All birthdays should be fun and festive, but there’s something distinctive about your little one turning five. Because it’s considered a “hallmark” year, you may be motivated to step it up a bit and make your child’s celebration extra special.
However, coming up with ideas can be a bit challenging. Don’t worry if you don’t consider yourself a powerhouse of creativity. The party ideas below will get your creative juices flowing!
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Memorable 5th Birthday Party Ideas
Perhaps you’re ready to start planning, but you are concerned that you’ll invest time and money only to have your child’s 5th birthday go by in a blur. If your goal is to make this special day particularly memorable, consider one of the following ideas!
1. Petting Zoo Fun
It’s almost impossible to find a youngster who doesn’t love animals. If you take the group to a petting zoo for your child’s 5th birthday, all you’ll have to do is keep your eye on everyone: the rest of the party will take care of itself!
Most petting zoos have food vending containers, so make sure you take some change so that your little party animals can feed their furry friends.
Petting zoos are often free or low-cost, so there’s no need to break the bank for this unforgettable 5th birthday party destination.
2. Have a Circus of a Party
If your budget allows and travel time is not excessive, consider taking your little guests to their first circus for your child’s 5th birthday.
Children never forget this experience, and neither will you! Keep your cell phone or camera close to capture the unique and enjoyable memories you’ll create at this event.
Depending on ticket costs in your area, you may not be able to spring for everyone. If this is the case, ask the other parents to purchase their child’s ticket in place of a birthday gift, and make your youngster’s present the circus itself.
3. Dinner and a Movie
Virtually all children love going to the theater to see the latest Disney movie or similar flick. Why not treat the youngsters to some pizza and then head to the big screen for a few hours of fun entertainment?
Most theaters give group discounts, so even if your little one has lots of guests, the cost of the tickets and a few pizzas should fall in the modest price range.
However, the memories of their “night out on the town” will be priceless!
4. Grown Up Enough to Shop
For a unique and interesting 5th birthday party, take your group of youngsters on a shopping trip. All children enjoy feeling grown up, and letting them shop on their own is a great way to give them this experience.
Head to one of those “everything’s a dollar” stores or a similar establishment and give each child a nominal amount of money to purchase the items of his or her choosing. The cost depends on the number of little shoppers, but the bill will be surprisingly low at discount establishments.
This may not work with a very large group, but if you have a modest size guest list, this kind of excursion is a fun, exciting, and memorable option!
5. A Children’s Museum for a Unique Birthday Outing
If you’re looking for something entertaining, but wouldn’t mind exposing your youngster to a bit of culture at the same time, try an outing at a children’s museum for the big day.
Because all museums are unique, this is a great way to create a memorable occasion for your son or daughter, and many children’s museums offer free or discounted admission for birthdays.
If money is no object, consider renting a room in the museum for the party. Museums have become highly popular as event venues, and this is true for childrens’ parties as well.
6. A Birthday Masquerade
It’s well-known that 5-year-olds love dressing up for Halloween, so why not for a birthday party too?
You can pick a specific theme, and have the youngsters dress up as their favorite Disney or cartoon character, or leave it up to each child to choose a costume.
Consider serving “mystery” cake as well: use food coloring to obscure the cake’s flavor. The youngsters will have to take a bite and let their taste buds decide what was served!
7. An Earth Day Party Picnic
If your child is an outdoor lover, consider an earthy theme for his or her party and take the group on a fun and inexpensive picnic. The only cost involved in this option is the food and the birthday cake.
Use a local playground area or state park where picnic tables abound, and admission is free. If you’re visiting an establishment with grilling facilities, consider making the traditional favorite of youngsters everywhere; hot dogs, potato chips, and of course, birthday cake!
8. Fast-Food Birthday Party
Although adults may shy away from fast food because they’re watching their waistline, virtually every child loves a trip to McDonald’s or a similar establishment.
Even if junk food is normally a no-no, you can break this rule for one day to create a fun and memorable birthday party for your five-year-old.
Fast food establishments typically throw great birthday bashes for youngsters, and compared to other catering services, the price is quite reasonable.
In most cases, meals, cake, and party favors are included in the price-per-child, and best of all, you don’t have to worry about cleanup!
9. Party Like a Balloon Animal
Making balloon animals is more straightforward than it appears, and is a fun and engaging activity for any 5-year-old!
If you have a generous budget, you can hire a professional to come and do a balloon animal class for your youngster’s party.
