88+ themed birthday party ideas

Planning a birthday party requires a lot of decision-making and a whole series of large and small tasks. Fortunately, it's all a lot of fun. Party planning and preparation are even more fun and more streamlined when you have a theme. Designing all the food, decorations, activities, invitations, and other elements around a theme encourages creative and cohesive party planning—and an extra memorable party-going experience.

Themed birthday party ideas are truly endless, and you can adapt them to fit any budget, age group, party size, and setting. Whether you go for a tried-and-true motif, such as dinosaurs for a toddler party or game night for a grown-up gathering, or come up with something original, party guests just love a theme! Choose one of the themed birthday party ideas below or use them as inspiration to spark your unique idea.

Just-for-kids themes

Party planning for kids is always a pleasure. Little kids are easy to please and always ready to play. Plus, their birthday parties become milestone moments they'll remember forever. Children often like to pick their own party theme, and little ones often have strong preferences and niche interests that readily translate into themed birthday party ideas. Here are a few ideas that are great for kids.

Tip: Preserve all the best photos from your kid's birthday party in a beautiful photo book you'll treasure forever.

Dinosaur do

Dinosaurs are a very common obsession among small children, so a dinosaur party theme can be a no-brainer. Fortunately, dinosaur-bedecked party supplies are easy to find, including dino cakes, decorations, and custom dinosaur invitations. For activities, consider a round or two of pin the tail on the T-rex, a fossil dig with play sand, and a triceratops ring toss.

Pirate party

When you host a pirate party, invite kids to unleash their inner swashbucklers. Pirate boats, foam swords, pirate hats, eye patches, treasure maps, and other pirate paraphernalia all make good decorations. Send out pirate party invitations and create games like walk the plank, digging for buried treasure, and cannonball catch.

Fort-building bash

Choose a fort-building theme for a children's birthday party and let the kids' creativity, teamwork, and building skills lead to hours of fun. This activity and theme can be indoors or outdoors. Collect as many big cardboard boxes as possible and gather sheets, blankets, and pillows for the kids to build with. A castle cake is a fitting choice for this party theme.

Water park party

Summer party ideas to celebrate kids' birthdays don't get much more fun than a water park party. Look into private party options at local splash pads, or make your own on a lawn with sprinklers, water balloons, super soakers, a slip-and-slide, and an inflatable kiddie pool. Give out popsicles, and be sure to let the invitees know to wear their swimsuits.

Buggin' out

Treat your budding entomologist to a bug-themed birthday party. Butterflies, grasshoppers, ladybugs, spiders, caterpillars, and worms can all be featured as decor, and you can take this in a cute or a "creepy-crawly" direction. Serve dirt cake with gummy worms, thread grapes on skewers as caterpillar treats, and give the kids nets and magnifying glasses for a buggy scavenger hunt.

Have a "ball ball"

There's no reason ball gown-like dresses and football jerseys can't go together! Combine the theme of a fairy tale ball with every kind of ball kids love to play with. Rent a ball pit or bounce house you can fill with foam balls, or host the party at an indoor play place.

Arts and crafts party 

Most kids just love doing arts and crafts, so use that as an easy theme for a birthday party. Stock up on inexpensive arts and crafts supplies and set up various "stations" with different themes. These could include self-portrait painting at a table with some mirrors, potholder weaving, pompom making, painting ornaments, a sidewalk chalk area, and collage making with a whole array of random glue-able items. Provide smocks or aprons to all the party guests and invite them to take their creations home.

Children's character themes

Classic children's books, TV, and movie characters that the birthday boy or girl loves always make good party themes. Here are a few popular options:

• Winnie the Pooh
• "Where the Wild Things Are" - call the party a Wild Rumpus
• Dr. Seuss
• Everything Disney
• Pokemon
• Beatrix Potter
• Superheroes
• Barbie
• Bluey

More themed birthday party ideas for kids

• Rainbows and unicorns
• Mermaids
• Trucks, trucks, trucks
• Outer space
• Video games
• Pizza party with make-your-own mini pizzas

Around-the-world themed party ideas

Landscapes, cultures, and cuisines can all inspire a birthday party theme. Sometimes, these themes align with the birthday celebration—perhaps the birthday boy or girl is in love with a destination or planning a trip there—and sometimes, it's just for fun. Consider the following ideas with global flare.

Una fiesta

Draw on Mexico's many sources of inspiration — vibrant colors, festive cocktails, savory snacks, and striking decorations. Send out the fiesta party invitation and decorate with papel picado, succulents and cactuses, and bougainvillea vases. Serve Mexican sodas, set up a margarita bar, and have soft tacos pre-assembled for guests to grab. Spin some Latin music and call it a fiesta. Oh, and don't forget the piñata.

