Halloween Birthday Party Ideas
When kiddos have birthdays near holidays, they can sometimes feel like their birthdays are overshadowed by other celebrations. But what lurks in the shadows (don’t mind us, just getting into the spooky spirit!) can actually be a great opportunity for a themed party. Halloween is an especially fun one, since there are so many easy ways to incorporate the holiday’s festivities into the birthday party, and to make the birthday party extra festive with some spooky Halloween touches.
To throw a birthday party on or near Halloween, you’ll want to take all of the elements of a great Halloween bash and add in some special birthday touches. Read on for some tips and ideas for throwing your kid’s best birthday party yet, all with a Halloween-themed twist.
Pick a Theme
While Halloween can be a theme in and of itself, you can also decide to narrow in on a specific theme and go that route. This can be a way to make the party feel extra special for your kiddo if they’re totally obsessed with something right now. If they’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of Hocus Pocus 2 (who hasn’t?!), for example, pick that theme and run with it.
Invite guests to dress up like their favorite character from the flick and get ready to don your best Sanderson Sister look alongside your kiddo. Next, decorate with Hocus Pocus touches, like a cauldron, witch-hat, and broomstick garland, and a Hocus Pocus-themed bunting. You can even pick treats to go with the theme, like witch-hat cupcakes, witch finger cookies, and cauldron-green hot cocoa with whipped cream and black, orange, and purple sprinkles.
Another fun theme idea for a kids’ Halloween birthday party is popstar Halloween, complete with everyone dressing up like their favorite pop star, setting up karaoke, and putting out themed décor and treats. Think blow-up microphones and guitars, plus foods that “pop”, like Rice Krispie treats, popcorn, soda pop, and lollipops.
Host a Costume Contest
Another fun Halloween twist on a birthday party is to host a costume contest. Be sure to mention this in the invite you send out, so everyone knows to come in their very best costume. Pick prizes for first, second, and third place, and make sure you also pick out a special prize for your kiddo whose birthday it is.
If it feels like a lot of effort to pull together an epic costume while also throwing an epic party, don’t fret! You can easily come up with DIY costumes right from your own closets, like a cute One Hundred and One Dalmatians group costume. For this one, you’ll want to create a Dalmatian costume using a plain white kids' tee, a pair of white kids' leggings, and either store-bought or homemade Dalmatian pup ears. Decorate the t-shirt and leggings with black felt spots and complete the costume with white face paint, a black pup nose and a few well-placed Dalmatian spots over the white face paint base. You can even go as the Cruella to your Dalmatian with a black dress under a faux fur coat, with red shoes and a split white and black wig.
Or, you can go as your favorite Mario Kart characters. Simply layer some denim overalls over a plain red shirt with a red baseball hat for Mario, a plain green shirt and a green baseball hat for Luigi, and a sparkly pink girls’ dress with a cute paper cut-out crown for your very own Princess Peach.
Have a Halloween-Themed Pajama Party
What’s better than a pajama party? Well, a Halloween birthday pajama party, of course! Hosting a slumber party will always be a great bet for a kids’ birthday bash and giving it a Halloween-themed twist is as easy as it is festive and fun.
Make sure you specify on the invite that it’s a slumber party soiree so that parents know to pack a set of kids' pajamas and an overnight bag. Next, decorate the living room or den with some Halloween décor and plan out a few slumber party activities. You can order your kids’ favorite sleepover food (did someone say pizza, or is that just us?), queue up a few kid-friendly Halloween flicks and build a fort in the living room using blankets and throws for your kiddo and their guests to sleep under as they get cozy in their kids' sleeping bags. Also put out bowls of popcorn and a few Halloween-themed treats, like a Halloween candy charcuterie board.
Of course, it’s important to remember that you’ll want to make it feel special for your kiddo, so don’t forget to have some witch-hat cupcakes with candles or a pumpkin-shaped cake so they have the chance to blow out candles and open gifts.
By putting a Halloween twist on a kids’ birthday party, you’ll only be adding to the festivities and the fun! Just make sure to add some spooky elements as a nod to the holiday, and some special birthday elements to make sure your kiddo feels the love. With a few well-placed Halloween decorations, the right snacks, and a couple of on-theme activities, your kids’ Halloween birthday bash will be a guaranteed success.