Childhood birthdays are unlike any others. I have fond memories of waking up on my birthday morning anticipating all the fun that was in store.
With three kids who had birthdays all in the same month, my parents really did their best to try and make each of us have individual celebrations, even if to them it felt like it was just one birthday after the next.
If you’re looking for ways to make birthdays extra special in your family, here are some fun birthday traditions to try:
Balloons/decorate the house. My mom used to decorate the kitchen with streamers and banners, and tie a balloon to our chair at the table. It was simple, yet made it feel special. I’ve seen other people who decorate their kids’ playroom, do a balloon avalanche that the kids can bust through when they open their door, and more. Make it as simple or over-the-top as you’d like!
Donuts for breakfast. There’s no limit on how many times you can sing happy birthday in one day. You can start the birthday morning with a donut, a candle, and a wish!
Family fun outing. My parents used to let the birthday kid choose something fun that the whole family could go do together to celebrate. This ranged from bowling, a trip to the movie theater, ice skating, mini golf, etc.
Dinner of their choosing. Whether it’s a home-cooked meal, or dining out at a favorite restaurant, let the birthday person pick what’s for dinner!
Birthday interview. A great way to recap the year, ask the birthday boy or girl a series of questions about themselves. You can make a video or simply write down their answers as a memory.
Birthday dessert of choice. Sometimes cake gets all the credit on birthdays. Mix it up and ask the birthday person what dessert they’d prefer. I used to always request a giant cookie or brownies instead!
Gifting/planning a future one-on-one parent date. One of the most valued gifts you can give is the gift of time. Try planning a future one-on-one parent date for the birthday boy or girl. They can “cash it in” to be used at a later date for some extra special alone time with a parent.
If you’re in the midst of planning a birthday party for your child, here are some clever birthday party theme ideas for ages one to five!
Clever Birthday Party Theme Ideas
Age One:
- Winter One-derland (winter theme)
- ONE-ce Upon a Time (fairytale theme)
- Hole in One (golf theme)
- Home One (baseball theme)
Age Two
- Two Infinity and Beyond (Toy Story theme)
- Monkey See Monkey Two (monkey theme)
- Taco TWOsday (fiesta theme)
- Two the Moon (space theme)
Age Three:
- Young, Wild, and Three (jungle/wild theme)
- Three Rex (dinosaur theme)
- Three-I-E-I-O (animals/farm theme)
- It’s Sweet to Bee Three (bee/honey theme)
Age Four:
- We All Scream Four Ice Cream (ice cream party)
- Fantastic Four (superhero theme)
- Four-ocious (dinosaur theme)
- Four-Wheeling (cars/tractor theme)
- May the Fourth Be with You (Star Wars theme)
Age Five:
- Five Guys (burgers & fries diner theme)
- Five Little Monkeys (monkey theme)
- Dive Into Five (pool party)
- Take Five (sports theme)
