Looking for creative party theme ideas?
Of course, parties aren't just for kids. So, while we'll cover plenty of ideas for party themes for kids and teens, we also have more sophisticated ideas for adults!
Whether you are looking for themes for a first birthday party, teenage party themes or ideas for an 80th birthday bash, we've got you covered with fun and fantastic ideas you can easily make your own! Please also visit my lenses devoted to mermaid birthdays, airplane cakes and tea party birthdays.
Lizard Parties
One of the hottest themes in kids' parties these days is the lizard party. Often, these are more than just a birthday with lizard plates and napkins - the best lizard parties are filled with actual slithering critters. (Just try googling "Lizard Wizard" or "Lizard Parties" for local providers.)
In many areas, companies will bring a handler and an assortment of cold-blooded critters out to be paraded, petted and admired. Geckos, gila monsters, boas and pythons are among the most popular party "guests."
Often, the companies that provide these can also offer such delights as hissing cockroaches, tarantulas and other creepy crawlies as well.
One advantage of having a company come in with lizards and snakes? You will probably not need to plan any other games or activities!
The "Snake Cake" shown above was made by the Cake Divas in W. LA for Samantha's lizard party.
Petting Zoo Birthday Parties
One of the hottest trends in birthday parties for kids is the petting zoo birthday party. These interactive animal experiences let kids get hands-on -- literally -- with animals ranging from goats, ducks, bunnies, guinea pigs, llamas, sheep, pot bellied pigs and miniature donkeys. While some organizations offer "exotic petting zoos" including reptiles and insects, the most common ones are "farm animal" themed. Not only can guests pet the animals, often they can feed them (only their approved feed, please) and the experience may even include a ride on a pony or a horse.
Petting zoos are more common than you might think; sometimes they are resident in parks as well as farms. You can also find them at zoos and other attractions. There are even mobile petting zoos that will bring animals to you, however you will need the proper facilities (such as a large fenced yard versus a small apartment) to host them.
Some petting zoos will have other party activities including climbables, rides (train rides are popular as are pony rides) and games.
If you do have a petting zoo party, make sure of a few key things:
* The birthday child is truly a fan and will not be scared by the animals
* Have good hand-washing available, or at least ample hand sanitizer
* Review the rules of animal interaction before allowing any of the children near the creatures.
* Find out the rules for taking food and decorations if you are having your party at an attraction. For example, balloons may not be allowed.
* Do not allow party food or drinks in the area with the petting animals, for the sake of your food and the health of your guests and animals
* Take lots of pictures of your petting zoo birthday!
Birthday party petting zoo goat
Petting zoo goat
Climbing a tractor at birthday party
Petting zoo birthday cake
Tractor cake
Pet the cow
Petting zoo Alpaca
Petting Zoo
Horse Birthday Parties
A horse birthday party theme offers wonderful options for decorating, activities, games, crafts and more. Who would like a horse birthday party? Of course, any little boy who wants to be a cowboy or loves farm animals - however, the true passion for horses is often associated with little girls -- usually ages 6 to 12. What is it about girls and horses? A horse allows her to nurture, to feed, but also to go fast and be strong -- what's not to love?So, if you are planning a birthday for your favorite adult equestrian, or a younger horse lover, consider an equine themed event.
Horse Back Riding at your Party
A lot of stables that offer riding lessons or trail ride rentals offer party packages. Consider taking a small group of friends on a horseback ride, culminating in a picnic or cake.
Horse Birthday Cakes
Horses inspire some of the most beautiful cakes I've seen. Whether shaped like a horse's head, a whole horse (perhaps a bucking bronco?), a racetrack, or topped with a herd of pony cake toppers, a horse themed cake is sure to be a stunner. Also see the horse tack, horseshoes, stables and more...Check out some amazing examples I've found.
Beautiful icing horse birthday cake
Fondant cutout horse cake
My little pony birthday cake
Horse birthday cake
Horse figurines on sheet cake
Pony on a cake
Little StarSong little pony birthday scene
Horse birthday party supplies
Also check out the adorable horse cake topper!
Breyer Horse Fun Party Pack - 4118
Amazon Price: $45.49 (as of 12/31/2009) 
Wild Horses Party Favor Kit Child
Amazon Price: $6.64 (as of 12/31/2009)
My Horse Lunch Plates 8ct
Amazon Price: $2.22 (as of 12/31/2009)
Throw a Guitar Hero birthday party
It can be challenging finding party themes for teens and young adults, but you will have a definite hit if you throw a guitar hero party!What is Guitar Hero? It is one of the most popular video games on the market today (as is its competitor "Rock Band") and is available for the PS 3, Wii and xbox 360. The game allows you to play along to some of your favorite songs with a virtual guitar...
