Ultimate Guide to Virtual and At Home Birthday Parties

There are lots of kids all over the world who are going to have a birthday while their country is in lockdown or mandatory isolation. This resource is about bringing together all the best ideas for having a party at home. The ideas in this resource can be used where ever you live. 

Host a virtual party with friends

Just because you can’t have a birthday party in person doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate virtually.  

1. Set the date. You may still consider holding your party at the weekend. This will account for any essential workers and homeschooling. However! If it suits all the guests, you could also hold the party on the actual birth day – perhaps a time in the late afternoon when all the school-learning is likely to be finished. 
2. Allow for at least an hour. This is mainly to allow for initial technical difficulties, the beginning chatter while everyone gets used to the platform and talking to each other. 
3. Decide on the platform. some popular options include Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangouts. Before you decide, make sure you research the security aspects of each platform and put together some instructions for your guests. 
4. Send out invitations. You can easily put together fun invitations using free platforms like Canva or just use a word processing program like Microsoft Word or Google Docs
5. Plan on the entertainment. Consider the age group. Teenagers are likely to be happy chatting although we have seen some amazing virtual pamper parties and jewellery parties where the activity is delivered to a guest in advance. Younger kids might enjoy a simple activity like playdoh or even a youtube art tutorial for everyone to participate in. Another fun idea is to send the kids plans for paper planes and have a paper plane flying contest, with parents measuring the distance the planes travel. If you are after some Australian activity packs have a look at our list of Brisbane Art, craft and activity Providers. 

Ideas for an at-home family only birthday party

Having a party just within your household doesn’t have to be boring and the internet is full of fun ideas on how people have approached birthday parties in quarantine. 

Bring the entertainers to your home

If you were planning a superhero or character birthday entertainer you can still deliver! Character party entertainers are offering birthday videos especially for kids who can no longer have the birthday party they planned

Birthday Party Food Ideas

• Breakfast in Bed for the birthday child.
• A pancake grazing platter for breakfast. 
• An ice cream sundae bar where everyone makes their own ice cream sundae
• Support small business and purchase a cake from a local cake maker. The best place to find these is in your local Facebook group (search for cake) or just ring local cake makers from a Google search and see if they are still offering cake services. 
• Make your own elaborate cake but plan this ahead to avoid disappointment. If you are having trouble finding flour, reach out to local fruit and vegetable delivery services as many stock flour. 
• Family pizza night. Either DIY (which can be an activity in itself) or order via a local pizza delivery service. 
• Set up a hotdog bar or outdoor picnic with BBQ
• Have a fancy high tea or even a fancy restaurant-style dinner complete with table service and wine glasses (filled with lemonade).

Birthday Entertainment Ideas

• Have a present scavenger hunt. Draw up some clues and have the birthday child solve the clues to find their gifts. 
• Contact local party entertainers to see what they offer in terms of video or gift packs. Our website has a range of local party entertainers offering everything from art and craft kits to beading and science packs. 
• Plan your own photoshoot. Memories of this day will carry through lifetimes. Gather what you can in terms of dress-ups and decorations or make it a nature theme and head outside.
• Have a camping party. Pitch a tent in the backyard and tell stories around a fire pit or under twinkling fairy lights. 
• Host a family disco party or family karaoke night.
• Play cards against humanity family edition (head to their website, you can print off a family version (for free).
• Have a movie night and let the birthday child choose the movie. You could even host a virtual movie night with friends and family. 

Other fun ideas for a special birthday

• Invite the birthday child and any other kids in the house with a formal invitation.
• Consider gifts that revolve around fun activities for the birthday child. Things like DIY terrariums or e-subscriptions for art classes or perhaps focused on learning a new skill like cooking or coding. 
• Decorate the house while the birthday child is sleeping.
• Get the neighbours to display happy birthday signs.
• Organise Facebook facetime with special people like grandparents or friends.
• Make your daily exercise part of the fun with a birthday parade. Bonus points if you have any musical instruments you can play as the birthday child walks in front of you. 
• Organise video messages from friends and family.
• If you are lucky enough to live in a connected community, ask your neighbours to write Happy Birthday chalk messages on the sidewalk to read as you head off on your daily walk.
• Icecream for breakfast? We love this idea, reverse the day. 
• Have a family slumber party.
• Do a birthday countdown to the big day.
• Create a birthday playlist. You could even get family and friends to all contribute a song. 
• Florists are doing it pretty tough so why not organise a flower delivery for your special birthday person.
• Give a small gift every hour or their birthday. 
• If the birthday child is old enough, ask them to write a time capsule memory of this moment in time. What is happening in the world? how they are feeling? what they are missing? What are they are enjoying? What do they think the world will look like after this is all over? You can easily do this for younger kids and just write in their answers. 
• Set up a video interview with the birthday kid. Ask them questions similar to the time capsule but also questions around their hopes for their own future, what do they want to do when they grow up, what famous people would they like to have dinner with etc. Get family and friends involved and see if they what to contribute questions. You can then (with permission) share the video with family and friends. 
• Pre-organise family and friends to send, via the mail, handmade gift cards leading up to the big day
• Take lots of photos! 

We hope we have given you lots of great ideas on how to have a birthday party whether it be a virtual celebration or a celebration in lockdown at home. Remember, children are resilient and their expectations are less about gifts and entertainment and more about the gift of time, attention and a celebration of who they are! 

If you have any other ideas we might have missed, let us know in comments below