6 Modern Updates To Traditional Party Activities

There’s nothing quite like the magic of a child’s birthday party — the sight of giant grins, wide-eyed wonder, and unbridled excitement on every little face. For kids, a birthday celebration should always feel like pure, effortless joy. As a parent, however, you now realize the planning that goes into throwing the perfect party, and you may feel some pressure leading up to the special day.

Your child’s most joyous and formative years won’t last forever, so you really want to make every birthday count, with each annual celebration just as memorable as the last. But how can you blend the essential birthday traditions with unique ideas each and every year? The key is to make a creative twist on the most classic party activities, using a fresh theme or special guests to revitalize the party experience. Here are some inventive ideas for revolutionizing your child’s next birthday.

1. Themed Activities and Guests

Choosing a theme for your party is a great way to streamline the planning while creating a magical adventure for the children. Whether it’s pirates, princesses, or an enchanted forest, a party theme is sure to please the kiddos and provide a clear picture of how to decorate. 

 

Imagine transforming your house into a fairytale setting, complete with costumes for everyone! You could even invite a special guest character to attend your party — a professional entertainer who comes ready to delight the kids, allowing you to sit back and just enjoy the festivities.

2. Bounce House Games

A bounce castle can fit right in with the theme of your party, especially if you order one decked out with superheroes or beloved movie characters. You can’t go wrong with this supersized addition to your party, but if you’re going to rent a giant inflatable for your child’s birthday, you can really make the most of it by hosting friendly competitions inside. Classic games like Simon Says or freeze tag will be hilariously amplified in the colorful confines of a bouncy chamber. Here are some more ideas for exciting games to play.

Bouncy Dodgeball

You know the age-old game of dodgeball and how much fun it can be — now imagine that sport in a bounce house! If your children and their friends love this game, then simply get some soft foam balls to throw in the bouncy house, and bounce dodgeball is guaranteed to be a hit! As you probably know, dodgeball games can sometimes get out of control, so it’s best to limit this activity and the time that the balls are in the bounce house. Setting a few boundaries will be important for ensuring everyone’s safety and continued fun.

Capture the Flag

This is another classic game that gets a big boost in fun with a bounce house. The game works by dividing party-goers into two teams, each with its one “base” and a flag (bandana or some other object) to protect. The aim is to capture the opposing team’s flag and return it to your own base without getting tagged and surrendering the flag. 

With a bounce house, the inflatable can become one of the bases, or it can be an obstacle course between sides. Players will have to dodge and tumble through the chamber to complete their mission!

As with any game of capture the flag, consideration for safety is important. Make sure there’s no roughhousing, and consider setting a “safe zone” where kids can opt out of chasing and catch their breath. A few basic ground rules like these and a parent referee to facilitate will ensure that the bouncy battleground remains fun for everyone.

Freeze Bounce

Freeze bounce is a simple game that’s not as physical as dodgeball or capture the flag, so it’s better for a less competitive group of kids. Not to be confused with freeze tag, freeze bounce is a game of reflexes that goes along with music.

It works by playing a song while everyone jumps around. When the music stops, no more jumping! Everyone has to freeze and land their last jump. Anyone who falls over or keeps moving is out for that round, and so begins the next round when the music starts again. The last kid standing wins! This easy game adds a dash of competition and extra fun to any bounce house, and is sure to be fun for kids of any age.

3. Modern Clowns

Ever thought of booking a clown for your party? Professional clowns can offer way more than you might imagine for a children’s birthday celebration. Of course, they can do balloon animals, face painting, and magic tricks — but a true birthday performer can really run the party. A pro clown will captivate the kids’ attention, drive the narrative of your party theme, and most importantly allow you as a parent to sit back and relax. Hiring a modern clown is not just a way of elevating the fun for the kids, but also buying a serious favor for yourself.

4. Food Concession Equipment

The food factor is critical for any kids’ birthday party, even though it can be one of the most difficult parts to plan. Of course, you’ll want to order a custom cake and make sure there’s enough to go around, but a great party runs not on cake alone. Consider renting professional-quality food concessions like a popcorn machine, snow cone machine, or even a hot dog cart to keep faces smiling and bellies full for a whole afternoon of celebration.

5. Photo and Video Booths

With all the work you put into throwing the perfect party, you will of course want plenty of photos to remember it by. Amazing decorations and hilarious games mean that phones will be out and recording, but why not build photography into the festivities? If you supply a photo booth with silly items for dress-up, kids and parents alike can show off their costumes for the camera.

Photo booths are a classic addition for all types of events, so you really can’t go wrong with this addition to your kids’ party. You could, however, go above and beyond the traditional by adding a 360-degree video experience. This high-tech video booth uses a spinning arm to capture an all-around view of your pose in motion — instantly saving a shareable clip to your phone.

6. Interactive Games

Remember going to the carnival as a kid, marveling at the flashing game booths and the life-size teddy bear prizes? You can recreate some of that wonder for your children, and bring a touch of nostalgia for the parents, by introducing miniature carnival games to the birthday party. These are portable game booths modeled after classic carnival games like Fish in a Bowl, Duck Hunt, and Down-a-Clown.

If a carnival is not the style you’re going for, you could opt for an arcade environment instead. Kids who love video games will love interactive electronic games that bring the neon thrill of the arcade into your party. And don’t forget the prizes! Whether you go with carnival or arcade-style games, you can up the fun factor and spur some friendly competition by promising those coveted stuffed animals to the winners.

Every one of your child’s birthdays is a special opportunity for happy memories that last. By creating a fresh, innovative twist on classic party activities each year, you can make these days not only magical for your child but also unforgettable for everyone involved.