Texas BBQ

Round up all your favorite cowboys and girls for a Texas-style barbecue. Send out Mixbook's Western party invitation and ask guests to come decked out in their best Western wear. Pop some brisket in the smoker or slow cooker, then prep some slaw. Serve cold beer straight from the keg in chilled Mason jars. Spend the rest of the day stringing up Texas stars and creating playlists of campy songs like "Deep in the Heart of Texas."

Tropical island

There are many benefits to picking a tropical island theme for a birthday party. One is the excuse to serve delicious fruity cocktails or smoothies from kitschy tiki cups. Another is pretending you and your friends have escaped to a sun-drenched beach resort. Embrace that vibe with tropical party invitations, pineapple cake, palm tree and parrot decor, a limbo dance contest, and a playlist of sweet summer jams.

New Orleans Mardi Gras

New Orleans knows how to party, especially during its iconic annual Mardi Gras. Take inspiration from the city and its awesome party scene by hosting a NOLA Mardi Gras-themed birthday party. Give beaded necklaces and feathered masks to guests, serve colorful king cake and beignets, decorate with fleur de lis and tinsel, and prepare a jazz and zydeco playlist.

Posh English garden party

If your birthday party is during the summer and you have a garden space for hosting, this is the perfect excuse for a posh English garden party theme. You can also choose a similar theme for a cozy indoor high tea during any season. Outdoor games could include croquet and badminton. Serve dainty sandwiches and little cakes and cookies, plus pots of tea using china tea sets. Pimms and gin-and-tonics might also be popular among your guests. Decorate with flowers galore.

More around-the-world party theme ideas

• Beach
• Desert party with cactus invitations
• Apres-ski
• Arctic explorer
• Las Vegas
• NYC
• Rio
• Paris
• Venice
• Scottish Highland fling
• Woodland camp
• Greek Islands
• Australian Outback bash
• Serengeti safari
• Oktoberfest

Activity-themed birthday party ideas

Thinking of activities and game ideas for a birthday party can be tricky. Solve that problem by picking a birthday party theme idea that already encompasses activities. Here are some ideas.

Casino night

If you and your friends are card sharks—or even if you just like to bluff — go all in for a casino-night birthday party. Send out the casino party invitation with details about the games on the table. Set up a card table, work out the house rules for your favorite game, and let the night unfold. Add to the décor with a swath of green felt from the local fabric store for your tabletop, Vegas-style clay poker chips, and plenty of decks of cards.

Movie screening party

Make your guests feel like celebrities by hosting a movie-screening birthday party. Choose a movie or two that you think will be a hit, and consider upgrading your setup with a projector and big-screen rental. If it's warm and you're hosting a party outdoors, make it a drive-in movie theme.

Send out movie night invitations, roll out the red carpet (figuratively or literally), and prepare plenty of popcorn and sodas. For more substantial fare, choose food items that match the movie theme. Guests can dress up for a glitzy Hollywood premiere experience or wear costumes inspired by the movie.

Puzzle party

If you and your friends enjoy jigsaw puzzles, plan a low-key birthday party with a puzzle theme. Choose favorite puzzles with different numbers of pieces and difficulty levels and set each one up on a different table. Or, ask friends to each bring their own favorite puzzle.

Throughout the party, guests can move from table to table and do as much or as little as they wish on each puzzle. Put different foods and drinks on the tables to encourage guests to sit and dabble with each puzzle.

Sports shindig

Pick your favorite sport or team, or choose sports as a more general theme for a fun birthday party idea for any fan. Show classic game footage on a screen and organize a casual game or two among guests. Fortunately, it's easy to find ready-made decorations and cakes with sports themes.

Related: How to host a winning football party

Mixology mixer

If you or a friend or family member dabbles in mixology, brainstorm ideas for a mixology mixer-themed birthday party. If the budget allows it, you might hire an expert mixologist for the evening.

Stock up on booze and non-alcoholic drinks, plus garnishes, mixers, fresh fruits, juices, bitters, and sodas. Grab some cocktail shakers and interesting glassware from thrift stores, and set up the party space to resemble a cool cocktail bar. Include mocktail recipes and instructions, and serve delicious bar snacks to encourage guests to pace themselves.

Graffiti party

Are your party guests artistic types who'd love the chance to try some totally legal graffiti? Pin up some thrifted sheets or purchase drywall sheets, protect every other surface, and provide spray paints in many colors. Stencils are a good idea, too. Give guests disposable coveralls, masks, and gloves. You might like to hire a professional graffiti artist to guide the session and give everyone tips and project ideas.

More activity-themed birthday party ideas

• Retro video games
• Classic board games
• Yarn party
• Bingo!
• Circus or carnival
• Spa day
• Wine tasting

Past era-themed birthday party ideas

The aesthetics, sights, sounds, and cultural icons of past eras can be fabulous inspirations for themed birthday party ideas. Choose your favorite among the following.

