This Year's Hottest Kids' Birthday Party Themes–And How to Pull Them Off

We’ve all been to (and thrown) many of the same parties: amusement parks, bouncy houses, skating rinks, movie theaters. And then there are those crafty parents who love to plan outside the box—the creative-minded few who aren’t afraid to try something new. If you and your kids are bored of the ordinary, try throwing a bash around one of these hot new birthday themes perfect for any kid–and budget. From rented tarantulas to enchanted forests, these innovative birthday parties might just inspire your next bash.

Theme One: Wild and Wilder Animals

Forget the petting zoo! Wild animal birthdays are a hot commodity. There were more than 594,000 searches for jungle-themed items on Etsy in the last six months, according to Dayna Isom Johnson, the site’s trend expert. Plus, The Bash, an event marketplace, reports that animal handlers are one of its top 10 most popular searches.

Stephanie Minkoff, a mom of five in Irvington, threw an exotic animal party for her 7-year-old twins. She used a company called Outragehiss Pets, based in Chestnut Ridge, which brought a tarantula, a fox, and a wallaby. “The company was ridiculously amazing,” she says. “The parents were in love with it, everyone was in love with it. It ended up working out really well.”

Tips: A wild animal party works best for kids between 4 and 10 years old, says Glen Cohen, who owns My Reptile Guys—a business that started when he took his pet reptiles to his kids’ school and now operates in eight cities. Most of these parties are simple affairs in someone’s home, he explains. It’s all about the animals and the entertainer, which is why it’s important to find the right one. Minkoff agrees: “If you don’t have a funny, entertaining guy, it’s just a bunch of animals and the kids are going to zone out.”

Favors: Try this Pinterest favorite: Put animal crackers in mini mason jars or clear bags and decorate them with homemade tags. Or have the kids create mini terrariums, which double as favors, says Seri Kertzner, founder of Little Miss Party, a New York events company. Another idea: stuffed animals the kids can “adopt” and take home.

Theme Two: Kidchella

Throwing your own festival became a popular trend after Kim Kardashian celebrated her daughter North’s first birthday party with a kids’ version of the famous music festival Coachella. (Etsy has recently seen a 33 percent increase in searches for festival-themed items, Johnson says.) Kardashian’s bash featured a Ferris wheel, food stands, tents, and a stage, but fear not! You don’t need to have her budget to throw your own Kidchella.

Tips: Festivals are all about the music. There are DJs out there who specialize in kids’ parties, and will do dance games and give out prizes. If a DJ isn’t in the budget, create a great playlist. You could also hire a face painter or use a tool like Blinger to decorate hair and clothes with sparkles. When it comes to décor, hang outdoor fairy lights and make your own festival signs.

Favors: Set up a craft station and make flower crowns (Little Miss Party has a great online tutorial).

RELATED: Throw a Kids Birthday Party While Social Distancing

Theme Three: Enchanted Forest

One of Pinterest’s biggest party trends of 2019 (searches jumped by 238 percent since last year, according to Johnson) is fairy forests. Think: fairy and elf costumes, toadstool seats, and lots of natural decorations like flowers, wood, grass, and moss. With all this magic, it’s a great theme to inspire little imaginations.

Tips: Summer Ticas, a Manhattan mom, brought the enchanted forest inside for her daughter Andrea’s fourth birthday party. She used online tutorials from Pinterest to create trees out of twisted green and brown craft paper, and fairy lanterns using jars and glitter. She then sourced fairy garden miniatures (think mini-houses and toadstools) to decorate. For activities she set up craft stations for kids to make fairy dust necklaces and mini terrariums they could take home.

Favors: Ticas made fairy tutus, wands and wings, elf hats, and capes for her daughter’s guests. The kids loved running around the enchanted forest in their fairy garb. Plus, Pinterest has some great DIY fairy houses, which could work as favors.