Fun Birthday Activities For Kids To Do

Your child’s birthday is coming up, and you are looking for fun birthday activities for kids to do to keep them busy, well you’ve come to the right spot. Here I’ll be sharing birthday activities for kids to do. Whether the birthday party is a pool party, a themed party, or you have the party at a local park in this post, you’ll find fun games for little kids and older kids they’ll enjoy doing.

Some of these will be a classic game you have probably played while others may be a more simple game. Either way, these fun activities will be something your kids will enjoy doing and will be a great way of keeping them busy and happy. 

When choosing birthday activities for kids, consider their interests, age, and preferences. Of course, look for age-appropriate activities and games. So, plan accordingly.

If you’re anything like me the thought of planning a birthday party let alone trying to come up with birthday activities is not one you are fond of, but don’t worry this is why I am sharing some fun ideas for kids of all ages to do.

This way you have one less thing to worry about when planning a birthday party.

Planning a birthday party can be stressful there’s no doubt about it, but we can make it easier by making sure we have these things in place:

Get your day started early to allow a good amount of time to prepare for the party. Create a checklist of the things that need to get done, prioritize tasks, and delegate responsibilities if possible.

Opt for simpler themes and activities. Consider outsourcing certain things like catering or decorations if it helps you out.

Make sure to send out your invitations ahead of time so you can get an idea of how many party guests you’ll have.

This is crucial! If you don’t have an idea of how many guests will come you won’t be as prepared. Make sure those invitations are sent at least a good two weeks in advance if not earlier than that.

Lastly, don’t hesitate to ask for help from friends or family to share the planning responsibilities.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Outdoor Birthday Party Activities

Treasure Hunt: Hide a small treasure in the backyard or a park. Provide a map or clues for the kids to follow. The goal is for them to find the hidden treasure at the end.

This a great option for outdoor activities and better suited for young children however it wouldn’t be a bad idea for older kids too. If that is the case make a bit difficult for the older kids.

Obstacle Course: Set up a fun obstacle course with hula hoops, cones, sack races, and a ring toss just to name a few ideas. Kids can race through the course.

The best part about this is any kid can do this whether younger or older you know they’ll have a great time. If your party is at a park the large open space would be great.

Bubble Station: Set up a bubble-making station with bubble wands and solution. Kids can enjoy chasing and popping bubbles. If you don’t have the rope bubble wands you’re missing out.

That will make those huge bubbles you’ve probably seen before and will be a big hit at the party. If you don’t want to get that a bubble machine is just as fun.

Those are always a great idea. The best part is you can keep a group of kids entertained for a long period without doing much. 

Scavenger Hunt: Create a list of items for kids to find. Some examples might be a pinecone, feather, or a wildflower if outside. If indoors something like a candle, paperclip, crayon, or a ball. Provide small bags for the kids to carry while collecting their treasures. 

Sidewalk Chalk Art: Give kids chalk to create colorful drawings. This would be a good idea for a toddler birthday party. This activity will encourage the kids to use a little imagination to come up with fun drawings. 

Water Balloon Toss: Fill water balloons and have a friendly tossing competition. Kids can partner up and try to toss the balloon back and forth without it breaking. This is so much fun and the difficulty levels can vary depending on the age of the kids.

A fun way to make this more difficult would be by tossing the water balloon using their non-dominant hand, setting a time limit, blindfolding the kids, or setting up obstacles or hoops that kids must throw the water balloon through.  

Face Painting Station: Set up a face painting area with non-toxic paints. Let the kids choose designs or themes for face painting. 

Indoor Birthday Party Activities 

Photo Booth Fun: Set up a photo booth with props like hats, glasses, and boas. Kids can take fun pictures. Your kids will have a good time doing this. 

Puzzle Party: Provide various puzzles suitable for different age groups. Organize a puzzle-solving competition.

This is another fun thing to do and it can be set up somewhere in the living room if you have the space for it. Get some puzzles that go with the birthday theme. 

Balloon Pop Game: Have children run to a chair and pop the balloon by sitting on it. This can be done by having two groups line up and having the first two kids from the different lines go first. Whoever pops the balloon first gets a point for their team.

You can also have kids tie a balloon on each ankle then have kids try to pop the other kids’ balloons with their feet. The last person standing with a balloon is the winner.

If you have a large group of kids this would be fun to do. The more the better. 

Karaoke Corner: Set up a karaoke machine or use a karaoke app. Kids can take turns singing their favorite songs.

DIY Bracelet Making: Arrange a bracelet-making station with colorful beads and strings. Kids can create their custom bracelets. 

Cup Tower Challenge: Provide plastic or paper cups for a tower-building competition. Kids can work in teams to build the tallest cup tower.

