How to Plan a Themed Birthday Party

Co-authored by Natasha Miller and Hunter Rising

Last Updated: July 21, 2025 References

Birthdays are a great way to celebrate life with your friends and family, but don’t you wish there was a way to do it with more style? Luckily, theming your party only takes a few extra steps and adds a lot more pizzazz and excitement for your guests. If you’ve never thrown a themed birthday before, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered! We’ll start with some basic considerations for making your party thematic and move on to some basic party-planning advice!

1

Choose a theme that matches the person’s interests.

Download Article

Add a personal touch by picking a theme the birthday person loves. If you’re not the one throwing a party, talk with the person who’s celebrating and ask them about things they like. Find out their favorite movies, TV shows, places, or time periods so you can work a theme around it. Try to find a theme that you can easily manage before the party. ^{[1]
X
Research source}
- For example, it might be too hard to plan a full Victorian party with costumes and decor, but a nautical-themed party could be easier. Keeping the theme simple makes it easier to find plenty of decorations at local party or grocery stores in town.

2

Pick a few colors coordinated your theme.

Download Article

Coordinate your decor so your theme comes across easier. Once you settle on a theme, try and pick out a few key colors that you want to stand out. When you’re getting decor and setting up the party, consistently stick with the designated colors in your palette to make your theme impactful and more memorable. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
- For example, for a nautical-themed party, you may choose light blue, tan, and dark blue.
- As another example, if you’re having a Halloween party, stick with the classic magical colors, such as orange, purple, and black.

3

Find a venue that fits the aesthetic and guestlist.

Download Article

Give everyone enough space for activities and mingling. While you can usually decorate an apartment for a small get-together, a bigger themed party might take up more space. Consider if the theme you’re working with works better in a more intimate space or if you should find somewhere larger. You may even host the party outside if it fits with your theme. ^{[3]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you’re throwing a sports-themed party, you may choose to host your party outdoors or in a large rec room so people have space to play games. Playing the appropriate music can also make your party more fun for all of your guests, and creating a custom playlist can add a lot to your party!
- As another example, if you’re hosting a wine and art party with a couple of friends, you might want to find a place where you don’t mind it getting a little messy with all the supplies.
Martha Stewart, Home, Garden, & Lifestyle Expert

Opening your home is fulfilling and enriches your life. "You should feel good about making your home nicer for your family and your friends. You should feel great about things like cooking a good dinner and making a dress for a granddaughter, creating a beautiful birthday party. It's all part of life."

4

Send your guests fun invitations.

Download Article

Let your guests know the party’s theme early so they know what to expect. You can buy pre-made invitations from the store or get crafty and make your own. ^{[4]
X
Research source} Make a list of everyone you want to invite so you know how many people to prepare for. Fill out an invitation for every guest that you want at the party and send it at least 3–5 weeks ahead of time so your guests have time to respond and plan around it. ^{[5]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you’re doing a dinosaur-themed party, you may fold up the invitation into a plastic egg with a toy dinosaur. The invite could say something like, “Are you ready to DIG IN at Anthony’s 8th birthday?” Shaped cards can be even more fun than rectangular or square ones.
- As another example, for a Vegas-themed party, you could include pictures of dice and casino games with the line, “What happens at Megan’s 40th, stays at Megan’s 40th.” Try to think of a witty pun to make your card more attractive or eye-catching.
- If you’re doing digital invites, use clip art and pictures that match your theme in the invitation. Consider using free software such as GIMP to airbrush images, fix minor imperfections, or enhance the colors.
- Schedule your party for a weekend so most of your guests are available.

5

Make it a costume party.

Download Article

Request everyone to wear a themed costume if you want people to dress up. Depending on the theme, you can ask your guests to dress up ahead of time. Clearly indicate the dress code or costume ideas in the invitations so that your guests have time to put something together. ^{[6]
X
Research source}
- For example, for a pirate-themed party, you could tell people to wear fake eyepatches, hats, and striped clothing.
- As another example, for a Great Gatsby-themed party, you may ask men to dress in suits and women to wear 20s flapper dresses.
- Let your guests know it’s okay if they’re not able to get a costume together in time. Allow for flexibility when you can in order to help accommodate more guests.

6

Put out decor for your motif.

Download Article

Spruce up the walls and tables so your guests are immersed in the theme. Balloons and streamers are really common at birthday parties, but your unique theme can give you a chance to try something new. Consider looking up imagery associated with your theme on Google Images or YouTube, and then write down a few ideas for decorations you could include. For easy decor, cutting shapes out of regular or construction paper and taping them to the walls often works great, but you can always run to the party store and pick up supplies you don’t have. ^{[7]
X
Research source}
- For example, for a nautical-themed party, you may include paper or wood cutouts of anchors, sailboats, lighthouses, seagulls, and treasure chests.
- As another example, a party based on the dinosaurs could have small plastic toys, fake bones and fossils, pictures of your favorite ancient animals, and toy shovels. A honeycomb dinosaur or volcano would look amazing as a centerpiece at your party.
- Think about things that your guests can wear during the party. For example, for a pirate-themed party, you could include captain hats, fake hook hands, or fake beards to help them get in the mood.

7

Prepare a thematic menu.