If your budget is small, purchase kits online or in craft stores. They come with step-by-step instructions that adults can demonstrate to the children.
Either way, it’s loads of fun, and each child will have his or her own balloon animal to take home.
10. Treasure Hunt Challenge
For a wonderful, budget-friendly option guaranteed to create a memorable birthday party, consider making the theme a treasure hunt. The prize can be virtually any child-friendly item you can afford, such as a toy, candy, game, or stuffed animal.
Hide the object somewhere in the house or yard, provide clues, and allow the children to “hunt” until someone discovers its hiding place. Don’t forget to purchase some inexpensive consolation presents so that all the children get a prize!
11. An Afternoon at a Kid’s Entertainment Center
From skeeball to video games to bouncy houses, children’s entertainment centers are great choices if your goal is a catered party that has something for everyone.
Obviously, this runs a little higher on the pay scale than most options, but you won’t be able to put a price tag on the memories.
You can choose a theme, or just go freestyle, and coordinators are typically happy to assist you in deciding which option is best for your little partiers. Pictures are often part of the package, too!
12. Have an Old Fashioned Skate Party
There’s no doubt skating is still popular. If your youngster has started to skate and has friends that enjoy this activity, consider a skating party.
Many skating establishments have side rooms where birthday parties can be celebrated, and frequently offer discounts for birthday catering. The cost is typically substantially less than having the party catered at an entertainment center, but just as fun.
Alternatively, if there is a safe place to skate for free in your area, have the birthday celebration at home and take the kids skating afterwards!
13. Camp Inside for a New Twist on an Old Favorite
If you know your youngster enjoys camping, but that option is too time-consuming or expensive, try having an indoor camping party.
The children can design makeshift tents, and you can dim the lights and use battery-operated lanterns to create the illusion of nighttime.
Use a sound of nature track to provide an authentic background, and for added fun, grill hot dogs, toast marshmallows, and make other “campfire foods.” For a spooky twist, the children can tell ghost stories when the lights are out!
14. Unforgettable Aquarium Fun
If your child is a fan of aquatic life, plan an outing at an aquarium for his or her 5th birthday party. Even if you don’t live near a Ripley’s Aquarium, there may be a smaller establishment at which the youngsters can have just as much fun.
Nothing is more memorable than watching wide-eyed children as they view colorful fish, turtles, seahorses, stingrays, and sharks. Catered birthday parties are sometimes available at aquariums, so if money is no object, make your reservation!
15. Face Painting Party
For a simple, fun, and cost-effective birthday idea, why not have a face-painting party? You can hire a professional for an hour of fun, or gather the necessary items and set up shop yourself.
This idea can be combined with fingerpainting, which the children can do after enjoying their face painting. Sets of finger paints are relatively inexpensive, and you can decorate with primary colors, right down to the icing on the cupcakes!
Although this type of party is simple and basic, the memories will be long-lasting.
5th Birthday Party Ideas For Girls
Your little girl is not so little anymore, and has just reached her first hallmark birthday. For a foolproof party for your daughter and her friends, choose one of the interesting and unique ideas below.
1. Throw a Cake Decorating Party for Big Smiles
Some little girls enjoy feeling grown-up by helping mom in the kitchen. Why not enlist the youngsters’ help with the birthday cake? You can throw a baking party, and have each child help the birthday girl fashion the cake.
One child can stir, another can add ingredients, and another can help with the icing. Commission several of the little partygoers to add the decorations and finishing touches.
No matter how long or short the guest list is, a cake decorating party is a can’t miss option for 5-year-old girls!
2. Walk the Runway
What little girl doesn’t dream of being a supermodel? This birthday theme is easy to implement and is loads of fun.
Have the guests bring their favorite dress-up clothes and create a “runway” with tea lights or bright-colored streamers arranged in two lines on the floor. Play some music and let the girls “model” their outfits to the beat.
If boys are on the guest lists, they can don their best duds and hop in there too, or be the “escort” for their favorite model.
3. Pool Party with a Twist
A mermaid-themed party is perfect for a 5-year-old girl. Decorate with blue and green balloons, fishing nets, and seashells.
You can also buy some swimmable mermaid tails from a party or costume store. If you have a swimming pool, let the youngsters splash around as mermaids or create their own story, starring the birthday girl!
