How to Choose the Best Theme for Your Child's Birthday Party

When your eight-year-old son is crazy for baseball or your five-year-old daughter loves dressing up and having tea parties, choosing a birthday party theme is easy. Use your child's favorite TV character, hobby or sports activity as the central theme of her party and carry the theme through the decorations, food and games or activities. Older kids might enjoy a game-show type party, a scavenger hunt or a make-your-own pizza or ice cream sundae party. Don't forget, it's not your party, it's for your child, so involve him in choosing the theme.

Instructions

    • 1

      Consider your child's main interests or favorite activities when choosing your party theme. Ask your child for her input or give her a choice from several age-appropriate themes. Younger children often enjoy parties designed around a popular cartoon or movie character, while preteens might prefer something more "cool," such as a sports-themed or dancing party. Factor in how many invitees you can manage, as well as where you're holding the party: 20 little boys enjoying an active soccer party works fine at a big outdoor venue, but probably isn't the best choice if you're crammed into a small family room.

    • 2

      Pick a theme that is age-appropriate. It's easy to find the right theme, age-wise, when all the party attendees are approximately the same age, since they likely have similar interests and are at relatively comparable stages of development. Finding the right theme for a mixed-age group is more challenging -- your kindergarten age daughter probably would love a dress-up tea party, but that theme isn't likely to be a hit with her 12-year-old male cousin who is also at the party.

    • 3

      Make sure you pick a theme that doesn't require you to break the budget. Of course you want your child's party to be a success, but keep yourself from going overboard. Sure, you could rent a circus tent and hire a clown for your son's circus party, but you can also cover a family tent with a striped sheet and let the kids learn and perform their own magic tricks. You don't have to pay for all the kids to go to a major league baseball game in order to have a successful sports party. Instead, go to the local park and let the kids play ball themselves, then serve ballpark-style food -- hotdogs, cotton candy or nachos -- and a round white cake you've decorated to look like a baseball.

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