Guitar Hero Tournament
Of course, you'll probably want to set up a guitar station (or borrow systems and games from friends and set up multiple spots) and let people play - organize a tournament and offer prizes for best scores.
Other Activities for Your Guitar Hero Party
Ok, so you want to do something that works better for a bigger group or just don't want to play Guitar Hero the whole night. What else can you do at a Guitar Hero party?
* Name That Tune - stage your own version of the classic game show -- compete to name popular songs after only a few notes?
* Karaoke night - most party rental places offer reasonably priced karaoke machines, if you don't have one at home. Plug in and let your guests wail!
* What's that Lyric? Pass out sheets with lyrics from popular or classic songs, but leave out a few words -- see who can fill in the most missing lyrics correctly!
You can also stage your own battle of the bands and let people play both Guitar Hero and Rock Band - what's the favorite in your group?
Younger kids may enjoy dressing up as rockers with fun wigs and other glitz.
Guitar Cakes for your Guitar Hero birthday party
Of course a guitar cake is necessary for your Guitar Hero party -- whether you have a whole cake shaped like a guitar, or using icing or cake toppers to establish your theme.
Check out some of the most impressive guitar birthday cakes we found pictured on flickr. Some are more classic guitars while others are replicas of the one that comes with the Guitar hero game. No cheat codes included.
Rocker guitar cake
Sculpted guitar cake
Fun guitar cake for kids birthday
Electric guitar cake
Icing cake design
Guitar shaped cake pan
Guitar Hero party supplies
PINK Costume Inflatable Guitar
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)
Rockin Out Guitar 26" Mylar Balloon
Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 12/30/2009)
Rock & Roll Table Skirt
Amazon Price: $9.64 (as of 12/30/2009)
Hannah Montana Party Theme Accessories
Everything you need for your little pop star to have a Hannah Montana Party
The good news is that the teen pop diva is so popular, there are lots of great Hannah products available, which makes your party shopping and planning a piece of cake.
Whether you want a standup Hannah Montana cake topper or a flat edible cake decoration, temporary tattoos or Hannah themed sport bottles, you can find them all at Amazon with a click of your mouse and have them on your doorstep in a flash. They even have inexpensive pre-packaged Hannah Montana themed goody bags to save you time and money. It's the Best of Both Worlds.
Don't forget to get the Hannah Montana electric toothbrush for your birthday girl.
Hannah Montana Popstar Birthday Cake Edible Image
Amazon Price: $8.20 (as of 12/31/2009)
Hannah Montana Lip Gloss Guitar Cake Topper Set
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
Hannah Montana Party Favor Kit Child
Amazon Price: $5.23 (as of 12/31/2009)
Party Supplies - Hannah Montana Sports Bottle
Amazon Price: (as of 12/31/2009)
Hannah Montana Centerpiece, 6-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6)
Amazon Price: $21.32 (as of 12/31/2009)
Tiara princess cake
Princess Theme Birthday Parties
One of the most popular party themes for three to six year old girls is "princess." Whether your little royal highness wants a "Disney Princess" party or a more generic princess themed bash, there are tons of decorations, favors, games and activities available, sure to make the birthday celebration one the whole kingdom will be talking about.Ready to start planning your princess party? Here's everything you need:
Who's your favorite princess?
First, decide if you want to go the Disney Princess route, and if so if you are focusing on a particular princess or a group of them. A lot of the current decorations feature several of the princesses, usually Sleeping Beauty (Aurora), Snow White and Cinderella. You can also find Ariel themed decorations (consider throwing a whole mermaid themed birthday party if your daughter is an Ariel fan) as well as Jasmine, Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) and Tinkerbell (who is actually a fairy, but who has attained honorary Princess status in recent years).
Prefer to go the "non-specific" princess route? Never fear. You can find plenty of castles, tiaras and other princess accessories without Disney's licensed characters adorning them.
