Kid Birthday Party Themes

Thankfully, birthdays come once a year. Face it, moms, we age. But what I’m really referring to is planning birthday parties.

The planning of the party itself is not what’s stressful to me. I actually love planning a birthday party for kids.

The fear of no one showing up because I screwed up the science of distributing invitations at the appropriate time during winter break is what can be stressful.

That and the perfect cake. Piece of advice. Do not show your child pictures of perfectly crafted birthday cakes online. That image will be etched in their brains and that becomes their cake. And that cake can cost $200. And you know all he’s going to do is eat the icing. (We didn’t get that cake, but it was beautiful.)

Every year, coming up with a theme is easy. How do I do it? I ask my kid. Or better, I take a wild guess based on his latest passions. For moms who want some drilled down theme or general party ideas for when life is crazy and you don’t have time to think, here you go:

Easy kid birthday party themes

Fire station party

Contact your local fire station to see if they host parties and their guidelines. Some cities or counties may host birthday parties at the fire station as a free service as long as you schedule it far enough in advance and you are a citizen of the city or county. This is great for little boys who love fire trucks. Girls, too.

Gym party

Check your local YMCA, My Gym, Great Play, Lifetime Fitness, or other local fitness center. Many offer birthday party options. Ours has an indoor pool party option, but I’m not about to do that in January (unless we move to Florida). A gym party is great for elementary-age children who have lots of energy and love to play games.

Music store

We went to a party at a place that provides music lessons. The theme was Sheriff Callie and it was adorable. The birthday girl came dressed in her Sheriff cowgirl outfit, and the group played different instruments and musical games. Check with your local music lessons establishment to see if they offer birthday parties.

Don’t stress—enjoy your child’s birthday

Here’s a great checklist and recommended time frame for planning your child’s birthday party.

There’s no rule about having a birthday party theme. It can be you, your kiddo, and family and friends and a cake sans theme. Whatever you choose, have fun and enjoy.