COVID-Friendly Birthday Party Ideas

One of the hardest parts about being a parent during this pandemic is not being able to host a “normal” birthday for our kiddos in the way that we want for them. But this issue has led to new, creative ways of putting on parties – enter pandemic birthday ideas!

As parents, we want to do everything we can to keep kiddos safe, while still doing something special and memorable for them.

How to Keep Kids Safe at Birthday Parties

Over the past few months, I’ve seen so many creative COVID-friendly pandemic birthday party ideas and wanted to share them with you today.

These backyard birthday party ideas are all really fun and fairly easy. I even have a few links to businesses local to our area that do these types of parties. So give them a try for your next pandemic birthday!

1. Mobile Paint Studio

This idea is so much fun, especially for artsy kids! @thecolorbubble

2. Outdoor Hibachi Dinner

Our kids LOVE hibachi, and it’s a fun experience for everyone. But if you’ve never tried bringing the hibachi home, you’re missing something amazing! @livehibachijoe

3. Blow-up Water Slide Rental

This idea isn’t new, but it’s perfect for a backyard pandemic party if you have the space!

4. Outdoor Nail Salon

Can we do this one for adults, too? This idea is easy to DIY or you can actually call a local salon and set up something more professional.

5. Petting Zoo

Whether you go to the petting zoo or bring the petting zoo to you, outdoor activities like this one can be fun and safe!

6. Magic Show at Home

What a fun idea! Bring the magic to your kids. And our local show brings food too! @mangiahouse

7. Rent a Movie Theater

This idea is great for a small bubble of friends. At our local AMC, groups of around 20 are allowed with masks.

8. Outdoor Movie Night

We’ve done this party pre-COVID too, and it’s so fun! You can rent a huge movie screen and projector or purchase on from Amazon. All of our kids love movie night outdoors!

9. Small Camping Party

This idea can be tougher to pull off, but kids love sleepovers! Try for a small outdoor camping party if the weather is nice. S’mores and tents are so much fun.

10. Plan a Family Trip

If you want to keep things really small but still do something memorable to honor the birthday boy or girl, take a family trip! One of our favorite trips to make as a family is to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

11. Birthday Parade Ideas

The birthday parades were a big hit at the beginning of the pandemic, but they’re still a fun option. Have friends and family decorate their vehicles and drive by your house at a certain time. You can even choose a theme like safari or princess. Kiddos love the extra attention on their special day!

*BONUS Pandemic Birthday Party Idea

To keep your party extra safe, provide some fun birthday masks for the kiddos to wear if they prefer. You can even tie-dye masks as party favors!

Party Food Ideas

Serving individual cupcakes instead of cake is an easy way to keep things separate and safe. You can also serve any foods in individual cups – rethink the single bowl of chips with dip.

Pizza is always a great option for a birthday party. And during a pandemic birthday, pizza can be prepared on individual plates by one person for easy serving!

Final Thoughts on Pandemic Birthday Ideas

Have you thrown a birthday party during the pandemic? Did you try any of these pandemic birthday ideas? We’d love to hear your experience in the comments!

Stay safe, and have fun!

Carrie xo