Themed Birthday Parties: Great Ideas for Elementary School Students

Parents have to deal with so much pressure when it comes to birthday parties, that we thought we’d help you out with some fun, easy and sometimes educational birthday party themes.

Mad Scientist Party

Lab coats, goggles and wigs make this a fun dress-up affair. You can use dry ice to create smog (keep this out of reach of the party attendees) and use food coloring to make weird colored drinks and snacks. Let the students do their own experiments like Mentos in Cola, baking soda volcanoes and make your own homemade slime (recipe here). You can also make your own lave lamps for a great take-home gift (see post here).

The Amazing Race Party

You can play this amazing party game in park or your backyard. Start by showing students how to tell direction. Do this by looking at the sun, at a compass or at signs that you put up. Then hide clues in a scavenger hunt which each team has to find. Whenever they find a new clue, the team gets treats or small gifts. The winners get a grand prize to take home. Use a traveling theme for the rest of the party. A traveling theme can include games like piñata safari, pin the traveller on the world map and food from all over the world.

World’s Best Chefs

Most students enjoy getting their hands dirty in the kitchen. This party can be as sophisticated or as simple as you like. You can divide the party guests into teams and get them to make all the party snacks or you can keep it simple and decorate cupcakes, cookies or make gingerbread houses.

Teaching students how to cook and bake is a valuable life skill and while it takes planning and coordination, at least you won’t have to make any party snacks!

Magic and Mayhem

Black cloaks and witches hats are all you need to make this Harry Potter party theme work. Get each student to decorate their own capes with stickers, glitter and stars. Have a couple of broomsticks for riding and balls for playing quidditch. Hang a piece of crepe paper or wrapping paper that is printed with a brick pattern over the doorway and cut into wide strips. This will be platform 9 ¾ that students can run through every time they go out. You can also get each student to make their own wands and decorate them with craft supplies and paint.

Charity Bash

If your student loves volunteering, you can invite friends and family members to participate in a fun charitable event. You can plant trees, do a nature clean up, or raise funds for charity by bringing old items and toys for a group garage sale. Students can also help out at a local soup kitchen or food bank.

Maker’s Fair

Get students to make cool items from upcycled or recycled goods. Make bike lights out of deodorant sticks (see plan here) or a vibrating robot bug (see plans here). They can even make simple LED throwies which are perfect for birthday party decorations.

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