If you don’t have a pool, the girls can still have fun dressing up as mermaids and enjoy activities such as braiding each other’s hair into fish tales and applying shimmery makeup.
4. The Classic Tea Party Still Endures
Well-loved after multiple decades, don’t forget the traditional tea party. The girls will enjoy dressing up and sipping tea from fancy cups, and the birthday girl can be the hostess.
Use a card table covered with a fancy cloth for the party. Just make sure it’s one you can live without, since spills are inevitable!
Hats and fancy dresses are a must for this theme, so dig out those old attic trunks and find some cute outfits in advance.
5. A Beading Party for Guaranteed Fun
There is no way to go wrong with a beading party for your 5-year-old birthday girl. Inexpensive, versatile, and guaranteed to be enjoyable, a beading party is also effortless to plan.
Kits are available online or at local craft stores. Their cost is typically very affordable, and most have enough supplies to make more than one piece, so the enjoyment can last a long time!
Decorate the cake with edible pearls or dotted icing designs to add some fun to this idea.
6. Invite Barbie as the Guest of Honor
For a super girly party, throw a Barbie bash, complete with a pink-frosted cake! This is an incredibly fun choice for a girl’s 5th birthday, and it’s surprisingly easy on the wallet.
For this theme, everyone brings their favorite Barbies and accessories for a birthday playdate in a Barbie-pink atmosphere.
Fortunately, Barbie party packs can be purchased in sets according to your number of guests, and these typically include decorations, party favors, and Barbie-themed cups, plates, and napkins.
7. Throw a Fancy Hairstyle Party
All little girls enjoy dressing up, and nothing is more fun than a “salon day.” Invite a few parents to help the girls come up with fancy hairstyles, and let them deck out with face glitter and even a bit of perfume.
Great ideas in this category include French braids, hair-piled-high or hair beads, and washable spray-in color. For added enjoyment, pick up some kid’s nail polish for a finishing touch.
This theme won’t break the bank, either, since most of the required items are relatively inexpensive.
8. Have a Birthday Celebration Outdoors
The outdoors are not just for boys, so throw a simple but unforgettable old-fashioned backyard party. Set up a long table and grill simple foods that your little guests can enjoy in the great outdoors. The table can then serve as a place to paint or color.
If your budget allows, you can even hire a magician or rent a bouncy house to keep the fun going longer. If you hold your party in the late afternoon, finish up with a firefly-catching excursion at dusk.
9. Throw a Disco Bash
If your party guests are energetic and like music, stage a “disco” in your family room. Buy a few decorative disco balls to hang from the ceiling, along with silver and white streamers.
For party favors, use individual jars of body glitter so your little partiers can outshine the disco decor. Decorate the cake with silver rainbow sprinkles, and serve pink punch for “cocktails.”
Although it seems extravagant, this party theme is surprisingly cost-effective, as the decorations and cake are virtually the only costs.
10. Hold a Beauty Pageant for the Birthday Girl
Little girls love to dress up, and nothing is more exciting than entering a beauty pageant. Have your guests don a costume–or a fancy dress that’s old enough to risk an ice cream stain–and introduce each girl one by one.
Have a “talent” segment and let each child sing, dance, or tell a funny joke or story. Children who are spotlight shy can be the announcers for the rest.
Pageant tiaras and sashes can be purchased in bulk, making this theme a moderately priced option!
11. Create Your Own Circus Party
A circus-themed party is always a winner! Provide your daughter and her guests with balls to juggle, magic tricks for kids, and circus snacks like peanuts and popcorn.
Let guests pretend to tightrope walk or make each other disappear, and designate your birthday girl as the “ringmaster.” Choose red, yellow, and bright blue for your party colors, and invest in plenty of balloons.
At just the cost of the decorations, food, and a few props, this option is also very affordable!
12. Invest in the Magic of Unicorns
Unicorns have recently become wildly popular among little girls everywhere. One interesting twist on this theme is bringing a “real’ unicorn to your party if money is not an object.
Petting zoos often rent out animals for children’s parties, so if your budget allows, rent a pony from such an establishment, and have him wear a unicorn headband. (Yes, this animal prop actually exists!)
This makes the pony look like an authentic unicorn, and will thrill any child. Purchase unicorn headbands for your little guests as party favors.
13. Throw a Princess Party
Have a party for your little princess where each guest shows up as her favorite Disney princess–or a princess character of her own creation.
