16 of the Best 5-Year-Old Birthday Party Ideas Ever
There’s a big day on the horizon — someone incredibly special is turning 5! Whether you’re looking for inspiration on the best party theme for a 5-year-old or you want ideas on games, food, and party favors, you’re in the right place.
Discover the best 5-year-old birthday party ideas — from the essentials to matching party invitations for some of the most popular party themes around.
Things You Need for an Amazing 5th Birthday Party
Design: Gwen B Design
Matching invitation: Floral Five Invitation
We’re going to share some of our all-time favorite 5th birthday party themes with you, but first let’s cover some of the “must haves” on your birthday party checklist. Here are some things to think about as you plan an epic 5th birthday party celebration.
Party Games and Activities
Little ones are easily entertained, and they often love fun games and activities. They’d be happy to dress up in costumes and run around the backyard for hours, or make creations with Lego before hitting a piñata to get the best candy they can.
There are plenty of age-appropriate activities and games for kids — whether you’re in a party room, a backyard with lots of space, or a small space within your home. Some of our favorites include obstacle courses, relay races, scavenger hunts, treasure hunts, and adult-led activities like art, crafts, or imaginative play.
Delicious Food
After all the fun and games, the kids will want a way to keep up their energy. Food and refreshing drinks are a must-have at any kids party, and you can tailor the menu to your needs, preferences, and how much time you have!
Traditional birthday party foods like burgers, hot dogs, fries, and pizza remain popular — but you can serve up your homemade pasta dish, a platter of themed light bites, or a tray of sandwiches instead. Add in some veggie sticks and fresh fruit salad for a burst of color and fresh flavors. For desserts, cupcakes, ice cream, and donuts are easy and affordable.
Birthday Cake
You can’t forget the big birthday cake. At this age, kids tend to know what they want their birthday cake to look or taste like — so get them involved and surprise them with the cake of their dreams.
If the guest of honor isn’t a big cake fan, try mini cupcakes, brownies, blondies, donuts, or ice cream instead. Whatever they’d most enjoy after everyone’s done singing “happy birthday” to them!
Birthday Party Theme
While you don’t need to host a themed party, having a central birthday party theme or focus can help you plan decor, activities, games, and party favors.
We love the idea of using a character or theme the guest of honor loves for their birthday bash. Maybe they’d love a princess themed birthday bash or a bday celebration that only features the color yellow. It’s the perfect opportunity to get creative and have fun with the party planning experience.
Fun Party Invitations
At this age, telling your friends all about your birthday party is exciting. Make that moment feel even more special with a DIY online invitation that feels unique.
Use our digital invitations to tell your little one’s friends (well, their parents) exactly where and when to meet you for the big birthday celebrations. Play around with the layout, choose your colors, and personalize the invitation with your own wording. We have plenty of adorable kids birthday party invitations to match any five-year-old’s big day — some of which we’ve shared below.
16 Trending 5-Year-Old Birthday Party Theme Ideas
Ready to start planning an incredible birthday bash? Explore these 5th birthday party ideas to find one that matches your favorite person perfectly — along with a fun invitation that you can use to tell all their friends about the big day.
1. Disco Dance Party
Design: Claudia Owen
Matching invitation: Dance & Play Invitation
Invite everyone along to dance to their favorite tunes, sing along to kids’ classics, and play fun party games like freeze dance and musical chairs: ideal for any music-loving five-year-old.
2. Art Party
Design: aticnomar designs & art
Matching invitation: Paint Brush Invitation
Celebrate your little one’s love for arts and crafts with a party filled with paint, clay, canvases, glitter glue, stickers, and all the things that make kids’ art wonderful. Pair with an art-themed goody bag for your party guests to take home with them.
3. Water Party
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Matching invitation: The Ocean is Calling Invitation
Looking for a young kid-friendly alternative to a grown up pool party? Ask everyone to join you in the backyard for fun and games with water guns, a slip and slide, bubbles, and water balloons.
4. Adventure Campers Birthday Party
Design: Jennifer Rozbruch Design
Matching invitation: Camp Fun Invitation
For birthday boys and girls that love being outdoors, a camping themed party is the perfect 5-year-old birthday party idea. Sing campfire songs, roast marshmallows, read stories in a tent, and enjoy nature together.
