Birthday theme ideas for 11 year olds: 15 Birthday Party Ideas for 11 Year Olds
Posted on15 amazing 2nd birthday party ideas
While your child’s 1st birthday may have involved little more than party hats and their very first cake, you’ll need to up the ante when they turn 2. Not only will your little one be more active and social this year, they’ve also developed their own unique tastes—3 things that make for a perfect guest of honour!
Before you send out invitations for your toddler’s big day, consider these helpful 2-year-old birthday party tips.
Cater—literally—to 2-year-olds
If there’s one thing toddlers unanimously love, it’s snacks, so be sure to have plenty of safe and nutritious foods available for munching at your toddler’s birthday party.
Parents should keep the food simple, healthy, and child-friendly. Sliced fruit, yoghurt cups, and finger foods like chicken nuggets or mini sandwiches are great ideas.
Be sure to find out if any kids attending have food allergies, so you have options available for them as well.
Time it right
Remember: most 2-year-olds still nap, so be mindful of the time you’re having the party. The ideal time to host it is in the middle of the day, sometime after their nap. If a party is too close to either side of naptime, party guests—as well as the birthday boy or girl—may be feeling a little sleepy and/or cranky.
Another timing issue to keep in mind? Attention spans! Two-year-old birthday parties should be kept brief, as toddler attention spans are short: 2.5 to 3 hours is plenty, and this should include playtime, some activities, and cake.
Keep it interactive
While 2-year-olds will be delighted to see other children and people they love, don’t expect them to entertain themselves—or sit still for too long.
At 2, attention spans for crafts aren’t quite there yet, so interactive entertainment is usually the best way to keep them amused. Anything that adds a fun and unique touch, such as balloon artists, bouncy castles, or costume characters, is sure to be a hit.
Have stations
Stations that allow toddlers to play together are great, but make sure there is one of each item per child to avoid territorial squabbles occurring.
Also, each game or station should be run by at least 2 adults: one running the game and the other tending to the children and making sure that they take turns.
Keep it contained
Parents who have toddlers know to keep an eye on kids at all times. Nonetheless, it’s important to keep the party area safe and well-secured, since this age group is always on the go.
Whether you’re having a birthday party at home or renting a space at an indoor venue or outdoor park, keep the area well-defined, and make sure at least one parent is making sure to tend to their children. Toddlers are constantly on the move, and the pressure the hosting parents’ feel to keep all the kids safe is huge.
Pick what your child loves and stick to it
Be it a favourite book, show, or activity, all 2-year-olds have their thing—so use it.
Choose a theme based on whatever captures your child’s imagination most. Then, carry that theme throughout the party—from the invitations to the party bags to, of course, the cake.
Now for the fun stuff. Here are 15 amazing 2-year-old birthday party ideas.
1. Petting zoo
A petting zoo is always a huge crowd favourite with this age group. But if the word “zoo” sends your mind into overdrive and you’re imagining ponies trampling all over your azaleas, don’t worry—there are plenty of small-scale petting zoos (think bunnies and chicks) available for kids’ parties.
2. Bouncy castle
When it comes to 2-year-old birthday ideas, it doesn’t get much better than a bouncy castle. Jumping up and down in a soft, colourful structure for an hour straight? That’s any toddler’s dream.
3. Bubble party
Bubble parties are fun and super easy—and there’s more to them than just soap and water. In addition to blowing and chasing bubbles, kids (and adults!) can also pop bubble wrap. Talk about a sensory sensation!
4. Sandcastle party
If you can’t make it to the beach for your 2-year-old’s birthday party, don’t worry. They—and all of their friends—will have just as much fun making sandcastles in a sandbox or sand table in the garden.
Just be sure to have enough buckets and shovels for everyone!
5. Art party
Whether they’re colouring, finger painting, or drawing on the patio with chalk, an art-themed party is a great way for any 2-year-old to spend a few hours. (And it’s very cheap, too!)
6. Circus party
Image via Annachiara Canelli Cake/Instagram
If you’re feeling ambitious, a circus-themed party will provide the opportunity for plenty of toddler-friendly activities. Think popcorn, clowns (if your child isn’t scared of them), and lots of red-and-white-striped decor.