Bingo: Create bingo cards with age-appropriate themes. Play bingo with small prizes for the winners. Bingo is so much fun! This would be great for kids who are roughly six years old and older kids. 

Paper Airplane Contest: Have a paper airplane-making station. Kids can design and fly their paper airplanes. Kids who have their paper airplane fly the longest get a prize. 

Mystery Box Touch-and-Guess: Place various items in sealed boxes with holes for touching. Some ideas you can put in the box are any ball, plastic toy animal, cotton balls, play dough, and a seashell. Kids guess the items by feeling.

To make it more challenging for the older kids try adding two or more items at the same time or set a time limit. 

Birthday Party Activities For Older Kids

DIY Tie-Dye Station: Provide plain white T-shirts, gloves, and a variety of tie-dye colors. This can be done outdoors as well. That way you don’t have to worry about the mess that comes from doing this. 

Have Movie Night: Set up a backyard movie screening with a projector and blankets. Make sure to include snacks and sweet treats. Maybe some ice cream as well. Throw some pillows too. What’s not to love about this? This would be great for any age group. 

Board Game: Have a selection of strategic or themed board games to play with. Some board games can be UNO, Five Second Rule, Splurt, Charades, Jenga, or Melissa & Doug Suspend just to name a few.

It all depends on the age of the kids who will be attending, but these are some fun games to keep in mind.

Sports Tournament: Organize a sports tournament with various activities like basketball, soccer, or ultimate frisbee. The older kids are going to love this. Some other outdoor games they’ll enjoy playing could be dodgeball, tug of war, or a relay race. 

DIY Pizza: Provide pre-made pizza dough and have the kids make their pizza. 

Laser Tag: This can be done at home or in a venue. This is one of those competitive games the kids are going to love playing. A larger group would be best for this, but that doesn’t mean a smaller group wouldn’t have just as much fun. 

Classic Birthday Party Activities 

Classic birthday party activities are timeless and continue to bring joy to party goers of all ages. Here are some classic ideas for birthday party activities:

Pin the Tail on the Donkey: A traditional game where blindfolded players try to pin a tail on a picture of a donkey while being spun around.

The animal can be something else. It’s not always a donkey. If this was a party for little girls it could be a unicorn or something theme-related. 

Musical Chairs: Arrange chairs in a circle, play music, and have the kids walk around the chairs. When the music stops, they must quickly find a chair to sit in. Those who do not have a chair to sit on will be eliminated. The last one standing wins. 

Piñata: Fill a piñata with candies and small toys. The blindfolded kids take turns trying to break it open. This is best if done outdoors. 

Cake Walk: Similar to musical chairs, the children walk on numbered circles. When the music stops, a number is called, and the person standing on that number wins a prize.

Bobbing for Apples: Fill a large container with water and fill it with apples. The kids try to grab apples using only their mouths.

Cupcake Decorating: Provide plain cupcakes and a variety of toppings for kids to decorate their sweet treats.

Duck Pond Game: Fill a kiddie pool with water, and place rubber ducks with numbers on the bottom. Children pick a duck and win a prize corresponding to the number. The prizes can be something like stickers, tattoos, or action figures.

Sack Race: The kids hop inside a sack and race towards a finish line. The first one to cross wins. 

Egg and Spoon Race: Kids balance an egg on a spoon and race to the finish line without dropping it. Make sure you hard boil the eggs before playing the game.

You can make this more challenging by blindfolding the kids, relying solely on verbal instructions, creating an obstacle course, or by challenging the kids to walk backwards.   

Limbo: Play the limbo by having the kids lean backward and pass under a pole without touching it or falling. This is a fun game and most of the time you already have everything on hand. So, that’s a win-win.

Bean Bag Toss: Bean bag toss is a great game for any child, but even more fun for the older kids. If parents are there I’m sure some of them will get in on the fun too.

Nerf Battle: Nerf guns are always a hit. Provide the nerf guns and lots of ammo. Set up your targets with things you already have around the house.

Something like empty plastic bottles, tin cans, or paper plates. Of course, this isn’t suitable for younger kids. Please supervise kids while playing this so no one gets hurt. 

These classic birthday party activities are not only fun but also create lasting memories for everyone involved.

Final Thoughts

As you plan your child’s birthday, remember it’s the simple things that create the biggest smiles. You can buy all the flashy things and do all the fun things, but when it comes down to it. The memories you make with your loved one is what matters the most.

Enjoy the celebration and create wonderful memories together!

I hope you found this post helpful to you. Comment down below some of your favorite birthday activities for kids to do. I would love to hear it.

Related post you might find helpful:

• The Best 6 Year Old Boy Gift Ideas
• The Best Activities To Do At Home With Your Children
• Things You Should Consider Buying For Your Children