You can decorate in a variety of themes, from Cinderella to Pocahontas. Play a fun game where the “wicked queen” or “evil stepmother” tries to capture the princess, and turn this into an extra-fun variation of hide and seek.
Ask a bakery or caterer for a cake in the shape of a castle or palace, and use tiaras and candy rings as party favors.
14. Have a Garden Party
If your daughter’s 5th birthday party is during summer or you live in a warm climate, consider a garden party.
Have food and cake on a blanket on the lawn, just like an old-fashioned picnic, and schedule nature-related activities. These can be as simple as planting seeds for future flowers, or catching and releasing butterflies.
Flowers and greenery make perfect decorations, and the cake can be embellished with rosebuds, ladybugs, or just a big yellow sun. This option provides a lot of fun for very little money.
15. Plan a Make-Up Party for Unforgettable Moments
All little girls love the idea of using makeup. Have some fun with your 5-year-old and her friends by investing in some children’s “makeup kits.”
After cake and ice cream, let the girls make up their faces, paint their nails, and even apply body glitter. Make sure to get pictures of your little grown-ups with their fancy new looks.
Pastel colors work great for this party idea, and traditional streamers and balloons are a must. Make a traditional cake and decorate it with big lashed eyes or bright pink lips!
5th Birthday Party Ideas For Boys
Your little boy has reached that first hallmark birthday, and you want to make his day special. Below are some fantastic party ideas, but beware: it will be challenging to choose just one!
1. Plan a Camping Party
If budget is not a concern and you live close to a campground, go all out and give your son a camping birthday party!
Schedule an overnight excursion at a state park and enlist a few parents to help you chaperone. Let the boys collect sticks for a campfire, cook food and toast marshmallows, and go fishing after breakfast in the morning.
If you can’t afford an overnighter at a park, consider the traditional backyard sleepover. Your little guests can set up tents in the backyard, and you can create the same atmosphere with a few lanterns and some cookout food.
2. Pirate Party Fun
A pirate-themed party is a foolproof choice for 5-year-old boys everywhere. It requires a modest budget and is worth every penny.
Use black and white balloons, hang pirate flags around, and include eye patches, paper swords, and pirate hats in the party favors. Use white frosting and adorn the cake with “Ahoy Matey” in black cake piping.
Invest in a large toy treasure box for the birthday boy’s presents, along with some prizes for his pals. Draw a map, and have the youngsters do a scavenger hunt to find it!
3. Big Wheel Party
For a 5-year-old boy’s party on a budget, try a “bring your wheels” theme. Have the youngsters decorate their tricycles, big wheels, bicycles, or skates and have a ridin’ good time right at home, or at a local park or play area if your property is too small.
Before or after the ride, have a traditional pizza party. Etch a giant wheel on the top of the birthday cake with colorful piping, and watch this affordable birthday party be a big hit!
4. Turn Your Home Into a Jungle
All children love jungle animals, so try a safari-themed party for your son’s big five, and have him and his friends come dressed as their favorite animals.
Use safari-themed plates and napkins, animal-shaped cookies and cake, and hang some green streamers from the ceiling to resemble vines.
For a great game, have the youngsters imitate an animal and let the others guess which one it is. This party idea can be easily tailored to fit any budget.
5. Throw a Sports Party
Most 5-year-old boys are already trying their hand at certain sports, so why not throw a sports-themed birthday party?
Head out to your backyard or the local park and organize a game of baseball, soccer, football, or any sport your son and his friends enjoy.
Themed decorations can be found for almost any sporting event or ball team, and it’s easy to decorate or buy a cake depicting such things as well. This is a great idea for those on a budget, and your little boy will never forget his own sports party.
6. Legos for Little Builders
A lego party is a surefire way to guarantee your son enjoys his 5th birthday bash. Decorate in primary colors and embellish the cake with edible Lego blocks.
Invest in little construction hats, some yellow tape, and a few orange pylons to make an official “construction area” for your birthday boy and his guests.
This price range for this party can be as low as the cost of the legos and cake, or you can go all out with customized decorations.
7. Insect Hunt or Worm Dig
If your 5-year-old boy and his friends are going through that stage where creepy crawlies are fascinating, organize an insect hunt or a worm dig. This low-cost birthday bash can be incredibly fun.
Decorate the cake with edible insects, and use gummy worms as party favors. After food and cake, give the boys butterfly nets or small pails, and have a contest to see who can dig up the most worms or find the most diversified collection of insects.
