10 Ways to Throw Birthday Celebrations for Kids While Social Distancing

In this strange time of hesitant social gatherings, kids’ birthday parties are in flux. Should your kid have a celebration this year? If so, what kind? What safety precautions need to be taken? Should you invite friends and family? While birthday celebrations for kids are not exactly essential, they are developmentally important. “Social distancing does not mean social isolation,” says Graziella Simonetti, a parenting coach on Long Island. “Celebrating is injecting something joyful into a time that is tough,” she adds. “We’re so inundated with negative news, a birthday is something positive to celebrate.”

So assuming your little one is eager to party, how should you approach it, and what are the guidelines for how to throw one?

Safety Guidelines for Hosting a Birthday Party

For in-person birthday celebrations for kids, guests should follow CDC guidelines and wear masks or other face-coverings. Non-family members should remain 6 feet apart. Everyone at the party should wash their hands frequently, and surfaces should be disinfected on a regular basis, especially after the party is over. If those rules are strictly followed, parties are not impossible, as long as they are small (gatherings of up to 50 people are now allowed in New York) and they happen outdoors where there is less risk of infection.

Seri Kertzner of New York City’s Little Miss Party Planner recommends setting chairs up 6 feet apart on a nice day. “You can even mark the ground with tape or chalk to make sure everyone is aware of the perimeters.” She also urges party-throwers to set out hand sanitizer where it’s easily accessible for guests.

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If you plan to feed your guests, “either make it BYOE (bring your own everything!) or set out (in advance of your guests coming over) snacks and drinks that can be tossed right into the recycling bin or trash: Water bottles (make them special with cute water bottle labels ), individual bags of snacks, and disposable festive plates and cups,” Kertzner suggests. Make a trash can available for guests to toss their own garbage. And if you’re okay with guests using the bathroom in your home, choose one to sanitize and provide paper hand towels rather than cloth hand towels.

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If you plan to have a birthday cake, “there is no known evidence that the coronavirus is transmitted through baked goods, but when baking at home, always follow general food safety guidelines: wash hands before preparing foods and prepare foods in a clean environment,” according to Melanie Newkirk, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Nutritional Services Clinical Manager.

Whatever small gathering idea you come up with, it’s a good idea to poll guests before the invite goes out in order to make sure everyone is okay with the setup. Also, let other parents know about your intention to follow safety procedures.

10 Ideas to Throw a Socially Distant Birthday Party

Some people may still be uneasy about actually gathering kids together—and that’s perfectly okay! There are so many ways you can throw a unique celebration, whether in person (while social distancing) or virtual.

If you do choose to host a virtual celebration, the most important elements are a theme (think rainbow, farm party, unicorn, superhero) and a plan. “Nothing is worse than a boring or chaotic Zoom party!” Kertzner says. She also suggests sending out a detailed email with all relevant information and links, and perhaps asking guests to bring a specific kind of snack or drink to the party. (Or drop off treats for guests at their homes.) Finally, decorate: Use streamers, banners, and balloons to create a festive backdrop and encourage guests to do the same.

So, how will you celebrate your birthday child this year? Try one of the below ideas!

Host a Backyard Celebration

Within the above safety parameters, there are lots of possibilities to host a party at home. For example, kids can go on a scavenger hunt and meet up with their finds at a chosen location for a socially distanced celebration. One family in Westchester invited the local ice cream truck to park in their driveway to distribute ice cream cones to guests (who then mingled at a safe distance nearby). Kertzner also suggests “gathering around a bonfire with a make-your-own s’mores bar or setting beach towels or picnic blankets 6 feet apart and giving each guest their own picnic basket full of goodies to enjoy.” You could add a socially distanced Hula-Hoop contest or create targets using sidewalk chalk for a water balloon competition.

See a Drive-in Movie

Or take advantage of the newly popular summer trend: drive-in movie theaters, which are popping up all over New York. Families can arrange to meet up at a local drive-in and park near each other. Or if you have a small projector and a white sheet, set up your own outdoor movie theater for kids where they can watch from chairs or blankets placed 6 feet apart.

Plan a Drive-By Parade

Another idea? If you want to get out of the house, a drive-by is a great way to garner lots of celebratory enthusiasm. Ask guests to bring balloons, or messages for a bulletin board. Have a sign competition. Set up a table for gifts and one for goodie bags so guests can pick up and drop off without making contact. You can also ask friends to drive up to your house to sing “Happy Birthday” from a safe distance away—while the birthday girl sits on a decorated chair or throne in the front yard. For city kids, revelers can shout out their birthday wishes or hold up signs in view of an apartment window or from across the street. Or do a reverse drive-by, where the birthday kid is driven around town, stopping at friends’ houses to hear well wishes and exchange gifts.