7. Character party
Image via Just4Fun Mascots/Instagram
Hiring your child’s favourite character to come play games and sing songs with the kids won’t just entertain the little ones, it will give you a break, too. At the end of the day, you want to be able to spend time with the kids and enjoy the party, not run around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to manage everything the entire time. Check out the characters at Enchanted Entertainment.
ca for inspiration—there are some real crowd favourites in there, like Tinkerbell, Elsa, and Spiderman, to name just a few!
8. Face painting party
Bunnies, tigers, and butterflies—oh my! For the 2-year-old age group, face painters are always a big hit.
9. Rainbow party
There are about a zillion different things you could do for a rainbow-themed birthday party. And don’t just think about decor—think cakes, cupcakes, goodie bags, and even multi-coloured sensory bins!
10. Favourite book party
@yaneisyfernandez2 ♬ original sound – Yaneisy Fernandez129
Does your child have a book they ask you to read over and over? Why not turn it into the theme for their party? Think of all the snacks you could offer at a “Very Hungry Caterpillar”-themed party!
11.
‘Sesame Street’ party
Image via Anna’s Sweet Treats/Instagram
From the decorations to a possible character visit, the options for a “Sesame Street”-themed party are endless. And of course you need a cute cake to go with it, like this one from Anna’s Sweet Treats.
12. Water play party
If you’re looking for summertime 2nd birthday party ideas that will keep everyone cool, what about a water play party? Kids will love splashing around in kiddie pools and sprinklers, and playing with toys at a water table.
13. Balloon artist
Few things will widen a 2-year-old’s eyes like a long balloon being feverishly turned into a poodle. Hiring a balloon animal artist is a great way to keep kids entertained, and they make for adorable party gifts.
14. Construction-themed party
Image via Kayla Block/Instagram
Traffic cones for decoration, mini hard hats as party bags, toy trucks filled with snacks—there are so many ways to bring construction-themed parties to life.
Check out these adorable bulldozer cookies from Kayla Block—a must!
15. Ball party
A ball-themed party? Yes, really.
Old-fashioned activities go down really well with this age group: building blocks, sandboxes, simple relay races and basic playthings, such as inflatable balls that are easy to kick and throw about.
And in keeping with the theme, a kiddie pool filled with colourful plastic balls is guaranteed to give toddlers a fun time—as well as some seriously good photo ops.
32 Pool Party Ideas for Kids (Invitations, Decor, Games)
Pool parties are an excellent way to celebrate birthdays, graduation, or just to break up the long hot days of summer. However, coming up with a theme or ideas for invitations, decor, and food to link with your theme can be time-consuming.
To help you out, here are our mom’s favorite pool party ideas for kids.
png» data-bluf-heading=»Key Takeaways»>Key Takeaways
- Choose a pool party theme such as beach, character, sports team, water wars, or color combos for better planning and coordination.
- Create unique invitations with themed cut-outs, inflatables, free software, or pre-party favors to excite guests about the event.
- Decorate the party area with affordable and reusable items like beach ball arches, pool noodle garlands, jellyfish lanterns, or flip-flop signs.
- Serve party food that is easy to prepare and matches the theme, such as Rice Krispie treats, fruit kebabs, or other colorful treats.
Table of Contents
- Pool Party Theme Ideas
- Invitations
- Pool Party Decor Ideas
- Pool Party Food Ideas
- Games to Play at a Pool Party
- Entertaining Adults at a Pool Party
- Pool Party Favors
- Top Tips for Hosting a Pool Party
- Make a Splash
Pool Party Theme Ideas
Begin with a theme, and you’ll have a starting point on which to base the rest of your pool party planning.
This can be as simple as having a color scheme to dye drinks, decorate food and choose decor.
Some of our favorite pool party themes are:
1. A Day at the Beach
We’re huge fans of beach-themed pool parties because it’s straightforward to pick up decor, accessories, and other items at dollar stores. It’s also easy to pick them up online.
Think of things you take to the beach like towels, beach balls, and floaties, then build your party on those. You can also use items that feature sea creatures found at the beach, such as starfish or jellyfish.