8. Rock Painting Fun for All
Virtually all 5-year-olds love to paint, and almost any little boy will enjoy creating his own unique garden rock. Collect or buy medium-sized rocks, and give each child a ten-color paint pallet, which can be purchased for a modest amount.
The youngsters can paint their names, scenery, or even design their own pet rock. To make it even more fun, start out by having your little guests search for their own rock.
This theme works with all menus and decorations, but is an especially good choice for an outdoor party.
9. Have a Monster Mash Birthday Bash
Dressing up like a monster is major fun for a 5-year-old boy. This budget-friendly party theme calls for each guest to come dressed up as a scary creature.
This idea works great with a cookie monster or Dracula cake. Spooky candy and sweets, such as marzipan mice or gummy spiders, are also great additions.
To make it extra fun, invest in some cotton batting cobwebs and fake spiders to hang around the house, and let the little partiers watch a scary movie together.
10. Take a Birthday Hike
If your youngster is the outdoor type and you need an inexpensive birthday idea, take a hike! Enjoy a birthday bash of hamburgers, potato chips, and birthday cake, and then hike off on a beautiful nature trail.
Alternatively, have the boys come for a birthday pancake breakfast, take a morning hike, and come home for cake and ice cream later.
For added fun, have the youngsters bring home rocks or pinecones, and set up a craft table where they can decorate their objects with paints or markers.
11. Rodeo Birthday Fun
A wonderful option for any 5-year-old boy’s celebration is a rodeo-themed party where party favors include lassos and cowboy hats.
Use silver piping to decorate the cake with a horseshoe, and serve beverages in cactus cups, available at most novelty stores.
Set up a stationary object that the children can try to lasso, or play old-fashioned games, such as horseshoes, or try a bean bag toss. Since this party idea focuses on games, it’s usually not costly, but it’s rich in fun!
12. Have a Slimy Party Bash
Try slime if you’re looking for a fun party idea minus any complicated prep work! Slime parties are incredibly fun for youngsters, and the slime itself makes the party.
Slime kits are inexpensive and come in different types, depending on which activities you select. Choose from thicker or thinner styles, or get a bit of each.
For this kind of party, serve ice cream or lava cake to stay in the slime theme, and decorate the cake with gummy worms or other squishy treats.
13. A Race Car-Themed Party is Always a Hit
You can’t go wrong with a race car-themed 5th birthday party. Give out race cars as party favors, and decorate with racing streamers and checkered flags.
For a fun and simple game, have the children stand in a circle and pass around a checkered flag as music plays. Whoever has the flag when the music stops is “out.”
If you have the budget to go bigger with this theme, rent a bouncy double slide and have the youngsters “race” down and pick up a racing flag at the end.
14. Fishy Fun
If your youngster likes the outdoors and wants to feel grown up, take him and his friends fishing. Any location works because even if the fish are too small, catch and release is an enjoyable alternative.
If you live where you can fish for your supper, make this a two-part event. Bring home everyone’s catch and fry it up outdoors, cookout style.
Remember to prepare side dishes in advance–and make sure you have an alternative main course if the fish aren’t biting that day!
5th Birthday Party Ideas At Home
If your youngster’s 5th birthday is approaching and you realize that an outing won’t be possible this year, you’ll need some stay-at-home ideas to ensure the party is a hit. Below are some easy and enjoyable options to thrill any 5-year-old without ever leaving the house.
1. Tie-Dye Parties Still Top the List
A tie-dye party is a surprisingly affordable stay-at-home birthday celebration for a 5-year-old guest of honor. This type of party has endured as a favorite with youngsters everywhere, and they always have a fantastic time.
Offer white T-shirts to guests and invest in a tie-dye kit, which usually provides non-toxic dye for over two dozen projects. Serve simple food such as pizza or barbecue–and of course, the birthday cake–and then get the fun started!
2. Superheroes Take Center Stage
Superheroes are a big hit with kids, and a party in this theme will be too! Have the birthday child and guests dress up as their favorite superheroes, or simply use it as a theme.
Virtually all superheroes have made their way onto cups, plates, and napkins, and these sets can be purchased according to the number of guests you’ll be having. A cake with action figures as toppers completes this theme.
If your budget allows, go all out and buy a superhero cardboard cutout and get individual pictures of each child standing next to their hero. Remember to get a group picture with all the youngsters surrounding the action figure too!