Disney Princess Party Favors
Disney Fairytale Princess Sundae Dishes - 4 Count
Amazon Price: $7.47 (as of 12/30/2009)
Cinderella Stardust Party Favor Kit Child
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)
Disney Princess - Party Supplies - Tiaras
Amazon Price: $3.69 (as of 12/30/2009)
Disney Fairy-Tale Princesses Party Rings 4 Pack
Amazon Price: $3.62 (as of 12/30/2009)
Disney Princess Birthday Candles
Walt Disney Princess Ariel and Shell Candle
Amazon Price: $9.45 (as of 12/31/2009)
Disney Princess Candle and Cake Topper Set 7ct
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
Disney Princess Cake Candle
Amazon Price: (as of 12/31/2009)
Wilton Disney Princess Cinderella Candle
Amazon Price: $9.55 (as of 12/31/2009)
Princess Crown cakes
Nothing says "princess" like a crown, so whether you want to top your cake with a tiara or have your whole dessert in a crown shape, consider these amazing cakes, fit for a princess. While many have fondant crowns, others use icing, or put actual tiaras or crowns atop the cake. Want to get really royal? Place your princess crown cake on top of a velvet cushion cake for true luxury. And remember - princess crowns aren't just for children!
Wilton makes a crown shaped cake pan, so if you want to go that route, it is even pretty easy to do at home. The picture of the crown cake above was just cut freeform from a half sheet cake.
Cake with a princess in a crown
Cupcakes fit for a princess! Part of an order for a first birthday party. Cupc...
Wilton's crown cake mold pan
Pink monkey princess cake
Princess cake for a princess
Princess hat on a cake
Tiara tiered cake, fit for a princess
Everything you need for a fairy birthday party
A fairy party offers the excitement and glitz of a princess party, without the cliches and with an extra dose of magic. These favors, cake decorating kits and other fairy accessories will provide everything you need for the perfect fairy themed party.
Fairy Wishes Cakes - Do It Yourself Cake Decorating Package - 25 Pieces Total
Beautiful kit with everything you need to make the perfect fairy cake.
Amazon Price: $16.80 (as of 12/31/2009)
Party Supplies - Tinker Bell Party Supplies - Deluxe Pack
Tinkerbell party decoration and table setting kit.
Amazon Price: $30.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
Fairy Dust in Voile Bag with a Poem, Sweet Party Favor
Perfect favor for a fairy party - teeny bag with fairy dust inside.
Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 12/31/2009)
spinning magic toy fairy wand
Lit and spinning fairy wand is perfect for the birthday girl or instead of a goody bag for fairy guests to take home.
Amazon Price: (as of 12/31/2009)
Beautiful fairy birthday cake ideas
for your girls' fairy themed birthday party
Let these fairy cakes inspire you with their magical designs when you're planning your fairy themed birthday party.
Fairy made of fondant.
Tiered fairy land cake
Fairy on a round cake
Fairy cake and cupcakes
Color flow icing cupcake fairies
These were cupcakes for my stepdaughter's birthday - color flow icing fairies si...
Fairy on a cupckae
Round tinkerbell fairy cake
Fairy Cake, icing on sheet cake
this is her cake. It's a Tinkerbell cupcake cake
Doll cake of fairy
Tinkerbell toppers on sheet cake
Tinkerbell fairy cake topper
Winnie the Pooh birthday supplies
Pooh bear!
Party Supplies - Pooh's Happy Day Party Supplies - Deluxe Pack
Amazon Price: $30.99 (as of 12/30/2009)
Pooh 3-D Pull String Piñata
Amazon Price: $22.99 (as of 12/30/2009)
Disney 100 Acre Wood 23ft Room Rolls 2ct
Amazon Price: (as of 12/30/2009)
Pooh's First Birthday Girl Candle
Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 12/30/2009)
Winnie the Pooh Birthday party theme
Pooh bear, tigger and piglet too!
Pooh bear is a perennial favorite of babies, toddlers and adults alike, so there is no question that Winnie the Pooh birthday parties are a popular theme. But, what can you do to make your Pooh bear party unique?Pooh Bear Themed Activities
First, keep in mind the age of your birthday boy or girl, and the ages of the party guests. If your party is for baby's first birthday, a gathering with party hats, presents and cake is probably sufficient. If you are having a Pooh party for toddlers, you will want to organize some simple games. Some ideas include:
* Toss the bean bag into the hunny pot
*Blustery day balloon game. Blow up about 3 times as many balloons as you have guests. Have each guest hold the edge of a large, flat bedsheet, at about waist high. Place the balloons on the sheet and have the guests bounce them, trying to keep them in the air by lifting and lowering the sheet, without allowing them to fall onto the floor. You can also use foam (such as Nerf) balls instead of balloons.