2. Characters
If your child has a favorite character such as Moana or Spongebob Squarepants, you can capture that adoration with a party theme.
This is an excellent tactic for making the most of your budget. You can choose basic, more affordable, non-character items for most decor and add a few things such as a character cake.
3. Sports Team Party
If you have a child in sports, build your pool party theme around the game or activity they love.
A quick Google search of “[your sport] foods” will throw up dozens of cute or clever party foods with which to build out your party. Another search for printables will often give you plenty of ideas for signs and labels for your food and drink.
4. Water Wars
Pool party themes can lean toward the pretty or the fancy. When you have kids who are more muddy and dirty, then a water-wars-type party is a great option.
Begin by finding some affordable water pistols and build the colors for the rest of your party from there.
5. Schools Out
Not every pool party is a birthday party, and this Schools Out theme can easily be adapted for a general pool party to break up the long stretches of summer break.
We particularly like the idea of prepping a lunch box for each child to grab and snack from. This prevents the quieter kids from missing out on all of the good stuff when they hang back at snack time.
6. Color Combos
The most simple pool party theme is color.
Choose two or more complementary colors and use them as the basis for all of your decorations, food, and party props. Breaking up the colors with some white accents will help to stop them from becoming overwhelming.
We find that going to the store and finding a fun color frosting works well, as this makes it easy to create food for your theme.
7. Under the Sea
You can easily create an Under the Sea pool party.
Lots of blue and green streamers give a watery look to your party area, and blue and green partyware carries the theme through to your decorations. Scatter plastic seashells and cute fishes for a pretty look, or add rocks and sharks for a less cute look.
Invitations
Invitations are an excellent way to kick off your pool party theme. Here are some ideas for inviting invitations.
8. Themed Cut-outs
No matter what the theme of your pool party, you can make a cut-out invitation to match. In this case, it is a cute, glittery flip-flop, but it’s just as easy to make a cut-out shark, water gun, or seashell, etc.
This is also a fun activity to get your child involved in planning.
9. Inflatables
If you have the time and the patience, pool floats are a fun way to create your pool party invites. We say time and patience because you’ll have to inflate the floats, write the information on them, then deflate, fold, and package.
10. Free Software
Create a fun invite online with a free, online graphics creation software like Canva. They have multiple templates that you can either use as-is and just add your party information or use as a base and get creative with your own graphics, fonts, and more.
11. Get to Etsy
Etsy is an excellent resource for finding ready-made invitations on which you can write the party details yourself. However, you can also source some awesome personalized invites that look like a professionally printed item without the high price point.
We particularly like these cute admission tickets that create an event vibe.
12.
Pre-Party Favor
Get your guests ready for the fun by sending them a pre-party favor as an invite.
In the picture above, it’s water guns with a written invite, but you can send flip-flops, a towel, or anything else that links to the theme of your pool party.
13. Printables
The internet is awash with free and low-cost printable invitations, and this is one of our favorite pool party invite examples.
Super simple to print and create, these cute invitations take five minutes to make but look like you labored for hours. You can use any color cardstock for the base, so it’s also easy to use your party’s color scheme.
Pool Party Decor Ideas
We aren’t fans of elaborate decorations that are done after one use. Instead, these are our favorite ideas.
14. Beach Ball Arch
This type of beach ball arch looks like something a professional party planner has made. However, you can put one together for a couple of bucks using low-cost beach balls or floats and some tape.
Even better, once your guests are all inside, you can deconstruct the arch and give everyone a piece each.
15. Pool Noodle Garlands
These pool noodle garlands are a fabulous way to color coordinate your decor without breaking the bank. They are fun to make with the kids ahead of time, and when the party’s over, you can either let the kids take them home to play with or deconstruct them for crafts.
16. Jelly Fish Lanterns
We found these jellyfish lanterns available for sale, but they would also be easy to replicate at home, with minimal materials.
What we love about these pool party decor pieces is that they are pretty enough to use in a child’s bedroom, so you could make them, decorate with them, and then give each guest one as a parting gift.
17. Flip-Flop Signs
Use flip-flops to create signs for your party, and you have an affordable on-theme decor piece that anyone can make.