3. Hold a Talent Show at Home
Create your own version of American Idol for your child’s big 5 and have everyone join the fun. Guests can sing, dance, tell a joke or story, or even do a magic trick. Shy guests who are not fond of the spotlight can be announcers or ushers.
This party idea works with any budget. Serve simple food and a homemade cake, or have the party catered for a more extravagant fare. The “entertainment” is free and probably a lot more fun than a ticket to anything in town.
4. Take a Trip Around the World Without Leaving Home
For a unique 5-year-old’s party, create a destination birthday and visit a foreign country. This takes some money and ingenuity, but the memories will be priceless.
Get some secondhand Mexican blankets and pieces of pottery, and have the youngsters wear party sombreros. Or try an Egyptian theme where your little guests dress up like King Tut or Cleopatra, and party favors come from a treasure chest!
You can serve ethnic food to match the destinations, such as tacos or Asian fare. Embellish the cake with toppers depicting things that blend with the destination you selected, and travel the world from home.
5. Adopt-an-Animal Party Idea
Animals are always a safe bet for any child’s party, but for 5-year-olds, they are ideal. For a great stay-at-home party that won’t break the bank, have an animal adoption celebration.
Purchase enough stuffed animals for each child to have one–and a few extras just in case–and let each youngster choose one to “adopt,” beginning with the birthday guest of honor. Let the children trade off later if they choose.
It’s easy to find animal-themed paper plates and party hats, and cakes can be made or bought in the shape of virtually any creature, from a ladybug to a bunny rabbit!
6. Old-Fashioned Art Stations for Stay at Home Fun
In your quest to find the perfect 5-year-old birthday party theme, don’t forget a good old-fashioned artwork party.
Plan out workstations with paint, crayons, construction paper, pipe cleaners, felt, and craft pom-poms in various colors and let the youngsters get creative.
For this budget-friendly party, decorate with plenty of balloons, streamers, and traditional party favors, such as horns and confetti. Use primary colors to brighten things up, and decorate the cake with rainbow sprinkles and multicolored candles.
7. Balloons and Confetti are a Perfect Party Combo
If you need to stay home for your 5-year-old’s birthday bash and want to plan an easy party that’s still a lot of fun, look no further than balloons and confetti.
You can create a treasure hunt with clues on slips of paper in balloons and have each child pop one to uncover the next clue.
The prize can be virtually anything, from a plate of cookies, to individual boxes of crayons arranged in a basket. For a fun twist, have confetti in some of the balloons, but don’t give away which balloons are which until they’re popped.
8. Find the Missing Gummy Bear
For a simple at-home 5th birthday party that’s still a lot of fun, create some tasty games by utilizing inexpensive sweet treats. For example, fill bowls with whipped cream or jello, and hide a gummy bear or gumdrop inside.
Set a timer and have the little partiers put their hands behind their backs and try to find the treat with their mouth alone. This is a variation of the old game of bobbing for apples, only it’s a lot more fun!
9. Have a Coloring Contest for Some Classic Party Fun
If your birthday boy or girl likes to color, try a traditional party with that old standby; the coloring contest. Give each child a page from a coloring book or print out the same picture for all the youngsters.
Buy a pack of various colored prize ribbons and award one for “neatest work,” “best colors,” “staying in the lines,” and so on, and give each child a ribbon.
Since everyone is a “winner,” let the youngsters pick the color ribbon they want. Decorate with Crayola style colors when placing decorations, and use individual boxes of crayons and coloring books as cost-effective party favors.
10. Throw a Piñata Party for an Exciting Celebration
A piñata is an all-time favorite among children, and this is never more true than where 5-year-olds are concerned. Decorate with fiesta-themed ornaments and invest in Mexican party favors like kids’ mini maracas and sombrero-style party hats.
Make the piñata the focal point of the party, and after having tacos and piñata cake with fried ice cream, let the children take turns trying to break open the piñata. To make this extra special, try to find a piñata in the shape of your child’s favorite animal!
This party idea can be somewhat expensive, but you won’t regret the investment!
Cheap 5th Birthday Party Ideas
Birthdays roll around on a specific date, but that date does not always coincide with a large budget. Below are some terrific–but inexpensive–party ideas to make your 5-year-old’s birthday unforgettable.
