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Get ready to throw the perfect springtime birthday party. Photo: iStock
Spring is here, and if you’ve got a spring birthday party to plan, we’ve got you covered. While we all love the blooming flowers, fresh air and energy that spring brings, that’s only half the story. Springtime also brings unpredictable weather and the busiest time of the entire school year, both of which can throw your party plans for a loop.
But have no fear, spring party planners! We’ve got the inside scoop for all you need to pull off a festive party they’ll love.
Start with a theme
While it might be tempting to just go with “kid’s birthday party” as your theme, narrowing it down can actually help the process. It can help you focus on what you need, and what you don’t. Since spring in the Pacific Northwest is notorious for weather that can change on a dime, pick a theme that can work indoors and outdoors. If you want a spring theme, consider something along these lines:
- Bloom and Grow Bash. A garden-inspired party with flowers, planting activities and pastel colored decorations.
- Flutter and Shine Soiree. Butterflies, fairies and all things sparkly and whimsical.
- Backyard Bug Bonanza. Ladybugs, bees and bug explorer fun with nature activities.
- Berry Sweet Birthday Bash. Strawberries, treats and red-and-pink color palettes.
If these don’t seem quite right for your kid, that’s ok. Themes do not need to make sense to anyone but the birthday person (though, since you are the party planner a general understanding would help). When my oldest son turned 5, his party theme was “Pokémon, Minecraft and Monster trucks.” He may have stretched the word “theme” to its limits, but at least we know what we were focusing on.
Invitations that set the tone
Now that your theme is in place, time to mail (or email) the invitations! If you are going digital, make sure you have all the email addresses (or phone numbers) you need ahead of time. If you want to go old school and use snail-mail, here are a few options we love:
Printed basic party invite
With spaces to write all the important who, where and when info, these invitations will ensure guests have all the details they need.
Floral party invite
This simple invitation with wildflowers is perfect for a spring-themed birthday.
Personalized digital party invitation
If you don’t feel like hand writing the same info over and over, consider this cute bug-themed printable party invitation. Purchase the download, edit your info and then print, text or email it to your guests. This is one invitation that does it all!
Party decorations that make things pop
While the location of your party will somewhat determine the decorations you can have, you’ll still probably want more than a “It is your birthday.” banner (unless your party theme happens to be “The Office”). Here are some fun ideas that will make things feel festive, without breaking the bank or taking hours and an advanced engineering degree to display.
Balloons
My go-to for helium balloons has always been Dollar Tree. You can gather up a handful without spending too much money, as long as you are flexible with what they look like, since sometimes the selection is a bit limited.
Did you know that you can have the effect of helium balloons without helium? Grab some regular balloons and tape to try this genius decorating hack. Afraid you will pass out from blowing up so many balloons? Let me introduce you to this adorable little electric balloon pump, it’s magical.
Banners
A banner can be both a festive decoration, and a fun family tradition. We hang ours up (which I purchased over a decade ago at, you guessed it, Dollar Tree) every year, for every birthday in our home. Whether you want to start a new tradition, or just add some flare to this year’s gathering, check out these fun options:
Three-piece rainbow birthday banner
This cute banner has the words “happy birthday,” a row of rainbow triangles and a row of cute little puff balls. Hang them all around your space for an instant party vibe. They are available in different color schemes, including all black for the angsty tween in your midst.
Floral fabric banner
If you are looking for a spring floral decoration, this 32-foot long option is sure to please. It is available in several different color patterns, and since it’s made from fabric you will be able to hang it up again and again.
Pastel felt birthday sign
The crisp white letters on beautiful pastel colored backgrounds on this pre-strung banner scream spring. This banner also comes in a variety of colors, including one with sparkly gold letters if you want to take the party up a notch.
Streamers
For a quick and fun way to decorate a space large or small, grab some streamers! Hang them from the ceiling, light fixtures, tree branches or on the back of chairs.
Curtain streamers
If you want to decorate a large area, or make a dramatic entrance, streamer curtains might be for you. They come in a variety of colors, from pink and rose gold for a spring time feel, to rainbow star or gold for a more dramatic moment. To hang them up, simply peel off the double sided adhesive sticker and stick them to a smooth surface.
Ceiling streamers
These pastel paper swirl ceiling streams are a fun edition to any party. Or, go old school with crepe paper streamers. This pack of eight gives you 656-feet of streamers, that should be enough to decorate just about any party venue you can find!