If you are especially smart about it and buy flip-flops in various sizes, you can also have footwear for the kids this summer and for plenty of summers to come.
Pool Party Food Ideas
We’re moms with too much to do. Our favorite way to create party foods is to use a color scheme to quickly coordinate with the rest of the party. However, we also adore these pool party foods either as-is or as a base for other, similar items.
18. Rice Krispie Treats
Use either homemade or pre-bought Rice Krispie treats, dip them in chocolate, candy melts, or even frosting, and add some candies to create an on-theme party food. In this case, it’s a beach party theme with teddy bears in floats, but you could adapt the idea for your party.
19. Fruit kebabs
A quick and easy option that provides a healthy alternative to other sugary party foods, fruit kebabs are a tasty treat for all age groups.
They have the added advantage of being flexible as you can use whatever fruits are in season or coordinate the fruit colors for your party’s color scheme.
20. Jello Pots
The upside to jello pots is that you can use any color you like, add fruit or candies, and use almost any kind of decorations.
You can also create cute signs with clever puns.
The downside is that they create lots of waste, and you may not want a gang of rowdy kids running about with pots of jello.
21. Themed Cookies
One of the most flexible options is to create cookies that align with your pool party theme.
There are cookie cutters out there for almost every shape you can think of, or you can use something more generic and have fun mixing up the decoration details.
22. Summer Sand Pudding
If you can get the kids to sit down for long enough, these summer sand puddings are adorable pool party food with a beach party twist.
Made from vanilla pudding and crumbled cookies, it couldn’t be easier to recreate. The clean-up afterward is a different matter, though!
Games to Play at a Pool Party
We suggest keeping organized games to a minimum and letting the kids enjoy the water. These are all great ways to keep the kids entertained.
23. Prize Ball
Get a big bag of low-cost, smallish, lightweight plastic balls.
Draw a small star on one ball, preferably in the same color but a different shade, so it is not too noticeable.
Throw all of the balls into the pool, and the guest who finds the ball with the secret mark wins a prize.
24. Flip-Flop Craft
Some kids will enjoy this simple flip-flop craft — and because it’s affordable and easy to set up, so will you. It’s a quieter activity, the kids will enjoy themselves, and they have something to take home.
Layout a pair of flip-flops for each child along with some coordinating fabrics, pompoms, plastic seashells, or other decorative items.
25. Pool Noodle Horses
You can either set these pool noodle horses up ahead of time or have a make-your-own pool noodle horse as a party activity.
Kids can then enjoy themselves riding or chasing each other on their horses, and they’re suitable for both in and out of the pool.
26. Water Balloon Toss
Create an enjoyable water balloon toss game that goes with your pool party theme.
For younger children, it can be a game where they aim for any shape and can throw as many balloons as they like. You can make it more competitive for older kids by adding scores to certain holes and limiting the tries. It also makes for a good team activity that adults can join.
Entertaining Adults at a Pool Party
If you have adults at the party, consider these options.
27. Photo Booth
Either print and cut out, or buy themed props and have a fun photo booth corner. A painted sheet makes for an affordable backdrop, and adults can go it alone or take photos with the kids.
If you want to get clever, use the photos to create keepsakes and send them after the party.
28. Grab a Pool
Sometimes the best adult entertainment is being able to sit quietly and do nothing but relax. So why not set up a spot with an adults-only inflatable pool, some drinks, and some shade?
The pool doesn’t even have to be big enough to get into. Just a spot where you can cool off with your feet in the water does the trick just as well.
29. Adult Food & Drinks
Don’t expect the adults to jostle among the kids for candy treats and cutesy, themed snacks. Instead, create an area for adult snacks, with grown-up food you can prepare ahead of time.
The same goes for drinks. Skip the beers and go for fancy, virgin cocktails.
Pool Party Favors
Invites or decor that double as party favors are best, but other ideas include:
30. Party Pail
A bucket and spade filled with either snack, little gifts, or a combination of the two can be the ideal themed pool party favor. Bulk them out with color-coordinated tissue to limit the number of items you need to fill the pail.
31. Totes
For older children or an additional adult gift, plastic totes with snacks make an affordable and attractive pool party favor. You can color coordinate the tote and contents for a sophisticated feel.
