With kids out of school, summer birthdays offer the perfect opportunity to stimulate your child’s imagination and creativity. Here are ten ideas to have a sensational summer bash that combine crafts, experiences, and themed play.
A Swashbucklin’ Pirate Party
Make your own birthday invitations to look like a treasure map and ask all the kids to dress up in pirate-themed attire. Pirate photo props are perfect to have on hand, so kids can take their own silly, swashbuckling photos! You can also make your own photo props—just draw and cut out mustaches, beards, an eye patch, and a pirate hat out of construction paper and glue them onto popsicle sticks. Hide pieces of candy and small prizes around the house and ask the kids to go on a quest to find the “buried” treasure.
A Trip to the Zoo
For kids who love animals, celebrate with an animal-themed zoo birthday party that includes a trip to your local zoo! Ask kids to bring a favorite animal book with them so they can find the animals in their book as they visit the different exhibits. A book such as My Very Own Name features 62 different animals, so kids can learn to spell their name and discover a variety of animals. Back home, have kids make their own animal masks using paper plates. Just cute out two holes for eyes, attach a string around each side of the plate to secure on the head, and decorate with construction paper, markers, and glitter!
Princess for a Day
Crown your child prince or princess for a day with a royal birthday celebration! Find inspiration in a personalized storybook such as Princess or My Royal Birthday Adventure. For the birthday meal, kids can partake in a tea party with cheese and peanut butter finger sandwiches. And since no royal party is complete without a crown, birthday guests can make their own crowns and tiaras using construction paper, tape, and decorative accessories. Just cut out three-inch strip of paper and cut triangles along one edge. Then, tape the two ends together to make a circle. Finally, decorate with glitter, stickers, markers, and more!
Fun with Farm Animals
Summer is a perfect time to take advantage of the beautiful weather and take a trip to a farm or local petting zoo! Kids will love petting and feeding the animals, going on pony rides, and learning about farm life. At the end of the trip, continue the farm fun with the personalized storybook My Farm Friends!
A Family Road Trip
Instead of managing a large birthday party, go on a family road trip for the day and discover what your state has to offer! Visit small or important landmarks, stop by a funny sign to take a family photo, and make lasting family memories you will treasure. Not sure where to visit on your next family adventure? Spark some ideas with the personalized storybook My U.S.A. Road Trip, which takes your child on a fun and factual trip across America.
Dino-Mite Fun at the Museum
Journey back to the time of the dinosaurs on a trip to the science museum, where you can see dinosaur fossils and learn about different types of dinosaurs! After your excursion, organize a dinosaur egg hunt and hide large plastic eggs around your home! Fill the eggs with candy and small toys for a special birthday surprise! You can continue the fun during storytime with My Dinosaur Egg Hunt.
Blast Off to Outer Space
Is your little one a budding astronaut? Get your child excited with the 1-2-3 Blast Off With Me Personalized Book and then take your little explorer on an out-of-this-world birthday adventure! Travel to your local planetarium or space center, where birthday party guests can learn all about outer space.
A Magical Fairy Party
Invite your party guests to come wearing their best fairy outfit or provide some fairy wings and tutus for them to wear. Face painting is a great way to transform your little fairies, with plenty of magical glitter! And no fairy is complete without a magic wand! Have the kids make their own wands by gluing foam stars to craft sticks, and decorate them with glitter, ribbon, and stick-on gems. Find additional inspiration for your fairy tale birthday party with the My Very Own Fairy Tale Storybook.
Visit Your Local Animal Humane Society
Would your child love to spend time with animals on their birthday? A trip to the local humane society is a great way to cuddle with furry friends and support a non-profit to help animals in need. Many shelters also offer youth reading programs, where kids can read to the shelter animals. This activity comforts the animals and helps your child build reading skills and compassion. Surprise your little dog lover with a personalized storybook starring your own pet, If My Dog Could Talk—which gives back to the nonprofit Homeward Pet in Washington state with the code HOMEWARD!
A Race Car Party
Fulfill your child’s dream of racing down the speedway with a race car-themed birthday party! Take your little party guests Go-Kart racing and finish the day outside, racing cars down your driveaway. Give your aspiring race car driver a uniquely personalized birthday gift with Speedster, a book that turns your child into the speed racing star of the story!
