Spring is a great time to party! If your child has a spring birthday, count yourself lucky. Everyone is ready to celebrate as they emerge from the cold of winter. If it’s warm enough, you can try these summer party options. And check out our winter birthday party ideas, too—many of them can work for any season.
Here are five spring themes to get the creative juices flowing!
1. Farm Party
Can’t get to the farm this spring? Bring the farm to you. Create barn-door invitations. Whip up some marshmallow sheep cupcakes inspired by Baking With Lisey. For a savoury snack, serve deviled egg “chicks” and ants on a log.
Encourage kids to come dressed as their favourite farm animal. Set up a farm-themed photo area where you can snap a picture of all the little piggies, cows, and ducks. Create animal ears for a fun craft activity.
Do some apple bobbing, play pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey (or cow?) and animal charades. If it’s warm enough outdoors, hold a wheelbarrow race for older kids or take little ones on “hay rides” in a wagon.
Loot-bag ideas: cow socks, farm animal figurines, stickers, mini stuffed animals
Variation: Baby Animals Party
Play a trivia game where kids guess the correct name for different types of animal babies: a baby lion is a cub, a baby kangaroo is a joey, and so on. (Kids who’ve read Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? will have a head start!)
Decorate with all manner of animal banners, stuffed animals, and balloon animals. Create a playlist with all of the animal-themed songs you can find (“No More Monkeys,” “Going To the Zoo”) and go wild. See our farm party for more animal-inspired ideas.
Loot-bag ideas: DIY animal t-shirts, baby animal stickers, animal-nose masks, baby animal figurines
2. Garden or Planting Party
Kids can get their hands dirty at a gardening party! Let them decorate their planting pots, then plant their own flowers or other plant. This activity doubles as a party favour.
Send out invitations printed on seed paper, or make your own seed paper with older kids.
Chocolate “dirt” pudding cups with gummy worms never fail to delight. And all manner of fruits and veggies from the garden, served in berry containers or baskets fit the theme. These hummus pots with vegetables are the perfect idea. Ladybug cupcakes are a great idea, too.
Loot-bag ideas: seeds and kids’ gardening tools (see this awesome gardening loot bag from Andrea at Heavy Petal), small potted plant, watering can
3. Tea Party
Something about flowers blooming and the promise of warmer weather makes us crave a fully decked-out, honest-to-goodness tea party. And what better excuse to buy a tiny tea set?
Send Victorian-style invites and ask kids to wear their Sunday best and bring a teddy bear “plus-one”!
Gather all the pastel-coloured tulle, garlands, balloons, ribbons, and hanging tissue paper flowers you can find for décor. Lay pretty blankets out on the floor for a picnic-style tea party, or set up several small tables (borrow from your child’s friends if you can). Look for mismatched fancy cups and saucers from second-hand stores.
To eat and drink: assorted tiny sandwiches, scones, tartlets, mini cupcakes…and tea of course! (For kids, try rooibos, chamomile, hibiscus, or fruit teas—opt for simple one- or two-ingredient teas.) Serve honey on the side.
Fun and games: make-your-own fancy party hat, musical chairs—a classic!—or decorate your own cups.
Loot-bag ideas: child-safe herbal tea (rooibos is a good bet), decorated cups, tea cookies, pretty hair accessories, mini teddy bears, old-fashioned candy
4. Baseball Party
Now up to bat: baseball season! Warm up for the big day with game-day ticket invitations. Baseball party decorations can be themed around your child’s favourite team colours, or just go with blue and white, plus baseball banners, pennants, and a giant chalkboard scoreboard (DIY with chalkboard paint). We also love the baseball card banner idea.
Baseball party food and drink are no-brainers: just do what the big leagues do. (Maybe just slightly healthier versions.) Hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, pizza, sparkling juice (instead of soda). Take inspiration from the millions of baseball cakes and cupcakes out there or follow this baseball cake pops tutorial from Courtney at Sweet C’s Designs. Or you could just make the most amazing baseball cake we’ve ever seen. (Wow!)
Keep kids busy with baseball aim games (throw the ball through the hoop, etc.), baseball bingo, match the mascot to the team trivia game, or any variation on baseball itself.
Loot-bag ideas: mini baseballs, baseball cards, caps, Cracker Jacks, baseball cake pops, team paraphernalia
5. Cinco De Mayo Party
Even if your child’s birthday doesn’t fall on or around May 5, you can take inspiration from this colourful holiday. A piñata is a must and makes for an activity and adds to the decor.
Ask kids to dress in bright colours and decorate the party with rainbow streamers, colourful hanging paper fans, and Mexican cut-paper banners.
For activities and games, have kids make DIY shakers and maracas, pin the sombrero on the birthday girl or boy, The food for a Cinco de Mayo party? That’s easy: all things Mexican! We love this Mexican-flag guacamole idea. And if your child won’t fully appreciate a tres leches cake, try these filled piñata cookies or churro cupcakes (yes, please!).
Loot-bag ideas: maracas, luchador masks, mini sombreros
Make party planning easier: browse our Toronto/GTA birthday party resources directory.
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