🎉 Why Birthdays Matter So Much in Our House
In our home, birthdays aren’t just a day — they’re an experience. It has been like this since I was a kid growing up with a mom who always went HUGE for birthdays. I am talking about the days of designing a cake from scratch and a theme to match. My birthday is right near Halloween, so I almost always had a costume party but it was always special. I mean, my mom even once created an entire “Groundhog” theme birthday party for my sister when the kids spent the entire party under the dining room table in a borough. How can you top that?!
For our family, birthday parties are a chance to make our kids feel like the center of the universe for 24 hours (and let’s be honest, the whole month leading up to it). While we’ve always enjoyed a good celebration, our full-blown themed birthday parties for kids have been there since the beginning, but really kicked off spreading to the house during the early days of COVID, when traditional parties weren’t an option. That’s when we decided to bring the magic home.
What started as a creative workaround has become one of our favorite family traditions — and one we plan to keep forever.
🏡 From Lockdown to Living Room Magic
In 2020, with no parties, no guests, and no outings, we needed something to keep the joy alive. So about a month before each child’s birthday, we’d ask:
“What theme do you want for your special day?”
Once they picked, the planning wheels started turning. We transformed our home into their chosen world — streamers, crafts, custom cakes, decorations, themed gifts, and sometimes even matching family t-shirts to complete the vibe. Our sweet friend (and balloon artist extraordinaire!) would even deck out the front yard with larger-than-life balloon installations to make it extra fun.
Here’s the deal. The kids wake up, and coming down the stairs (or sometimes starting at the room) the theme begins. Streamers hanging from the ceiling, a birthday banner (or three), balloons, table clothes, the whole nine yards. And, most of their presents from us match their theme too.
And you know what? It worked. Themed birthday parties for kids made our kids feel seen. Celebrated. Like the day was truly just for them. And, with a growing list of food allergies and having to make all of our own sweets at home for the special day, gave us a ton of creative motivation to get extra special and silly from start to finish. Even if it was just a box cake with some fun cake toppers and candles.
Now that they are back in school, we also allow them a special “get out of school” free pass if it lands on a school day. No questions asked, mom takes off work and the birthday kid and I hit the town. We have done children’s museums like this one and this one and donuts, coffee shops and nail salons, and most recently, the Planetarium. It is a fun day just focused on them, and separate from a party. Family magic, building memories one birthday at a time.
🎈 The Magic Didn’t End with Quarantine
Once parties returned, our tradition didn’t go anywhere — we just added to it! themed birthday parties for kids now means the home décor becomes part of the party décor too, and our kids still light up every time we say, “Okay — what’s this year’s theme?”
Even the planning has become part of the joy. The kids start thinking about their themes months in advance. And I dive in with a mix of online shopping, dollar store finds, and DIY touches to bring their visions to life.
🌟 Some of Our Favorite Themed Birthday Parties for Kids So Far
Here’s a peek at the themed birthday parties for kids we’ve celebrated over the years — some big, some small, but all so incredibly fun:
- Sesame Street (two kids – so twice! It’s a classic)
- Shaun the Sheep
- Mickey Mouse
- Bluey
- Captain Hook
- Star Wars
- Mermaids
- Toy Story
- Elsa / Frozen (twice — because ice magic never gets old)
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Baseball + Dinosaurs (yep, a hybrid theme — and it totally worked!)
- Soccer
- Spiderman
- Black Panther
- Minecraft
- Taylor Swift (Eras Tour energy 💫)
- Pokémon
From cardboard pirate ships to glittery Bluey cakes and a full ring toss and Sonic Races, we’ve had a blast making each one uniquely them.
🛍️ Where the Magic Comes From (Let’s be honest – MOMS!)
Pulling it all together doesn’t mean breaking the bank. Usually, I hop over onto my best party planning pal Pinterest to get some ideas and motivation. Then, I start the planning. We’ve had amazing luck shopping from:
- Temu and Amazon (for bulk and unique items)
- Our local party supply store
- The dollar store (surprisingly awesome finds!)
- And honestly… a lot of DIY crafting at the kitchen table
Because at the end of the day, the goal isn’t perfection — it’s joy. And when your child walks in and sees their favorite characters, colors, or fandom brought to life, it’s all worth it. Honestly, themed birthday parties for kids and halloween are my love language, so this is a perfect fit for me.
I always set everything up the night before my kids birthday after they go to sleep. They are old enough now, that they know its coming and get so excited for it! My son, this year (Minecraft) asked the night before “but mom, you’re going to decorate for my birthday tonight, RIGHT?!”. Its like Christmas for them.
While we don’t do the extravagant balloon arches anymore because that cost was absorbed by birthday parties with friends being back in the mix, we still go all out with the theme both inside, and at the party.
💡 Want to Start a Birthday Tradition of Your Own?
You don’t need a balloon arch or a themed cake to start. Pick one idea and build from there:
- Ask your child to pick a theme
- Decorate one room or area of the house (we usually pick the family room/kitchen)
- Make a custom birthday t-shirt or hat(s). This was really helpful for us when our kids were really little and jealous of the birthday kid. Themed shirts made it seem like they still got “something”. We did “brother/sister/mom of the birthday kid” etc.
- Find a coordinating gift or cake topper, or make one yourself!
- Giant post it board notes are your best friend. We do a lot with these and I usually hand draw themed images and stick them up around the house. Super easy and so fun, without extra cost (beyond time!).
- Pro Tip – Save what you can, because there is a high probability that you will get a request for the theme again, either by the sibling, or the same child! We have had two Frozen birthdays (same kid) and two Sesame Street Birthdays (different kids), and it is helpful to just pull it out of the closet! We have also had repeat themes for Halloween – the year that we had the Sonic Birthday party we also dressed up as the Sonic characters for Halloween and we were able to reuse our decorations for the Trunk or Treat!
The smiles? Instant. The memories? Priceless.
Birthdays are a beautiful reminder that every kid deserves a day that feels uniquely theirs. And trust me — it’s the traditions they’ll talk about years from now.
I hope to do a Halloween costume post soon. But, is there a costume or a party that you want to know more about or want me to do a unique post for with links and instructions? If so, let me know in the comments!
Pin it. Save it. Start your own tradition. 💕
Here are some fun photos from the themes over the year for your pleasure 🙂 Can you tell themed birthday parties for kids are my JAM?
Let’s build this village together—one mama at a time.