Cake toppers that stand out
Whether you have cupcakes, sheet cake or a big pile of cookies (my cake-averse son’s choice) it’s fun to have a little something to stick on top.
Spring flower cupcake toppers
These are the quintessential spring birthday party must-have. Stick one on top of each cupcake, or stick them all in a sheet cake for a wildflower field. Beautiful and whimsical, either way.
Edible flower butterflies cake topper
These edible flower and butterfly decorations will turn your cake or cupcakes to a spring garden. The flowers are made out of edible rice paper, which is nearly tasteless so it will not change the flavor of your dessert. With 55 pieces to choose from, you’ll be able to get the look you are going for. And the butterflies are foldable, giving a 3D effect!
Custom face cupcake topper
It’s your kid’s party, why not let their smiling face be the decoration! You can order custom cupcake toppers with your child’s picture, with the option to add a silly hat for extra fun.
Porcelain animal cake topper
If you are looking for something special to invest in and pull out each year as a birthday tradition, these beautiful, hand-crafted animal cake toppers are just the thing. They hold a birthday candle and are little works of art. Choose between an owl, deer or duck.
Birthday games and activities that keep things moving
Having a few planned activities is a good way to keep the birthday party moving along and help everyone have fun. While it can be tempting to come up with lists of games, in reality, two or three structured activities is enough. You want to leave some time for cake and a little unstructured running around.
Aim for a mix of high energy games (like tag or a relay race) and some calm or creative activities (a craft station, coloring, etc.). Consider having some of these items on hand to help entertain the party goers:
Get-them-moving supplies
Field day game kit
All you’ll need for a potato sack race, egg spoon relay, three-legged race and more (including metals to give out to winners).
Jump ropes
Let kids jump off their sugar high from the cake with this pack of 10 kids jump ropes.
Big bubble wands
Create giant beautiful bubbles with this set of 12 wands (comes with concentrated bubble solution).
Calm-them-down supplies
Sidewalk chalk
If you manage to get a beautiful spring day, this box of 160 pieces of sidewalk chalk should entertain the kids long enough for you to get the cake ready. Work in your party theme by telling the kids to try and draw their favorite Pokémon, Minecraft character or monster truck (or whatever goes with your party theme).
Coloring poster
If the weather isn’t looking so great, this giant birthday coloring poster is sure to entertain. Set it out on a tabletop or the floor, sprinkle crayons, colored pencils or markers around and watch the creativity flow.
Flower pot decorating and planting
Let the kids decorate their own flower pot, then plant either a seed or a small flower. Did someone say springtime?
Party favors that won’t end up in the trash
We all know what happens to most party favors — they get maybe 10 minutes of play before they are dropped and forgotten, destined to join the rest of the plastic junk hiding in the back of our cars or under the couch. Consider a party activity that can double as a favor, or one of these springtime favs that won’t make its way to the junk drawer (or garbage can).
Bug explorer kit
Put a critter insect cage, magnifying glass with a fun brightly colored handle and a small notebook and pencil in a bag labeled “Bug Detective.” Kids can catch, look at and release bugs and write down any interesting observations for posterity.
Spring art supplies
Give each guest a case of watercolor paints and a small watercolor sketch book. Tell them to go outside after the party and paint their favorite spring flowers, birds and bugs.
Special sidewalk chalk
You know it, you love it, you can never have enough of it. This bundle of glitter, neon and tie-dye chalk will make a great party favor, and even better art!
Compostable tableware that cleans up in a flash
Birthday parties are fun, but they are also totally exhausting. The last thing you want to do is spend hours cleaning up the impressive mess a tornado of kids can create. So do yourself a favor and set things up for an easy cleanup before the party even starts.
When you’ve got a crew of kids eating snacks, cake and downing drinks, disposal plates, cups and napkins are the way to go. But don’t worry, you can still maintain your Pacific Northwestern environmentalist badge by using compostable options. And lucky for us, we won’t have to sacrifice on function or style. Here are just a few options:
Plates
These cute 6-inch plates are just the right size for a slice of cake, and are completely compostable.
Napkins
These happy birthday napkins are recyclable and compostable and full of birthday joy. For a spring theme, check out these compostable wild flower napkins that are almost too pretty to use!
Utensils
This set of 360 wooden, compostable cutlery will keep you stocked for years!
Cups
These 12-ounce compostable clear cups are the perfect size for a kid’s drink.
Tablecloth
Set everything out on a compostable table cloth. When the party is over, gather up the tablecloth with all the compostable items and food scraps inside and toss it all in your compost bin. Easiest cleanup ever!
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