1. Pizza Party With a Twist
Naturally, pizza is a failsafe choice when planning a low-cost party, but there’s a way to make this idea a lot more fun: buy the ingredients for homemade pizza and have a baking party.
Give each child a step in the process as you go along. Five-year-olds will be nothing less than mesmerized, watching the pie being created and waiting for it to bake as the yummy smell fills the air.
You can do an interesting twist with this idea by making mini pizzas, with each guest customizing the pie with the ingredients he or she prefers.
2. Ice Cream Theme for a Sweet Party
The birthday cake steals the show at any 5-year-old’s party, but don’t forget the ice cream! Have a traditional party that focuses on goodies and games, and let the highlight be an ice cream-eating contest.
This is a very cost-effective choice that will greatly please your little guests. Simply get party bowls in bright colors, and pile them high with ice cream and toppings.
Have a prize on hand for the child who finishes first, but make sure you have some consolation prizes as well to ensure each guest is a winner.
3. The Gift of Reading
If your 5-year-old’s party is not going to be a big bash, consider a low-key party approach. Create a storytime party theme by decorating with favorite children’s book characters and giving each guest a new storybook.
Read a story to the children as they have cake and ice cream, and incorporate each child’s name somewhere in the tale. If you plan far enough in advance, you can even have each child dress up as one of the characters.
4. A Baking Birthday Celebration
If you need to adhere to a strict budget for your child’s 5th birthday party, why not combine the food with the entertainment? Throw a baking party, and have each child get involved in the cake’s creation.
Write each task down on a small piece of paper, and draw them from a hat. If the child does not like the task, he or she can try to swap it with one of the other guests.
Plan a game or other activity while the cake bakes, and get pictures of the youngsters with their creations!
5. Have an Old-fashioned Cookout Party
All children love cookouts, and they are a very cost-effective choice for a 5th birthday party. Grill hamburgers and hotdogs, make some homemade potato salad and coleslaw, and of course, tell your guests to leave room for cake and ice cream.
Enjoy classic outdoor games, such as hide and seek, horseshoes, playing ball, or swimming if you have an outdoor pool. The cost of this party idea is simply the price of the food, cake, and partyware.
6. A Movie Night Birthday Celebration
Your youngster may love Disney films, but perhaps you can’t afford to take the whole gang to the movies. Try having a movie night at home for your child’s 5th birthday party. Serve popcorn and pretzels in traditional popcorn tubs with soda or fruit punch.
To create the illusion of a theater, set up rows of folding chairs in your living room or family room. Dim the lights, and play a child-friendly movie while your little guests munch on their cinema treats.
7. Have a Pajama Party Birthday Bash
Sleepover is a wonderful 5th birthday party idea, and the price tag takes care of itself. Just the fun of going to another person’s house overnight and getting to stay up late watching cartoons is often enough to please everyone.
Combine this party theme with finger food, classic party snacks, pizza, or good old-fashioned mac & cheese. Consider letting the youngsters have their cake and ice cream in front of the TV, as long as they promise not to make a mess!
8. Throw a Water Themed Party
If you have an outdoor swimming pool, you can plan an inexpensive water-themed party for your child’s 5th birthday. Have pizza or grilled food on lawn furniture by the pool, and then let the youngsters enjoy a splashing good time.
If you don’t have a stationary pool, consider buying some inexpensive kiddie pools and make use of your sprinklers and garden hose to create watery fun. Ask each guest to bring a pool toy to the party, and you’ll suddenly have various activities at your fingertips.
9. Let it Snow
If your 5-year-old is celebrating a wintry birthday and mother nature sends a substantial amount of snow, your party cost just hit rock bottom. For the price of some hot chocolate, a carrot, a corn cob pipe, and an old straw hat, you can have a snowman party!
Have an indoor pizza party, let your youngsters indulge in their cake and ice cream, then go outside to make a giant snowman. Don’t forget to take pictures of every child getting in on the fun.
10. Painting Party
If you’re planning your 5-year-old’s birthday party on a budget, don’t overlook a simple painting party. You can invest in some paint-by-number kits, blank paper, watercolors, erasable paints, or essentially any item in this category and let the youngsters go to town.
Supplies of this type are not typically expensive, but when children have a variety of options at their fingertips, they will easily stay amused for a significant length of time.
You can even have your little guests collect rocks or pinecones from your property and try their hand at painting those items. Don’t forget finger paints, as these are also a big favorite with 5-year-olds!
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