Winter Birthday Party Ideas
With my own birthday falling in January, and having grown up in the cold and snowy northeast, I can empathize with the children who will be celebrating birthdays over the next couple of months. Having a birthday party in the dead of winter gets a bum rap sometimes. Pool parties are out, unless they’re being held at an indoor community pool, and for the most part, the kids can’t run off as much energy as they can outside. Parents may also tend to limit the number of guests more in the winter; while your backyard might be able to hold a classroom’s worth of kids during warmer weather, chances are good that your house cannot. So for those who have kids with birthdays in January and February (and who do not live in a warm climate), here are some birthday party ideas for making winter birthdays every bit as special as those that fall in the spring or summer:
- Come up with a variety of indoor party games. If you are opting to have the party at home, save your own sanity by making sure you have a lot of activities planned. A houseful of kids who have been cooped up due to inclement weather for the past few weeks could drive you crazy if they’re allowed to rely on their own devices. Plan enough for the party’s allotted time, plus a bunch extra. Some possibilities for “extra” activities include face-painting (by you or another adult or teen!), craft projects (order from Oriental Trading Company or make some of your own to use as examples in advance of the party), hula hooping (this is an active game, but forces kids to stay in one spot), a dancing contest, or an obstacle course. Keep them busy!
- Take the party to a different venue. This can be an expensive option, but a bowling alley, roller skating rink, pizza arcade or children’s museum might be the perfect place for your child’s party. The good thing about this type of party is that it has clear starting and ending times, and there is no mess for you to clean up! That alone could be worth its price in gold. To save some money, ask the manager if you could have it after school on a weekday, or on a Sunday evening; off-peak times might get you a discount.
- Work with what you’ve got. If you live near beautiful hills and you have a foot of snow on the ground, have a sledding party! After the kids tire themselves running up and sledding down the hills for a while, head to your house for hot chocolate and cake. The party guests will probably be too pooped out to cause too much mayhem in your home, but the activities above will help ensure minimum mayhem.
- Consider a half-birthday celebration instead. Your child might be happy to defer her party until the summer, when she can enjoy water balloon fights, swimming and running around in the backyard.
- Find something extra-special to do with one or two children, rather than have a big party. One year, for example, my son invited his best friend to a hockey game. We had dinner at a restaurant before the game, then his friend got to sleep over. This was more meaningful and memorable to him than a party would have been that year.
There are lots of good options for your winter birthday-child, and ones that will suit any budget. What are some birthday party ideas to make your child’s day ultra fun, despite the frightful weather?
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I got to throw my first birthday party a few years ago when i became a step-mom, it was so much fun. Her favorite thing to do is have sleepovers! Now i have my little one and got to throw her 1st birthday party and the second is coming – great tips, I will use them!
birthdays are coming up thanks for the ideas
I like the idea of taking the party to a different venue! That way I do not have to clean up the mess! And nothing gets broken at my house!
Great ideas since my Grandsons birthday is coming up at the end of February and we live in NY! Thanks!
Thanks for the ideas for winter birthdays. I like the idea of doing something special with one or two others for the child’s birthday.
Thanks for the ideas. My birthday is coming up next month. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your ideas!
wow what alot of great ideas for birthday parties and other birthday related info. A winter party can be just as fun outside in the snow if you have a good area to do that in. We are always stuck on what to do for party favors. Sometimes the dollar tree stores have lots of fun things to put in the bags for that.
Good ideas. My kids birthdays are in January and February. We have had bowling parties (fun for the older set) and one year for my daughter, she wanted a beach party. Since we had the room we emptied out a room, laid and taped plastic down and put sand down and made the room look like the beach. We painted a large picture and added luau elements. We had the girls come over with their bathing suits and turned the heat up high so that the kids were not cold and to simulate the “heat” of summer. We gave the girls water guns and had some “water” games so they could get wet. We got these toys that the kids could make “sand castles” with. When all the games and cake and festivities were over my daughter proclaimed it “the best party ever!” I had several of the parents give me kudos too for having a fun and creative winter party.
This is awesome ideas. It’s always hard to plan Winter Birthday 🙂
Thanks for the ideas!! My granddaughter will be 3 this November.
I offered my grand daughter the option of a slumber party for girls when it was cold and when summer hit, she had a full blown camp over for mixed sexes. Supervised of course and they had a blast so it can work but I do agree about cold weather parties,
My Niece has a Birthday coming up at the end of the month! Thanks for the Ideas 🙂
Awesome Birthday party idea.
what a beautiful idea.. i will do this thing on my next event.. THANKS a LOT <3
My son’s and my birthdays are both in February. These ideas are great.
I love the idea of a sledding party. I would never have thought of that in a million years. Thanks for the great ideas.
we have allot of birthdays during the winter, thank you for some great ideas
I have had birthday parties in the winter including lunch – out and a movie, bowling or trips to a science center. Its always been a good time for those attending.
great ideas thank you!
Great ideas!
great ideas!
My son’s birthday is jan 30th, I always struggle with what to do for his birthday!