From the high seas to outer space, your guy and his buds will love these timeless birthday party themes
Take to the high seas with a pirate-themed birthday bash. Pottery Barn’s sea and sky mural will convert the walls of any space into a vast ocean. Pirate hats and eye patches allow the crowd to get into character. Where your creativity comes in: Create a fun backyard “treasure hunt” (complete with copies of a hand-drawn treasure map) for the birthday boy and his guests to locate special surprises.
The littlest tykes will go wild for this party theme. Transform the den into a tropical rainforest where all the guests can become adorable beasts with their choice of animal mask ($6.50 for a pack of 12). Pitch this play tent on the jungle floor for a fun centerpiece.
Reach for the stars and explore the galaxy with Land of Nod’s Ceiling Solar System Kit—but make sure to look out for alien invaders!
Put the kids to work building a birthday fortress with these colorful extra-large building blocks. When it’s time for a union-sanctioned juice break, stay on theme with Oriental Trading’s festive brick party cups.
Create a Grand Central Station of your own and designate a few little conductors for the day with this beautiful and classic solid wood train set from Pottery Barn. With cardboard and some non-toxic paint, you can easily create some DIY railroad crossing signs.
Make sure your superheroes celebrate in style with bright and fun dinnerware, capes, and personalized masks—so every guest can choose which hero they’d like to be.
Bring down the house with a rock ‘n’ roll-themed party. Create a recording studio with musical-themed doorframe decorations from Party City and inflatable electric guitars and microphones—all the necessities for a rockin’ time!
With a little creativity and imagination, create a birthday bonanza high above the clouds and travel to faraway lands. Signal the way to the photo booth with aviation-themed props and fun airport signage.
No need to go far from home for this camping trip, which can be set up right in your backyard or living room. Made exclusively for Land of Nod, the Happy Camper Teepee will be the perfect home-away-from-home for little campers. For a home version of s’mores, you can roast marshmallows with a brulee torch (away from young guests, in the kitchen) and then assemble the treats on a platter to be served to eager “campers.” When it’s time for ghost stories, make sure to have lanterns on hand!
Even if you’re far from the coast, you can party it up beach-style this b-day in your own backyard. Stay active in the sun with games like Oriental Trading’s shark bean bag toss. When the kids are ready for a break, a homemade surf shack (like this printable version from Etsy) is the perfect place to refuel before getting back out into the “surf.”