician for entertainment, you can skip the same boring party by having the kids dress up like Jedi knights (or Sith warriors, if they find it more appealing). You might consider picking up the Star Wars Cookbook on Amazon ahead of time (to find recipes for cool themed treats like Wookie Cookies and Hoth Chocolate), and for fun they can play the totally awesome Lego Star Wars game (suitable for ages 10+).
Sarah Danielson is a contributing writer for Noel Qualter, one of the most popular magicians for birthday parties, weddings, and other important events.