Items like low-cost themed jewelry, hair bands, and sunscreen are good options for filling the bags.
32. Towel Bundles
We adore these towels, sunhat, goggles, and “I-D card” people as pool party favors. You can make them as grown-up or child-like as possible.
Use character sunglasses and hats and color-coordinated towels to create a gift that is guaranteed to remind your guests of what a great time they had.
Top Tips for Hosting a Pool Party
Make a Splash
The best pool party is going to be one where the guests have a good time. To ensure yours is a fun party, think about what your child and their friends enjoy and build the rest of the party around that.
Don’t try to over-plan or over-structure your party. Make a place for the adults, and do as much as possible ahead of time, so you also have the opportunity to relax and have some fun too.
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Unusual themes for a child’s birthday, thematic design of a children’s birthday
Organizing a children’s event is a difficult task.
You can entrust the whole process to professionals, or you can, if time permits, immerse yourself in creativity. It’s exciting, along the way, you can put a tick in the line «good mom.»
Thinking over the theme for the child’s birthday in advance. Here you will find options for themes for a child’s birthday and ways to design a children’s birthday that can be used to hold a unique holiday.
How to celebrate a child’s birthday in the style of «WINX»
«Winx» is a favorite theme for a child’s birthday, for all little birthday girls aged 4-8 years. The design of the children’s birthday should be in pink colors, you will also need fairy costumes, a cake with cream flowers and ice cream. The table can be decorated with a festive tablecloth with attached figurines of fairies. A couple of competitions for fairies, gifts — and the birthday was already a success!
Themes for the child’s birthday — «Smurfs»
The room is decorated in white and blue colors.
Make two-color paper garlands with your child, and hang bundles of white and blue balloons on the walls. Ideally, decorate a festive cake with mastic with a cartoon character drawn. We dress up guests in hats in the style of «The Smurfs».
Pirate style birthday party at home
Pirate style birthday party is more suitable for boys. Decorating a children’s birthday in a pirate style is simple: the apartment turns into a pirate ship, the birthday boy turns into a captain, and guests turn into a formidable pirate crew. Everyone puts on pirate costumes and goes on a treasure hunt, boarding ships or fishing. When decorating a children’s birthday, do not forget to draw a treasure hunt map. And of course, hide this very treasure in a secret place. Girls can play kidnapped princesses. Costumes are made from vests, skull bandanas, toy knives and guns.
Children’s birthday party decoration on the JUNGLE theme
All children love to transform into animals.
Simple carnival costumes can be made by hand. To arrange such a children’s birthday, you need to turn the apartment into a jungle. Paper grass attached to baseboards, bright flowers and colored paper butterflies pasted on the walls will help here. You can complement the decor with balloons and green garlands. A table with a green tablecloth and a cake in the form of a snake will fit perfectly into the decor.
Another theme for a child’s birthday is PAJAM PARTY
Girls from 11 years old will appreciate the pajama party. Who does not dream of spending a few hours at home, watching their favorite films, participating in naive but fun contests. All you need for a successful party is a DVD player, bright blankets, books with chilling stories, board games, or rather “floor” or “bed” games. The choice of movies and music is still up to you.
Fairy tale theme for a child’s birthday — «PRINCESS»
Every girl from 4 to 9 years old wants to be a beautiful princess from a fairy tale.
The apartment is decorated with flowers and draperies made of airy fabrics. Above the table, you can hang a canopy from a light bedspread, attach flowers and butterflies from colored cardboard to the walls. Order a cake in the form of a fairy-tale castle, you can use ice cream. After all, real princesses eat only ice cream. A princess costume is a beautiful dress, preferably pink, with a crown or tiara.
CREATIVE CLASSES
A master class is a good idea for a very small company of 3-5 people and a room not suitable for active pastime. Children willingly take part in culinary master classes, make paper crafts, candy bouquets, learn to take pictures.
Decorating a children’s birthday party on the theme «COSMOS»
An exciting theme for a birthday party for a child aged 7+. You can turn an apartment into a space station with the help of electric garlands suspended from the ceiling, imitating the starry sky and balloons of different sizes.