Download Article

Food and drinks that match your theme tie your whole party together. Look up your theme on idea boards like Pinterest to see what types of food you can easily prepare for your themed party. Try to stick with some simple finger food so your guests can munch on them throughout the night. Give a few different options to ensure that everyone is able to happily enjoy something while they’re at the party. ^{[8]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you want to have a British-themed party, you may offer scones, tea, sausages, lemon cakes, and fruit trifle.
- As another example, put out some gummy worms, dipped pretzel sticks that look like fingers, and green punch for a witch-themed party.
- Remember to get plates, silverware, and napkins that match your theme as well. You can also decorate paper cups with your own cutouts and make your own napkin rings to fit your napkins. Consider buying colored toothpicks at the grocery and taping small decorations to them.
- Reader Poll: We asked 379 wikiHow readers what their go-to finger food is for a party, and only 9% of them said mini sandwiches and sliders. [Take Poll] Don’t be afraid to get creative when choosing food for a themed party!

8

Decorate a cake.

Download Article

Customize the cake with some fun and thematic toppers or decorations. Ask the person celebrating what their favorite cake is so you can buy or make it for them. Use icing or fondant to add festive touches of your theme to the design. Then, look at a party decoration store to see if they have any fun decorations that match your theme to stick into the cake. ^{[9]
X
Research source}
- For example, for a Disney-themed party, find a cake topper of their favorite Disney character to put on top of the cake. A beautifully decorated cake could potentially make a nice centerpiece for many kinds of parties, depending on the occasion.
- As another example, a nature-themed cake could have green frosting, ice cream cone trees, and a small animal topper. Stores such as Dollar Tree and Dollar General often have small decorations that can be used for cake decorating or table scatter.
- Don’t forget about the candles! Use a number of candles equal to the person’s age, or get the candles that are already shaped like numbers to save space. Sometimes you can also get candles shaped like your favorite cartoon characters to match your personal theme.

9

Plan some related games and activities.

Download Article

Games and activities spice up your party and keep your guests involved with the theme. Brainstorm a few activities that are associated with the theme of your party and can easily be done at home. Offer a few different types of activities for different age groups so everyone at the party has a chance to have some fun. ^{[10]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you’re having a Harry Potter-themed party, you could make slime for “potions” class, play a game of quidditch, or have a scavenger hunt for a golden snitch.
- As another example, for a luau-style party, you could make leis, have a hula hoop competition, and limbo. Planning party games also gives the kids a chance to get some exercise and burn off some nervous energy.

10

Hand out fun party favors.

Download Article

Give your party-goers something to remind them of the fun they just had. Look for a few inexpensive but nice items that match the theme of your party at the dollar store and get enough for every guest. When your guests leave the party, give them a bag of party favors to take home with them. ^{[11]
X
Research source}
- For example, if you threw an art-themed party, you may give colored pencils, erasers, a sketchbook, and a customized drawing.
- As another example, if you had a carnival-themed party, you could hand out home versions of carnival games, plush circus animals, and snacks, like bags of popcorn and real or candy peanuts.

How Do You Come Up with a Party Theme?

Watch

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

How can I make my party more fun?

Natasha Miller
Event Planner & CEO, Entire Productions
Natasha Miller is an Event Planner, Chief Experience Designer, and President of Entire Productions, an event and entertainment production company based in San Francisco, California. Notable clients Natasha has collaborated with include Apple, Google, Gap, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Salesforce. Natasha and Entire Productions has been awarded Inc. 5,000's "Fastest Growing Companies in America", Entrepreneur Magazine's 360 List of "Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America." Entire Productions is also a Certified Women Business Enterprise. Natasha is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI).

Natasha Miller

Event Planner & CEO, Entire Productions

Expert Answer

If you're hosting a party for some close friends, you might invite everyone to dress up in a silly costume. If the party is a little bigger, you might set aside a pile of accessories your guests can pick out and wear once they arrive.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 4 Helpful 6
Question

What is the best theme for a birthday party?

Natasha Miller
Event Planner & CEO, Entire Productions
Natasha Miller is an Event Planner, Chief Experience Designer, and President of Entire Productions, an event and entertainment production company based in San Francisco, California. Notable clients Natasha has collaborated with include Apple, Google, Gap, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and Salesforce. Natasha and Entire Productions has been awarded Inc. 5,000's "Fastest Growing Companies in America", Entrepreneur Magazine's 360 List of "Best Entrepreneurial Companies in America." Entire Productions is also a Certified Women Business Enterprise. Natasha is a member of Meeting Professionals International (MPI).

Natasha Miller

Event Planner & CEO, Entire Productions

Expert Answer

It really depends on who's coming to your party. For instance, you might throw a bee-themed party for someone whose name starts with B. If your party guests are especially artistic and creative, you could even encourage them to dress up in costumes and wear face paint.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 5
Question

What games are suitable for a themed birthday party?

Community Answer

You can play games like passing the parcel, musical chairs, truth or dare, a treasure hunt, charades, and Marco Polo. These games are enjoyable for people of all ages and can fit various themes.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 3 Helpful 11

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

Take a lot of pictures of your party so it’s a day that you never forget!

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Give your attention to the person celebrating their birthday if it’s not you. Make their day special and memorable.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

You Might Also Like

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

Log in

How to Plan a Themed Birthday Party

Steps

Choose a theme that matches the person’s interests.

Pick a few colors coordinated your theme.

Find a venue that fits the aesthetic and guestlist.

Send your guests fun invitations.

Make it a costume party.

Put out decor for your motif.

Prepare a thematic menu.

Decorate a cake.

Plan some related games and activities.

Hand out fun party favors.

How Do You Come Up with a Party Theme?

Expert Q&A

Tips

You Might Also Like

References

About This Article

Did this article help you?

Quizzes

You Might Also Like

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Featured Articles

Featured Articles

Watch Articles

Trending Articles

Quizzes

Explore Categories