* Heffalump hunt. Make paper cutout heffalumps and hide them in your house or yard.
* Tigger bounce. Place a pillows or foam squares in a pile (in an area away from sharp or hard objects). Have each guest take a turn jumping on the pile to see who can "bounce" the highest.
* Musical chairs (use music from your favorite pooh movie)
Disney Pooh or Classic Pooh?
Of course one decision you have to make for your Pooh birthday party is whether to use decorations and paper goods in the "Disney" Winnie the Pooh style, or those like the original book illustrations. If you love Pooh, you undoubtedly have a favorite.
Pooh Character Cakes
Due to the popularity of Winnie the Pooh birthday parties, there are a lot of different Pooh bear birthday cakes. You can find 2D molds as well as 3D Pooh molds (like the one used to make the cake pictured above) of Winnie the Pooh as well as other characters. Or, use cake topper figurines to get all your favorites in the Hundred Acre Wood onto your cake.
Nursery Rhyme Birthday Party Theme
Baby and toddler nursery rhyme birthday
One of the best things about nursery rhymes is there are so many to choose from -- cows jumping over moons, dishes running with spoons, pumpkin eaters and old women living in shoes -- whatever your whimsy, you can find something to cater to it.
Spiderwick Theme Birthday Party?
Spiderwick Chronicles birthday ideas
If your child is a fan of the Spiderwick Chronicles book series or the recent movie release, you may be fielding requests for a Spiderwick party theme. The good news is there are lots of fabulous things in the books and movie you can draw from - the bad news is your local party store probably does not have "Spiderwick" themed plates, napkins, or party favors, so you're going to have to use your imagination to pull it all together.The other good news is that the movie is now available on DVD, so you can use a movie viewing as a centerpiece for your party.
In the Spiderwick series, the Grace children go to live at Spiderwick Estate, so plan to decorate your home accordingly. You can use movie posters for decorations as well. In general, you want to go dark and spooky with goblins, hobgoblins and griffins galore.
There are Spiderwick action figures available, so use those as party favors, decorations or even cake toppers.
Spiderwick Chronicles Theme Party gear from Amazon
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Action Figure - Red Cap
Amazon Price: $10.99 (as of 12/30/2009)
The Spiderwick Chronicles - Action Figure - Hogsqueal
Amazon Price: $9.90 (as of 12/30/2009)
The Spiderwick Chronicles (Widescreen Edition)
Amazon Price: $12.49 (as of 12/30/2009)
Spiderwick Chronicles Movie (Boy in Woods) Poster Print - 24" X 36"
Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 12/30/2009)
Spiderwick Chronicles Creature Capture Card Game
Amazon Price: $5.98 (as of 12/30/2009)
Birthday Cakes for 7 year olds
They aren't babies anymore, but they aren't tweens yet... so what kind of theme should you have for a 7 year old's birthday party?
Look at some of these cakes for 7 year old birthday party inspiration and ideas.
Lady bug birthday cake
Great Wall-E Birthday cake
Purse cake - adorable
Football themed cake
Butterflies and flowers
Hula birthday girl
For Matt's birthday I arranged for a group of his friends to meet us in the pub,...
Cars birthday theme cake
Wallace and Gromit cake. Gorgeous.
21st Birthday Party Themes
Certainly, you should take the birthday celebrant's interests into account when planning your theme. Does he love race cars? Guitars? Is she enamored of gardens? Fashion? You can make nearly interest into a great party theme.
Of course, you may want to just come up with a marvelous party idea that has broad appeal. These ideas are fresh and are sure to be a hit for anyone you know on a 21st:
* Luau: Luau birthdays are ageless and timeless as well as good for girls and guys! Whether you have the party at the beach or in your backyard, tiki torches and leis will spruce up your celebration.
* Battle of the Bands: Use Rock Band or Guitar Heroas your inspiration and stage a battle of the bands.
* Snow Day: Turn up the air conditioning and mull some hard cider for a party excursion into the icy north. If the birthday guy or girl is a skier, snowboarder or just likes to play in the snow, this is sure to be a hit. Top it off with a penguin cake.
Fear Factor Party Theme
Thrills and chills
Fear Factor Party Food
At a fear factor party, food is more than refreshment -- it is part of the entertainment. You can go tame and use some of the classic Halloween haunted house favorites or get exotic, gourmet offerings to tempt (or horrify). Design a menu of challenging finger foods for your guests to enjoy, including some of the following:
* Peeled grapes (call them eyeballs)
* Crush cookies and place it into a brand new litter box (or use a baking pan). Add blobs of chocolate pudding or mini tootsie rolls or baby ruth bars.
