5 Uncommon Birthday Party Themes

Tired of the same old princess parties and superhero bashes? Here are five fun and easy birthday party themes that are sure to keep your guests eager for more!

Up and Away

This party incorporates all things related to being…well, you guessed it—up! There needs to be balloons galore, see-saws, trampolines, remote-controlled airplanes and bubbles. The fact that this party is a bit of a hodge-podge makes it all the more exciting! Activities could include kite flying, decorating airplanes (for the younger kiddos) or paper airplane contests (for the kids that are a little bit older).
For adults, take it a step further and make it a fun dinner party. Guests are required to dress as a favorite Greek god, a flight attendant, or maybe even a swarthy hiker who has summited. Food could include items associated with being in the “upper” class, such as bouillabaisse, caviar and lobster.

Farm Life

Kids love animals, and rarely do they get to be up close and personal with them (sorry, the zoo does not count!). Have a farm-themed party and let the animals come to you! Many places have local “petting zoos” for rent that include coming to your home with several animals accompanied by a trained animal professional. If that is not an option, consider having pony rides at your home. Most cities have a local pony rental company that, again, will come to your home along with the supervision of trained professionals.

For adults, add a fun twist and make it all about being in the country. Guests are required to wear more “country” attire (overalls, plaid, cowboy hats and Hunter boots). Food should be hearty items like pot roast, mashed potatoes, green beans and corn on the cob.

Olympic Style

Every two years the glorious event of the Olympics graces our television screens as we watch in eager anticipation of our favorite athletes competing for the medal. Create your own “at-home” Olympic games that are sure to bring out the fun—and competition—in any birthday party! An obstacle course is both easy and inexpensive. If it’s during the summer months, consider incorporating water-based events to your course. Be sure to have gold medals to award all of your daring guests!

This party is equally as exciting for adult guests. You can even go so far as to have already assigned teams beforehand so as to have team jerseys waiting for all of your invitees!

Favorite State

This might be a little more difficult to pull off for kids, but this definitely is a fun birthday party theme for adults. Guests arrive dressed as their favorite state. Encourage them to get creative. For example, someone who is an avid Texas fan might come dressed as an armadillo, or an Arkansas native might come outfitted as a Walmart employee. Have fun with it!

Food should include items that are traditional to each geographic area of the country. Perhaps have sweet tea (the South), chowder (New England), a little bit of BBQ (Midwest), and even grilled salmon—the more eclectic, the more fun!

Backyard Campout

This might be a little bit of a stretch for an adult birthday party, but it is certainly something that will be thoroughly enjoyed by the younger crowd.

Guests arrive donning their favorite pj’s and carrying their favorite pillow and stuffed animal. A fresh take on the classic “slumber party” birthday, this event is held outside in the backyard. Curl up with a few blankets around a campfire and roast marshmallows. Activities could include storytelling, skits, and hide-and-seek. Later, guests sleep over—but in tents. Note: this needs to be done with adult supervision at all times as fire and sleeping outdoors is involved.

“Birthday party” does not have to translate into “creative stress inducer.” A fun and unique party is right around the corner when a little bit of thought and creativity is thrown into the mix. Whether you are in the midst of exploring colleges in Calgary and eager to throw a “favorite US state” themed party or a stay-at-home mom enthusiastic about building the perfect obstacle course for your young one, try one of these above-mentioned themes—you will not be disappointed!

Author Byline:
Annie Babbitt is a freelance writer whose interests include entertainment, fashion, and current events. Annie loves helping promote change and being an advocate for those in need. She most recently has found an interest in writing about issues related to business and education and draws inspiration for her writing from companies such as ABES.


Photos:
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Ideas for a Fun Puppy Themed Birthday Party - Food, Activities and Gifts

When it comes to birthday parties, most parents want a theme that is easy to pull off yet different. They don’t want their kid’s birthday event to be a cookie cutter version of other parties, but the idea needs to be affordable and easy to work into a busy schedule. One fabulous idea is a puppy themed party. Kids love pets, especially those who have a four-legged family member as a bestie.



Food
The main event of most birthday gatherings is the cake. Take a pic of your kiddo with their dog and have the bakery print the photo right on the cake. What child wouldn’t love eating a pic of Fido’s ear on their sugary frosting? For those that want to whip up a cake of their own, a great idea is to either dig out your kiddos small plastic dog figurines or pick some up at the local toy store. Fisher Price makes cute chunky toddler safe pups that one can use as cake and table decorations. Be sure to pull the toys off the cake before serving them, so that the birthday child can keep them as a keepsake.
Play up the puppy theme by baking up sugar cookies shaped like dog bones and puppy paws. As an added bonus, pick up frosting and sprinkles and allow the kiddos to decorate their own dog themed cookie as a group party activity.

Activities
As above, decorating cookies is fun for everyone from toddlers to adults. Other themed activities include playing dogcatcher, which is like tag. One person is the catcher, and everyone else is the pets. The object of the game is to not be tagged. If you are tagged you have to freeze until someone un-tags you.

Another activity to keep little hands busy is to set up an art station, with easels and canvas or paper, paints, and markers. Have each guest paint or color a picture of their favorite pet or animal. Guests can take home their artwork as a special memento of the day.

Guest Gifts
Kids are accustomed to leaving a party with a plastic bag full of treats, toys, and candy. One exciting way to keep with the pet theme is to skip the treat bags and have a “pet adoption” box available as guests leave. Head to your local dollar store and pick up small plush pets for $1 each. Let guests pick their pet and “adopt” them as they head out the door. You could print out little adoption certificates that the kiddos could fill out on their own to make it feel official.

Brandy Davis is a busy mom of three with a birthday party addiction. Her past work has been featured on the Pampers website, United Way, and currently on NannyTax about 5 fun birthday party activities.