An unconventional birthday party can really be the highlight of someone’s year, and it might seem like it takes a lot of planning, but there are so many ways to make a birthday party exciting, interesting, and outside the box. Here are some great birthday ideas for kids who are looking for something a little different!
A book exchange is the perfect unconventional way to celebrate your child’s birthday if they get more excited about a new book than a new toy. There are a few ways you can pull off an exciting book exchange birthday party for your kid. One way is to ask each guest to bring one of their old books and do a sort of white elephant exchange game, so every child leaves with a new book, and they can trade to get one they really want to read. Another way is to have the kids bring a new, wrapped book so everyone gets a brand new book. You can put all the wrapped books in a big pile, and have the birthday child pick one out first. It will be an exciting way to give every child an exciting way to feel involved!
Scavenger hunts are fun for kids of all ages, so it’s a great birthday party idea for your child this year. Invite everyone over, hand them a treasure map when they arrive, and let them spend the afternoon exploring! What are they going to look for? Well, you can hide just about anything for them. Candy, small toys, or even items that will be used later in the party to create a craft project. Whether you offer a hand-drawn map leading them to the hidden items or hide written clues with each hidden item, your little adventurers will love this active and exciting birthday party idea. Another way to take a spin on a scavenger hunt is perfect for older kids: hand them a list of silly tasks to accomplish (think dance with a store mannequin, pose with a statue, etc.) around the neighborhood, local park, or mall, and they have to snap photos of them accomplishing the task and send their photos to the “judge” to determine who wins the scavenger hunt!
For those who like to make parties educational, a trip to the zoo or museum is the perfect way to give your kids a fun afternoon while immersing them in exciting learning opportunities. Many local zoos and museums offer a party room for cake and presents and access to their exhibits for a flat cost for the entire guest list. There will be a bit of a cost involved in having your party at one of these places, so it’s often wise to keep the guest list limited to close friends and family. It will be worth it, though, because you know this will be a party your kids are definitely going to remember!
Giving your birthday boy or birthday girl an unconventional celebration will be just the thing to make sure that this year’s party is something really special. Look to their interests to find the perfect outside-the-box idea for their party.