1920s

The Roaring 20s are a fairly versatile decade for themed birthday party ideas. You can choose the Jazz Age, the Golden Age of Hollywood, or perhaps "The Great Gatsby" as a theme within the era's theme.

Decorate with a luxe Art Deco aesthetic, invite guests to dance the Charleston wearing flapper dresses and tuxedos, and pass around trays of fancy bite-sized hors d'oeuvres. Keep the champagne flowing along with vintage cocktails like Tom Collins and Negronis. For the soundtrack, go for jazz and big band tunes.

1950s

For fun costumes and music, it's hard to pick a decade for a party theme better than the 1950s. Poodle skirts, leather jackets, bobby socks, and slicked-back hair are among the era's coolest motifs. Some more specific 1950s theme ideas include rockabilly, sock hop, Elvis Presley, the beat poets, the movie "Grease" (and "Grease 2" if you want to get weird), and the TV show "Happy Days."

1960s

The flower children of the 1960s would have probably loved to know they'd inspire birthday party themes for years to come! Transform your party space into a hippie hangout with flowers, tie-dye, psychedelia, and a summer of love soundtrack that's truly hard to beat. Bonus points if you're playing vinyl.

1970s

The 1970s were outlandish in music and fashion, which all translates to various fun birthday party theme ideas. Go for a disco theme with dance music, big hair, sequins, and the essential disco ball decor. Or, how about a glam rock or hair metal theme? What a time!

1980s

You can apply a 1980s theme to any kind of birthday party, whether it's a dance party, pool party, movie night, roller skating party, or prom. Decorate with neon galore and ask guests to dress in the wackiest fashions of the 80s. Think backcombed, hair-sprayed hair, leg warmers, pushed-up blazer sleeves, and lightning bolt accessories. Or, take it in a different direction with a punk rocker theme. You might also pick a 1980s TV or movie theme such as "The Golden Girls" or "Miami Vice."

1990s

Yep, somehow, it's been long enough since the 1990s that the decade can inspire a retro party theme. Outfits and soundtracks might honor grunge, Brit pop, or the rave scene. Party food in the 90s was super low-key, so put out plastic liter bottles of soda, salad bowls filled with Doritos and Ruffles, and a store-bought sheet cake.

Y2K

The new millennium was a big deal and a huge night for an unforgettable New Year's Eve party. Turn that idea into your birthday party theme, which lets you pick music from both the late 90s and early 2000s. Your guests might show up in low-rise bootleg jeans, "going out" tops, ballet flats, or their best Ed Harvey shirts and trucker hats. Red Solo cups are a must for the keg and Gatorade, as are Jello shots. Dig out your early cell phones to display as table centerpieces.

More era-themed birthday party ideas

• Paleolithic party
• The Wild West
• Moulin Rouge
• Renaissance faire
• Victorian village
• Toga party

Literature, TV, movie, music, and comic book themes

Let your favorite media inspire a birthday party theme, whether it's super specific or more open to interpretation. A great example of the latter is a costume party where guests are asked to dress as their favorite book/show/movie/song character—it's so fun for everyone to guess who you are. Here are some other popular choices that fit this kind of theme.

• Fairy tales
• "Friends"
• "The Simpsons"
• Western movies
• John Hughes movies, e.g., "Pretty in Pink," "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club" (these also fit with a 1980s theme)
• Mel Brooks movies, e.g., "Young Frankenstein," "Blazing Saddles," "Spaceballs"
• Tim Burton movies/Shows, e.g., "Beetlejuice," "Edward Scissorhands," "Wednesday"
• DC or Marvel franchises
• Broadway musicals
• Shakespeare
• "Little House on the Prairie"
• "Alice in Wonderland"
• Harry Potter

Aesthetic themes for birthday parties

Birthday party theme ideas don't need to be complicated. You can make a theme out of a favorite aesthetic style or design, and simply choose or create decor, foods, and outfits that match. Here are some examples.

• A dotty party with everything polka dot
• Black and white ball (if it's good enough for Truman Capote…)
• Gold
• Rainbow
• Bejeweled, with jewel tones and gem motifs
• Neon/glow-in-the-dark
• Galaxy

Check invitations off your party planning list

After picking a theme, setting the time and place for the party, writing the guest list, and establishing any special instructions for costumes or participation (phew!), it's time to send out invitations.

Mixbook makes creating amazing custom invitations that fit virtually any birthday party theme easy. You can even start an invitation with a blank canvas and create your own thematic art and typography.

After the party's over, we'd love it if you share your customer story and inspire other Mixbookers to throw an amazing party of their own.