Quarantine has been a strange time for everyone and with it has come a lot of stress and strain, especially for those who’ve seen their plans ruined as a result. For kids who might not fully understand the situation, being told their birthday party is cancelled is something that can be very upsetting.
There will be no friends, soft play centres or anything even remotely resembling what they are used to for their big day. That’s why it’s important to come up with some creative ways in which their birthday can be celebrated, especially as most kids look forward to the occasion all year round.
While quarantine is being lifted in some places, caution must remain. So, while you can tailor the party to fit the current restrictions, you will still need to keep things as small and safe as possible. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on the fun altogether! In no particular order, here are 7 ideas for kids’ birthday during quarantine.
Build A Den
Kids love building dens and the best bit for parents is that for the most part, you can just use what you have around the house. If you’re familiar with ‘the floor is lava’ game then you can incorporate this mantra too. For example, the sofa is a bridge connecting two parts of the jungle. The living room floor is home to snakes, lions and tigers so you can’t fall off!
The kids will have hours of fun constructing tents with bed sheets and using the dining room table as a safety post. Be sure to sneak in some snacks so everyone’s energy doesn’t drop as they remain vigilant because of the jungle predators. At night, use a torch to read scary stories. If you put some thought into building a den, you create something incredibly entertaining for your kid’s birthday.
Drive-By Birthday Party
During quarantine, your kids aren’t able to spend time with friends and family as they normally would, which becomes especially difficult on their birthday. A way around this (for now) is to hold a drive-by birthday party which adheres to social distancing. If a member of your household is shielding, you might have to limit this to friends going past and beeping at the window.
However, a more inventive idea is to set up a table with snacks and a party bag for each guest. Keeping your distance, they can grab a slice of pizza and a party bag while dropping off their present without getting too close. This idea is great for kids who have been off school and are missing their friends and is very easy to organise with other parents
Treasure Hunt
You might see your house as a regular semi-detached in Bolton but to your kids, it’s a playground full of imagination. So, if you have a little one with a birthday coming up, it’s time to tap into your inner child and create a treasure hunt in the house or garden. If you’re going down the themed route (pirates of their favourite movie) then be sure to add lots of accessories too.
A good idea is to start with clues that lead to smaller presents before eventually, they discover their main birthday present. Use the space you have in the most imaginative way possible, and after the treasure hunt is over you can celebrate with pizza and cake, which apparently is indeed the diet of pirates.
Recreate A Theme Park Experience At Home
If your plans to head to the real Disneyland (or another theme park of your choice) have been dashed this year, all is not lost. That’s because with a little creativity you can recreate the spirit of the theme park experience right at home. It starts with your ‘admit one’ tickets which the kids can have fun making the day before. Working with the indoor/outdoor space you have, fill it with toys, games and activities your kids can enjoy.
You could even add some last-minute additions such as an outdoor playhouse (which you can turn into a magic castle) or an activity centre. The idea is to make your home as colourful and fun as possible. You can even create different zones such as ‘jungle’, ‘aztec’, ‘space station’ or ‘candyland’. Finishing touches such as candyfloss, balloons and Disney soundtracks being piped through speakers of your garden will leave the kids thoroughly entertained.
Virtual Entertainer
If your kid had their heart set on an entertainer for their birthday, then it’s still possible to access one virtually. This option is a great way to involve friends and family, especially if you use Zoom. Lots of party entertainers have gone virtual during quarantine, so it helps support their business too.
One such example is Captain Fantastic who does a wide range of kids birthday parties starting at age 3 and up. Parties include everything from music, puppets, magic and interactive elements. After the entertainment is finished, you can still follow up with some good old party food and of course birthday cake, today is not the day for healthy-eating dogma for your child. The candles can be blown out virtually too meaning family don’t have to miss out completely.
Board Game Tournament
Remember how fun it was to play the likes of Monopoly, Operation and Kerplunk? Getting kids away from their screens to engage in some good old fashioned board games is a great way to spend time together as a family, especially for your kids birthday. For this, you’re going to need to set up lots of table space, along with a wide variety of games, a scorebook, medals and of course… a grand prize! Starting early in the morning, create a time slot for each game. As you work around the room, participants will collect prizes as their scores tally up. Be sure to jazz up the room with lots of cool quiz themed decorations. Mum or dad could even dress up as the quiz host! For variety, add in a mixture of physical and mental games to keep your kids on their toes.
New Bedroom Birthday Party
If lockdown has given us anything it’s too much time spent inside the house. Giving your child’s bedroom a makeover for their birthday is a productive way to use this time and is the perfect lockdown-friendly activity, especially if you are good with painting and putting furniture together. Start with decamping your child to another room or even the living room for a couple of nights, sticking an ‘under construction’ sticker across their door to build some excitement.
Get painting, rearranging and adding cool features to their room such as a themed bed. Fill the room with balloons, presents and all the good stuff that makes birthdays rock. On the morning of the birthday reveal their surprise, and let them enjoy their cool new space! As soon as quarantine is over, they can show their friends in person too.
To Sum Up
I hope the above ideas have given you some direction when it comes to throwing a birthday party for your kid during quarantine. It’s going to be a year they are never going to forget, so the key is to make it enjoyable as possible. The good news is that with a little creativity and imagination, you can work with what you have to transform your existing spaces into something super cool to celebrate their birthday in style.
Remember, quarantine isn’t going to be forever. Once this is over, you can plan a belated celebration too. If you have any other ideas on celebrating kids’ birthdays while in quarantine, be sure to leave a comment below so we can stay creative and positive for our kids’ special day.