* Gummy candy (such as these eyeball) ones
* Jello molded into a brain or other organ shape
* Chocolate Dipped Ants
* Real cricket lollipops
* Use marzipan or refrigerator cookie dough to form body parts, pigs ears or other disgusting food forms.
Fear Factor Party Activities and Games
The challenges you design for your guests don't have to be dangerous in order to strike fear into their hearts. Try some of these activities as fear factor challenges:
* Make your guests fish plastic bugs out of a jello mold, or bowl filled with cold pasta . Make it more challenging by making them use their mouths to do it.
* Buy some live crickets (most pet stores stock them). Place them in a large jar in which you also have small prizes, coins or slips of paper that correspond to prizes. Make the guests fish them out, past the crickets.
* See who can suck on a sour wedge of lemon or grapefruit the longest.
* Staring contest: Who can go the longest without blinking?
* See who can stand on one leg the longest.
* Have guests eat through a challenging food obstacle course: include items like raw onions, sauerkraut, sashimi and baby food.
Candy Insects from Amazon
These are perfect for kids' fear factor parties
Lady Bugs Edible Hard Sugar Decorations (#45147), 16 pcs
Amazon Price: $6.58 (as of 12/31/2009)
Baby Boy's 1st Birthday: Baseball theme
If you are looking for a theme for your precious baby boy's 1st birthday, consider a baseball theme. Perfect for summer picnics and family parties, you can incorporate your love of the All-American ballgame in your baby's birthday celebration!Baseball Birthday Cake
Of course, the birthday cake is the centerpiece of any birthday celebration, so you want to have a baseball themed cake for baby's party. Look for cakes with baseball diamonds, or with elements of the game like a bat and ball or glove.
Baseball Birthday Party Activities
Of course, your 1 year old is not going to be playing "pin the baseball on home plate" or whacking at a baseball pinata on his own. However, if you have older children attending baby's birthday party, you might to plan on having some simple, age-appropriate games or activities such as a craft or coloring. Consider letting them use fabric markers to decorate their own baseball caps or tossing balls into a goal to earn small prizes.
Baseball Party Favors
If all the children attending your party are babies, you don't really need favors and especially not the classic goody bags. However, if you want to send a token home with each party goer, consider these baby-appropriate party favors instead of the classic small (choking hazard) toys and candy.
* Baseball caps
* Baseball themed shirts
* Bibs decorated with baseballs - you can do this quickly and easily with some fabric paint
* Plush or stuffed "baseball" and / or "bat"
* A baseball or sport themed board book
Hollywood Movie cakes
If your birthday girl is excited by the glitz glamour of hollywood, consider a movie themed party. This is the perfect theme for a budding actress, someone who loves movies or just for someone who is a natural star! You can go with a general theme of movies, film and Hollywood OR base your party theme on a particular movie. Check out these perfect cakes for your Hollywood movie themed birthday.
Hollywood movie clapper
You're a star!
Hollywood starlet cake
Movie cake from Empire strikes back
cars movie cake
New Guestbook
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- Shelly Shelly Feb 22, 2009 @ 8:10 pm
- Just squidooed over from your link at Tipi's. You seem to have a cake idea for just about anyone of any age. Tipi and I once made our Dad a cake in the shape of his lawn tractor and wrote "Dad's Toy" in place of the brand name. I was the assisstant as Susie is the artistic one in the family. There is just something about a special cake for a special person.
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- Tipi Tipi Feb 13, 2009 @ 8:27 am
- This is a nice birthday themes lens. I lens rolled it and added to a plexo list on my birthdays lens. Cute! :)
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- Tipi Tipi Feb 13, 2009 @ 12:43 am
- Great ideas for a Birthday Themes lens. Very nice job! :))
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- babythymes babythymes Jan 13, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
- Great lens- especially liked the princess crown cakes! *****5 stars
Check out our fun baby hats!
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- RentMyGarden RentMyGarden Oct 26, 2008 @ 12:47 am
- Great Birthday Party Themes and Birthday Theme Cakes! Rating ***** 5 stars.
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- Janet21 Janet21 Sep 15, 2008 @ 6:29 am
- Very nice lens. Welcome to the Let's Party Group. :)
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