Planning a party for kids can be lots of fun. Coming up with creative ideas to keep the kids entertained takes a bit of thought. Here are some great indoor and outdoor party themes and activities to make your child’s next birthday or celebration one to remember.

Indoor Party Ideas

Indoor parties work well for younger kids or when weather is an issue. Take advantage of the controlled environment inside to plan activities and decorations to match your party theme.

Arts and Crafts Party

Set up stations for different crafts like making cards, painting pottery, decorating picture frames, face painting, or making slime or playdough. Provide smocks and cover the tables. Display finished masterpieces.

Pajama Dance Party

Get the kids excited by inviting them to wear pajamas and provide glow sticks to dance in a darkened space lit with flashlights and strings of lights. Play age-appropriate music and serve popcorn and milk and cookies.

Princess Tea Party

This is a great idea for fans of Disney princesses. Make sure the decorations match the theme. Cover tables with pink or themed plastic cloths and use themed plates, napkins, and cups. Serve tea, juice and themed snacks. Play games afterwards.

Inflatable Party

Inflatable parks, also called bounce houses or jump houses provide active indoor options away from home. These facilities offer huge inflatable slides, obstacle courses, sports areas, and ball pits. A high energy party like this can provide built-in entertainment for energetic kids to bounce, slide, and play. They also take all the work out of planning activities to keep kids busy. Visit https://jumpnslidepark.com/ to find out more.

Outdoor Party Ideas

Parties held outside take advantage of space and nice weather. Outdoor locations provide more freedom but require more planning for safety considerations.

Backyard Carnival

Set up simple carnival games and activities outside like face painting, bean bag toss, mini bowling, water balloon toss, or temporary tattoos. Serve carnival snacks like cotton candy, snow cones and hot dogs.

Beach Party

Decorate the backyard or a park with beach balls, sand buckets, inflatable palm trees, and surfboards. Serve snacks in beach pails. Play beach related games like limbo and have splash contests with water balloons and squirt guns. Kids can wear swimsuits or summer clothes.

Camping Adventure

Pitch a tent and let kids “go camping” in the backyard. Serve campfire foods like heated tin foil dinners, banana boats, trail mix, and s’mores. Have flashlight scavenger hunts, tell ghost stories, chat on walkie talkies, or teach kids to whistle with blades of grass.

Get Creative

Whichever party ideas you choose, make it special with personalized touches. Send printed invitations that match the theme. Make a special cake or treats that coordinate. Play themed music. Have activities and games that match the theme. Set a festive atmosphere with lighting and decorations. Capture memories in photos taken at photo ops you set up. The key is paying attention to details that reinforce the unique theme and make it unlike any other ordinary day.

With a little creativity, you can create a memorable party on any budget that kids will talk about for weeks.