Are you at a loss for what sort of birthday party to hold for your child? Have they given you no ideas for what to do? No worries! We're here with some ideas for your child's birthday party, as well as some tips for how to make it a success.
Key Points
- If your child likes to collect something, such as Pokémon cards, then consider theming their party after that!
- If they have a certain movie, T.V. show, or book series that they're passionate about, that might be a great theme idea.
- Animals are always a go-to theme if you can't pick anything else.
Great Party Themes for Kids Aged 8-10
Animal theme – Pick your child's favorite animal and theme their party around that! Alternatively, if your family has a pet, consider making them the star of your party's theme! Your child will likely appreciate the chance to celebrate both their birthday and their beloved pet.
If you're thinking of doing something that has a greater impact, consider a charity party. On the invitations, state that the presents will not be for the birthday kid. Instead, the guests are to bring presents for the dogs and cats at the local animal shelter. Make sure this is okay with your child before embarking on this type of party!
Book party – If your kid has a favorite book or book series, that's a great thing to theme the party around! If it's a popular series, you'll likely be able to find decorations themed around it. If not, you may need to get creative and make your own!
You could also consider doing a book exchange party. State clearly on the invitations that each guest is to bring a book to exchange. If the birthday kid wants a theme for the book (animals, trains, dinosaurs, etc.), mention that in the invitation as well. Everyone will swap books once it's time for the gift exchange! This can be a fun way to get everyone involved. Instead of just one person receiving, everyone gets to receive.
Your child's collection – If your child has a collection, tell guests to bring a gift to fit that category. Most likely, your child would want to get some of these items anyway. It also helps their collection grow quickly. There is some surprise, but the birthday kid knows they will like every gift from the start.
Gift exchange – This would be similar to the book exchange. You could set a low price limit and encourage the guests to be creative with their money. Another option is to leave it open so each child has a larger gift. The birthday child gets the party in their name, but everyone gets to receive a gift. If you want to make it extra special for your child, you could make it so they get one extra gift!
Two special choices – You could offer your child one of two options to pick from. For example, you could offer your child a larger special event, such as going to an amusement park, with an invitation for one friend to come along. Or, they can pick a smaller sleepover party with a handful of friends. You provide two options you can live with, and the final choice is up to your child. This is a great way to deal with a child who has multiple interests for their party, but can't settle on one.
Memory book page – Instead of traditional gifts, the birthday child has a birthday memory book. It doesn’t matter if this is their first year with the memory book or if they’ve had one for several years. Each guest creates their own memory page with decorations, drawings, pictures, comments, or whatever they want. After the birthday kid opens them all up, put them in the memory book and pass it around. These memory pages will last longer and mean more to your child than any toy.
Movie or T.V. show theme – If your child has a movie or T.V. show that they absolutely love, that is a great place to look for a party theme! If it's a popular movie or T.V. show, you should be able to easily find decorations for it. If not, there's nothing wrong with making them yourself! Encourage guests to bring gifts that connect to this theme, if they can. If not, regular gifts work just as well!
Conclusion
Kids in late elementary school get excited about helping others and sharing. Show your child that you are celebrating relationships and time spent doing good things. Kids can have fun whether there is a pile of presents or not. Of course, there's nothing wrong with having a traditional birthday party, either! There are lots of fun options for you and your child to enjoy. We wish you the best of luck with planning their party!
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