5. Afternoon Tea Party
Design: Alexandra Dzh
Matching invitation: Tea Time Invitation
Gather your little one’s best pals for a cute yet sophisticated afternoon tea party — one where their favorite stuffed animal is also invited! Serve teas, fruit juices, mini sandwiches, and adorable tiny cakes to your young guests.
6. Movie Themed Birthday Party
Design: Signature Greenvelope
Matching invitation: Arctic Princess Invitation
If your child has a favorite movie, why not turn the entire day into a tribute to it? Maybe they’re a big “Frozen” lover or wish they were best friends with the minions — whatever it is, now’s the chance to theme a party around it.
7. Cupcake Decorating Party
Design: Paper Raven Co.
Matching invitation: Confetti Cupcake Invitation
A detailed baking birthday party with a room full of five-year-olds might sound chaotic, but a cupcake decorating party allows them to enjoy the most exciting part without any drama. Supply freshly baked cupcakes along with icing, sprinkles, sauces, and edible decorations for them to have fun with.
8. Prince or Princess Party
Design: Kid Collective
Matching invitation: Cloud Castle Invitation
For the little boys and girls that dream of fairytales, a prince or princess party is a great idea. Ask everyone to come dressed as their favorite royal character and put on themed activities like crown decorating or watching a princess movie.
9. Pizza Party
Design: Jessie Steury
Matching invitation: Happy Pizza Invitation
Pizza is always popular, and a pizza party is a great way to bring everyone together to get creative with their own DIY lunch or dinner. Provide plenty of delicious toppings and help the kids prepare their dish before cooking and enjoying together.
10. Superhero Party
Design: Itsy Belle Studio
Matching invitation: Calling Superheroes Invitation
Some kids love superheroes, and for those who do this is one of the best 5-year-old birthday party ideas out there. Celebrate the special moment with a party themed around superheroes in general or their favorite character — complete with a matching cake, party decor, and superhero birthday party games.
11. Backyard Fun Birthday Party
Design: Jessie Steury
Matching invitation: Sweet Nature Frame Invitation
Kids’ parties don’t have to be complicated, and often all they want is space to run around and play together. Make that happen with an outdoor birthday party where they can throw bean bags, play with hula hoops, play on the trampoline, and burn off some energy.
12. Building Blocks Party
Design: Morgan Kendall
Matching invitation: Building Blocks Invitation
If your kid is always playing with Lego, this is a great party idea for them. Gather a healthy supply of building blocks and invite your party guests to get creative with them, or set a fun challenge and award prizes to everyone before they go.
13. Fairy Party
Design: Paper Raven Co.
Matching invitation: Happy Toadstools Invitation
Five-year-olds can be big fans of fairies, and this makes it a wonderful theme idea for this age group. Decorate the party room in the style of a fairytale forest, make or decorate wands, and enjoy a banquet of bite-sized treats.
14. Pirate Party
Design: Anna K Design
Matching invitation: Ahoy Matey Invitation
Invite your kids’ best friends to join you for a pirate-themed adventure in honor of them turning five. Dress up in pirate costumes, go on a treasure hunt, and use pirate-themed decor to transform the space into something special.
15. Tie Dye Party
Design: Owl and Toad
Matching invitation: Classic Tie Dye Invitation
When you’re five, customizing your own clothes is such a cool thing to do. This 5-year-old birthday party idea is loved by many and it’s easy to do — all you need is a simple tie dye tutorial, some T-shirts, and some supplies.
16. Animal Encounters Party
Design: Noonday Design
Matching invitation: Crazy Bugs Invitation
Surprise your party guests with a small animal encounter by inviting a professional around to introduce them to cute and cuddly creatures or unusual insects. This is such a sweet party idea for an animal lover and their pals.
Make it Magical
When you’re this age, turning another year older is such a big deal. Use these ideas to help plan, host, and enjoy an amazing birthday celebration for someone really special.
Once you’ve found an idea you love, use our kids’ birthday invitations to tell everyone what’s happening. There’s a design for any theme, and they’re completely customizable too — so you can make the invites as unique as your guest of honor.
